Book Notes: 12 Books That Changed The World by Melvyn Bragg

It's about time I got into some of my Christmas presents. This one, for example, has been sitting waiting to be opened for far too long. Anyone who has enjoyed Bragg's "In Our Time" on the radio will appreciate this book, which is an accessible foray into the history of ideas. Bragg was prevented by the BBC for continuing to present 'Start the week' when he became a Labour peer, so the BBC created the series for him. This has proved to be very successful because Andrew Marr rejuvenated start the week, and Bragg has been freed in this series to explore many weird and wonderful historical tributaries to our stream of knowledge, culture and understanding.

The book has 12 short chapters each with brief notes on the composition and effects of 12 British books which have had a huge, long-lasting impact. The range of subjects looks compelling too, ranging from Shakespeare and and the Bible (hold on a minute, that's a different radio programme) to Newton and Farady, then Wollstonecraft, Stopes and Darwin.

Bragg is careful not to say these are "the" 12 books which changed the world and to claim more for his opinions than is appropriate - which is good. I like reading books like this, which can be picked up and put down easily, and read in the odd moments that family life permits. Plus, without much difficulty it broadens my knowledge, making me appear well-read for a fraction of the usual effort required.