Unusually for Harris, no so much a thriller as a straight historical novel. Possibly because the events around the Munich Conference and the nascent contacts between the German opposition to Hitler and the British don't need much embellishing. But probably also because the conference has been a long-term interest of Harris' (he made a documentary about it for the 50th anniversary in 1988), and he feels that he needs it to be written about to rescue it from being a byword for craven capitulation.
Derek Wilson, A Brief History of the Circumnavigators
I enjoyed this overview of circumnavigation from Magellan to the solo yatchsmen. I wonder why he missed out Darwin/FitzRoy?
It reminded me that I have Dampier's account of his journeys half-read by my bed and shelves of exploration books I haven't touched in years.
Another in the British Library's series of works of classic science-fiction. This one is an anthology, providing a story for each significant location in the solar system (excluding the Earth/Moon).
Like others in the series, I found that it dragged, and I couldn't help but wonder if some of the authors were neglected for good reason. Having read the books in the series that I'd bought, I don't think I'll go back for any more.
