Jon Ronson is good old-fashioned type of investigative journalist, only his subjects of interest are different. He focuses on the fringe, the extreme and the unseen side of life. In the previous 3 or 4 books of his that I’ve read he usually has a unifying theme but this one is a collection of self-contained articles written over the last decade or so. From a millionaire trying to re-build their partner as a robot, the dark side of the Anglican church’s “Alpha” courses, the assisted suicide industry all the way to real-life superheroes on the streets of America -this is a mixed bag but every single topic is a fascinating mini adventure into the unknown. He writes well and has a typically English self-deprecating humorous style. One of my favourite small pieces is his attempt to re-create one of James Bond’s fictional journeys in a borrowed Aston Martin, eating the same foods and staying at the same hotels. Another lengthy article uncovers just how credit card companies find their next victims and the resulting mess they can make..quite sobering. So something for everyone indeed.
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