Author Topic: What books are we reading at the moment ? (Read 846643 times)

Feline · « **Reply #2225 on:** 23 January, 2012, 05:29:38 pm »

"In Search of Robert Millar"
My christmas pressie book on the kindle. I'm enjoying it so far.
Next up is "Cycling Home from Siberia". Did I mention I like reading books about cycling?

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #2226 on:** 23 January, 2012, 05:47:41 pm »

Fading into the Limelight - Peter Sallis's autobiography.

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #2227 on:** 24 January, 2012, 09:48:19 am »

Just finished Siddhartha Mukherjee's "The Emperor of all Maladies - a biography of cancer". Excellently-written, fascinating, scary. I'm very glad my cancer is 18 years ago, though, else I might get perturbed. Don't read it if you're still in treatment as it's scary (although gets more positive towards the end).

I was interested to read that I shared my type of cancer with a thousand year old mummy from Peru.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #2228 on:** 24 January, 2012, 10:10:34 am »

The Weird: A Compendium Of Strange And Dark Stories. Being an 1100 page breeze-block of a book. Silly review at clicky. Sorry, that links to the Grauniad

tiermat · « **Reply #2229 on:** 24 January, 2012, 11:18:46 am »

Richard Ballantine's New Bicycle book, picked up for the princely sum of £2.99 from a charity book shop yesterday (whilst avoiding the rain and before I went back for a second dip at my favourite record shop)

Jacomus · « **Reply #2230 on:** 24 January, 2012, 11:23:54 am »

Frontsoldaten by Stephen G. Fritz

The book is a collection of diary notes and letters written by German infantry soldiers in the Second World War. The author states in the introduction that he has only chosen the material from regular infantry, rather than elite units, as he wanted to give an impression of what the war was like for the average soldier instead of from a more radicalised perspective.

The author doesn't spend any time describing the war itself, other than to contextually place the soldiers that he is writing about in that chapter. eg. In the 1942 German push into Russia... In 1944, as the German forces were withdrawing from Russia... The chapters are made up from different diaries and letters, threaded together by Fritz with very little in the way of journalistic/artistic embellishment.

It is a very powerful book, I'm half way through it (52% according to my Kobo) and it has often left me feeling sad or bewildered, such is the impact of the passages. It really does present a tragic and upsetting human account of war, the likes of which I have not encountered before in more factual books. For anyone who has watched The World at War series, this book creates the same feeling of wonder and despair that the documentary did.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Frontsoldaten-German-Soldier-World-ebook/dp/B0054Q47NQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1327403391&sr=8-2

Wascally Weasel · « **Reply #2231 on:** 24 January, 2012, 01:06:09 pm »

I am reading 'The Left Hand of God' by Paul Hoffman.

It's dreadful. So dreadful that it's not even at the 'guilty pleasure' level of rubbish.

One reviewer (which I wish I had read before purchase) said "The story, though, is all over the place, like mad woman’s custard."

I don't believe in burning books but this would probably serve me better as kindling than fiction.

Tim Hall · « **Reply #2232 on:** 24 January, 2012, 01:11:49 pm »

Three Men in a Boat.

Given to me by a friend just after our own attempt on the Thames last year.

her_welshness · « **Reply #2233 on:** 24 January, 2012, 01:15:33 pm »

Quote from: her_welshness on 21 January, 2012, 06:22:13 pm

Am reading the last of the 4 book series by Christopher Paolini, which is called 'Inheritance'. I am now more than happy to forgive the 3rd book.

On my Kindle I am reading the chronicles of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. They are so well written!

The Return of Sherlock Holmes. They are brilliant stories!

Jacomus · « **Reply #2234 on:** 24 January, 2012, 01:40:50 pm »

Quote from: Wascally Weasel on 24 January, 2012, 01:06:09 pm

I am reading 'The Left Hand of God' by Paul Hoffman.

It's dreadful. So dreadful that it's not even at the 'guilty pleasure' level of rubbish.

One reviewer (which I wish I had read before purchase) said "The story, though, is all over the place, like mad woman’s custard."

I don't believe in burning books but this would probably serve me better as kindling than fiction.

Ugh, I read that a while ago. At the end it gleefully heralds the soon arrival of the next book

What a crappy book! Descriptively poor. Dislikeable characters. An indiscernible evil plot. A classically useless maiden whose uselessness is a hindrance to the boys escape. Rubbish.

Quint · « **Reply #2235 on:** 24 January, 2012, 07:38:53 pm »

The Cambridge Companion to the Saxophone, actually very good

jogler · « **Reply #2236 on:** 24 January, 2012, 07:50:23 pm »

a C2C guide

GruB · « **Reply #2237 on:** 24 January, 2012, 07:52:08 pm »

Waylander by David Gemmell.............. again.

Tail End Charlie · « **Reply #2238 on:** 25 January, 2012, 04:37:11 pm »

Quote from: her_welshness on 24 January, 2012, 01:15:33 pm

Quote from: her_welshness on 21 January, 2012, 06:22:13 pm
Am reading the last of the 4 book series by Christopher Paolini, which is called 'Inheritance'. I am now more than happy to forgive the 3rd book.

On my Kindle I am reading the chronicles of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. They are so well written!

The Return of Sherlock Holmes. They are brilliant stories!

I think Sherlock Holmes stories are great aswell. I like when he talks about going somewhere like Yorkshire and it takes all day. Or Farnham being right out in the sticks.
Another thing that struck me recently is that all Dr Watson's patients would have been private, ie paying. I hadn't really thought about that before.

Tail End Charlie · « **Reply #2239 on:** 25 January, 2012, 04:40:40 pm »

"The Mechanical Turk" by Tom Standage. True story of a machine made to play chess in the late 1700's. Love the way the book concludes with the "Deep Blue" matches. Very interesting.

clarion · « **Reply #2240 on:** 25 January, 2012, 04:45:09 pm »

Having finished After London, disappointed in the lack of geographical information (I had sadly misremembered), and coming towards the end of Andy Allsopp's excellent Barring Mechanicals, I have picked up again on the Fignon autobiography on the Kindle app. Seems he spends a lot of time saying 'That's how it was' and suggesting the early 80s was a golden age of cycle racing. Maybe it was, and it was certainly a time when some heroic figures competed - Hinault, Zootemelk etc, but I'm not sure.

her_welshness · « **Reply #2241 on:** 25 January, 2012, 09:19:12 pm »

Quote from: Tail End Charlie on 25 January, 2012, 04:37:11 pm

Quote from: her_welshness on 24 January, 2012, 01:15:33 pm
Quote from: her_welshness on 21 January, 2012, 06:22:13 pm
Am reading the last of the 4 book series by Christopher Paolini, which is called 'Inheritance'. I am now more than happy to forgive the 3rd book.

On my Kindle I am reading the chronicles of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. They are so well written!

The Return of Sherlock Holmes. They are brilliant stories!

I think Sherlock Holmes stories are great aswell. I like when he talks about going somewhere like Yorkshire and it takes all day. Or Farnham being right out in the sticks.
Another thing that struck me recently is that all Dr Watson's patients would have been private, ie paying. I hadn't really thought about that before.

Farnham was featured in this afternoon's episode on TV, 'The Man on the Bicycle'. It was creepy!

I love how ACD knows the exact mileage between London Bridge and Lee, which is 7 miles and then he uses a local historical name for one of the characters. It makes you realise his local London knowledge was well researched.

Sergeant Pluck · « **Reply #2242 on:** 25 January, 2012, 11:03:47 pm »

Tim Krabbé's The Rider - again

Every time I read that book, I seem to find something new. Very droll.

clarion · « **Reply #2243 on:** 26 January, 2012, 10:29:13 am »

Can't get that on my Kindle app

Speshact · « **Reply #2244 on:** 28 January, 2012, 09:55:48 pm »

In preparation of the Olympics I'm re-reading a favourite battered paperback, 'The Truth About Wilson' by W.S.K. Webb.

"Who was this Wilson? A slight, wiry figure in an old-fashioned, black running costume, he appeared out of the mists of the Yorkshire moors to shatter athletic records like cheap crockery, all over the world. He was an enigma, a mystery - but he was news! And now, at last, his astounding story can be revealed. Now the incredible truth can be told."

It's great escapist comic book fantasy (and was a comic book strip in the Wizard).

It turns out to be out of print but copies are available via Amazon from

(click to show/hide)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Truth-about-Wilson-W-Webb/dp/B0018H0ESM

her_welshness · « **Reply #2245 on:** 29 January, 2012, 02:18:19 pm »

Have just started reading 'Lady Audley's Secret' by M.E. Braddon.

jane · « **Reply #2246 on:** 29 January, 2012, 02:28:59 pm »

I'm re reading In Pursuit of Spring by Edward Thomas. Thinking of riding the route again (did it about 7 years ago). Some extracts here.
http://www.inpursuitofspring.co.uk/index.htm

Ham · « **Reply #2247 on:** 29 January, 2012, 02:37:30 pm »

How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog by Chad Orzel on my Kindle.

A very clear explanation of some principles of quantum physics; It feels like I'm getting a real understanding of the subject, albeit at the most basic level.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #2248 on:** 29 January, 2012, 06:54:06 pm »

Quote from: Ham on 29 January, 2012, 02:37:30 pm

How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog by Chad Orzel on my Kindle.

A very clear explanation of some principles of quantum physics; It feels like I'm getting a real understanding of the subject, albeit at the most basic level.

I'm still reading that. I can only manage a couple of pages at a time, otherwise it feels too much like work

Ham · « **Reply #2249 on:** 29 January, 2012, 07:29:13 pm »

Quote from: Mrs Pingu on 29 January, 2012, 06:54:06 pm

Quote from: Ham on 29 January, 2012, 02:37:30 pm
How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog by Chad Orzel on my Kindle.

A very clear explanation of some principles of quantum physics; It feels like I'm getting a real understanding of the subject, albeit at the most basic level.

I'm still reading that. I can only manage a couple of pages at a time, otherwise it feels too much like work

Dunno if it's any help, but I find that if plough through it with a certain amount of suspension of understanding, and then explain it to myself, I do (I think) understand and as a result I'm finding it hard to put down. I may end up reading it more than once tho'but.