*What book are you reading ?

[J77]

Just read "Gulliver's Travels" - extreme recommendation. If you haven't read it, read it NOW!

Then read "The girl with the butterfly tattoo" by Phillip Pullman on the train - quite good but very much a kid's book (c.f. HDM trilogy).

Am now reading "Latitude" by Stephen Pomfrey. An account of the work on magnetism and C18 science revolving around the work of William Gilbert.

 

[Rollem]

Originally posted by geordietim
i finished Deadkidsongs by toby litt

i read that, twice. it took me twice to understand what the hell was going on (obviously didn’t have my 13year old lad’ head on first time round…. deffo recommended read!

 

[Roadkill]

Why Do People Hate America? by Ziauddin Sardar and Merryl Wyn Davies.

Very interesting, so far.

 

[Voley]

I've just finished 'East Of Eden' by John Steinbeck which is, quite simply, one of the best books I've ever read. Can't say more than that, really. It's rare a book leaves me totally satisfied, but this did. The last page is probably the best ending to a story that I've come across.

Prior to that I read 'Neutral Buoyancy' by Tim Ecott that Pinkychukkles gave me (Ta, mate! ) an excellent history / personal memoir about scuba-diving. I had no real interest in diving before but I enjoyed this book so much that I'm gonna do a PADI diving course in a few weeks and go check out the undersea world for meself. Ecott is a very vivid writer: some of his descriptions of the beauty of the sea slip into poetry. A great book: highly recommended.

Right now I'm reading 'Atonement' by Ian McEwan which I'm also enjoying a lot. I'm only about half way through it, but it's got a great sense of foreboding and impending doom.

Been very lucky book-wise recently, me.

 

[foo]

Good choices there NVP

I'm reading Beloved - Toni Morrisson.

Powerful, scary, and strange. If ever you need a reminder of the injusticies of slavery both moral and psychological - this book will jolt you. The way Morrisson weaves language and meaning is incredible. I'm only half way through it but it's always a good sign when I carry a book around with me as I do housework (as I was yesterday)....'though the book ends up a bit of a state

 

[chegrimandi]

just finished shipping news.....about to take the plunge and tuck into dostoevsky, crime and punishment so I guess i won't be posting on this thread for a while....hehe.....

 

[foo]

Not meaning to sound poncey here cheg but reading Crime and Punishment changed my life....well, my outlook at least.

A fantastic, phenomenal book.

 

[chegrimandi]

Originally posted by foo
Not meaning to sound poncey here cheg but reading Crime and Punishment changed my life....well, my outlook at least.

A fantastic, phenomenal book.

cool look forward to it then.....been menaing to do so for ages......just one of those time things innit.....maybe if i stopped watching so much idiot box I might have time to read more......

 

[drfranni]

Just finished four (i read too quick) in a series by (I think Alexander McCall WIlliams

They are called "No 1 ladies detective agency" "Tears of a giraffe" "Morality for beautiful girls" and "kalahari typing school for men"

Set in Botswana. Just beautiful books, funny, clever, well-written, educational. The last is the least good (always the way) but generally a laugh

 

[J77]

drfranni - you read so fast, you forget the author?!?

actually, i was trying to remember the title of the book i'm reading now, it's...

The Tiger and the Well by Philip Pullman.

I tend to read a lot of his books, helps destress after all those sums (and a strangely large proportion of people have bought me one of his, spooky )

 

[drfranni]

Everyone's a critic

OK OK it is actually Alexander McCall Smith

Sorry

 

[J77]

 

[sinisterdexter]

i just got done with Phillip K. Dick's 'The Man In The High Castle'.... ever since reading 'do androids dream of electric sheep' in december I've been going through his whole catalogue - he's incredible!!! best sci-fi writer i've come across =D

 

[Blagsta]

You Are Being Lied To published by www.disinfo.com

 

[Jade]

Originally posted by NVP
I've just finished 'East Of Eden' by John Steinbeck which is, quite simply, one of the best books I've ever read. Can't say more than that, really. It's rare a book leaves me totally satisfied, but this did. The last page is probably the best ending to a story that I've come across.

I really enjoyed it too, but felt that Steinbeck tends to lose himself in the narration sometimes, i think i'd prefer an edited version, sorry John
Just finished "I Claudius" by Robert Graves, amazing, definitely recommended! Also finished "A Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, quite good if you can handle the occasional flying carpet and talking ghosts... Now reading "E" by Irvine Welsh, familiar scenarios but sometimes understanding the Scottish accent transliterated is a bit too much for bedtime reading
Favourite book is "Tully" by Paullina Simmons, wow...

 

[Voley]

Just finished 'Atonement' by Ian McEwan.

Amazing book. Really enjoyed it. The twist at the end (don't worry - I'm not gonna give it away) was totally unexpected and really blew me away.

First book I've ever read of his but I'm definitely gonna seek out some more. Recommendations, anyone?

 

[CNT36]

Power and Terror by Chomsky and fellowship of the ring

 

[Orang Utan]

Originally posted by NVP
Just finished 'Atonement' by Ian McEwan.

Amazing book. Really enjoyed it. The twist at the end (don't worry - I'm not gonna give it away) was totally unexpected and really blew me away.

First book I've ever read of his but I'm definitely gonna seek out some more. Recommendations, anyone?

Enduring Love is akmost unbearably tense and gripping - the most compelling book I've ever read!

 

[Calva dosser]

French Revolutions, in which posy Tatler hack Tim Moore follows the course of The Tour de France with hilarious consequences. Allegedly. Still, know your enemy.

 

[Rollem]

the new rulers of the world

john pilger

 

[Kid_Eternity]

About to start reading Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk, got it today (thanks RO!).

 

[Voley]

Thanks, Orang Utan. I'll try and track 'Enduring Love' down. Ta!

Yesterday I read 'King Of The Ants' by Charlie Higson - you know, the bloke off The Fast Show. The guy that does Swiss Toni.

I was expecting a bit of wry humour but got this ultra-violent British gangster story. Not many laughs, but lots of people getting twatted round the head with a cricket bat!

Quite shocking really. Just goes to show how your preconceptions can be way off, sometimes. After getting over the fact that it clearly wasn't a comedy, I sort of enjoyed it but wouldn't really recommend it that much.

I finished it in a day - that's a good sign I suppose - but when I put it down I had that 'Hmmmm, what the fuck was all that about, then?' feeling. Odd.

 

[General Ludd]

Just starting Travels In Mongolia In 1902 which sounds very interesting. Written by a British consular person (or someone like that) who was sent out there to write a report for parliment and what I've read so far has been great, beautiful writing and a very strange world.

 

[J77]

Originally posted by J77
actually, i was trying to remember the title of the book i'm reading now, it's...
The Tiger and the Well by Philip Pullman.

I have now finished this book, it was actually called "The tiger in the well"

I think I'll try a more 'grown-up' book now. What do people think is a classic book, with an exciting story-line, without being full of romance

Also, I may try "Atonement" - recommended by my gf and now NVP

edit: fuck, i quoted my own post

 

[Hollis]

I've just started 'Rumours of a Hurricane' by Tim Lott. Its getting us all nostalgic for the late 70s/early 80s..

 

[bubblehead]

just started Anne Frank Diary, which considering my passion for modern history, I'm surprised I haven't read before...

no jokes about....

Monday: hid
Tuesday: hid
Wednesday: hid
etc...etc....

put it on my reading list as I'm off to amsterdam soon for first time, which considering my passion for narcotics and porn...

 

[Roadkill]

The Last Grain Race, by Eric Newby.

I've not read a lot of Newby's travel books, but this is excellent. He signed on as an apprentice in 1938 aboard one of the last big sailing ships to race back from Australia with a cargo of grain. It's fascinating and hilarious in equal measure, kind of like James Herriot at sea.

 

[Ice]

just finished " The Partner" - not bad (entertaining)
also just finished "see no evil" by Robert Baer - very interesting book.

starting the NSA book --- can not remember the name.. inside the walls or something...
also starting a Kennedy Nixon book.

 

[Voley]

'The Woman Who Walked Into Doors' - Roddy Doyle.

It's gas. Ya gobshite.

 

[Voley]

'The Woman Who Walked Into Doors' - Roddy Doyle

Just finished 'The Woman Who Walked Into Doors'.

Very powerful stuff and certainly not the barrel of laughs that I'd come to expect from reading 'Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha' and 'The Snapper'.

It's a great book. I love the way that Roddy Doyle can present really difficult issues (domestic violence and alcoholism, in this case) but still inject that wicked Dublin humour.

He also does this brilliant thing where he writes these lengthy, highly descriptive, slightly surreal passages (one was written from the perspective of a woman coming out of unconsciousness following a beating from her husband) and then follow it up with a brief, brutal line like 'He hurt me and hurt me and hurt me.' Really powerful writing.

I've read some cracking books over the last few weeks.