I've been reading "The Subterranean Railway" by Christian Wolmar.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Subterranean-Railway-Underground-Changed-Forever/dp/1843540231/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258049573&sr=8-1

Way, way more interesting than you might think!! What's particularly good about it is that it kind of explains why the Tube is so crazy in places, why you still have hold-ups today in places because of decisions made in 1890, that sort of thing.

Vermeer’s Hat, by Timothy Brook - on the history of the early stages of 'mass' global trade, written about Europe by an historian of China.

Lisa Jardine has a review here: http://www.literaryreview.co.uk/jardine_07_08.html

Thank you both, I'll one-click both of those. The weekend papers might well turn up other ideas

"I was sorry to see that Amartya Sen's 'The idea of Justice'k has fallen off your pile without any comment from you. I followed the advice he gave at the launch at the LSE and borrowed the book from the local library. However I had to return it before I managed more than 25% and when I got it back I found that I had to start again, not altogether surprising in someone older than he. But all the time I was hoping that you would offer further enlightenment. In particular do you think that it is essential to understand the mathematics of Social Choice theory in order to accept Professor Sen's arguments? You introduced me to another mathematician who, even discounting his mental illness, seemed one of the most unpleasant characters that I have ever come across, in my unsuccessful attempts to gain a little insight into game theory. Perhaps I should take time with the Wikipedia entry as game theory and social choice theory seem to be related.
I accept the mainstream scientific approach to the physical universe and what lies within it without an understanding of the maths because, having read and listened to them I trust the scientific elite. After reading and listening to him I am pretty sure that I can trust Professor Sen, and the names that I recognise from his Introduction, Hobsbawm, Runciman, Dworkin, Rawls, authors I have read without anything like complete understanding. Have you any comment you would care to make?

John