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*What book are you reading? (part 2)

Just read Adinkranhene by Jeffrey Faulkerson, book one of an extremely tedious series (I imagine, can't be bothered to continue the saga even though it is free on my kindle unlimited account), if this book had been written in the late sixties or early seventies I could have related to it but it wasn't, it was written last year.

junk.

Full of racial stereotyping, pretty racist views and extremely improbable sci fi elements, just fucking garbage.
 
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Just finished Michel Houellebecq's "Submission", the politics is very interesting even if some other parts of the book left me a bit cold.

It is the story of the beginning of the Islamic take over of France through the eyes of an academic. The secular left and bourgeois intellectuals eventually siding with the Islamic parties against the French nativists, so it has a certain plausibility and authenticity to it.
 
Just finished Bryson's "Road to little Dribbling" which was funny and wry as ever. Re-reading "The Missing" by Tim Gautreaux which is a lyrical tale of a chap's search for an abducted child. The prose is bloody lovely and thanks to my appalling memory of books read for pleasure the plot will come as a surprise. :thumbs:
 
Yet another tedious lifestylee thing involving wood. More of the Ben Law woods by numbers stuff he appears to churn out on an annual basis - along with expensive 'courses' (a pyramid scheme of uselessness of the permaculture ilk ). For some reason, the default option for friends and fam. seems to be buying more of these annoying back to the land, olde arts and crafts, woodland romance stuff - I have bloody loads of them...despite having no inclination whatsoever to live in a yurt making hazel hurdles in rural bliss. I am beginning to despise this whole back to nature meme with a viciously hateful rage...especially the smirking fools in their horrible plaid shirts and flat caps who appear to inhabit every (glossy) page. A bookshop worker friend of mine told me of her amazement that apparently every single male in the whole of Cambridge, (probably a clue to class aspiration there) between the ages of 30 - 60 had bought exactly the same book over Xmas - a bloody woodchopping paeon to the outdoor life with an axe (although most of them will probably bestir themselves just enough to tip the odd bucket of pellets in their shiny new woodburner).
 
campanula said:
Yet another tedious lifestylee thing involving wood. More of the Ben Law woods by numbers stuff he appears to churn out on an annual basis - along with expensive 'courses' (a pyramid scheme of uselessness of the permaculture ilk ). For some reason, the default option for friends and fam. seems to be buying more of these annoying back to the land, olde arts and crafts, woodland romance stuff - I have bloody loads of them...despite having no inclination whatsoever to live in a yurt making hazel hurdles in rural bliss. I am beginning to despise this whole back to nature meme with a viciously hateful rage...especially the smirking fools in their horrible plaid shirts and flat caps who appear to inhabit every (glossy) page. A bookshop worker friend of mine told me of her amazement that apparently every single male in the whole of Cambridge, (probably a clue to class aspiration there) between the ages of 30 - 60 had bought exactly the same book over Xmas - a bloody woodchopping paeon to the outdoor life with an axe (although most of them will probably bestir themselves just enough to tip the odd bucket of pellets in their shiny new woodburner).
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Well at least you can make a fire out of them........
 
Halfway through 'Havoc in its Third Year' by Ronan Bennett, about a murder investigation in a puritan run town in the 1630s. Really excellent so far....
 
Well I found the Routalages biog of Airey Neave, that I lost a couple of months back behind my bedside table, so I'm near to finishing that off. Mrs Jones got blamed for obsessively tidying books away, so I've had to eat quite a bit of humble pie.

Just started De Ste Croix's Class Struggle In the Ancient Greek World, which I've wanted to read for years, but never been able to justify spending the cash on it, but as I just got myself a tablet my reading horizons have opened significantly.

Also reading Tariq Ali's 1968 as a bog book and re-reading Ben Hampers Rivethead for some light relief
 
i know this sounds funny but the oddball present you got on the Xmas thread....mine was the autobiography of Joe Perry from Aerosmith. :D Wow its great! After long days ..im chooning in every night and i cant put the thing down! He goes into detail about growing up and wanting to be a biologist, first loves: biology and Jacques Couteau, his worship of guitars and how they 'rearranged his heart', love of different musicians (in detail) and what they contribute to the world.

He is passionate but very level headed and explains this strange but complex relationship with Steve Tyler ( i read Steves biography 'Does the noise in my head bother you?' a few years ago and its also great - more the intense ramblings of a highly creative spirit).

Joe is different. He is fairly balanced, despite the drugs, which he is candid about and doesnt hold back.... when he left Aerosmith around 1979 he was completely broke too, as the band were travelling the world, but he had a really sound manager who invested in him (even though this guy didnt seem cool or look the part and was slagged off by people, this guy took care of him). Aerosmith were making millions and Joe Perry is playing in teeny clubs with his Joe Perry Project band and staying at the Holiday Inn, broke and with occasional calls to Steve Tyler (seemingly the one friend who has stood by him through the test of time, despite bringing drugs to every occasion - i think we all have a mate like that....). im 3/4 of the way through and surprised how much i like this book . They are all now sober and enjoying a second stab at success after Walk This Way with Run DMC. And Guns N Roses are way more cool than they are (Joe loves them and doesnt harbour jealousies.) Oh yeh, he's just divorced his first wife and met this angelic blonde who is actually nice and Steve Tyler keeps saying looks like Linda Evans from Dynasty......:thumbs:
 
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Cry, The Beloved Country - Alan Paton
Really good so far, beautifully written. It's going to get tough any minute though...
 
So, it turns out that Moby Dick has homoerotic undertones that are pretty hard to miss, perhaps unsurprising given that it is a tale about a bunch of men who go off together in search for a great big sperm whale... called dick... But it caught me by surprise.
 
sojourner said:
Almost finished Heat now by Ranulph Fiennes. He's not the greatest of writers, but it's been a really interesting book. Just read the chapter dealing with this:

Sir Ranulph Fiennes and the Marathon des Sables

Fuck Ing Hell!
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I've become something of a bit of a fan of this fella, have to say. Am currently reading My Heroes by him, and am just struck over and over again by his immense drive towards the most extreme endurance tests, and his prizing of the truth as he understands it. I was seriously expecting him to show much more of an ignorant attitude due to his privilege in life, but no. Would bloody love to meet him and have a chat.

Almost There said:
Angela Carter - The Bloody Chamber
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Ace book that :cool:
 
Three Body Problem by Liu Cixin

translated from chinese and had a great showing at the award season. I'm just a few pages in and already I think it will be cool.
 
dilberto said:
Just finished Michel Houellebecq's "Submission", the politics is very interesting even if some other parts of the book left me a bit cold.

It is the story of the beginning of the Islamic take over of France through the eyes of an academic. The secular left and bourgeois intellectuals eventually siding with the Islamic parties against the French nativists, so it has a certain plausibility and authenticity to it.
Click to expand...

I am reading this now. It's not bad, funny in parts. I am curious what the libel laws are like in France as Houellebecq makes derogatory remarks about a bunch of living/active politicians and journalists. Or maybe it's badge of honour to be mentioned in his books, regardless of the angle you are portrayed from.
 
dilberto said:
Just finished Michel Houellebecq's "Submission", the politics is very interesting even if some other parts of the book left me a bit cold.

It is the story of the beginning of the Islamic take over of France through the eyes of an academic. The secular left and bourgeois intellectuals eventually siding with the Islamic parties against the French nativists, so it has a certain plausibility and authenticity to it.
Click to expand...

I finished that recently and just sat there staring at the wall for quite a while afterwards, feeling scared and sad. That's got to be the mark of a really good book surely.
 
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