What books are we reading at the moment ?

[Quint]

I tend to agree but I feel there is an invisible line in situations like that between insanity and that special brand of bravery.

[Mr Larrington]

Just finished a Christmas present book "SAS: Rogue Heroes - The Authorized Wartime History" Ben MacIntyre.

What a bunch of nutters ! Miles behind enemy lines in occupied Europe with only 40 troops and a ragtag bunch of partisans and escaped Russian troops, what do you radio back to the UK to have airdropped to help the situation why a piper of course. And even more amazingly HQ says what a good idea and parachutes one in !

                             Brilliant book made better by it's truth. My Uncle (commando not SAS) took part in the Dieppe commando raid and lost a hand throwing grenades back at the German/nazi troops, bonkers. He became a legend in the 60's by saying to a mate who was helping me with my Mum moving some stuff when he said "Want a hand son" (imagine gruff East End accent) my mate without thinking "yes please Joe" with a wry smile my Uncle Joe passed him his hook and burst into a fit of laughter at my mates face.

                              BTW Have you read about Billie Millin the piper, now that was insane.

Apparently captured Germans when interviewed said they didn't shoot him because they thought he'd gone mad.

 That was on "QI" ane other week and must therefore be 100% Trufax.

[Mr Larrington]

Just started Carl Hiaasen's latest, "Razor Girl".  Looks promising so far.

By "promising", you mean "twisted as hell", don't you?   

Think on what she might be shaving, and that's just the start of it...

Well up to his usual standards with the usual cast of oddballs, convoluted plots and general mayhem.  Skink's not in it but if anyone deserves to make a comeback in a Trump administration it's a former Governor of Florida turned eco-warrior.

[Vince]

Just finished reading Dead Girl Walking. worth it just for the following description of a baddie:

He was troll-like, both facially and in build, resembling a squat and steroid-pumped Michael Gove. It was a truely horrible vision, but on the plus side, it would make it a lot easier if Parlabane ended up having to punch the guy really hard in the face. Indeed, remembering to stop and run off would be the main hazard.

[Ashaman42]

Just started reading 'Laid back around the world in 180 days'.

It's cracking so far, not even through the prologue and it's had me laughing out loud twice.

[T42]

Finished Sudden Death by Álvaro Enrique, it's bloody brilliant.  Read it on a tablet and kept popping out into Wikipedia to look up all the folk and events he was describing: ranges from real tennis to Hernán Cortés to Henry VIII to Caravaggio, various popes & cardinals, battles, seductions, duels & beyond. Wondrous.

Now reading Chris. Priest's The Adjacent, which ain't bad at all.

[Riggers]

With a "Okay, finished that one," my wife has handed me Pincher Martin by William Golding, to read. Never read it before.

^
Day two of reading it. It's hard going.

[Mrs Pingu]

Should I have a look at the Inspector Hobbes?

I'll tell you when I've read a bit more of it.

So, I've finished it. It's cheap on Kindle, easy to read and I quite like the weird characters in it, though the narrator got on my tits somewhat. This reviewer pretty well sums up my feelings, though the word 'hate' is a bit strong for me:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R342PSNO6AGSS3/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00G9MXDZ2&channel=detail-glance&nodeID=266239&store=books

Though even discounting Andy Caplet, it's no Mclean or McRae novel.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Been travelling so got through a couple of novels.

Another Charles Stross Laundry novel. They are good for passing the time.

Pat Barker Life Class
Engrossing, sad. Made me feel old and jaded.

Currently reading Paper Towns by John Green, as sort of coming-of-age novel in Orlando, USA. A very normal teenager deeply emotionally involved with a totally bonkers persistent runaway teenager he's grown up with - who finally runs away leaving not sure whether she is dead or not. This isn't a tear-jerker like 'The fault in our stars' but all through the book you can feel the tragedy and pain building up, just waiting to happen.

[Nuncio]

With a "Okay, finished that one," my wife has handed me Pincher Martin by William Golding, to read. Never read it before.

^
Day two of reading it. It's hard going.

If you can resist, don't read till you finish or give up

(click to show/hide)

Yes, it's purgatory

[Riggers]

With a "Okay, finished that one," my wife has handed me Pincher Martin by William Golding, to read. Never read it before.

^
Day two of reading it. It's hard going.

If you can resist, don't read till you finish or give up

(click to show/hide)

Yes, it's purgatory

Nuncers, guess what:

(click to show/hide)

I'm skipping an awful lot of turgid dialogue, and I've got 4 pages left!

[Nuncio]

From memory, I think you can skip to the last sentence.

[Riggers]

From memory, I think you can skip to the last sentence.

^ 

[Paul]

Jens Voight's Shut Up Legs!

I got it this morning with cards and tea in bed (actual birthday today). Looks like it will be a good read.

[Jakob W]

Max Leonard's _Lanterne Rouge_, a history of and meditation on the position of the last man in the TdF. In the wrong hands this would just have been a list of potted biographies, but Leonard does something far more interesting. What does it mean to carry on turning yourself inside out for hundreds or thousands of kilometers when you've no chance of winning a jersey or a stage? He looks at how the perception of the Lanterne has changed across the years, and the Tour organisers' relationship to the position - mainly indifference or hostility. Leonard is clear-eyed but sympathetic about how cycling's respect for history often shades into myth-making; he also writes beautifully. Highly recommended.

[HeltorChasca]

Another bikey-type-book by Steven Primrose-Smith. I've just ordered this after reading all his other humorous, originally written books. Can't wait to get reading.

"Route Britannia, the Journey South: A Spontaneous Bicycle Ride through Every County in Britain"

http://greatdestinationsradioshow.com/2017/02/02/fancy-getting-on-your-bike-to-see-britain/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Route-Britannia-Journey-South-Spontaneous-ebook/dp/B01MTYZ3MO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1486156397&sr=1-1&keywords=route+britannia

[tiermat]

To send me to sleep, on a night, Lisa's Story by Stephen King. So far, so King.

For the train, to work, Mrs T has found my copy of "Body Work", Monday has suddenly got a lot more appealing!

[Riggers]

Another bikey-type-book by Steven Primrose-Smith. I've just ordered this after reading all his other humorous, originally written books. Can't wait to get reading.

"Route Britannia, the Journey South: A Spontaneous Bicycle Ride through Every County in Britain"

http://greatdestinationsradioshow.com/2017/02/02/fancy-getting-on-your-bike-to-see-britain/ (Hello!!?)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Route-Britannia-Journey-South-Spontaneous-ebook/dp/B01MTYZ3MO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1486156397&sr=1-1&keywords=route+britannia

"During his ride, he says he found that many towns in modern Britain were all very similar – what he calls ‘anytowns’ in the book. “They were just replicated. They had exactly the same shops – so Stafford was the same as Taunton – and that’s really dull.” But he told me there were still plenty of highlights on the route too. “The towns that stand out are the ones that had some originality. My favourite was Brighton. You get this sense that you can be as weird as you want in Brighton and no one would bat an eyelid because in a minute you’ll see someone weirder. I liked that bravado.”


Yes … get in!

[Robh]

I recently finished 'The Englishman's Boy' by Guy Vanderhaeghe. It's been around for a while, apparently, and I only picked up on it as a staff recommendation in my local bookshop. Highly recommended - a good story, well written, with plenty to ponder on when you're finished.

[Mrs Pingu]

Ooh, ooh, the new Inspector McLean was released and delivered to my kindle today which was a nice surprise

[Gus]

"Gut" by Giulia Enders

[ElyDave]

finished The Russia House

now on After the Flood by Margaret Atwood after a conversation with a client, liking it so far

[Mr Larrington]

Ooh, ooh, the new Inspector McLean was released and delivered to my kindle today which was a nice surprise

I can't remember whether I pre-ordered this but if I did it won't have been delivered to my Kindle as it decided that wifi was beneath its dignity.  Time for more mucking around with cables & Calibre.

[Mrs Pingu]

I am currently reading The Miniaturist, after a Goodreads recommendation from that Eccentrica Gallumbits.  It's very good

[andrewc]

Ohhhh !  There's a new Easy Rawlins book out     "Charcoal Joe" by Walter Mosley.