I couldn't get through this book. I got past halfway and just thought, "I have no idea what this is book is about." So I put it down.

I adored One Hundred Years of Dirt, but whereas that seemed to pulse with urgency and purpose, this book meandered and I felt as if it were written because Morton wanted to write a book rather than because he had something to say. Even Morton's prose, which is usually so clear and descriptive, faltered in this book. There were sentences I had to read twice just to make sure I hadn't misunderstood them. I felt that some sections clearly showed signs of being forced, while others had come much more easily.

The asides and digressions, which can sometimes be charming, were distracting and often contributed nothing to the rest of the book. There was one section about cuttlefish which in my recollection was just terminated by the end of the chapter, without any attempt to relate it to what the book is ostensibly about.

Anyway, Difficult Second Book out of the way. I'll still buy whatever Morton writes next, even if I don't pre-order it like I did this one. ( )

Really good. It’s almost worth the price for the powerful introduction. After that it’s a spectacular blend of wisdom, information, and opinion that varies between profundity and whimsy. All wrapped in striking humour. Quite the writer is Mr Morton. ( )

There is so much goodness packed into this book - and despite being underpinned by trauma, the writing, clarity and compassion - as well as preparedness to shake things up, made the reading a pleasure. ( )