What are you reading? 📚

[Eddie]

23 minutes ago, Crewton said:

Have you read The Meaning of Liff, by Douglas Adams and John Lloyd?

 

A long time ago, but I don't own a copy. My favourite bit was

KETTERING (n.) - The marks left on your bottom or thighs after sunbathing on a wickerwork chair.

We anglers used to call it "Basket bum". I have a sneaking suspicion that entry (Kettering) also appeared in the 'Not The Nine O'Clock News' desktop diary from the same era - but John Lloyd had his finger in many pies so probably had some input there.

[uttoxram75]

49 minutes ago, Eddie said:

A long time ago, but I don't own a copy. My favourite bit was

KETTERING (n.) - The marks left on your bottom or thighs after sunbathing on a wickerwork chair.

We anglers used to call it "Basket bum". I have a sneaking suspicion that entry (Kettering) also appeared in the 'Not The Nine O'Clock News' desktop diary from the same era - but John Lloyd had his finger in many pies so probably had some input there.

I remember KETTLENESS - The inability to pee whilst being watched and UTTOXETER - Something about the internal workings of a vending machine i think.

I may still have a copy in the loft, ill have to dig it out.

[Crewton]

2 hours ago, Eddie said:

A long time ago, but I don't own a copy. My favourite bit was

KETTERING (n.) - The marks left on your bottom or thighs after sunbathing on a wickerwork chair.

We anglers used to call it "Basket bum". I have a sneaking suspicion that entry (Kettering) also appeared in the 'Not The Nine O'Clock News' desktop diary from the same era - but John Lloyd had his finger in many pies so probably had some input there.

The only one I can remember is:-

BLANDFORD FORUM - A boring Radio 4 talk show.

 

[Bob The Badger]

Stephen Fry in America.

The TV series of him touring every state in a London black cab came out the year after we moved to the US, so I've never seen it.

This is a brilliant book full of brilliant humour and brilliant words.

Fry is a brilliant narrator with a vocabulary that mere mortals like myself can only marvel at.

A tour de brilliance made even brillianter by the fact that living there for so long has me nodding my head in agreement and thinking 'yep. that's Murica for ya'.

9/10

[Leeds Ram]

Reading Fawaz Gerges latest offering and it's also sadly to be avoided. Much less nuanced and rich than his previous worthy efforts. 

[B4’s Sister]

I read Yellowface by Rebecca Kuang and The Women at Hitler’s Table by Rosella Posterino recently.
Yellowface was interesting and definitely a page turner but I felt it was overhyped and bit too exaggerated at times. The writing style was totally different to Babel by the same author. The plot was around author plagiarism. I much preferred Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne on this subject.

The Women at Hitler’s Table told fictional stories based on the true story of women who tasted Hitler’s food before he ate it, to ensure it wasn’t poisoned. It wasn’t a part of history I was familiar with and enjoyed this take on WWII. 

[B4’s Sister]

There are some good authors speaking at Waterstones in Nottingham over the next few months. I’ve just booked a ticket for Donal Ryan in October 

[Leeds Ram]

Really enjoyed Black Eden by Richard Kelly and will be reading more of his stuff. Also revisiting the philosophical classic after virtue by Alasdair Macintyre and almost finished a book which has not been released yet for a review on sortition which I'm really enjoying. 

Edited August 6 by Leeds Ram

[IlsonDerby]

On 22/07/2024 at 23:07, Bob The Badger said:

Stephen Fry in America.

The TV series of him touring every state in a London black cab came out the year after we moved to the US, so I've never seen it.

This is a brilliant book full of brilliant humour and brilliant words.

Fry is a brilliant narrator with a vocabulary that mere mortals like myself can only marvel at.

A tour de brilliance made even brillianter by the fact that living there for so long has me nodding my head in agreement and thinking 'yep. that's Murica for ya'.

9/10

Have you read his 3 books on the Greek myths? mythos heroes and Troy? 
 

For such a clever bloke he’s able to make things so accessible which is a real difficult skill. 

[IlsonDerby]

Bouncing between non fiction football books and the Harry Bosch detective novels (way better than the Amazon tv series in my opinion) this summer. On the 9th Bosch book currently and just finished ‘football hackers’. 

[Bob The Badger]

25 minutes ago, IlsonDerby said:

Have you read his 3 books on the Greek myths? mythos heroes and Troy? 
 

For such a clever bloke he’s able to make things so accessible which is a real difficult skill. 

I haven't, although his narration style is so good, I may well do.

I actually read The Illiad and The Odyssey back in my twenties...just after they came out.

[Bob The Badger]

Half way through this and thoroughly enjoying it (the audio version).

I went from smiling out loud in the early stages to genuinely laughing out loud.

 

[angieram]

Football related and mentioned elsewhere on here, but I've just finished "Life During Warnetime" promotion special written by Ollie Wright. (DCFC Blog) 

I'm not a blog member so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed this book; so much so that I wrote a little review for Amazon, who published it.  I don't know whether Ollie posts on here or not, but you can buy the book as an e-book or paperback over on Amazon: 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D9Y3F3NL?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

I like a book I can hold in my hands after too much screen time. so thank you for the paperback version.

This recollection of Derby County's 2023-24 promotion winning season is all the better for the fact it was written in real time - so you re-live every uncertainty, small success and (near) disaster as it happens, alongside the author. It's a wry take on the perils of life in League One for a re-born club and an impatient fanbase that expects - and often loudly demands - better! 

Packed with all the facts alongside an emotional narrative that rollercoasters along with the results, the ultimate triumph of the last-day automatic promotion is a just reward for everyone that stuck with the team through thin and thick last year. It might also serve as a much-needed reminder not to get too carried away ahead of a new Championship season, if such a reminder was needed. 

A promotion-winning read! 

[ColonelBlimp]

I do love a bit of history so currently reading The Savage Storm: The Battle for Italy 1943 by James Holland.

Excellent book. 

Podcast he does with Al Murray is also a great listen, We Have Ways.

[DarkFruitsRam7]

4 hours ago, angieram said:

Football related and mentioned elsewhere on here, but I've just finished "Life During Warnetime" promotion special written by Ollie Wright. (DCFC Blog) 

I'm not a blog member so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed this book; so much so that I wrote a little review for Amazon, who published it.  I don't know whether Ollie posts on here or not, but you can buy the book as an e-book or paperback over on Amazon: 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D9Y3F3NL?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

I like a book I can hold in my hands after too much screen time. so thank you for the paperback version.

This recollection of Derby County's 2023-24 promotion winning season is all the better for the fact it was written in real time - so you re-live every uncertainty, small success and (near) disaster as it happens, alongside the author. It's a wry take on the perils of life in League One for a re-born club and an impatient fanbase that expects - and often loudly demands - better! 

Packed with all the facts alongside an emotional narrative that rollercoasters along with the results, the ultimate triumph of the last-day automatic promotion is a just reward for everyone that stuck with the team through thin and thick last year. It might also serve as a much-needed reminder not to get too carried away ahead of a new Championship season, if such a reminder was needed. 

A promotion-winning read! 

You should have had a career in copywriting, Angie!

Always enjoy Ollie's appearances on @Steve Bloomer's Washing - is he on here gents?

[angieram]

16 minutes ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

You should have had a career in copywriting, Angie!

Always enjoy Ollie's appearances on @Steve Bloomer's Washing - is he on here gents?

I do know Ollie but he doesn't know I've done this! 

Not unless he's a lurker...👀

[B4’s Sister]

I have just finished reading The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. I didn’t find it lived up to the hype and it wasn’t a comfortable book to read. Very similar feel to The Catcher in the Rye. Has anyone else read it? What did you think? 

[Crewton]

22 minutes ago, B4’s Sister said:

I have just finished reading The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. I didn’t find it lived up to the hype and it wasn’t a comfortable book to read. Very similar feel to The Catcher in the Rye. Has anyone else read it? What did you think? 

I read "Whit" by the same author, in the early 90s, which I did enjoy, but never got around to the Wasp Factory. Coincidentally, I did hear about a programme regarding the book on Radio 4 recently. Just in case you're interested, here's a link on Sounds:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001w71d?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

[Carl Sagan]

6 hours ago, B4’s Sister said:

I have just finished reading The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. I didn’t find it lived up to the hype and it wasn’t a comfortable book to read. Very similar feel to The Catcher in the Rye. Has anyone else read it? What did you think? 

I read it as my first Banks, probably 20+ years ago, and I also felt it overhyped. I've gone on to adore his Iain M. Banks scifi books about a humanoid galaxy-spanning civilization called the Culture, and many of his non scifi books. The Crow Road is one of my all-time favourite novels and one I'd recommend. I didn't want to leave those characters and that world - that horrible feeling when the pages towards the end of a book are running out and you know it's almost over and you'll soon have to return to reality.

[ariotofmyown]

6 hours ago, B4’s Sister said:

I have just finished reading The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. I didn’t find it lived up to the hype and it wasn’t a comfortable book to read. Very similar feel to The Catcher in the Rye. Has anyone else read it? What did you think? 

Same here. Read it a while back and it was ok. Not very memorable.