Author Topic: What books are we reading at the moment ? (Read 846654 times)

Jakob W · « **Reply #4125 on:** 02 November, 2015, 08:01:20 pm »

I thought Debt to Pleasure was great, though I did find it hard to read - the protagonist's head is not the pleasantest place to be, and the looming sense of dread as it becomes clear things are going to end badly stressed me out a bit.

geraldc · « **Reply #4126 on:** 03 November, 2015, 09:43:08 am »

Insurgent AKA Divergent book 2. Guessed the secret well before the reveal, but if I can't work out the plot twists for a book aimed at ~~tween girls~~young adults, I really should hang my head in shame.

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Ruthie · « **Reply #4127 on:** 03 November, 2015, 09:53:56 am »

Different Every Time - a biography of Robert Wyatt.

A book spanning such a long time period inevitably makes for a social history, especially when the subject is so politically and intellectually engaged. The madness of the 1960s fostered such immense creativity and I do wonder if there'll ever be such a cultural watershed again. I'm only a few chapters in and I'm hooked.

citoyen · « **Reply #4128 on:** 03 November, 2015, 09:58:17 am »

Quote from: Ruthie on 03 November, 2015, 09:53:56 am

Different Every Time - a biography of Robert Wyatt.

One biographical detail that I imagine they left out: he went to the same school as my son. There's a commemorative clock in the entrance foyer.

tiermat · « **Reply #4129 on:** 03 November, 2015, 10:00:34 am »

Warriors of the Storm - Bernard Cornwall.

Latest of "The Last Kingdom" books. Good, but confusing to me, slightly as we are watching "The Last Kingdom" on BBC Two at the same time. Follows the usual formula of pulling you along until you are nearly bored then throws in a battle to lift you a bit.

Ruthie · « **Reply #4130 on:** 03 November, 2015, 11:09:59 am »

Quote from: citoyen on 03 November, 2015, 09:58:17 am

Quote from: Ruthie on 03 November, 2015, 09:53:56 am
Different Every Time - a biography of Robert Wyatt.

One biographical detail that I imagine they left out: he went to the same school as my son. There's a commemorative clock in the entrance foyer.

There's quite a lot in it about his schooldays

But you're right. Your son isn't mentioned.

T42 · « **Reply #4131 on:** 03 November, 2015, 11:18:46 am »

Quote from: geraldc on 03 November, 2015, 09:43:08 am

Insurgent AKA Divergent book 2. Guessed the secret well before the reveal, but if I can't work out the plot twists for a book aimed at ~~tween girls~~young adults, I really should hang my head in shame.
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It's the same as M Night Shymalan's The Village

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...though that was a bit different.

I wasn't planning to read it anyway.

Steph · « **Reply #4132 on:** 04 November, 2015, 03:14:22 am »

Your hollowed out asteroid wasn't running an Aztec culture, by any chance?

Captive Universe by Harry Harrison
http://www.digplanet.com/wiki/Captive_Universe

T42 · « **Reply #4133 on:** 04 November, 2015, 08:21:12 am »

^^^Rings a bell. It was a long time ago and disappointing anyway.

redshift · « **Reply #4134 on:** 04 November, 2015, 03:57:09 pm »

Quote from: T42 on 04 November, 2015, 08:21:12 am

...It was a long time ago and disappointing anyway.

Just like most of the science/fiction I've read. I've almost given up reading fiction completely now, unless you count wikipedia, I suppose.

T42 · « **Reply #4135 on:** 04 November, 2015, 04:41:11 pm »

Being a superficial old bugger, most of my recreational reading is fiction.

Katie · « **Reply #4136 on:** 05 November, 2015, 12:16:43 pm »

Avengers fanfic, that seems long enough to count as a book. Someone added it to GoodReads, anyway. ("Toasted Buns", feat. Tony/Cap. It is glorious and I've been howling with laughter since p1.)

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #4137 on:** 07 November, 2015, 09:04:34 am »

Even Dogs In The Wild, the latest from Ian Rankin, finally landed on my Kindle the other day. It' billed as the new Rebus but he's yet to put in an appearance. And the only killin' so far took place before the book even started. OTOH, I've only just reached Chapter 2.

Ham · « **Reply #4138 on:** 09 November, 2015, 04:02:10 pm »

Just finished Ben Elton's Time after Time.

Historically I have enjoyed the ideas in his books sufficiently to overlook the shortcomings in the writing; his last - two brothers - I thought was really very good.

Time after time, unfortunately, is a mediocre SF idea, featuring Newton as appears obligatory these days (cf Rivers of London) with a plot so thin it could form the basis for a new diet. The characters are badly formed, two dimensional caricatures (ok,not unusual for BE), there's only one plot twist which isn't transparent, and that's because it's a bit "so what?". Some interesting background which may be factual around the detail of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, but that can only hold attention for a short while. All in all, save your money and time.

geraldc · « **Reply #4139 on:** 09 November, 2015, 04:30:14 pm »

Amazon are selling Look Who's back on kindle for 99p.

I'm finding it very funny. I've even laughed out loud a few times, which is rare for a book.

citoyen · « **Reply #4140 on:** 09 November, 2015, 05:12:13 pm »

Quote from: geraldc on 09 November, 2015, 04:30:14 pm

Amazon are selling Look Who's back on kindle for 99p.

I just had a look on Amazon for this and I appear to have misssed out on the bargain - the price at the time of writing is £4.49.

However, I'm intrigued by one of the other books that also turned up in the search results, which is 99p: The Day Jesus Rode Into Croydon, which purports to have been written by one Kirk St Moritz, who if memory serves me correctly was the John Travolta-alike character in Dear John.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #4141 on:** 10 November, 2015, 12:56:27 am »

Even Dogs In The Wild is up to Mr Rankin's usual standard. Hurrah!

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Now reading "The Beat Goes On", being a collection of Rebus short stories, some of which aten't in previous collections thereof. It's been lurking on my Kindle since dog knows when, but said Kindle has a habit of forgetting to keep unread Stuffs marked as "new" as well as randomly marking collections in which I've read everything as containing new Product when they don't. Bad Kindle.

It seems to be the time of year for new crimethings with yet another Jo Nesbø, the latest tome in the increasingly crap Inspector Lynley saga and volume 4 of Graham Hurley's Jimmy Suttle series either just out or coming shortly.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #4142 on:** 12 November, 2015, 10:51:34 am »

My animals and other family by Clare Balding, a sort of autobiography.

I didn't know anything about Clare Balding. Some sort of tv sports presenter (I don't have a TV).

I didn't know her father was a racehorse trainer or that she was a champion jockey.
For me the book was quite cathartic. In some ways her father was like mine, and the total immersion in racing, horses, horse muck etc was like my childhood.

Apart from all that, it's funny, sad and downright weird at times. That's the racing world for you. Clare Balding can be really, really funny.

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #4143 on:** 12 November, 2015, 12:45:04 pm »

The Mountain Can Wait by Sarah Leipciger, and Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #4144 on:** 13 November, 2015, 12:00:50 am »

The Big Over Easy ~ Jasper Fforde, on the recommendation of that there Mr Plumtree otp. Liking it now after a slow start but a bit disappointed that thus far DI Spratt has failed to tell his The Boss that a man's got to know his limitations. Perhaps he does so in The Fourth BEAR.

billplumtree · « **Reply #4145 on:** 13 November, 2015, 08:51:16 am »

I couldn't possibly comment. Bear with it.

geraldc · « **Reply #4146 on:** 13 November, 2015, 07:45:48 pm »

I enjoyed Look who's back. It does put you in the absurd situation of thinking I quite like this fictional Hitler. It's a cross between Adrian Mole, Borat, and Mein Kampf, highlighting the absurdity of extremism and modern culture.

Katie · « **Reply #4147 on:** 14 November, 2015, 01:02:58 am »

How Cav Won The Green Jersey (Ned Boulting)

Tigerrr · « **Reply #4148 on:** 15 November, 2015, 04:48:30 pm »

Just read the Ladybird How It Works series - the best one is 'The Hipster' which was most amusing. It should be required reading for posters on the coffee thread in Food and Drink!

Vince · « **Reply #4149 on:** 18 November, 2015, 12:22:11 pm »

The Chronicles of the League of Gentlemen Cyclists.

Spesh - you have a lot to answer for!