Pause in updates...

Well the blog hasn't been updated for a while, but the book group continues meeting every second Wednesday of the month. If you want to join us, drop us an email.

'Sustainable energy without the hot air' by David MacKay, Part 2

This month we read the second section of 'Sustainable energy without the hot air' by David MacKay. Again it provided lots of debate, althought this time around nuclear and 'clean' coal, and the contributions they might make to providing the energy we need.

Next month (Wednesday 13th April) we'll be discussing 'The Craftsman' by Richard Sennet.

If you would like to join our group please contact Dan.

'Sustainable energy without the hot air' by David MacKay, Part 1

This month we read the first section of 'Sustainable energy without the hot air' by David MacKay. It provided plenty of interesting discussion around the nitty-gritty of how renewable energy might work for the UK. A particularly good title for the unscientifically minded amongst us, it is clear and easy to understand with good examples.

Next month (Wednesday 9th March) we'll be discussing Part 2 and looking at such contentious issues as 'clean coal' and nuclear power.

If you would like to join our group please contact Dan.

'The Age of Absurdity: Why Modern Life Makes it Hard to be Happy' by Michael Foley

Out latest read has been 'The Age of Absurdity: Why Modern Life Makes it Hard to be Happy' by Michael Foley. Once again there was a lively conversation sparked by the ideas contained in the book.

Our next book is 'Sustainable energy without the hot air' by David MacKay, which we will be discussing at our next meet up on Wednesday 9th February.

If you would like to join our group please contact Dan.

'How to be free' by Tom Hodgkinson

At our most recent meeting we discussed 'How to be free' by Tom Hodgkinson. It generated plenty of debate with its provocative style and fascinating references to medieval history. It differed quite considerably from our previous two titles, both in style and content.

Our next book is 'The Age of Absurdity' by Michael Foley, which we will be discussing at our next meet up on Wednesday 8th December.

If you would like to join our group please contact Dan.

'The Revenge of Gaia' by James Lovelock

At our second meet-up we discussed 'The Revenge of Gaia' by James Lovelock. Nuclear energy vs. renewables was a hot topic, with some debate over Lovelock's claims. We also compared his style with other authors in this field (such as George Monbiot), in terms of readability, accuracy and clarity.

Our next title is 'How to be free' by Tom Hodgkinson, which we will be meeting up to discuss on Wednesday 10th November.

If you would like to join our group please contact Dan.

First meeting and first post!

Last night saw the inaugural meeting of 'Books for a better future', the new book club at Sheffield Central Library. Our first title was "Heat" by George Monbiot and it stimulated plenty of debate. We touched on many of the issues raised in the book; the practicality of achieving 90% cuts in carbon emissions, the desirability of trying to continue to live in the way we do now, and the role of citizens, private companies and governments in building a better future, to name just a few. Hopefully members of the group will publish some of their thoughts in the comments section below.

Our next meeting will be on the 13th October in the Central Library and the book being read is "The Revenge of Gaia" by James Lovelock.

If you're interested in finding out more about our group contact Dan here.