For those among you who read non-fiction, do you ever get stuck into some new book and you realise that everything you're reading is now what you think, and if you thought anything before you picked up the book, you can't quite remember what it was? I've broken off from reading Shaping Things by Bruce Sterling because I know I'm in the middle of one of those experiences. He's talking about the relationship between society and the objects it makes. It doesn't sound exciting, but he's slicing the world and its history neatly at the joints and laying out the choice cuts in ways you've never seen done before. Oh so that's why we think that way! Ahh, I see how we got here now! Yes, that must be how it works! It's funny, personal, brilliant and grand. It's only a slim volume, and somewhat eccentrically typeset, but Amazon thinks you can pick up a copy for a fiver (plus postage). If you want to spend an hour or two thinking about how the future will be designed I recommend it. Two thumbs up; fine holiday fun!