Book of the Week

The Humans by Matt Haig
Recommended by Rob Norris

The Humans is a humorous take on the sci-fi, alien genre. It tackles subjects such as maths and social behaviour, and condenses them into a witty read.

The story follows an alien from a species that believes that mathematics is the key to everything. He is tasked with destroying the work of an abducted maths professor, Andrew Martin, in the fear that it would allow humans to excel far too quickly. For the mission, the alien must go incognito and live Andrew Martin's life. However, he begins to get attached to Martin's family and feels love for the first time. As a result, he is faced with a dilemma: complete the mission or stay on Earth.

The book includes comedic moments as well as a few moving ones. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in aliens or maths, but it is a good read for all.

Pandemonium

The latest issue of Pandemonium is available to read here:

https://drive.google.com/a/stpaulsschool.org.uk/file/d/0B0FKTwHCLuZoWk1tTVdNSnB6am8/view

Book of the Week

Losing My Virginity by Richard Branson
Recommended by Rohan Chadha

In Richard Branson's insightful and thought-provoking autobiography, we learn the secrets of what makes him arguably the greatest businessman alive. With such a laid-back and candid attitude, how has he built his vast Virgin empire? For those interested in business or autobiographies, this book reveals all.

Losing My Virginity is more than just about his successful empire and wealth, but also his background and personal life. The world-renowned company name came about because Branson and his friends were 'complete virgins at business', and so they named the company: Virgin. He has been involved in airlines (Virgin Atlantic Airways) and music (Virgin Records), where he signed the likes of The Rolling Stones and Boy George, and he has over 100 different Virgin businesses, including cola, bridal dresses, media and much more.

An interview with Ms Candelaria

  What was your most awkward moment teaching a class at St Paul's?
I once misspelled the word 'sentence' on the dry erase board by shortening it, accidentally, to 'sence'.  I'm sure there have been much greater faux pas that I have forgotten, but my subconscious is being generous with me now, and I'll embrace this.

What were your highs and lows of SPS?
Highs: Pastries, the EP in creative writing, trip to Naples, visit to the Ashmolean, one-on-one meetings about personal statements for US universities, SAT tutoring sessions, the balloon debate, and getting to know pupils and members of the faculty.
Lows: I failed to adequately prepare myself for how lonely the first several months in a new country would be!

Book of the Week

The Jerusalem Inception by Avraham Azrieli
Recommended by Ben Fobel

On the brink of war, the city of Jerusalem is divided between rabbinical scholars and the rest of the secular population.

When a young scholar falls in love with a Mossad agent, named Tanya Galinksi, he begins to question his religious observance and his family’s ultra-orthodox life. After breaking the bonds of his religious life, Lemmy begins to explore both his sexual desires, and aspects of modern life that had been kept from him by his family.

Pandemonium: call for submissions

Pandemonium, the SPS creative writing magazine, invites submissions from boys in the 4th to 6th forms.

Submissions can be in any genre (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, reportage, etc.). The magazine will be published in the final week of term, and will be made available online via this site.

Please send your submissions to ACS@stpaulsschool.org.uk by the end of Tuesday 16 June.

THE YEAR OF READING DANGEROUSLY - ANDY MILLER

Review by BJO'K

I really enjoyed this. It reminds me of Humiliation, the great game in David Lodge's brilliant comic novel Changing Places. Humiliation is a game played by English Literature academics - you name a work of literature you haven't read and get a point for everyone else who has. It's ages since I read it but I do remember an eminent professor getting into trouble when, in an attempt to win a game, he owns up to never having read Hamlet. 

Fist of Five: Graphic Novels

Jake Curtis

Asterios Polyp

David Mazzuchelli was at one point one of the most successful comic book writers around, having done Dark Knight Returns (which is also fantastic and you should read) and then he disappeared from the public eye completely

Suggestions for the Walker Library

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.”

― George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons

This empty bookshelf needs filling.  If you had £100 to spend, which fiction titles, currently not available in the library, would you recommend to place on this shelf?

Add a comment below, or e-mail Alex Aslett (ama@stpaulsschool.org.uk) with your suggestions.