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Not all heroes return home

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  Title: SAS Operation: Behind Iraqi Lines Author: Shaun Clarke Publisher: Harper, London Year published: 2016 198 pages The book opens in August 1990, when Iraqi forces invade Kuwait , threatening global oil reserves and triggering the Gulf War . Against this backdrop, the Special Air Service (SAS), renowned for their desert warfare expertise, are deployed to carry out covert operations behind enemy lines. Clarke portrays the SAS as ultimate soldiers tasked with reconnaissance, sabotage, espionage, and hostage rescue missions, often in hostile and unforgiving terrain. Led by Major Mike Hailsham , the unit is inserted into Saudi Arabia before crossing into Iraq for missions that include destroying fiber-optic communication systems, targeting SCUD missile launch sites , and dismantling radar installations. These operations are depicted as both technically demanding and perilously dangerous, requiring stealth, endurance, and absolute discipline. Clarke emphasizes the psychological a...
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The brilliant commander of the Red Army

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  Title: Georgy Zhukov Author: Robert Forczyk Publisher: Osprey Publishing, Oxford Year published: 2012 64 pages This book offers a compact yet detailed portrait of one of the most significant Soviet military leaders of the twentieth century.  It traces Zhukov’s rise from humble beginnings to becoming Marshal of the Soviet Union , emphasizing his role in shaping the Red Army’s victories during World War II .  The narrative highlights his early career, his tough personality, and his ability to inspire and discipline troops.  Forczyk explores Zhukov’s command in pivotal battles such as Moscow , Stalingrad , Kursk , and the final assault on Berlin , showing how his strategic decisions and relentless drive were crucial in defeating Nazi Germany .  The book also examines his complex relationship with Stalin , marked by both trust and tension, as Zhukov’s growing influence sometimes threatened the dictator’s control.  After the war, Zhukov’s career was marked by...
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Human population growth vs resource availability

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  Title: An Essay on the Principle of Population Author: Thomas Malthus Librivox Audiobook app Read by Geoffrey Edwards (5 hr 32 min) An Essay on the Principle presents a foundational theory concerning human population growth and resource availability. The core argument rests on a mathematical comparison: human populations naturally grow at a geometric rate , doubling repeatedly if unchecked. Conversely, the food supply can only increase at an arithmetic rate due to the physical limits of land and agriculture. Because of this inherent mathematical mismatch, Malthus concludes that population will always eventually outpace the earth's capacity to produce enough sustenance. This constant pressure on resources results in a perpetual state of scarcity , which he identifies as the primary driver of poverty, hunger, and societal hardship. To explain how this imbalance plays out in human history, he outlines specific checks on population growth . These checks fall into two broad categori...
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Humans do not originate from apes

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  Title: Introducing Evolution Author: Dylan Evans & Howard Selina Publisher: Icon Books, London Year published: 2010 176 pages Introducing Evolution provides a concise yet thorough exploration of the central pillars of biological thought. The book begins by situating Charles Darwin in his historical context, explaining how his voyage on the HMS Beagle and his observations of finches and tortoises in the Galapagos led to his groundbreaking theory. It clarifies that Darwin was not the first to propose that species change over time, but he was the first to provide a viable mechanism: natural selection . The narrative explains how individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits to the next generation. A significant portion of the text addresses the missing link in Darwin's original work, which was the lack of a mechanism for inheritance. This gap was eventually filled by the integration of Mendelian genetics , leading to the m...
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Words of wisdom from good ol' Leo

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  Title: Wise Thoughts for Every Day Author: Leo Tolstoy Publisher: Arcade Publishing , New York Year published: 2011 366 pages Some wise thoughts: You can be a clever man without a single book, but if you believe all that is written in books, you can quickly become a fool. The less you wish for, the happier you will be. Truth is brief. Lies speak with many words. Wealth, not poverty, is the true burden. Do what you think is good, and don't rely on the standards of others. The wiser a person is, the simpler the language he will use to express his thoughts. The words you do not speak out loud are pure gold. Thinking that enormous wealth makes your life easier is the same as thinking that it is easier to walk while carrying a burden. READ MORE
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Exploring one of the greatest mysteries in science

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  Title: Introducing Mind & Brain Author: Angus Gellatly & Oscar Zarate Publisher: Icon Books , London Year published: 2018 176 pages This book is a graphic guide that explores the complex relationship between our physical biology and our subjective experience.  It begins by tracing the historical shift from ancient philosophical ideas about the soul to the modern scientific understanding of the nervous system .  The book examines how early thinkers like Descartes proposed a separation between mind and body, a concept known as dualism , and how subsequent discoveries in anatomy and psychology challenged this view. The authors break down the physical structure of the brain, explaining the roles of different regions like the cerebral cortex , the cerebellum , and the limbic system .  They describe how neurons communicate through electrical impulses and chemical signals to process information.  However, the core of the book focuses on the hard proble...
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A man on the run

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  Title: The Thirty-Nine Steps Author: John Buchan Librivox Audiobook app Read by Adrian Pretzelis (4 hr 20 min) Richard Hannay is an expatriate recently returned to London from Rhodesia who finds himself bored with the mundane pace of British life.  This listlessness ends abruptly when his neighbor, Franklin Scudder , bursts into his flat claiming to have discovered a high level plot to assassinate the Greek Premier and destabilize Europe.  Scudder reveals a notebook filled with encoded secrets and warns of a group called the Black Stone .  Shortly after, Hannay finds Scudder murdered in his apartment and realizes he is being framed for the crime.  To clear his name and save the country, he flees to the Scottish Highlands . Hannay spends several weeks in Scotland dodging both the police and the conspirators.  During his flight, he assumes various disguises, including that of a milkman and a road mender.  He encounters a series of individuals ran...
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