What books are we reading at the moment ?

[Vince]

Just finished Iain Bank's The Crow Road. I'm used to reading in your face thrillers so found the plot a little hard to tease out, patience was rewarded and the descriptive writing very enjoyable.

Now moved on to an Ed McBain - Bread (a 99p bargain from Amazon).

[citoyen]

More 99p Kindle bargains: Breakfast Of Champions and Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut.

I now have almost enough Vonnegut on my Kindle to start a secular church.* All I have to do now is read them all... shouldn't be a chore!


*In joke for those who've read The Universe Versus Alex Woods.

[Lady Cavendish]

My turn my turn Chrissie Wellingtons book is the 99p bargain today

[T42]

Just finished Iain Banks' final work, The Quarry.  Not a very enjoyable read, but having read all his other books I wanted to complete the canon.

Now beginning The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, by Haruki Murakami.

[Mrs Pingu]

Ah... Murakami is class. I must re-read a Wild Sheep Chase sometime soon
I'm currently reading Stonemouth by Iain Banks. My money is on a not happy ending.

[Ruth]

Ah... Murakami is class. I must re-read a Wild Sheep Chase sometime soon
I'm currently reading Stonemouth by Iain Banks. My money is on a not happy ending.

Ah, I really enjoyed Stonemouth!  Hurry up and finish it so we can talk about it without me spoiling it for you!

[Mrs Pingu]

Ah... Murakami is class. I must re-read a Wild Sheep Chase sometime soon
I'm currently reading Stonemouth by Iain Banks. My money is on a not happy ending.

W
Ah, I really enjoyed Stonemouth!  Hurry up and finish it so we can talk about it without me spoiling it for you!

Won't be long now

[Mrs Pingu]

Ah... Murakami is class. I must re-read a Wild Sheep Chase sometime soon
I'm currently reading Stonemouth by Iain Banks. My money is on a not happy ending.

W
Ah, I really enjoyed Stonemouth!  Hurry up and finish it so we can talk about it without me spoiling it for you!

Won't be long now

Finished!

(click to show/hide)

Well ok, there was a happy ending, but not for everyone!

[L CC]

My turn my turn Chrissie Wellingtons book is the 99p bargain today

I listened to that earlier this year. I don't usually 'do' either biographies or autobiographies.

I didn't finish it. I didn't like her. This probably says more about me than Ms Wellington.

[mark]

"Street Without Joy" by Bernard Fall, the story of the French effort to regain control of Vietnam after WWII. According to Amazon.com this book was "required reading for policy makers in Washington". If that's the case, we had some incredibly dense policy makers in Washington back then.

Dr. Fall seems a bit biased in favor of the French colonial system, but the book is still an excellent read.

[rogerzilla]

A303 - Highway to the Sun.

[dasmoth]

Meeting the Challenge.  Phil Pressel's account of working on the HEXAGON reconnaissance satellite.  Some of it covers the same ground as the documents declassified by the NRO a couple of years back, but the new book highlights a lot of details of these incredible machines, and gives a feel for what it was like working at Perkin Elmer.

A must-have for spysat geeks...

[tiermat]

I finished Nightfall by Stephen LEather last night, and moved onto Midnight by the same author.

The books are books 1 and 2 in the "Jack Nightingale" series, about a former Police negotiator turned private eye who inherits a country house and estate under unusual circumstances.  In the first book he has to come to terms with the fact that his biological father sold his soul to a devil.  In the second he has to find his half sister and try and save her from the same fate that threatens him.

Well written, there are one or two timeline issues, but that doesn't, really, affect the overall story.

[Canardly]

The End of the World

Haruki Murakami

Wonderful stuff.

[Ruth]

For a tough woman overcoming adversity how about "If You Fall" by paralympian Karen Darke ?  http://www.amazon.co.uk/If-You-Fall-Its-Beginning/dp/1905047886/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373547754&sr=8-1&keywords=karen+darke

I followed this recommendation, and finally started to read this book last night.  Stayed in bed till 10am today reading it.  Wow.  I don't want to say too much and spoil anything but it's just what you need to read if you're looking for a bit of motivation and inspiration.

Thanks for the rec andrewc!

[interzen]

Iain Banks - Matter

Interesting. Even by his standards.

[citoyen]

Piccadily Jim - PG Wodehouse.

I've read more than 50 Wodehouse novels and collections of short stories in my lifetime, some of them several times over, but he wrote nearly 100 books, you know, so there are still plenty for me to discover and I'm gradually working my way through the catalogue. After the disappointment of the last one, this lesser-known early work was splendid. I'd go so far as to call it one of his best. Had me grinning from beginning to end. Laughing out loud a fair bit too, especially when the brilliant female detective character appears towards the end.

Some choice lines:

"In his normal state he would not strike a lamb. I’ve known him to do it."
"Do what?"
"Not strike lambs."

He wore the unmistakable look of a man about to be present at a row between women, and only a wet cat in a strange back yard bears itself with less jauntiness than a man faced by such a prospect.

Mr Pett, receiving her cold glance squarely between the eyes, felt as if he were being disembowelled by a clumsy amateur.

[Guy]

Currently reading "History of Bedfordshire" by Joyce Godber and "Racing Through The Dark - the fall and rise of David Millar" by David Millar and Jeremy Whittle.  Both good books.

Next will be "Raising Steam" by Terry Pratchett (which was delivered this morninining )

[interzen]

Next will be "Raising Steam" by Terry Pratchett (which was delivered this morninining )

Oooh ... that's good to know.
I pre-ordered a copy for my sister's Christmas present. I feel a bit of quality control coming on

[Vince]

Iain Banks - The Wasp Factory

Interesting reading a story from the point of view of someone who is amoral.

[tiermat]

Next will be "Raising Steam" by Terry Pratchett (which was delivered this morninining )

Oooh ... that's good to know.
I pre-ordered a copy for my sister's Christmas present. I feel a bit of quality control coming on

Ditto, but not for IZ's sister, but for Mrs T.  What am I going to when Mr P passes away?

[mcshroom]

Now I've worked out how to get kindle books onto a kobo - 'You've Gone Too Far This Time, Sir!' by Danny Bent.

[L CC]

Big Brother.

Interesting.

[fuzzy]

Just finishe Maskerade and getting ready for Feet of Clay.

Maskerade is one of my favourite Granny Wheatherwax books. Nanny Ogg is in her element and Greebo is at his best.

[tiermat]

I finished Nightfall by Stephen LEather last night, and moved onto Midnight by the same author.

The books are books 1 and 2 in the "Jack Nightingale" series, about a former Police negotiator turned private eye who inherits a country house and estate under unusual circumstances.  In the first book he has to come to terms with the fact that his biological father sold his soul to a devil.  In the second he has to find his half sister and try and save her from the same fate that threatens him.

Well written, there are one or two timeline issues, but that doesn't, really, affect the overall story.

Now onto Nightmare, the third in the series.

As you can maybe tell, these detective thrillers with a devil worshipping sideline are gripping me...