*What book are you reading? (part 2)

[Orang Utan]

ALL RIGHT!! A J Finn wrote the Window one and Yuval Noah Harari Homo Deus. You're as strict as the American librarian who runs the book club here in Istanbul. She banned me from coming to the group once

Too right if you never credit the people who went to the trouble of writing it!

 

[miss direct]

Too right if you never credit the people who went to the trouble of writing it!

Oh, that was for a different reason. I'd only read 85% of the book and asked if I could still attend, but was told to stay away Even though the next time I went, the loudest (most annoying) people were those that hadn't even read a page of the book!

 

[Orang Utan]

Oh, that was for a different reason. I'd only read 85% of the book and asked if I could still attend, but was told to stay away Even though the next time I went, the loudest (most annoying) people were those that hadn't even read a page of the book!

oh fucking hell - she wouldn't like the U75 South London Book Group when I was a member, where at least 50% of the group hadn't finished or even started the book. It was ace.

 

[ringo]

One of my fella's all time favourite books that.

It's incredible. Near the beginning a plane flies overhead, soaring and diving, writing a slogan in the sky, and the writing is very much like that. I can see why a poet would appreciate the flow and style of it.

 

[DotCommunist]

Over two days I finished Liu Cixin's Three Body Problem trilogy. Last two books, The Dark Forest and Death's End.

In China its called 'Remembrance of Earth Past' but it makes more sense to market as Three Body Problem here, A the first book was a hit and B its a notably sci fi esque name. But I prefer the romance of the chinese version.

It don't get much better than this. Toward the end (1 am) I started to think , well where the fuck can you go now? you'd have to

Spoiler: ending

go to the ends of the very ends. Oh fair fucks liu my man, thats what ya did

Theres an odd bit about humankind in a garden of eden phase of high luxury where all the men become 'feminized' and thus weak towards a hostile force like the trisolarians, as if the waning of the 'male' and waxing of the 'female' principles in humanity led a turn to beauty and ultimately defencelessness. Not sure about that all that but yeah


Theres some brilliantly cynical asides that are so matter of fact its only looking back after a page or so you realise how drily its been done. Its interesting that his 'time travel' sleepers do a hundred or 40-60 year hops in hibernation and return to find everything so radically changed, theres an eye for his own history. yeah I'd recommend this trilogy hard

 

[krtek a houby]

Joseph Heller's Catch 22.

50 pages in and it's... ok.

 

[weltweit]

Joseph Heller's Catch 22.

50 pages in and it's... ok.

Long way to go then - it is long - I liked it though and read it twice, about 2 years apart.

 

[weltweit]

I have forgotten to note the books I have been reading since about half way through 2017 which is a pain. What I have definitely read is the following:

7) Desolation Island, Patrick O'Brian
8) The Fortune of War, Patrick O'Brian
9) The Surgeon's Mate, Patrick O'Brian
10) The Ionian Mission, Patrick O'Brian
11) Treason's Harbour, Patrick O'Brian
12) The Far Side Of The World, Patrick O'Brian
13) The Reverse Of The Medal, Patrick O'Brian
14) The letter of marque, Patrick O'Brian
15) The Thirteen-Gun Salute, Patrick O'Brian
16) The Nutmet Of Consolation, Patrick O'Brian
17) Clarrisa Oakes, Patrick O'Brian
18) The Wine-Dark Sea, Patrick O'Brian

Reading in 2018 (estimated start)
----------------
1) The Commodore, Patrick O'Brian
2) The Yellow Admiral, Patrick O'Brian
3) The Hundred Days, Patrick O'Brian
4) Blue at the Mizzen, Patrick O'Brian

I know this because I have now read all of them and enjoyable they were also.

I had access to all of them via someone's collection. Now I guess it is back to the library!

 

[sojourner]

It's incredible. Near the beginning a plane flies overhead, soaring and diving, writing a slogan in the sky, and the writing is very much like that. I can see why a poet would appreciate the flow and style of it.

The fella's a musician and songwriter ringo , but he has a poetic heart

It's also the playing with the concept of time that he loves. He used to lecture on it, back when John Moores still employed part-time staff, so can discuss it endlessly

 

[DotCommunist]

Finished 'The Difference Engine' By Gibson & Sterling

good stuff, alt history thing set in the late 1800s england.

 

[kropotkin]

Over two days I finished Liu Cixin's Three Body Problem trilogy. Last two books, The Dark Forest and Death's End.
...
Theres some brilliantly cynical asides that are so matter of fact its only looking back after a page or so you realise how drily its been done. Its interesting that his 'time travel' sleepers do a hundred or 40-60 year hops in hibernation and return to find everything so radically changed, theres an eye for his own history. yeah I'd recommend this trilogy hard

Yeah, I really enjoyed the second one- which had a put-the-book-down-and-marvel at his genius idea moment when I got to the proper exposition of "the dark forest" idea. I had the same experience with the Reveal in "Player of Games" by Banks, or in some of the short story collection "Stories of you Life and Others" by Ted Chiang.

you can't beat sci-fi for that.

I'll read the third soon on this recommendation!

 

[Thimble Queen]

I'm reading Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala. It's great so far. Another one for sojourner

 

[sojourner]

I'm reading Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala. It's great so far. Another one for sojourner

Ooo cheers lovely!

 

[Virtual Blue]

Somebody I use to Know - Wendy Mitchell

 

[krtek a houby]

Long way to go then - it is long - I liked it though and read it twice, about 2 years apart.

I don't mind long books at all, just that Catch 22 isn't doing it for me. So far. I will persevere!

 

[krtek a houby]

Finished 'The Difference Engine' By Gibson & Sterling

good stuff, alt history thing set in the late 1800s england.

Mm, must give this another shot. Tried it about 20 years ago and it's been gathering dust ever since.

 

[DotCommunist]

Just did 'Embers of War' by Gareth L Powell. This was basically a half decent yarn wrapped in some pretty flimsy space opera gown and shamelessly shallow with it. I want the cool things and I'm not going to work at why and how they are here.
Now obviously what is not wanted is poorly written or even highly derivative exposition dumps to explain things like that but a unique twist or a piece of writing delivered with plot reason and beauty, too much to ask? Here he is on the AI in the books 'They were carefully restricted from self upgrades or replication, minds partially grown from the stem cells of humans and dogs'

And thats it! Thin gruel indeed, very thin. Only finished because he writes a story, aa bare bones tale, engagingly. A mixture of tight plotting and sympathetic characters (all one of them) and just a hint of humour keeps the pages turning. Biggest problem is telling multiple characters from 1st person perspective. It can be done, but the authorial voice ends up becoming the voice of all characters. Irvine Welsh has this issue and George RR Martin (although the portly sex case is better at keeping characters internal monologues distinct enough to prevent blurring).

I give this a 4/10. Lazy wank really, but someone gave him money for it so theres hope for us all yet...

 

[D'wards]

Laughing Gas by P.G. Wodehouse. It's the first of his I've read.

About half way through. It's hilarious and has made me laugh out loud a few times so far - his dialogue is fantastic, as his his turn of phrase.

I predict a bright future for the lad Wodehouse

 

[krtek a houby]

Long way to go then - it is long - I liked it though and read it twice, about 2 years apart.

Ok, finished it and it is quite an amazing, darkly comic but infuriating book. And there's a sequel - Closing Time. Which probably is disappointing as that's a tough act to follow.

 

[weltweit]

Ok, finished it and it is quite an amazing, darkly comic but infuriating book. And there's a sequel - Closing Time. Which probably is disappointing as that's a tough act to follow.

I have read the sequel and you are right it isn't quite up there with Catch22 but I enjoyed it, there is the same sort of insanities from Catch22 and it is somehow nice to see where the characters have ended up.

 

[Orang Utan]

Ok, finished it and it is quite an amazing, darkly comic but infuriating book. And there's a sequel - Closing Time. Which probably is disappointing as that's a tough act to follow.

what did you find infuriating about it? I can see why you might find it so if you were expecting a linear narrative or an actual plot.
don't bother with Closing Time btw

 

[Grump]

'The Angel's Game', Carlos Ruis Zafon. Dark and disturbing it is really gripping, verges on being a supernatural thriller but is about human failings and the dark side of life in Barcelona.

 

[krtek a houby]

what did you find infuriating about it? I can see why you might find it so if you were expecting a linear narrative or an actual plot.
don't bother with Closing Time btw

The repetition, the humour... initially. But I got used to it and there were certain lines that reminded me of Douglas Adams, oddly enough. This one made me laugh out loud:

The two young lieutenants nodded lumpishly and gaped at each other in stunned and flaccid reluctance, each waiting for the other to initiate the procedure of taking Major Danby outside and shooting him. Neither had ever taken Major Danby outside and shot him before.

 

[Liza Grey]

I reread the book "Allatra" for the second time . This is just an encyclopedia of knowledge!

 

[Liza Grey]

I am delighted with the books of A. Novih "Sensey".

 

[planetgeli]

The Running Hare (The secret life of farmland) by John Lewis-Stempel.

‘Indisputably one of the greatest nature writers of his generation’. Or any generation.

There’s a one page preface. It begins,

“Now that I look back, I see that I have written with some anger.”

And concludes,

“Really:I just want the birds back.”

Me too John. Me too.

He’s written loads, including Meadowland:The Private Life of an English Field, which is brilliant.

Stanley Edwards might also be interested to hear he wrote Foraging: The Essential Guide to Free Wild Food.

Really.

 

[DotCommunist]

Dominion by sansom

Alt history, appeassment won and britain is a german client state, chirchill in hiding. Might sack it off for dullness. It's nice on detail work but plodding. There are too many alt histories set in the nazi winnin timeline imo

 

[ringo]

After the incredible writing of Virginia Woolf's 'Mrs Dalloway' I'm now enjoying the absolute gem that is Laurie Lee's 'Cider With Rosie'.

Deciding to read the classics and greatest books ever written has been life transforming. Glad I didn't read this as a school kid though, I would have just said it was too much like growing up with my yokel farmer family and scorned it. Reading it as an adult is a joy.

 

[sojourner]

I quite fancy that one ringo

I'm halfway through American Gods by Neil Gaiman, and although I'm not QUITE as confused as I was when I was a third of the way through, I'm still pretty fucking wtf. I'm kinda half loving a lot of the references and then being completely lost by other parts. Gonna finish it though. Perhaps it may gel, who knows? No spoilers though.

 

[ringo]

It's great sojourner , definitely recommended, as is the later comic rural novel Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons.

I enjoyed American Gods, but there were a few gods I'd never heard of so that made it tricky. Not as tricky as anyone trying to watch the TV version who hadn't read the book, because they didn't explain any of it.