Stephen Taylor's marvellous biography of Edward Pellew, subtitled "The Life And Exploits Of Britain's Greatest Frigate Captain", reads like a ripping yarn. That's perhaps unsurprising when you remember that Pellew was such a dashing figure that he appeared in the Hornblower books as the young officer's mentor and was probably the model for Jack Aubrey. Like those fictional heroes he was clearly a ferocious warrior, clever naval tactician and caring leader. But also like them he was very human, a naive politician and surprisingly thin-skinned.
The Untold History Of The United States by Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick
(Ebury Press $39.99)
Yes, that Oliver Stone, the movie director. This history of American foreign policy is the book version of a TV series, and given Stone's involvement, its tone is no surprise. The message, in a nutshell: while Americans may fondly believe their country has spread democracy around the globe, in fact, US power has repeatedly been used to thwart people's quest for freedom, and support a long line of despots. "Untold"? Hardly, and flaws aren't hard to find, but this is still a strong argument for taking American rhetoric with a grain of salt.
Bad Pharma by Ben Goldacre
(Fourth Estate, $34.99)
Sombre investigative journalism on the pharmaceutical giants' manipulation of drug tests, misleading or bribing doctors, paying for favourable verdicts from experts and making fools of regulators. It's a demanding read but worth the effort. The book has already started to change the way the industry operates. But there's still plenty to be worried about.
