By Arran Wilkins © 2021
Blue and Gold Clouds
There is a field that I walk around and occasionally I notice a scene of great beauty.
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I predict that we will reach 420 Covid deaths a day on average in the UK by winter. At time of writing in autumn of 2021, we have around 140 Covid related deaths a day. 4 The increase will come from the schools returning after the summer holidays and the ending of social distancing measures. Let me explain:
Schools
In Scotland, schools went back before the rest of the UK, cases have jumped. Since reopening from the 16th August, Covid cases jumped from 1,567 to 5,529 by the 17 September. 2 Although Covid cases did declined slightly in September, probably as people took more precautions. Covid cases in Scotland have tripled, which will lead to a rise in hospitalisations and ultimately deaths. England should show the same trends.
At first glance, this does not seem to have been the case. Since schools in England reopened on the 3rd September, Covid cases have fallen from a seven daily average of 28.544.1 to 22.164.7 on the 10 September. 1 However you would only expect Covid case to rise following an incubation period for Covid. As of the date of writing, England’s schools have only been open for just over two weeks. We will have to wait and see if England’s schools will cause Covid cases to rises, as they have done in Scotland.
Schools are unfortunately the big spreader, as they house hundreds of children in close proximity. There is no better place to spread Covid to every home across the land.
Social distancing
The British government used the summer holidays to hide the increase in Covid cases coming from the ending social distancing measures. This is a clear example of a bait and switch, as there were less Covid cases despite the ending of social distancing measures.
The Covid cases in the UK when the schools closed dropped from a seven-day average of 47,956 on the 16 July down to 25,815 on the 30 July. 3 Then Covid rebounded as the effects of school closers wore off, reaching an average of 39,077.6 on the 3rd September. 3 If the drop in Covid cases were due to the ending of social distancing, Covid would not have rebounded.
Data problems
Two contrary points that should be mentioned. As Covid cases have fallen to 32,321.6 seven-day average on the 9th September. 3 This decline has only lasted for 6 days, and the schools reopening should change this. Secondly when the schools where closed, the testing of pupils had stopped. This would have reduced the reporting of Covid cases, with many more going under the radar.
Death prediction
A dally death toll of 420 would be too high for any government to ignore. It would only take 239 days to reach another 100,000 deaths. If it continued, it would only take 3 years to match the equivalent of the UK World War Two fatalities. If you are wondering, the UK suffered 450,700 fatalities during the Second World War. 6
This would led to a clash between the governing Conservatives who are anti lockdown and the pro lockdown Labour Party who are in opposition. Choosing between more lockdowns or thousands of death could be a poison challis for those making the decisions.
Government crisis
A dally death toll of 420 would be too high for any government to ignore. It would only take 239 days to reach another 100,000 deaths. If Covid death continued at 420 deaths a day, it would only take 3 years to match UK World War Two losses. If you are wondering, the UK suffered 450,700 fatalities during the Second World War. 6
This would led to a clash between the governing Conservatives who are anti lockdown and the pro lockdown Labour Party who are in opposition. More lockdown or thousands of death could be a poison challis for those making the decisions.
The false hope – Vaccine
I must dampen hopes for the vaccine; it is not a panacea for Covid. Since Covid has proven its ability to mutate fast, possibly even faster than vaccines can be produced. Being able to mutate from Alpha into Beta, Gamma, and Delta variants in the space of a year and a half.
The second problem is that the vaccines are wearing off. With the Zoe study, reporting that by four to five months the Pfizer vaccine is only 74% effective and the AstraZeneca vaccine after four to five months is only 67% effective. 5 Clearly as has begun to happen, we will all need more doses of the vaccines to ward off Covid. This is even before much of the world has had its first does.
Summering up
Unless a much better vaccine comes a long, freedom will come with risks. To me it does not look like the Covid pandemic is far from over, despite the vaccines.
By Arran Wilkins © 2021 (text only)
The West should follow Russia’s example of sending soldiers covertly to Ukraine as “volunteers”!
Russia has waged an undeclared war against Ukraine ever since their illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.
The majority of English students will be unable to repay their student loans
The majority of students will be luckily if they earn anywhere near enough to pay back their loans.
University is no longer a privilege, but the minimum qualification!
Having a degree in the UK no longer means that you have opportunities denied to the bulk of the population.
We are heading for 420 Covid deaths a day in the UK!
I predict that we will reach 420 Covid deaths a day on average in the UK by winter.
How to get companies to allow employees to work from home!
The pandemic has proven that many types of office work can be done from anywhere. However many companies are now demanding people to return to the office.
Forgotten voices of the Great War: A book of real life stories
“Forgotten Voice of the Great War” is a collection of fascinating real life stories. Coming from a time of great upheaval, so different from our own.
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(1) GOV.UK Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UK, Cases in England Available at: https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/cases?areaType=nation&areaName=England [Accessed 18th September 2021].
(2) The Scottish Government, ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19): Daily Data for Scotland’ (The Scottish Government, 2021). Table 5 – Reported numbers of COVID-19 tests and numbers of new cases reported in Scotland
Document Available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-trends-in-daily-data/ [Accessed 10th and 18th September 2021].
(3) GOV.UK Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UK, Cases in United Kingdom Available at: https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/cases [Accessed 10th and 19th September 2021].
(4) GOV.UK Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UK, Deaths in United Kingdom Available at: https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/deaths [Accessed 10th and 18th September 2021].
(5) ZOE COVID Study, Is Covid vaccine protection fading? Available at: https://covid.joinzoe.com/post/covid-vaccine-protection-fading [Accessed 10th and 19th September 2021].
(6) The National WWII Museum, Research Starters: Worldwide Deaths in World War II Available at: https://www.nationalww2museum.org/students-teachers/student-resources/research-starters/research-starters-worldwide-deaths-world-war [Accessed 10th September 2021].
(Image) geralt. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/virus-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic-5675422/ [Accessed 18th September 2021].
I have been looking for an audiobook that explains the Napoleonic period. So I tried Andrew Roberts’s epic, Napoleon the Great. It covers everything you would want to know about Napoleon Bonaparte. 1
It would be hard to understate Napoleon’s historical importance. Before his eventual defeat, he made France the dominate superpower in continental Europe. With all other European states being either relegated to one of his many allies or enemies. The only other powers in European history to rival France’s dominance, where the Roman Empire and Nazis Germany. 1
Roberts somehow manages to summarise complex historical events in an easily to follow narrative. He does this by boiling them down to their bare bones. Then delivering it to the reader in an elegant and concise manor. This is most noticeable when Roberts describes Napoleon’s many battles. In the space of 20 to 30 minutes, he lays out the key events and actions of each individual battle. 1
This approach was not followed when it comes to describing Napoleon’s own deeds and actions. Roberts examines in great detail the motive behind Napoleon’s thinking. By the end of the book, you begin to feel like you know Napoleon intimately. Roberts seamlessly interweaves Napoleon’s own personal story with the wider Napoleonic conflict. 1
I usually try to find faults along with praise for any audiobook I review. However, I can hardly find any faults with Napoleon the Great. It is a great jumping on point for the Napoleonic era, even if a bit brief in places. You could argue that it’s too long book, but it has to be to do any justice to Napoleon. You could say it is too brief, but do you really want a runtime to be over a 100 hours? 1
By Arran Wilkins © 2021 (text only)
“Napoleon the Great” is a great way into the Napoleonic era
I have been looking for an audiobook that explains the Napoleonic period. So I tried Andrew Roberts’s epic, Napoleon the Great.
Horatio Hornblower is the adult version of Treasure Island
Follow Hornblower, as he rises through the ranks of the Royal Navy, with many perilous encounters along the way.
William Hague’s ‘William Pitt The Younger’ Review
Prime Minister William Pitt ‘the Younger’ led Britain to war with Revolutionary France following the French Revolution.
‘A History of England from the Tudors to the Stuarts’ Review
Have you ever tried to get your head around early modern English history? Yes, I know it is a next to impossible, but with the right material, it can be done.
‘Waterloo’ show how not to describe battles!
Firstly, maps and diagrams are a simple must for showing where the soldiers were and to whom they were facing.
“Emperors of Rome” (the great courses) Review
“Emperors of Rome” by Garrett G Fagan covers the history of Roman Emperors, with a brief overview of each Emperor’s rises and fall.
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(1) Roberts, Andrew (Author). Thorne, Stephen (Narrator). Napoleon the Great (Audible Studios, 2015) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Napoleon-the-Great-Audiobook/B00T53RNGC?qid=1621339805&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=c6e316b8-14da-418d-8f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=JDXPJXH0SQTRRDSB007P [Accessed on 18th May 2021].
(Image) WikiImages. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at https://pixabay.com/photos/napoleon-bonaparte-france-emperor-73543/ [accessed 13rd August 2021].
*A quick disclaimer: I do not mean that all books covering social media marketing are all bad. Indeed, there are many good books on this topic, if you can find them.*
If you have not noticed this phenomenon, let me explain. When you search for anything to do with social media marketing, you will notice the abundance of three-hour audiobooks. This will not happen for any other search, as there are usually more of a mixture of different run times.
I take social media marketing to mean any form of income generation from selling on Amazon, to earning ad revenue on YouTube.
Those writing social media marketing books usually claim to be “success stories” and “experts” in their chosen field. They maintain that by listening to their audiobook, they can make you successful in business. This is largely unique to social media marketing books. It just feels like they are trying to make up for some kind of shortfall.
They would benefit from adhering to the show, don’t tell rule. Namely avoiding the continuous repetition of blanket terms of how good they are. They should show us why they are business experts, by explaining in detail their previous business success. They should do this only once. As no amount of empty boasting will ever prove, they are experts in their field.
Their tendency to boast just seems to be a simple way of hiding their lack of expertise. They probably do not have enough content for a whole book.
Whenever I have tried to buy a book on YouTube or WordPress, it takes ages. Having to troll though all that rubbish to find that one rare gem.
So why is this the case?
I believe the rise of self-publishing is the unfortunate cause of the problem. It has allowed those who are shutout by the publishing industry, to publish their own books. The rise of the internet, has allowed providers to offer free online publishing services such as Kindle Direct Publishing. 1
However many entrepreneurial individuals started to realise they could use self-publishing to make an easily buck, or so they thought.
With so many people eager to dich their 9 to 5 jobs in favour of an online business, competition is tough. They are trying everything from YouTube videos to selling on Amazon.
There are loads of people on the internet claiming they can teach you how to do this. However, most of them are really just get rich quick schemes. For most people it is just fool’s gold, unless you are very good.
After trying to find an income source and failing, they come across self-publishing. Then they ask themselves the obvious question:
What can I write about to make money?
Well all they have been doing is trying and failing at business ventures. So they think to themselves:
I know, I will write a book about social media related business ventures.
These kind of writers lack any real passion for writing, and are only interested in money. They have no real experience of business success to pass onto the reader.
These kind of books usually read more like a sales pitch, because in a sense, that is what they are.
Although the exception to this rule, are books talking about business failures and what not to do.
You have to be driven to write a book of any quality. You have to be willing to scarify months, if not years of your life, with no guarantee of success. Even if you get a book published, there is no guarantee that anyone will buy the book.
There you have it, the simple reason why there are so many bad social media marketing books out there.
By Arran Wilkins © 2021 (text only)
Why are there so many bad books on, WordPress, YouTube and SEO?
When you search for anything to do with social media marketing, you will notice the abundance of three-hour audiobooks.
Project Hail Mary review: Astrophage could be eaten!
Since Astrophage is so similar to earth life, being made largely of water. Especially with so many scientists working on the Astrophage problem.
Project Hail Mary is almost identical to The Martian
They follow a main character on a space adventurer battling against the odds to save themselves or the human race, after becoming lone survivors.
I would really recommend ‘How to Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck’
The book is a very basic guide to filmmaking. Gaining in the process a vastly better understanding of how professional films are made.
Are you learning to drive? Then try the Stig’s “How to Drive”
“How to Drive” aims to help people to learn to drive safely. With a mixture of first-hand accounts and know how, in an upbeat fashion.
Kitchen Confidential covers Anthony Bourdain’s life as a Chief
A blended of do’s and don’ts for cooking, restrain guide, and personal stories from Anthony Bourdain’s time as chief.
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(1) Kindle Direct Publishing, Self-publish eBooks and paperbacks for free with Kindle Direct Publishing, and reach millions of readers on Amazon. Available at: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/ [Accessed on 20th July 2021].
(Image one) cocoparisienne. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/double-decker-plane-mountains-fog-2795557/ [Accessed 4th August 2021].
(Image two) Pexels. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/book-book-stack-bookcase-books-1867171/ [Accessed 11st July 2021].
*This is a not book review*
In short, yes!
It is not as mad as its sounds. Since the pandemic has proven that many types of office work can be done from anywhere with an internet connection. Meaning that there is no need for these workers to return to the office after lockdown.
Unfortunately, some companies are now demanding people to return to the office. With their workers paying for the privilege in money and time. Why should millions have to commute to the offices, to sit at the same computer they could use at home?
If companies where made to foot the bill, they would be all the other way on the subject. Let us say they paid the equivalent of an hour’s wages as traveling expenses. This would mean that pay would reflect the actual hours taken up by the job.
UK Statistics
Not only has the pandemic shown that working from home is possible, but for many desirable. With the Office for National Statistics stating that in April 2020, 46.6% of workers did some work at home during the pandemic.2 Furthermore, according to YouGov, 57% of those working before the pandemic want the option to continue working from home following the pandemic.3
Benefits of this approach
1) This would benefit everyone: Either with higher wages or less time spent commuting. As those who have to travel would have higher wages to compensate them. With those working at home having no commute. This would mean that wages would more accurately reflect hours.
2) Having traveling expenses determined by wages and not by cost of travel has several benefits:
- Employees are still responsible for how they get to work. They are still incentivised to keep the costs low, as they are the ones paying. They cannot travel first class on the company’s expense. Nor could companies find ways out of paying for commuting.
- Calculating travel expenses on wages requires a lot less paper work. Since a breakdown of travel expense has be thorough to avoid abuse of the system.
- It would prevent companies unfairly hiring those with a cheaper commute.
If working from home becoming the norm:
Society
1) Huge savings for those working at home: The cost of owning a car or traveling by train solely for the purpose of work is expensive. Even if you still own a car, you will benefit from less maintenance and fuel costs.
They will further miss out all that misery that comes with traveling to work. With trains and buses never being where you want them and regularly late. Often being made worse as the trains comes to a halt as another power line has come down.
2) Less congestion: With office workers being employed at home, traveling by road and rail will become less congested for everyone else. This will mean that you will spend less time stuck in traffic during rush hour.
3) Infrastructure savings: With less demand on roads, rail and air with less people commuting, there will be less infrastructure costs. For example, there may be no need for an extra runway at Heathrow Airport. This would leave the government with more money to spend elsewhere such as hospitals, industrial enablement projects or paying off the national debt.
4) More environmentally friendly: Less people traveling, means less pollution and depletion of scarce natural resources. This would be especially beneficial for those living in cities with respiratory problems. Furthermore, we would have less global warming at a stroke, without any expense required.
5) There would be less train and road related deaths with less people traveling. Furthermore, as the pandemic has shown with less people traveling, this would reduce the spread of airborne diseases.
6) Why not: If people like working from home, and they do all the work expected of them, then let them work from home.
Business
1) Corporate savings: Ironically, companies themselves would befit from not spending money on huge offices they do not need. Companies that do this would be more profitable and competitive.
2) Companies would be more resilient. They would no longer be at mercy of transport problems including snowfall and future lockdowns. They could just use their work laptops at home. Although companies may have to provide office furniture to their employees at home.
Job and house market
1) In the near future, many jobs will no longer be location dependent. People will no longer have to live in certain locations to gain high paying employment. For example, you could live in an isolated costal town and work for one of London’s tops banks. However, as things stand, you would have to live in London to work in one of London’s banks. With many jobs, requiring people to live in expensive overpriced accommodation.
2) This would open up the job market to more deprived areas. People, who live in places where there is no work available, will suddenly have access to thousands of remote jobs. This would lessen the divide between those living in London and the rest of the country. This would also lessen the north south divide. This could bring in more money into places outside of London.
3) However, for those in London earnings would fall and competition for jobs would rise. Epically given they would no longer have an unfair advantage, simply because they live near high paying employment.
4) House prices would become less dependent on work accessibility. With many jobs changing to remote working, there will be less competition for housing in inner cities. Therefore, house prices would correspondingly drop in cities and rise in rural areas. This would also get rid of the London weighting (where people are paid more for living in London).
Changing socialising habits
1) Workplace: Unfortunately, working from home reduces socialising with work colleges. Although working from a computer is not favourable to socialising anyway. With teams and other social platforms still allowing for some socialising from home.
2) Working at the local library, beach or Internet café: If people do not want to work at home, other alternatives will pop up. Instead of traveling 10 miles to the predetermined office, they could go wherever they want. This will lead to companies dedicated to meeting such demand. Such as offering a secure Wi fi connection from a beach.
3) Meeting friends. As people are no longer having to and from work, they have more time for meeting friends. Moreover, since they no longer have to live within a traveling distance of work, they can live closer to friends and family.
British Government response
Downing Street has said it would make working from home the default. This is leaving many feeling that this does not go far enough and wanting working from home to become a right.1
The problem with these two approaches are clear to see:
If you make working from home a right,1 then companies are prevent from having people they need in the office.
Whereas if you make working from home the default1 companies with enough power could simply ignore it.
Although I will finish with a word of warning:
If working from home becomes a thing, we will have to find a way to keep socialising!
By Arran Wilkins © 2021 (text only)
Mark Bowden “Hue 1968” Review
“Hue 1968” describes the battle that took place in Hue during the Tet Offensive in 1968 through the eyes of participants who were there.
“In the Gap” The first FBI agent convicted for being a Soviets spy.
The true story of Richard W. Miller is unique and one of a kind. Normally it would be hard to find a real life spy comedy, but look no further.
(1) Jones, Alan. INDEPENDENT, Government intervention ‘not needed’ on working from home. 2021. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/business/government-intervention-not-needed-on-working-from-home-b1867717.html [Accessed 17 June 2021].
Winter, Alex. THE SUN, OFFICE NO-MANCE Millions could be given right to work from home FOREVER as flexible working to become new normal. 2021. Available at: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/15301108/millions-staff-default-work-home-illegal-force/ [Accessed 17 June 2021].
Stewart, Heather. And Jolly, Jasper. The Guardian, UK government could make working from home ‘default’ option. 2021. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jun/17/labour-demands-clarity-on-plans-to-make-working-from-home-a-default-right [Accessed 17 June 2021].
(2) Cameron, Alastair. Office for National Statics, Coronavirus and homeworking in the UK: April 2020. 2020. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/coronavirusandhomeworkingintheuk/april2020 [Accessed 2 July 2021].
(3) Smith, Matthew. YouGov, Most workers want to work from home after COVID-19. 2020. Available at: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/economy/articles-reports/2020/09/22/most-workers-want-work-home-after-covid-19 [Accessed 2 July 2021].
(Image One) Free-Photos. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/train-station-woman-train-863337/ [Accessed 16rd June 2021].
(Image Two) Rudy and Peter Skitterians. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/train-commute-travel-people-2344374/ [Accessed 16rd June 2021].
(Image Three) Free-Photos. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/subway-station-commute-1209419/ [Accessed 16rd June 2021].
+ adventure, audible, book review, comedy, fiction
Project Hail Mary review: Astrophage could be eaten!
by Abwilkins
*Spoiler alert*
I see no reason why humans could not find a way to turn Astrophage into food. Since Astrophage is so similar to earth life, being made largely of water. Especially with so many scientists working on the Astrophage problem.3
In the Project Hail Mary the idea is written off as being impossible, since it took centuries for the human race to turn wheat, rice and potatoes into edible foods.3
However, we have access to science that our ancestors could only have dreamed of. Astrophage could be turned into food in several ways:3
1.) Once Astrophage had been killed and sterilised, it could be eaten by humans. Since human are able to eat a wide range of animals and plant life on earth ranging from polar bears to seaweed.2
2.) Alternatively it could be eaten by bacteria that can be eaten by humans. Just as bacteria is used to turn wheat into beer and marmite, and milk into cheese.2
3.) Instead enzymes could be used to breakdown the substance that make up Astrophage into something edible. Take for example Yeast, an enzyme used in the production of bread.2
4.) Lastly, the modern miracle of Gene editing could be used to alter the DNA of Astrophage, in order to make it edible.2
Astrophage might even be a better food sources than the ones we currently have. Since as explained in Project Hail Mary it can grow anywhere either hot or cold and can survive the extreme changes in temperature from the sun to outer space. This would dramatically increase the surface of the planet that could be used for agriculture.2
Furthermore, Astrophage can convert sunlight into matter without losing energy in the conversion process. Since plants cannot capture all of the sun’s energy, Astrophage should produce more food for the same space. Moreover, Astrophage unlike plants would not be limited by growing seasons.2
There are three further benefits from Astrophage: Firstly, it could free up traditional farmland for urban development and wildlife, as desert could be used for agriculture. Although trees are still needed to produce oxygen. Secondly, we could colonise the moon, as Astrophage could be grown there, providing a food source. Lastly, we could just keep going with global warming, since the planet is receiving less sunlight thanks to Astrophage.2
In short, we would be lucky to live in such a time.
So would I recommend?
Yes. In fact, I would recommend both the Project Hail Mary and The Martian. The witty writing combined with believability, is an unbeatable combination.
I would not be surprised if the Project Hail Mary and The Martian produce a series of books that are very similar and are best sellers. Andy Weir has hit on a winning formula.1
By Arran Wilkins © 2021 (text only)
Clarkson’s Farm shows how to save The Grand Tour (formerly Top Gear)
Clarkson’s Farm is a blast of fresh air compared to The Grand Tour. There was no use of the same old jokes, with the same old set up.
Your next great comedy listen ‘A Walk in the Woods’
It combines a brilliant comedy duo with the story of the Appalachian Trial. I must stress before we go any further, that I would not recommend watching the film
Arkham County is one of the most outlandish audio books I have ever come across
Arkham County is such a mixed bag, that if someone turned it into a movie, it would be either an instant classic or a stunning flop.
Avoid these three terrible audio books!
Commonly bad audiobooks suffer from bad narration usually provided without enthusiasm, in a boring and dull manor.
What I have learned from completing 200 audio books!
At university, they made preparing for exams and seminars a doddle. Later on, they educated me on how to apply for jobs.
Sherlock Holmes: The Voice of Treason is not a Sherlock Holmes story
Sherlock Holmes: The Voice of Treason is a very entertaining listen, but it does not count as a Sherlock Holmes story.
(1) Weir, Andy (Author). Porter Ray (Narrator). Project Hail Mary (Audible Studios, 2021) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Project-Hail-Mary-Audiobook/B08GB2RLKM [Accessed on 29th May 2021].
Weir, Andy (Author). And Wheaton, Wil (Narrator). The Martian (Audible Studios, 2020) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Martian-Audiobook/B082BFHCZ5 [Accessed on 29th May 2021].
(2) Weir, Andy (Author). Porter Ray (Narrator). Project Hail Mary (Audible Studios, 2021) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Project-Hail-Mary-Audiobook/B08GB2RLKM [Accessed on 29th May 2021].
(3) Weir, Andy (Author). And Wheaton, Wil (Narrator). The Martian (Audible Studios, 2020) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Martian-Audiobook/B082BFHCZ5 [Accessed on 29th May 2021].
(Image One) WikiImages. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/astronaut-space-suit-space-universe-11080/ [Accessed 13rd May 2021].
(Image Two) gene1970. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/astronaut-space-planets-astronomy-4968983/ [Accessed 13rd May 2021].
(Image Three) WikiImages. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/rocket-soyuz-rocket-soyuz-start-11649/ [Accessed 13rd May 2021].
On the surface, they are almost identical, but when you dig deeper a few key differences do appear. 1
*Spoiler alert*
Overview (if you have not read the books)
The Martian
In The Martian, Mark Watney becomes the first astronaut stranded on Mars with no escape. After a dust storm has forced his crew to abandon him, believing he was dead. Now in an epic adventure Watney battles against all olds to find a way home!3
Project Hail Mary
Whereas in Project Hail Mary, the human race faces the threat of a global famine like no other. Since the suns’ output has dropped threating to disrupt the Earths delicate eco systems. So a space probe was sent to investigate. It finds Astrophage, a single celled microorganism that is living off sunlight stopping it from reaching earth. The human race’s last hope is the spaceship Hail Mary that has been built with new technology. It went to investigate the only star in the galaxy not effected by Astrophage to find answers. On board is the lone survivor Ryland Grace, after his crew perished.2
Similarity
Both The Martian and Project Hail Mary where written by Andy Weir and as a result are just too similar. They follow a main character on a space adventurer battling against the odds to save themselves or the human race. Both becoming lone survivors after their crews either die off or abandon them.1
They are both recovering from an injury, Grace from a coma and Watney having been speared by an antenna. They both have a scientific background and are fully trained astronauts.1
It is not just the main characters. Since both stories are set in the near future, and told from a first person perspective.1
Both books are very believable, with every scene following a logical sequence of events, with both having a secondary storyline taking place back on Earth, partly based around a launch site. With the human race setting aside its differences and working together to achieve a shared goal.1
They benefit from Weir’s down to earth writing, displaying his ability to write a moving story with sarcastic wit. He has clearly gone to great length to make everything believable. So often sci-fi writers fall back on technobabble to explain the inconvenient away. Often asking the reader to suspend critical thinking.1
A few differences:
1) Suspense and mystery
In Project Hail Mary, a sense of mystery is created by Grace’s amnesia. Weir cleverly uses flashbacks from Grace’s memories returning slowly to introduce the backstory on earth. This allows Grace’s character to have more development than Watney’s in The Martian. As we learn how Grace went from a lonely passionate teacher to a fearless space adventure, willing to risk everything.1
The introduction of an Alien named Rocky in Project Hail Mary adds another layer of mystery. Weir takes the idea of alien life and pushes it to its extreme. Coming up with one of the most original alien concepts, I have ever come across. It is a nice change to have a friendly alien for once. It gets a bit boring when almost every alien wants to destroy the human race.2
The Martian by contrast relies heavily on suspense, with a clear and present danger of Watney dying on Mars. Watney’s character is fully developed, with no further character development. He starts and ends as the funny and fearless astronaut with a desire for space travel.1
2) The Alien buddy and entry lodges
In Project Hail Mary, Grace and Rocky make an unlikely team, bouncing off each other’s differences. They team up to save their respective worlds. With Rocky being the complete opposite from Grace, in every way. Rocky is an engineer, who can make anything, whereas Grace is a scientist, who is out of his depth.2
Just like in all good buddy films, although in book form, the discourse between the two is really endearing. Combining a mixture of heart felt and thought-provoking moments. Their unlikely friendship is the high point of Project Hail Mary.2
Back on earth, Strat, the head of Project Hail Mary, plays the role of the antagonist. Grace’s relationship with Strat is completely different to the one he has with Rocky, With Grace and Strat being mildly hostile to each other. Therefore, the different relationships nicely contrast with one another.2
Meanwhile in The Martian Watney is left to talk to the reader by himself. With the reader becoming in effect Watney’s companion. For some reason this allows for more bleak humour. Probably coming from Watney’s obsession with staying alive.3
A quick side note, The Martian uses Log Entry themed sub-heading as a framing device to tell Watney’s story. It’s a really nice touch. There’s nothing similar in Project Hail Mary, although it is a superficial difference.1
The review is continued in Part Two!
In Part Two I will examine a rather large plot whole in the Project Hail Mary:
“Project Hail Mary” Review: Part Two Astrophage could be eaten!
By Arran Wilkins © 2021 (text only)
(1) Weir, Andy (Author). Porter Ray (Narrator). Project Hail Mary (Audible Studios, 2021) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Project-Hail-Mary-Audiobook/B08GB2RLKM [Accessed on 29th May 2021].
Weir, Andy (Author). And Wheaton, Wil (Narrator). The Martian (Audible Studios, 2020) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Martian-Audiobook/B082BFHCZ5 [Accessed on 29th May 2021].
(2) Weir, Andy (Author). Porter Ray (Narrator). Project Hail Mary (Audible Studios, 2021) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Project-Hail-Mary-Audiobook/B08GB2RLKM [Accessed on 29th May 2021].
(3) Weir, Andy (Author). And Wheaton, Wil (Narrator). The Martian (Audible Studios, 2020) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Martian-Audiobook/B082BFHCZ5 [Accessed on 29th May 2021].
(Image One) WikiImages. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/astronaut-space-shuttle-space-walk-11050/ [Accessed 13rd May 2021].
(Image Two) WikiImages. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/weightless-float-astronaut-60632/ [Accessed 4th June 2021].
(Image Three) Pexels. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/astronaut-cosmonaut-space-suit-nasa-1840936/ [Accessed 13rd May 2021].
(Image Four) David Mark. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/kazakhstan-soyuz-rocket-space-189927/ [Accessed 13rd May 2021].
Are you looking for a book to match the enjoyment and excitement of reading “Treasure Island” as a child? Well look no further than the Hornblower series. It follows the adventures of Horatio Hornblower during Britain’s numerous wars with Napoleonic France.1
Follow Hornblower, as he rises through the ranks of the Royal Navy, with many perilous encounters along the way. Harking back to the time of sail and Britain’s past glory. It comes across as a pierce of light-hearted entertainment, good when you want to wind down.1
The books themselves contain a series of miniature adventure spaced out over a wider story. The stories themselves follow the maxim war is long periods of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror. With each book being an instalment in the Hornblower story. They are narrated from the perspective of Hornblower with the expectation of Lieutenant Hornblower being told from the perceptive of William Bush. Bush later becomes Hornblower’s second in command.1
The downsides
Although I must add a word of warning. If you are not familiar with naval terminology and the Napoleonic period, you may struggle to start with. To make matter worse, you are left, searching for terms, that even google has trouble finding. To avoid this, it would have benefited from a glosser of terms attached as a PDF. I know audible studios can do this as other audiobooks have PDFs. Conversely once you get past this, Hornblower is a very easily listen. 1
All knowing characters like Hornblower, do not normally work. They usually push things too far to be believable, destroying the audience’s immersion. Hornblower is a bit too perfect, a bit too much of the time. However in this context it just works. Just like in any terminator movie, it’s not meant to be totally believable. Its just good fun. 1
By the third book, Hornblower and the Hotspur, I was starting to loss some of my interest. As the first three books are a bit too similar to one another. 1 Although considering that they were published originally over half a century ago, I am being a bit harsh. 2 Especially considering how much from the 1980s has aged really badly, let a alone from the 1950s.
Author
The Hornblower series was written in the 1950s and early 1960s by Cecil Louis Troughton Smith using the penname of C. S. Forester. 2 He did not write the Hornblower books in chronological order. 4 With books, 1 to 3 being some of the last to be published. 4
Smith may well have been aware of the parallels between his time and the Napoleonic period.
They were both times of great upheavals and uncertainly. With Britain in the 1950s coming to terms with no longer being a superpower, with the outbreak of the Cold War. Having parallels with the French Revolution and Napoleon bringing upheavals to Europe and uncertainty to Britain’s future.
More importantly had Britain faced invasion in both Napoleonic periods and during Smith’s lifetime. As I stated in One of Britain’s Great Prime Minister “William Pitt The Younger” Review Britain had faced invasion from Napoleonic France not to dissimilar to that of 1940. 3
The narrator
The narrator, Christian Rodska, is an exceptional storyteller, just like Steven Fry. He gives each character a distinctive voice, that perfectly fitting the character. Rodska storytelling is further enhanced by his posh accent, given Hornblower’s middle class background. With many of his superior and colleges coming from an upper and middle class background. In short, Rodska is perfect for the role. 1
By Arran Wilkins © 2021 (text only)
Biography
(1) Forester, C.S. (Author). Rodska, Christian (Narrator). Hornblower and the Hotspur (Audible Studios, 2011) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Hornblower-and-the-Hotspur-Audiobook/B006347X16 [Accessed on 19th May 2021].
Forester, C.S. (Author). Rodska, Christian (Narrator). Lieutenant Hornblower (Audible Studios, 2011) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Lieutenant-Hornblower-Audiobook/B005H21G90?ref=a_series_Ho_c4_lProduct_1_2&pf_rd_p=3a993200-e281-426d-b228-794441551983&pf_rd_r=5R8P7A40W7FBEJXH8BSX [Accessed on 19th May 2021].
Forester, C.S. (Author). Rodska, Christian (Narrator). Mr Midshipman Hornblower (Audible Studios, 2013) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Mr-Midshipman-Hornblower-Audiobook/B00CFS3M6Y?ref=a_series_Ho_c4_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=3a993200-e281-426d-b228-794441551983&pf_rd_r=5R8P7A40W7FBEJXH8BSX [Accessed on 19th May 2021].
(2) C. S. Forester Society, Pictures. Available at: https://csforester.wordpress.com/c-s-forester/pictorial-biography/ [Accessed on 20 May 2021].
C. S. Forester Society, Hornblower: THE HORNBLOWER BOOKS Available at: https://csforester.wordpress.com/hornblower/ [Accessed on 20 May 2021].
(3) A.W. Book Reviews, ONE OF BRITAIN’S GREAT PRIME MINISTER “WILLIAM PITT THE YOUNGER” REVIEW Available at: https://awbookreviews.com/2021/05/08/one-of-britains-great-prime-minister-william-pitt-the-younger-review/ [Accessed on 20 May 2021].
Hague, William (Author), Burnip, Richard (Narrator). William Pitt The Younger (Audible Studios, 2009) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/William-Pitt-The-Younger-Audiobook/B004FTD9WI?ref=a_library_t_c5_libItem_&pf_rd_p=7bf74090-5cb9-4f5e-bc6f-6ea28d055287&pf_rd_r=GM6RV7YJ81VBQ28KPHGT [Accessed on 28th April 2021].
(4) ThoughtCo. Horatio Hornblower: In Which Order Should You Read the Novels? Available at: https://www.thoughtco.com/horatio-hornblower-novels-1221111#:~:text=1%20%22The%20Happy%20Return%22%20%28%22Beat%20to%20Quarters%22%29%202,10%20%22Hornblower%20and%20the%20Hotspur%22%20More%20items…%20 [Accessed on 20 May 2021].
(Image one) ludyxa. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Accessed at: https://pixabay.com/photos/boat-sailing-rope-sailboat-frigate-3411430/ [Accessed on 21st April 2021].
(Image two) cocoparisienne. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Accessed at: https://pixabay.com/photos/sailing-vessel-sea-ship-wave-swell-1777854/ [Accessed on 21st April 2021].
(Image three) Youssef Jheir. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Accessed at: https://pixabay.com/photos/sunset-ship-sails-boat-sea-ocean-675847/ [Accessed on 21st April 2021].
(Image four) Comfreak. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Accessed at: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/black-pearl-caribbean-curse-ship-1602436/ [Accessed on 5th April 2021].
Forgotten voices of the Great War is a collection of fascinating real life stories. Coming from a time of great upheaval, so different from our own. Well unless Covid gets much worse. The stories span the course of the First World War, from the home front to the front line. They are nicely weaved into a continuous chronological narrative.1
The Forgotten voices of the Great War is really good for students looking for primary sources on the First World War. As the book is simply made up of first-hand accounts.1
In the audiobook version of The Forgotten voices of the Great War, the stories are only around a couple of minutes each. Keeping things interesting and allowing for a surprising amount of detail. With each story focusing on a particular aspect of someone’s life. They have probably been told over and over again throughout one’s lifetime. They are to the point and nicely follow on from one another. With the author, Max Arthur, adding the occasional bit of useful information on broader events affecting the stories.1
The Forgotten voices of the Great War, is primarily focused on Trench Warfare on the Western Front and Gallipoli. With accounts coming from most participants, excluding the Turks. This focus on the Western allies allows the narrative to maintain its focus and narrative structure.1
Therefore, there are no accounts from the Eastern Front, Middle East with Lawrence of Arabia or Naval War. The air war is only mentioned as far as it relates to the ground fighting on the Western Front. As such, Germany’s bombing of London and submarine attacks on coveys and many other events are left out.1
This does leave the door open for another author to come along and tell the stories of the other theatres of war.1
The audiobook is even better, containing the original interviews. So just, like with any good documentary, you get to hear the story first hand. With the emphases and passions of the speaker left in. However, unlike most documentaries you get to hear their full story, not just soundbites.1
The front cover of The Forgotten voices of the Great War, eludes perhaps unintentionally to the Napoleonic Wars. As it shows two British and one German soldier walking side-by-side away from the frontline. As the British and Prussians had been allied against Napoleon’s France, in the century prior. Prussia later became a part of Germany following German unification.1
Britain in effect abounded its old ally of Germany, in favour of her old enemy France. This was done to maintain the balance of power in Europe. The idea of preventing one power from becoming powerful enough to dominate Europe. Therefore, with the rise of Germany causing Britain to change its alliances to compensate.1
If you want to understand, what it was like to live through the First World War? From munition factory to dug outs in no man’s land. Then look, no further than Forgotten voices of the Great War.1
A book of numerous authors1
By Arran Wilkins © 2021 (text only)
(1) Arthur, Max. (Author), Bebb, Richard (Narrator). Forgotten Voices of the Great War (Random House Audiobooks, 2014) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Forgotten-Voices-of-the-Great-War-Audiobook/B00IDEJDN0 [Accessed on 11st May 2021].
Arthur, Max. Forgotten Voices of the Great War: A New History of WWI in the Words of the Men and Women Who Were There (London, Ebury Press, 2002).
(Image One) Henryk Niestrój. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/the-military-infantry-the-army-1819855/ [Accessed 13rd May 2021].
(Image Two) Krzysztof Czuchra. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/the-first-world-war-flight-england-3878066/ [Accessed 10th May 2021].
(Image Three) Mariusz Matuszewski. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/soldier-horse-helmet-rider-man-1850365/ [Accessed 10th May 2021].
Prime Minister William Pitt ‘the Younger’ led Britain to war with Revolutionary France following the French Revolution. Not only was he Britain’s youngest Prime Minster at age 24, but also the second longest serving. Even more impressively, he was Britain’s longest wartime leader. Serving twice as Prime Minister from 1783 to 1801 and from 1804 to 1806. He faced down many crises including the threat of French invasion, which was finally removed by battle of Trafalgar. 1
William Pitt The Younger was also a great reformer of this time. He campaigned albeit unsuccessfully for the abolition of the Slave Trade alongside his good friend William Wilberforce and for Catholic Emancipation. Pitt’s many notable reforms and actions include: 1
- The Union between Great Britain and Ireland
- Setting up a penal colony in Australian
- Keeping his government in power during the King George III madness
- Introduction of income tax
- Parliamentary reform, removing rotten boroughs (constituency with hardly any voters if any)
- Reforming the British East India Company
- Creation of the Sinking Fund. A finical instrument designed to deal with the national debt, albeit unsuccessfully due to the outbreak of war.
- Lowering tariffs to deal with smugglers to increase government revenue. As Pitt was a disciple of Adam Smith’s Free Trade.1
How for the review
William Hague’s audiobook funnily enough is named William Pitt The Younger, not the most original title. The audiobook pay’s particular attention to Pitt’s political manoeuvring to become and to stay Prime Minster. With special notice paid to his nemesis, Charles James Fox. It would seem that Hague admires Pit’s Parliamentary career, but not so much his personal life.1
William Hague is well placed to tell William Pitt’s story being the former conservative party leader from 1997 to 2001. Despite never becoming Prime Minister, he like Pitt led a party in the House of Commons. In effect playing the same game 200 years later. Albeit in a different building and with national elections, not the king determining who will be Prime Minster.1
I first wondered if William Hague was named after William Pitt The Younger, as both have the same first name. However, it turned out that Hague had not heard of Pitt until he was 16. Which make this seem unlikely. More surprisingly, it was at the Tory Party Conference in 1977, where Margret Thatcher pointed out to him the similarity.2
So how does the audiobook stand up?
Initially I failed to get into Hague’s William Pitt The Younger. Rising from the fact that the audiobook assumes a certain amount of knowledge about the time period. It was only after listening to A History of England from the Tudors to the Stuarts; I found I could get into the audiobook. I preciously reviewed the A History of England if you want to hear what I fought of the audiobook. It provided me with a foundation to understand the historical events brought up in the William Pitt The Younger.3
Otherwise, William Pitt The Younger is a very easy listen. William Hague’s speeches are something to behold, no matter what your political persuasion. You can hate everything he says, but you will find it hard to dispute his oratory skills. The narration by Richard Burnip is brilliant, but Hague still should have been the narrator.1
The lake of tension is such that you would be almost forgiven, for not realising that Britain faced invasion similar to 1940. With Napoleon just like Hitler dominating much of Europe and threating Britain with superior land forces. With the Royal Navy, like the RAF more than a century later, saving the country from invasion.1
Hitherto this is the only audiobook on Audible covering such an extraordinary individual as William Pitt The Younger. Although with the audiobook available in both unabridged and abridged version. Given the excessive numbers of audiobooks on Winston Churchill, it would be good for more audiobooks on other historical individuals.1
By Arran Wilkins © 2021 (text only)
(1) Hague, William (Author), Burnip, Richard (Narrator). William Pitt The Younger (Audible Studios, 2009) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/William-Pitt-The-Younger-Audiobook/B004FTD9WI?ref=a_library_t_c5_libItem_&pf_rd_p=7bf74090-5cb9-4f5e-bc6f-6ea28d055287&pf_rd_r=GM6RV7YJ81VBQ28KPHGT [Accessed on 28th April 2021].
(2) BBC News, Political heroes: Hague on Pitt the Younger. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-42911943 [Accessed on 6th May 2021].
(3) Bucholz, Robert. A History of England from the Tudors to the Stuarts (The Great Courses, 2013) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/A-History-of-England-from-the-Tudors-to-the-Stuarts-Audiobook/B00D97Q8QQ?ref=a_library_t_c5_libItem_&pf_rd_p=7bf74090-5cb9-4f5e-bc6f-6ea28d055287&pf_rd_r=3JC2HZBEA7QCNKRT7KHS [Accessed 25th March 2021]. Cited in Wilkins, Arran. ‘“A History of England from the Tudors to the Stuarts” Review (1377 to 1730)’, A.W.Bookreviews,
17 April 2021 [Blog], Available at: https://awbookreviews.com/2021/04/17/a-history-of-england-from-the-tudors-to-the-stuarts-review-1377-to-1730/ %5BAccessed 16 April 2021].
Hague, William (Author), Burnip, Richard (Narrator). William Pitt The Younger (Audible Studios, 2009) Amazon Audible, Available at: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/William-Pitt-The-Younger-Audiobook/B004FTD9WI?ref=a_library_t_c5_libItem_&pf_rd_p=7bf74090-5cb9-4f5e-bc6f-6ea28d055287&pf_rd_r=GM6RV7YJ81VBQ28KPHGT [Accessed on 28th April 2021].
(Image One) Kate Baucherel. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/lion-statue-sculpture-monument-3734907/ [Accessed on 4th April 2021].
(Image Two) Ana Gic. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/westminster-big-ben-london-1176318/ [Accessed on 4th April 2021].
(Image Three) David Mark. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Available at: https://pixabay.com/photos/london-england-trafalgar-square-123785/ [Accessed on 4th April 2021].
A.W. Book Reviews 