WHATBOOK..?

. . . are you reading now?

FACTFULNESS, by Hans Rosling, which is a digestible explanation of the rationale behind why, when we ask simple questions about global trends, we systematically get answers that are incorrect.

The underlying reason for my travelling to, and documenting of regions of, the world that are considered ‘dangerous’ and ‘unpredictable’ is because of the misinformation and preconceptions that exist around them, and, therefore, the need to share a bigger picture, rarely captured by the media. So I find Rosling’s mantra wholly relatable.

Factfulnesss is the stress-reducing habit of only carrying opinions for which you have strong supporting facts.

Think about that next time someone asks you why you haven’t considered visiting the Middle East.

. . .would you take to a desert island?

THE ODYSSEY by Homer — an epic retelling of journey and discovery in verse. I came across the children’s version of The Odyssey as soon as I could read.

I was fascinated by Greek tales of gods, monsters and heroes, as most kids my age were, and was particularly hooked by this two decade-long voyage of human endurance and survival.

I have since read the ‘grown-up’ version many times, and, while I appreciate it’s a beautiful work of literature, the main reason for choosing it is that I know I’d be able to refer to it to ensure my own survival on the desert island.

. . . first gave you the reading bug?

THE HOBBIT by J. R. R. Tolkien. My dad read this to me when I was a toddler.

It’s perhaps not your typical choice of novel to read to a preschool child, but, if his intention was to instil in me a love of stories and adventure, it certainly did the trick.

It is my first memory of going on a journey created for me by somebody else’s words and illustrations: that’s what brilliant writing does.

Growing up in the rolling hills of the Peak District, I could walk out of my back door and be transported immediately to Tolkien’s fictional universe, where I would explore Middle-earth alongside Bilbo Baggins (pictured right, played by Martin Freeman in Peter Jackson’s film trilogy). Though today, my reading choices are generally non-fiction, I can’t help immersing myself in fantasy fiction every now and again.

. . . left you cold?

HAVING thoroughly enjoyed Yuval Harari’s Sapiens: A Brief History Of Humankind and Homo Deus: A Brief History Of Tomorrow, I was surprised I didn’t take to his 21 Lessons For The 21st Century in the same way.

Despite its name, this book doesn’t really teach the reader much. On the contrary, I found it simply presents further discussion of a collection of questions the majority of us have been asking for some time, and are still waiting for the answers to.

Levison Wood’s latest book, Arabia: A Journey Through The Heart of The Middle east, will be published in november. He is a judge for the 2019 Wilbur smith Adventure Writing Prize. The winner, announced last night, is Henry Porter for his thriller Firefly (Quercus, £8.99).