Richard Jack

Mar 25, 2024 | theanalyticalscientist.com | Richard Jack

“Is the glass half full or half empty?” It’s a long standing psychological question that can reveal a lot about a person. Whether you lean towards optimism or pessimism, one thing unites most of us: realism. And the reality is that the glass contains water. End of story. Another reality is that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are quite prevalent in our drinking water.

Oct 30, 2023 | australianbookreview.com.au | Kate Clancy |Caroline de Costa |Richard Jack |Barnaby Smith

As spring slowly turns to summer, the November issue of ABR addresses questions of memoir, biography, and autofiction. Catriona Menzies-Pike engages with Richard Flanagan’s new hybrid work Question 7 while Zora Simic assesses Naomi Klein’s journey into the ‘mirror world’ in Doppelganger and Marilyn Lake reviews Graeme Davison’s ‘uncommonly good family history’.

Oct 15, 2023 | booklistonline.com | Richard Jack

Nov. 2023. 576p. Hachette, $32.50 (9780306834950). 780. REVIEW. First published October 15, 2023 (Booklist). While not an authorized biography, Jack’s portrait did receive the blessing of the late Nick Drake’s sister, Gabrielle. The enigmatic English singer-songwriter suffered from schizophrenia and took his own life at 26 in 1974. He recorded three albums—Five Leaves Left, Bryter Layter, and Pink Moon—none of which sold well during his lifetime. And yet people found and continue to discover his music.

Oct 10, 2023 | publishersweekly.com | Dylan Jones |Anthony Grafton |Richard Jack |Jim Morris

Cara McGoogan. Diversion, $28.99 (320p) ISBN 978-1-635-76888-6Journalist McGoogan debuts with a stunning investigation of a decades-long global scandal in which a treatment for hemophilia infected patients with fatal viruses. While the 1973 introduction of Factor VIII, a clotting protein derived from donated plasma, allowed for a massive improvement in the day-to-day lives of people with hemophilia, it also served as a means of transmission of bloodborne illnesses, including hepatitis C and HIV.

Sep 12, 2023 | kirkusreviews.com | Richard Jack |Stephanie Johnson |Brandon Stanton

Somber by necessity, but passionately engaged with its subject. Thorough account of the all-too-short life of the brilliant British singer-songwriter. Nick Drake (1948-1974) was an enigmatic figure during his brief career. His three albums sold poorly during his lifetime, and his resistance to self-promotion left even his enthusiasts bemused (“Forgive me please for being so rude in asking, but who are you?” read one fan letter).