Author Topic: What books are we reading at the moment ? (Read 846659 times)

mark · « **Reply #1700 on:** 12 January, 2011, 01:40:22 pm »

The Grand Alliance, by Winston Churchill. Volume 3 of his history of WWII.

rafletcher · « **Reply #1701 on:** 12 January, 2011, 01:43:20 pm »

The Glass Rainbow, James Lee Burke.

mattc · « **Reply #1702 on:** 13 January, 2011, 10:43:45 am »

What were your parents reading at your conception?

BibliOZ.com Birthday Best Sellers

(I'm not posting mine - it was pretty depressing!)

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #1703 on:** 13 January, 2011, 01:05:10 pm »

I've actually read three of the fiction bestsellers (The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, The Shoes Of The Fisherman & On Her Majesty's Secret Service). I am not certain whether to be pleased or appalled.

Flying_Monkey · « **Reply #1704 on:** 13 January, 2011, 02:14:13 pm »

Quote from: mattc on 13 January, 2011, 10:43:45 am

What were your parents reading at your conception?

BibliOZ.com Birthday Best Sellers

(I'm not posting mine - it was pretty depressing!)

Bestseller lists are always pretty depressing...

For me it was apparently The Exorcist amongst other things...

although of course that is the New York Times list rather than a British one.

Nuncio · « **Reply #1705 on:** 13 January, 2011, 03:22:10 pm »

Quote from: mattc on 13 January, 2011, 10:43:45 am

What were your parents reading at your conception?

I haven't asked, but I'd like to think that they were reading anything.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #1706 on:** 21 January, 2011, 12:32:38 pm »

From The Dead ~ Mark Billingham. I should have finished "Surface Detail" before starting it but so far nothing has happened all the time.

Quint · « **Reply #1707 on:** 21 January, 2011, 01:18:40 pm »

Birthday book, Sex, Lies and Handlebar tape by Paul Howard Very good (and the cover is brilliant)

microphonie · « **Reply #1708 on:** 21 January, 2011, 06:18:46 pm »

Just finished Nova Swing by M. John Harrison - a bit 'meh' compared to Light

Now well into Transition by Iain Banks which is good so far.

Next-up is The Dervish House by Ian McDonald

tiermat · « **Reply #1709 on:** 22 January, 2011, 05:58:16 am »

i somehow seem to have got to a point of having three books on the go:

A Dog In A Hat
Bad Blood
The Bear and The Dragon - Tom Clancy

Nightfly · « **Reply #1710 on:** 23 January, 2011, 06:17:46 pm »

Boy Racer by Cav.

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #1711 on:** 23 January, 2011, 06:20:05 pm »

The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak. I found it abandoned in the kitchen at work and it looked good. It's a bit odd.

Bledlow · « **Reply #1712 on:** 23 January, 2011, 06:21:10 pm »

Bad Science. Someone gave me it for Christmas. Ghastly familiarity to some of it, but it's nice to have a lot of what I've read before neatly packaged.

interzen · « **Reply #1713 on:** 23 January, 2011, 06:26:00 pm »

As a result of a kind offer from andrewc of this parish, I started reading "Cold Beer and Crocodiles" last night - one man's account of a little spin around Australia. 'Around' being the operative word.

I shall probably finish it tonight - it's really rather good (but needs more photos!)

Wowbagger · « **Reply #1714 on:** 23 January, 2011, 06:29:32 pm »

Under my daughter's instruction, I am reading Graham Green. I started with "The Quiet American" which I found hard going initially but I persisted. It got better, but I felt I'd not really appreciated the first half of the book on the first reading so I read the whole lot a second time. Definitely better at the second attempt.

On that basis I am now tackling "Our Man in Havana" but haven't got very far yet.

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #1715 on:** 23 January, 2011, 06:32:16 pm »

I read Our Man in Havana when I was in 6th form because I boy I fancied liked it. It got me nowhere with him, but the book was quite good.

interzen · « **Reply #1716 on:** 23 January, 2011, 06:36:17 pm »

Should also mention that I'm dipping in and out of "Treat Your Own Back" by Robin McKenzie - if you suffer from back trouble (or neck trouble - he also wrote a companion volume "Treat Your Own Neck") then it's worth looking into.

The exercises in the book (known as "The McKenzie Exercises" to yer average physio) do actually work, although in my present situation it helps to be mobile enough to actually do them $:-\$

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Treat-Your-Back-Robin-McKenzie/dp/0958269203/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295807731&sr=8-1

(regular link, none of this referral malarkey)

Dibdib · « **Reply #1717 on:** 23 January, 2011, 06:41:43 pm »

Depending on mood, Bleach (manga) or Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?

Karla · « **Reply #1718 on:** 23 January, 2011, 06:42:12 pm »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 23 January, 2011, 06:29:32 pm

Under my daughter's instruction, I am reading Graham Green. I started with "The Quiet American" which I found hard going initially but I persisted. It got better, but I felt I'd not really appreciated the first half of the book on the first reading so I read the whole lot a second time. Definitely better at the second attempt.

On that basis I am now tackling "Our Man in Havana" but haven't got very far yet.

Congratulate your daughter on her taste! Our Man in Havana is a good one, so persevere. The Power and the Glory is my favourite, probably followed by The Heart of the Matter, though they've both got quite a Catholic feel which you may or may not like. One day you might even learn to spell his name

As for me, I'm currently reading Brave New World, which I gave up on as a kid and have now decided to finish off, and Our Tragic Universe by Scarlett Thomas. I'm not far enough through it to say anything but I enjoyed her last book The End of Mr Y, which felt a bit like Jostein Gaarder had gone all streetwise and included sex and drugs in his mystery novels.

Paul · « **Reply #1719 on:** 23 January, 2011, 08:18:33 pm »

Something by Mike Burrows on bike design. Interesting, but in an academic way. Though he has got me thinking I should have a 3 wheel recumbent in the stable.

Which, now I think of it, might be the point of the book.

And 'The Ascent of Money'. Which makes me go 'Hmm?', and 'ARRRGH!', often on the same page.

And finally, the Cyclist's Companion, quite the most sensible thing anyone anywhere has ever put together.

Flying_Monkey · « **Reply #1720 on:** 24 January, 2011, 01:36:33 pm »

Quote from: microphonie on 21 January, 2011, 06:18:46 pm

Just finished Nova Swing by M. John Harrison - a bit 'meh' compared to Light

Really, I thought it was better (or interesting in a different way)...

Furious · « **Reply #1721 on:** 24 January, 2011, 03:10:30 pm »

Finished "The Redbreast"

Not bad, but I found the ending a bit of an anti-climax though.
I found his style a bit "quirky" (for want of a better word). Nothing I could really put my finger on... It might have just been the translation.

Also, I thought this was the first book in the series - it is listed as such on English-language websites. It is actually the third book in the Harry Hole series, but the first one translated into English.
Certain things are mentioned in The Redbreast that I suspect were covered in the earlier stories. This gave me the feeling that I'd missed something and I kept having to go back and check. $:-\$

I'm currently reading "Birdsong" by Sebastian Faulks

microphonie · « **Reply #1722 on:** 24 January, 2011, 06:34:16 pm »

Quote from: Flying_Monkey on 24 January, 2011, 01:36:33 pm

Quote from: microphonie on 21 January, 2011, 06:18:46 pm
Just finished Nova Swing by M. John Harrison - a bit 'meh' compared to Light

Really, I thought it was better (or interesting in a different way)...

Maybe it's because the main characters' involvement just peters out and is almost dismissed in a few sentences after they've entered the Event Site. An interesting approach I suppose - and obviously in keeping with the weirdness of the time/space of the Site - but even the 'fringe' characters that round off the story didn't get enough page-time imo. Maybe there'll be a follow-up.

I've probably just got too used to reading long SF epics to be able to cope with a story that ends so quickly... $:-\$

onb · « **Reply #1723 on:** 24 January, 2011, 09:30:32 pm »

I have just finished The Beautiful Machine by Graeme Fife ,I enjoyed it from begining to end.

Oaky · « **Reply #1724 on:** 24 January, 2011, 10:08:03 pm »

I'm about halfway through "Freedom Evolves" by Daniel C. Dennett.

It's very thought provoking, and as per most of Dennett's books eases you in quite gradually although I'm now firmly into the sections that are going to need careful re-reading to fully "get". It probably doesn't help that I'm somewhat worn out for about half of my reading time (train home from work and bedtime.

Author Topic: What books are we reading at the moment ? (Read 846659 times)

Flying_Monkey

Nightfly

Flying_Monkey