What books are we reading at the moment ?

[Snakehips]

Stasiland

Snake

my bikes .... http://beta.yudu.com/library/item_details/17432/Snakehips--Bikes

[Frenchie]

Zen and the Art of Motorcyle Maintenance

[zzpza]

i see that quite a few people are reading Spook Country by William Gibson. any good? ...

In my view, it's miles better than a lot of other post-9/11 novels, but still not Gibson at his visionary best.

thanks, i'll add it to my wish list.

[Flying_Monkey]

Reading it now, it's an interesting exercise to see what Orwell got right, even if his timing is some 24-30 years* out

Great book, but it wasn't a prediction. He was writing a satire of Stalinism (and (CPGB support for Stalin) of the time. He just reversed the last two numbers of the year 1948.

[tonyh]

it wasn't a prediction

And it's timeless.

[Analog Kid]

The Damned United - David Peace

Fictional account of the late Brian Clough's short tenure as manager at Leeds Utd. It brings to life a vanished time when football managers were a lot less PC than they are now and alcohol and tobaco counted as "sports nutrition". Clough is portrayed as an outwardly confident man driven by self doubt and some personal demons.

An interesting read which in all honesty I found slightly depressing!

I'll try it again in a few months time..

[Jezza]

Reading it now, it's an interesting exercise to see what Orwell got right, even if his timing is some 24-30 years* out

Great book, but it wasn't a prediction. He was writing a satire of Stalinism (and (CPGB support for Stalin) of the time. He just reversed the last two numbers of the year 1948.

It certainly seems to have predicted events that occurred long after Stalin's demise. I'd say Animal Farm was more akin to a satire of Stalinism. 

What I'm reading: Tender is the Night, by F Scott Fitzgerald.

[Really Ancien]

We've explored 1984 a few times and the conclusion I've come to is that this is one of the pivotal documents in understanding it.
We, Orwell Review

Damon.

[Flying_Monkey]

We've explored 1984 a few times and the conclusion I've come to is that this is one of the pivotal documents in understanding it.
We, Orwell Review

Yes, Zamyatin in many ways was a far superior writer and a major influence on Orwell. He also worked in the Tyne shipyards for a while, you know...

[clarion]

I have a couple of books by Zamyatin.  Can't remember the title of the other, which is awkward, because a lot of bios say he only wrote one

A very good writer.  Perhaps a bit pedestrian at times in his efforts to make all the details of the dystopia hang together at the expense of a dynamic plot, but We is definitely worth a read.

And I didn't know he worked in the shipyards of the Tyne.

Didn't Wittgenstein work there, too?

[Flying_Monkey]

And I didn't know he worked in the shipyards of the Tyne.

Didn't Wittgenstein work there, too?

I am imagining a very odd novel I could write now...

[mattc]

To prove just how cutting edge my literary consumption is:
just finished the 2nd* Flashman book
Royal Flash - George McDonald Fraser
very entertaining.
(I think he's been discussed before on YACF)

Also nearly finished the latest Garrison Keillor - Pontoon. Enjoyable comfort read, and often very funny.

(*I think)

[Frenchie]

Wall-Layer Models for LES, Piomelli and Balaras, Annual Review Fluid Mech, 2002.
Overview of Drag Reduction Tech for Civil Transport Aircraft, Reneaux, ECCOMAS 2004.

Does that count? 

[microphonie]

Just started Will Self's 'The Book of Dave'

That's been sitting in my unread pile for about two years now.  Let me know how you get on.

Well, finally got around to finishing this. I really enjoyed it so far as one can enjoy a book about someone slowly imploding. Particularly liked the way elements of the 'future religion' chapters are slowly explained in the 'Dave's decline' story.

Still doesn't make me want to restart 'How the Dead Live' yet: I want frivolity...so it's Pratchett's Going Postal next!

[Analog Kid]

Wall-Layer Models for LES, Piomelli and Balaras, Annual Review Fluid Mech, 2002.
Overview of Drag Reduction Tech for Civil Transport Aircraft, Reneaux, ECCOMAS 2004.

Does that count? 

If it mentions Reynolds or Mach numbers?

No, that should be in the "Homework" thread.....

 

[ChrisO]

I've been on a bit of a Graham Greene kick lately. I'm very impressed at how varied the novels are.

Our Man In Havana is as funny as any Evelyn Waugh.
The Confidential Agent is more of its time, but reminded me of Orwell. Interesting for being so clearly under the influence of drugs.
The Quiet American could be an Ian McEwan or Le Carre as could Brighton Rock.

I've just finished Brighton Rock - my favourite so far - a really chilling depiction of amorality. I must get the film.

I can see why he's often referred to as a Catholic novelist, but it seems to be more that he was a novelist who was Catholic. It is often present but none the heroes are Catholic, in fact many of them act very badly in contrast to the non-religious characters. It's not like G K Chesterton's Father Brown where religion/Catholicism triumphs over all things.


My next book is not Graham Greene (I think there may be some others in my Christmas stocking).  I'm going to try The Third Policeman at last.

[Mr Larrington]

Having a second stab at Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle.  I did get to the end the last time, but it was a struggle in comparison with Cryptonomicon.

[clarion]

Curiously, one of the books I am in the midst of reading is Oliver Postgate's autobiography.  It's Butterfly's copy, so I haven't been making much progress, as books seem to have a very hard time if I'm carrying them about (the train seems to be the only place I get to read books), and I don't want to put someone else's books through that.

It's an interesting memoir, and offers a few insights into his development as a writer.

[Wascally Weasel]

Having a second stab at Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle.  I did get to the end the last time, but it was a struggle in comparison with Cryptonomicon.

I gave up part way through the first one, I wanted to like it but eventually decided it wasn't worth it (It might be but I'll probably never know).

[Regulator]

'Highways and Byways of Britain' by David Milner.  A fascinating look back in time... a bit like a Wainwright of roads.

[annie]

Alice Walker - The Colour Purple

Great Expectations

[CathH]

Stephen King, On Writing.

[rafletcher]

Being a regular male I'm a consecutive reader, not a concurrent one.

Right now it's James Lee Burkes "Swan Peak". And lined up I've got a Michael Connolly (The Brass Verdict) and a Peter Robinson (All the colours of darkness).

My reading is generally limited to crime fiction of various sorts.

[Mr Larrington]

a Peter Robinson (All the colours of darkness).

Oooh, a new (ish) one!

(Cranks up Amazon-fu)

[spindrift]

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, so good I insisted a waiter in Amsterdam read it and gave it to him, you know when you want someone to share the pleasure of a good book?

The Outsider is brilliant too, a troubled young man brilliantly portayed.


And Then We Came To The End is very funny for anyone who works in an office.