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What are you reading?

SantosHalper

By SantosHalper
in The Jim Smith Room

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McRainy

McRainy

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3 hours ago, Carl Sagan said:

Currently writing a book on the future so have no time for reading anyone else's stuff! 

If you have no time now, how will you get to the future?

Currently reading Aesch Mezareph: The Purifying Fire, by RJ Stewart. It's the second volume of The Sphere of Art, his series on alchemy. 

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Spanish

Spanish

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On 16/02/2018 at 23:50, CWC1983 said:

Bought a couple of books today. 

Paul Kimmage autobiography  - Irish pro cyclist in the 80 and 90s who turned journalist and was vocal against Armstrong and drugs before he got caught. 

The dirtiest race in history - story of the 1988 olympic 100m - Ben Johnson, Carl Lewis, Linford Christie etc. 

For some reason, im fascinated by sport history events that I watched as an innocent young lad. 

dirtiest race was a good read but left a few bits hanging, enjoyed it though

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EssendonRam

EssendonRam

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Just started a book named Dark Emu, which challenges our understanding of how advanced the culture of indigenous Australians was upon the arrival of the British in 1788.

And looking forward to the arrival in the next few days of Max Hastings’ new history: Vietnam; An Epic Tragedy 1945-75.

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AmericanRam

AmericanRam

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20 hours ago, BurtonRam7 said:

1166 pages later, I’ve finally finished Stephen King’s ‘It’. Wow. One of those books where you really feel you went on a journey. Would highly recommend.

Great book indeed.

In a similar vein to 'It'I would highly recommend 'Summer of Night' by Dan Simmons(Really all of his books are great) and 'Let the Right One In' by John Ajvide Lindqvist.

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Comrade 86

Comrade 86

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Currently reading Catch 22, again. It's a go to book for when I'm feeling a bit miz. A thousand Splendid Suns up next which is by Khaled Hosseini who also wrote The Kite Runner. I'm also halfway through a Scando thriller (the author is Jo Nesbo but the title escapes me right now) but it's not very thrilling and is gathering dust on the bedside table.

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1of4

1of4

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Fifty Fifty by James Patterson. One of my go to authors, who produce easy reading fiction. That I enjoy and find relaxing to read while I'm on holiday.

Luckily for me he writes or co-writes more books per year than I have holidays. It's a close run thing though.

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EssendonRam

EssendonRam

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On 20/11/2018 at 21:11, EssendonRam said:

Just started a book named Dark Emu, which challenges our understanding of how advanced the culture of indigenous Australians was upon the arrival of the British in 1788.

And looking forward to the arrival in the next few days of Max Hastings’ new history: Vietnam; An Epic Tragedy 1945-75.

Still awaiting delivery of the Hastings’ Vietnam book so started (and nearly finished) Volume 4 of Peter Ackroyd’s History of England.

Very accessible historian, Peter Ackroyd. Blends the high level “important” stuff with some interesting social history and ‘quirky’ contemporary excerpts. For example, he offers a description of the Spanish Emperor, Charles II, based on contemporary accounts,  thus:

”...better known as Charles the Sufferer...He was incapacitated and mentally incapable, his tongue was too large for his mouth, and he drooled continually. He had a huge and misshapen jaw, so that the rest of his face seemed to be in a kind of pit. His body was crooked and his mind more or less unhinged; he believed himself to be bewitched since childhood, in which opinion most of his court and country concurred...He was the last of the Hapsburg rulers of Spain, and the overwhelming evidence of inbreeding may have been the occasion for his manifold mental and physical weaknesses...”

His death in 1700, curiously enough without an heir, sparked the War of the Spanish Succession.

Recommend most of Ackroyd’s non-fiction books although some are weightier in tone than his History of England series. (His biography of Dickens is one of my favourite historical biographies.)

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EssendonRam

EssendonRam

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On 27/11/2018 at 09:42, 86 points said:

Currently reading Catch 22, again. It's a go to book for when I'm feeling a bit miz. A thousand Splendid Suns up next which is by Khaled Hosseini who also wrote The Kite Runner. I'm also halfway through a Scando thriller (the author is Jo Nesbo but the title escapes me right now) but it's not very thrilling and is gathering dust on the bedside table.

When I had a period of finding the concentration required for reading the heavier non-fiction I usually read, I stumbled across Jo Nesbo. While he writes total trash, I have grown to love his trash for what it is. Over the past 7-8 years, I have read every one of his books that have been translated into English. 

In my view, only two of his books weren’t huge fun to read; not coincidentally, they’re two of his three non-Harry Hole books. His most recent book - an absurd retelling of Macbeth, including the names of all of the Shakespearen characters fulfilling the same general roles in a modern crime story - is turgid, stupid and utterly pretentious. His publisher should have reminded him that he writes silly and wholly incredible trashy books about Harry Hole and serial killers when he pitched the idea for Macbeth. ?

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Comrade 86

Comrade 86

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14 minutes ago, EssendonRam said:

When I had a period of finding the concentration required for reading the heavier non-fiction I usually read, I stumbled across Jo Nesbo. While he writes total trash, I have grown to love his trash for what it is. Over the past 7-8 years, I have read every one of his books that have been translated into English. 

In my view, only two of his books weren’t huge fun to read; not coincidentally, they’re two of his three non-Harry Hole books. His most recent book - an absurd retelling of Macbeth, including the names of all of the Shakespearen characters fulfilling the same general roles in a modern crime story - is turgid, stupid and utterly pretentious. His publisher should have reminded him that he writes silly and wholly incredible trashy books about Harry Hole and serial killers when he pitched the idea for Macbeth. ?

That's the one I started reading! Didn't realise it was called Macbeth, only that it was a re-telling thereof. I couldn't get on with it. Infuriatingly pleased with itself with no good reason at all. I read the Snowman and liked it, as I recall. Pulp as you say, but enjoyable nonetheless. I love James Ellroy's stuff too which some argue is trashy, but I think is masterful. Eye of the beholder I guess! 

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Smyth_18

Smyth_18

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Currently reading;

The World's Fittest Book - Ross Edgley - Great book. Basically a fitness bible.

Battle Scars - Jason Fox (SAS Who Dares Wins) - Accounts of life & war. A focus on mental health. Again, great book.

And on audio;

Natural Born Heroes - Christopher Mcdougall - Won't go into the details but basically discovers the secrets of Ancient Greek heroes & a focus on WW2 in Crete. Quite in depth but brilliant nonetheless. Find myself missing important bits when i lose focus due to road rage on the way home. 

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