Book review

‘Why Nations Fail’. The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty‘. Daron Acemoglu & James A.Robinson Once in a while, I’ll come across a remarkable book that makes my thinking on an issue wonderfully clear. A wonderful mind bend, that takes a few hours to benefit from, and that at the end brings clarity and understanding … Read more

A cold weekend is the perfect time to finish Vaclav Smil’s new book. Smil restores your faith that complex issues can be communicated clearly and with real evidence.  People working in public policy and lobbying would be well served by reading Smil and emulating his style. Those who did so would stand out in Brussels … Read more

I hope every Commissioner-designate taped by their government to move to Brussels  reads Tony Blair’s new book “On Leadership”. First up, I am Blairite. This man was key to bringing peace to my homeland, Northern Ireland. When a fellow Labour Party staffer called me ” Blairite scum”, I said “Yes, I am” and took it … Read more

Charles Clover, ‘Rewilding the Sea. How to Save our Oceans‘ I owe Charles Clover a lot. He gave me a trip down memory lane and showed me optimism  is justified. I so enjoyed his other book, The End of Line , that I sent a signed copy to every Commissioner for the summer time reading. … Read more