*What book are you reading? (part 2)

[ringo]

East of Acre Lane - Alex Wheatle.

I don't know why I've read so many of his books, he's shit. I think I keep hoping he'll write a good Brixton book but he gets worse. Finally gave up after he based some pointless violence in the Flaxman gym car park where i used to go, next to my old flat, in The Dirty South.
Putting Brixton 20 years backwards all on his own.

 

[Dexter Deadwood]

I don't know why I've read so many of his books, he's shit. I think I keep hoping he'll write a good Brixton book but he gets worse. Finally gave up after he based some pointless violence in the Flaxman gym car park where i used to go, next to my old flat, in The Dirty South.
Putting Brixton 20 years backwards all on his own.

I've only read the first chapter and loved it. This is set in 1981.

 

[ringo]

I've only read the first chapter and loved it. This is set in 1981.

Maybe the first was good, and that's why I continued with him, can't remember. The stuff set in modern times just glorified violence and seemed set on prolonging an outdated view of Brixton I don't recognize.

 

[Dexter Deadwood]

Maybe the first was good, and that's why I continued with him, can't remember. The stuff set in modern times just glorified violence and seemed set on prolonging an outdated view of Brixton I don't recognize.

I'll let you know what i think when i've finished this one. Had a look at The Dirty South after your post and the storyline (set 20 years after the riots) did not appeal to me.

 

[sojourner]

So, I finished Umbrella by Will Self last night, and Flat Earth News by Nick Davies today.

Fucking wow, on both counts.

I really struggled at first with Umbrella, with the stream-of-consciousness unannounced time/character shifts, but just decided to stick with it and go with the flow, and it worked. I'd actually like to read it again, just to put it all straight in my mind. Modernist as fuck. There ain't half been some clever bastards.

Flat Earth News - fuck me. So much in there that I didn't know, but wondered about, guessed at, and so much I just couldn't have seen coming. I feel totally justified in my previous levels of cynicism and paranoia now, and even more dirty-eyed about the media now than I thought possible.

Would recommend both 100%. The fella can't wait to get started on Flat Earth News, given the amount of noise I've been making about it!

 

[inva]

The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg
I've not read too much of this yet but it's off to a fantastic start that began quite funny and is now turning all a bit sinister. I'm really looking forward to the rest of it - brilliant writing.

 

[Nine Bob Note]

Autobios from Bret Hart and Bobby Heenan

 

[Frances Lengel]

Current pile of unread;
Trouble Man - Tom Benn
The Relatively Constant Copywriter - Trevor Hoyle
The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath (a book I've been meaning to read for ages)
Angels - Denis Johnson
A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
Mr Lynch's Holiday - Catherine O'Flynn

Just started Trouble Man which is the third in a (so far?) trilogy about the trials and tribulations of Bane, a Manchester underworld figure, along with his friends, family & associates. I like stuff like that when it's well done and this, IMO, is.
Next without doubt is going to be Mr Lynch - I've been dying for a new one from O'Flynn since the last one.

E2a And there's a thing that's been bugging me for a while - Every now and again, someone on urban will start going on (usually in a positive way) about a book called The Master and the Margarita byMikhail Bulgakov - And I've thought for about five seconds "I've got that, I'm sure I have". Anyway, just now I had a bit of a rummage through the bookshelves and, yeah, The Master's there. Along with Denis Johnson's Fiskadoro and David Wong's This Book Is Full Of Spiders. So They've been added to the "To be read" pile now, instead of languishing lost & forgotten. Dunno why but despite only ever having heard good things about the Master and his old Margie, I've somehow never fancied it. Still, it'll be given a go at some point now I've made the effort to find it.

I've also got Little Tales of Misogyny by Highsmith somewhere - I think/hope I've lent it to my sis othewise I've lost the bastard before i've even read it.

Either way there's a bit of a booklog chez Lengel ATM.

 

[DotCommunist]

Mammoth Book of Alternate History

cracking so far. The best one is a short from PD's ideological enemy, Ken Mcloed. Generals coup in UK '72 has lead to the home counties being an armed american backed r/w dictatorship while everywhere else in the island is under the benign socialist scots rule

cheers to QueenOfGoths for the recc

 

[Orang Utan]

Just started Neil Gaiman's American Gods. It's a lot of fun so far.

 

[QueenOfGoths]

Dan Simmons "The Abominable". Enjoying it and his descriptive writing about climbing in the Alps and around Everest is quite compelling.

He writes good, believable characters as well.

 

[Dillinger4]

So, I finished Umbrella by Will Self last night, and Flat Earth News by Nick Davies today.

Fucking wow, on both counts.

I really struggled at first with Umbrella, with the stream-of-consciousness unannounced time/character shifts, but just decided to stick with it and go with the flow, and it worked. I'd actually like to read it again, just to put it all straight in my mind. Modernist as fuck. There ain't half been some clever bastards.

Flat Earth News - fuck me. So much in there that I didn't know, but wondered about, guessed at, and so much I just couldn't have seen coming. I feel totally justified in my previous levels of cynicism and paranoia now, and even more dirty-eyed about the media now than I thought possible.

Would recommend both 100%. The fella can't wait to get started on Flat Earth News, given the amount of noise I've been making about it!

If you want to expand your paranoia, I can recommend a ton of well researched properly written stuff that is almost unbelievable

 

[Awesome Wells]

I, Partridge in words speoken by Partridge, Alan. Aha!

 

[Dexter Deadwood]

The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck.

 

[sojourner]

If you want to expand your paranoia, I can recommend a ton of well researched properly written stuff that is almost unbelievable

You know what? I was REALLY hoping you might say something like that! Yes please!!

I've only really read fiction, novels, for most of my reading life, which is a bit weird but I never questioned it before. Since reading the Owen Jones book, The Spirit Level, and Flat Earth News, my hunger for factual knowledge in these areas has been aroused, but I wasn't sure where to start.

Thank you

 

[sojourner]

The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck.

One of THE best books ever written, imo.

Speaking of genius - I have just started re-reading Cat's Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut. So much in there I'd forgotten. Fucking brilliant.

 

[Candi]

I haven't read Cat's Cradle for years. One of my favourite books.

 

[sojourner]

I haven't read Cat's Cradle for years. One of my favourite books.

Aye, it'd been about 20 years for me. Forgot there was so much funny stuff in there!

Anyway, now I'm on the last of Paul O'Grady's autobiog trilogy - Still Standing: The Savage Years. And very good it is too I do love that fella.

 

[maya]

 

[starfish]

Through It All I've Always Laughed: Memoirs of Count Arthur Strong. Its pretty funny.

 

[maya]

Already finished Carroll's book with Tove Jansson's wonderful illustrations (unfortunately she didn't illustrate Through the Looking-Glass aswell) ... this is my favourite drawing from it:

 

[maya]

- Aaah! Looks like she illustrated the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings as well! Wahey

 

[marty21]

Lean on Pete - Willy Vlautin

3rd of his novels I have read in the past week or so - heartbreakingly beautiful - never heard of this writer until a week or so ago - beautiful series of books - sadly he has only written 4 so far.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

 

[MrSki]

The Universe verses Alex Woods by Gavin Extence
About half way through and really enjoying it.

 

[belboid]

Lean on Pete - Willy Vlautin

3rd of his novels I have read in the past week or so - heartbreakingly beautiful - never heard of this writer until a week or so ago - beautiful series of books - sadly he has only written 4 so far.

I've just got The Free, will probably start on it when I finish my current book (The Accident, by the marvellous Ismail Kadare)

 

[ringo]

Dracula - Bram Stoker.....loving this.

 

[Virtual Blue]

Hellblazer - from issue 1.

As a teenager, I read the series from issue 20 to 50.
Great revisiting the character Constantine.
Will be reading up to the finale and looking forward for the Ennis issues.

 

[sojourner]

Dracula - Bram Stoker.....loving this.

Fantastic book that. I wanted to rip the face off Keanu cunting Reeves on the film.

 

[seventh bullet]

Brothers in Arms: Chinese Aid to the Khmer Rouge, 1975-1979 by Andrew Mertha.