Author Topic: What books are we reading at the moment ? (Read 846698 times)

Jacomus · « **Reply #2050 on:** 19 August, 2011, 04:25:28 pm »

Half way through A Feast for Crows by George RR Martin

I don't want to finish the book, because then Game of Thrones will be over

Frere · « **Reply #2051 on:** 19 August, 2011, 04:38:49 pm »

Just started Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, seems very promising, very nostalgic, somewhat reminiscent of Neal Stevenson's Snow Crash, but is its own book, enjoying it tremendously. Anyone else spent too much time in coin arcades in their youth? Robotron 2084 anyone?

Frere

Rhys W · « **Reply #2052 on:** 25 August, 2011, 10:38:18 am »

Just started Laurent Fignon's autobiography. He's pretty ruthless about Greg Lemond... very good read.

tiermat · « **Reply #2053 on:** 25 August, 2011, 11:23:05 am »

Quote from: Rhys W on 25 August, 2011, 10:38:18 am

Just started Laurent Fignon's autobiography. He's pretty ruthless about Greg Lemond... very good read.

Is that "We were young and reckless"? If so I found it a good read, and yes he doesn't pull his punches

LindaG · « **Reply #2054 on:** 25 August, 2011, 11:02:48 pm »

Crusty left my old Walt Whitman anthology lying around. I've enjoyed dipping in there again, in between my Arthur C Clarke gorging

tiermat · « **Reply #2055 on:** 26 August, 2011, 06:02:02 am »

Now 200 pages into Imajica, so further than I have ever got with it before. Have to say it is pretty good, dunno why I didn't manage it before.

jogler · « **Reply #2056 on:** 29 August, 2011, 12:45:33 pm »

Bonnie Prince Charlie : Charles Edward Stuart by Frank McLynn.
Found this in a marvellous second hand bookshop in Truro(next to the map shop from where i obtained the map showing the secretalldownhillroadtoLandsEnd)
A crackiing good read. Fascinating biography combined with history that goes much deeper than "O" level curriculum

interzen · « **Reply #2057 on:** 29 August, 2011, 12:58:25 pm »

The Good Life: Up The Yukon Without A Paddle by Dorian Amos.

Yet another book about Canada, eh, and Alaska - this time from a couple who decided to up sticks and move from Cornwall to the Yukon. A surprisingly engaging read, despite more typos than I can shake a stick at - doesn't gloss over the fact that living in the middle of nowhere, even by Canadian standards, is bloody hard work and, oftentimes, downright dangerous. There's an interesting account of a close encounter with a hungry black bear - personally, I'd have been too busy either a) running away, b) bricking it or c) both to have noticed such detail!

microphonie · « **Reply #2058 on:** 30 August, 2011, 06:21:33 pm »

Almost finished The Algebraist, which just about concludes my re-read of all the Iain M Banks books: just got Matter left of the ones I own.

I haven't got the most recent yet - might take a visit to the library for that one.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #2059 on:** 31 August, 2011, 10:12:27 am »

Against A Dark Background ~ Iain M Banks.

Frere · « **Reply #2060 on:** 31 August, 2011, 08:41:43 pm »

Just started Rule 34 by Charles Stross, looking forward to receiving the latest Neal Stephenson, Reamde on 22 Sept

Frere

LindaG · « **Reply #2061 on:** 03 September, 2011, 11:50:10 am »

Time's Eye by AC Clarke and Stephen Baxter. Two of my favourites collaborating. It's book one of three but they only have volumes 2 and 3 in the library so I had to buy it. Go figure.

lou boutin · « **Reply #2062 on:** 03 September, 2011, 04:16:50 pm »

Quote from: interzen on 29 August, 2011, 12:58:25 pm

The Good Life: Up The Yukon Without A Paddle by Dorian Amos.

Yet another book about Canada, eh, and Alaska - this time from a couple who decided to up sticks and move from Cornwall to the Yukon. A surprisingly engaging read, despite more typos than I can shake a stick at - doesn't gloss over the fact that living in the middle of nowhere, even by Canadian standards, is bloody hard work and, oftentimes, downright dangerous. There's an interesting account of a close encounter with a hungry black bear - personally, I'd have been too busy either a) running away, b) bricking it or c) both to have noticed such detail!

I second this as a good read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Efrogwr · « **Reply #2063 on:** 04 September, 2011, 08:49:27 pm »

The Agony and the Ecstasy, by Irving Stone. It's a ripping yarn; a biographical novel about Michelangelo. What I really like is that Stone trained s an artist, so he understood the processes behind the work. All too often novelists have only the faintest idea of how things happen outside literature.

fuzzy · « **Reply #2064 on:** 05 September, 2011, 10:16:23 pm »

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

A slow start but etting interesting.

MackieHornet · « **Reply #2065 on:** 05 September, 2011, 10:20:42 pm »

Just finished The Bridges Of Madison County - makes me wonder whether I've ever truly been in love.

her_welshness · « **Reply #2066 on:** 06 September, 2011, 02:18:31 pm »

I've decided to do the Booker Prize (shortlisted of course) reading challenge again (deadline October 18th), see nominees at the bottom of the article:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/8744013/Man-Booker-Prize-favourite-Alan-Hollinghurst-doesnt-make-shortlist.html

I'll let you know how I get on. I think these books look a lot friendlier than last year's offerings.

Torslanda · « **Reply #2067 on:** 07 September, 2011, 12:11:31 pm »

In fairly quick succession:
Empire of the Skies by Somebody Double-Barrelled, the story of post war British aviation or 'How to Destroy an Entire Industry by Complacency' or 'The British Disease' or 'An Exercise in Futility'. Some wonderful stories about some truly great individuals but ultimately a tale of utter financial stupidity and folly, all at our expense. I hope to god no one ever writes the similar story of the UK motor industry . . . Made me angry, very angry.

From the Elephant to Hollywood by Michael Caine. A simple autobiography. Many of these can diminish your impression of the subject but I enjoyed the stories, even the name-dropping, because of the up-front chutzpah of the man. As down to earth as it gets from a multi millionaire superstar ~~ego~~ actor. Liked it.

The Men Who Stare at Goats by Jon Ronson. Having seen and enjoyed the film I was prepared to be underwhelmed by the book. It is however both humorous and poignant at the same time. It manages to convey the bizarre - the walking through walls, the remote viewing - alongside the 'dark side' - Abu Ghraib, psy-ops, torture and the outrageous MK-Ultra project, whilst all the time presenting these events in a non-sensationalist and very matter of fact style. Liked it lots.

Feline · « **Reply #2068 on:** 08 September, 2011, 11:53:45 pm »

Quote from: her_welshness on 06 September, 2011, 02:18:31 pm

I've decided to do the Booker Prize (shortlisted of course) reading challenge again (deadline October 18th), see nominees at the bottom of the article:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/8744013/Man-Booker-Prize-favourite-Alan-Hollinghurst-doesnt-make-shortlist.html

I'll let you know how I get on. I think these books look a lot friendlier than last year's offerings.

Thanks for that, I enjoyed doing this last year, I might well do the same again on my Kindle

Steph · « **Reply #2069 on:** 10 September, 2011, 08:56:50 pm »

'Rule 34' by Charles Stross. Yes, THAT Rule 34.

"...and Moxie showed hime the Goatsedance video followed by a brisk webtour of the shocksites of Lothian and Borders, culminating in the infamous penile degloving accident fansite which apparently left him with PTSD and permanent scarring on the insides of his eyelids"

interzen · « **Reply #2070 on:** 10 September, 2011, 09:11:33 pm »

The "Alaska Highway Adventure Guide" by Ed Readicker-Henderson (which my dyslexic tendencies view as 'Ed Headkicker-Henderson'), on my newly acquired Kindle.

Preparatory reading for next year's 'other' epic ride and quite an entertaining read in its own right.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #2071 on:** 11 September, 2011, 01:21:25 am »

Quote from: torslanda on 07 September, 2011, 12:11:31 pm

Empire of the Skies by Somebody Double-Barrelled, the story of post war British aviation or 'How to Destroy an Entire Industry by Complacency' or 'The British Disease' or 'An Exercise in Futility'. Some wonderful stories about some truly great individuals but ultimately a tale of utter financial stupidity and folly, all at our expense. I hope to god no one ever writes the similar story of the UK motor industry . . . Made me angry, very angry.

James Hamilton-Paterson-Chap. cracking read and yes, very angry-making.

Currently going through Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus novels on the Kindle, mostly as a way to avoid American TV.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #2072 on:** 12 September, 2011, 07:54:15 pm »

Finalllllllly finished The Master and Marguerita on holiday, should have been made into a film, would be weird enuff anyway.
Romped through Surface Detail - Iain M Banks while I was on holiday, great holiday reading. He's definately gone soft in his old age though.
I want an Abominator class mind

Have just started The Corrections by Johnathan Frantzen. I've got a feeling I'm going to find it a stressful read.

Darth Blader · « **Reply #2073 on:** 13 September, 2011, 08:26:07 am »

Recently read The Steep Approach to Garbadale, last but one novel from Iain Banks. Thought it very good. I'd rather given up on him, to be honest, thought that he's rather lost his way after Crow Road and Complicity, the following books being a bit silly. However, thoroughly enjoyed this one, on a par, and similar in many ways to, Crow Road.

I read The Corrections a few years ago. Have to admit to finding it fairly hard going at first, but persevered and ultimately found it very rewarding. Good book.

After a spell of only reading Scandinavian crime fiction, I'm now on John le Carre's Our Kind of Traitor. Very promising.

microphonie · « **Reply #2074 on:** 13 September, 2011, 06:40:58 pm »

Because I've hardly bought a book in ages I'm in re-read mode - this time it's Robert Rankin.

Have finished the first two of the Brentford Trilogy. Just the sort of silliness that's ideal for lunchtime reading.

Author Topic: What books are we reading at the moment ? (Read 846698 times)

LindaG

LindaG

fuzzy