Unemployment & Book Report

I'm unemployed! My year as junior dogsbody lecturer at the Edinburgh University School of Mathematics ended on thursday and I'm now officially unemployed until October 1st, when my new job in Sheffield will begin. It's very sad to be leaving the department and the flat and all of my friends in Edinburgh, but it's also quite exciting to be moving on. I expect that I'll become all teary at some point before I leave town for good next weekend.

Anyhow, what I do have is a week to fill before moving away. There'll be packing to do of course, but maybe only a day's worth. In the meantime I will be playing games and reading maths and maybe I'll start the second chapter of Middlesex.

Meanwhile, belumberjacketed Canadian man-tree Dave has requested that I join in with the book report, so here goes ...

1. One book that changed your life:
Algebraic Topology by Allen Hatcher, because I learned so much from it, and it's like the start of everything I do now. So it did change my life. It's a very geeky answer, but it's honest. Alternatively, The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro, because it's so mad and I learned that things can be affecting even if they don't make `sense'.

2. One book that you’ve read more than once:
I can only think of Past Imperative etc by Dave Duncan. I'm sure there are other things that I've read more than once but I can't think of them now. This is such a dreary answer.

3. One book you’d want on a desert island:
I think the complete works of Shakespeare. This is what they always let you take on Desert Island Discs, and probably for good reason. Imagine all the fabulous language and stories in it. It would keep you going for ages.

4. One book that made you laugh:
Screen Burn by Charlie Brooker. You want to!

5. One book that made you cry:
Unlike Dave, I do cry at books and films sometimes. The last book I can remember that did this was Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. It's very sad at the end.

6. One book that you wish had been written:
Dunno. Something that would teach me to understand people better. Then I'd be more understanding! Seriously, the nicer we are to everyone the better, right?

7. One book that you wish had never been written:
Every bad maths book I see. People hate my subject, and unfortunately its practitioners often do very little to change that. In fact, the effect's so negative that I think there should be a law against people writing shitty academic books.

8. One book you’re currently reading:
To A Fault by Nick Laird.

9. One book you’ve been meaning to read:
Middlesex, but you all know that!