*What book are you reading ?

[onemonkey]

just finished Carter beats the Devil by Glen David Gold..

liked it was refreshing and easy to read after many months of reading college books & papers.

it follows the life of Charles Carter, son of a rich san fransisco family who become a stage magician in the 'golden age of magic'.. the 1890's to 1930's, the time of Houdini.. just one of the many reallife characters that cross his path.

long and tangled tale, lovingly researched and painted with period detail. so much so that the john buchan style plot seems at time merely an afterthought or perhaps an excuse for the author himself to engage in sleight of hand and misdirection.

wont be to everyone's taste, i'd recommend starting off but if you begin to flag or lose interest then find another book because it has the same atmosphere & style all the way through

come to think of it , I was reminded of Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon, which is a much better book so maybe you should read that instead.

1mnky

 

[jambandit]

Originally posted by onemonkey
yes i know what you mean!


or are you referring to the book?

Pobably a bit of the both....hmm....

 

[Rebelda]

I just finished re-reading Philip Pullman's The Amber Spyglass (the final book from his Nothern Lights trilogy) and it had me in floods of tears yet again!

Beautiful, beautiful book. Gripping trilogy. Unfortunately there are plans for films.

 

[onemonkey]

Originally posted by Rebelda
Beautiful, beautiful book. Gripping trilogy. Unfortunately there are plans for films.

yep.. hollywood would fuck it up proper..
but BBC might make a good job of it..

on which topic i see a movie of HHGTTG is being mooted again.. pointless.. it simply can't be done without Peter Jones.

 

[Rebelda]

Originally posted by onemonkey
HHGTTG

???

 

[BassJunkie]

LA Confidential - James Ellroy, pretty good like Raymond Chandler really...

rereading Lonesome Traveller by Kerouac cus he De Man

and Charles Dickens - travels round America - he makes a good travel writer!

 

[Bond]

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

 

[mrkikiet]

Originally posted by onemonkey
just finished Carter beats the Devil by Glen David Gold

I read that while in a hospital bed doped up to the eyeballs. It made for some very interesting dreams.

I've just started on ulysses, i'm not entirely sure why.

 

[LDR]

Originally posted by Rollem
its slow moving scott, but I thought it was quite good. maybe it’s down to exposure to the setting?

I think it's more to do with the style it's written in. I feels like to me like it's been written by a school kid. I''ve given up on it. I read about the first half of it and then thought bollocks. I've also brought his other book 'Brixton Rock' too. I hope that it's better.

Am now re-reading 1984 by Mr Orwell. Much more my thing.

 

[Roadkill]

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Need you ask?

 

[Kidda]

Im reading
Stalking Fiona by Nigel Williams

 

[EbonyLC]

...So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish - Douglas Adams...

 

[Elpenor]

Originally posted by Rebelda
???

Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Currently reading The Road To Nab End by William Woodruff.

And borrowed my brothers copy of Fast Food Nation whilst I was at home as well.

 

[Elpenor]

The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter.

I studied this at A-Level but hadn't picked it up for 4 years. I'm remembering why I loved it so much.

I believe the genre is called magic realism, and there's loads of allegorical stuff in there too. If I could find my English notes I could probably dig some out more bullshit about it!

Anyway, its fab. And its set in South London too!

 

[Jangla]

The Science of the Discworld II (surprisingly complex science in it!)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - yes, I know, I know!

 

[oddjob]

I'm reading Harry as well, it's good

Makes a change, that when you get to page 21, there's a Dementor

 

[Roadkill]

I'm reading Potter for the second time.

Read it in a stoned, pill comedown haze in 24 hours solid at the weekend and didn't really take it all in, so now I'm taking my time over it.

First time through I didn't think it was as good as the fourth one. i'm beginning to revise that view...

God I'm sad.

 

[Orangesanlemons]

Originally posted by spooky fish
The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter.

Fantastic, isn't it? I still prefer Nights at the Circus or Wise Children, but pretty much anything she wrote does it for me. Shame she went so soon...

 

[chegrimandi]

'Confessions & other Religious Writings' by Tolstoy.......


*mutters rudely at the Potter readers*

 

[Pickman's model]

read h.p.

now returning to proper books, think it'll be achilles' shield next.

 

[emotional]

A biog of Peter Cook by Harry Thompson. He is one of the very very few people I would call a genius and hero

("What is the worst job you ever had?")

 

[Gumbert]

Reading through Greg Palast's- Best Democracy Money can Buy.

A journey through Bush's money grabbing inhuman multinational corporate freinds. Skanky, greedy, avaricious m'f*ckers...

Everyone should get a copy!

 

[Kidda]

(what is) Evil by Peter Vardy

Filth by I.Welsh

 

[Orangesanlemons]

'Freaky Dancin': Me and the Mondays' by Bez.
Double top good.

 

[Clintons Cat]

Wildes Last Stand by Phillip Hoare


Outlining Maude Allens unsuccessful attempt to clear her name in court for Lewd and Immoral Behaviour,made against her by Independant MP,Self Publicist and Newspaper Proprietor Noel Pemberton Billing.in 1918

The Previous Year,The Dancer Mata Hari had been shot by the french as a spy.This maybe helped ferment the anti-decadence sentiment that swept through europe and characterised the final years of the war and helped the rise of fascism both in Germany,Italy and the flegling British Union of Fascists headed by Mosley with their hatred of the Avant Garde in music,art and theatre.

Maude Allen unwittingly became the victim of Billings Conspiricy theory known as the "Cult Of Wilde" that accused 47,000 members of the establishment and armed forces of Treason,Sodomy and Lesbian Acts which jepodised Britains War Effort.

Maude Allens reputation was ruined by unsubstantiated rumours of a lesbian relationsip with Wife of former prime minister Asquith (whose tabloid accusations of influence over her husband bear striking resemblence to the "wicked witch" rhetoric of modern day)

made during the trial and the whole of her action was overshadowed by questions over the Morality of Oscar Wilde whose play salome she was appearing in,thus the deliniation between Actress and Character became blurred to the point of indistinction.So much so that the infamous "Bosie" Lord Alfred Douglas,Wildes former Lover and instrument of his downfall was called to testify about Wildes morality or alleged lack of it and the alledged nature of the play and its authors intent.


A good read and a fascinating snapshot of voxpop wartime britain
which has echoes in todays modern society with its own preoccupations with Decadence,immorality,the influence of Homosexuals in government (aka Tabloid "Gay Mafia" accusations) and Prohibitions on openly gay members of the Military.

 

[Masseuse]

The Lives of Animals by J.M. Coetzee.

Really fascinating examination of rationality, emotion, reason, ethics and the relationship between humans and animals.

Anyone on the verge of vegetarianism - or indeed baffled by vegetarianism would find this an entertaining and enlightening read. Provides a balanced view of the issues surrounding animal rights. Highly recommend

 

[hovis]

Sartre: The Reprieve

 

[Swearing Nonna]

John Irving - The cider house rules.

I'm struggling with it, got lost somewhere after the 1st 3rd but trying to finish the damm thing. I'm quite disappointed as I've really enjoyed a couple of his other books but this one is far too long winded.

 

[Xtine]

Serpent in the Sky by John Anthony West.

 

[chez]

two on the go at the moment

Pay it forward- Catherine Ryan Hyde

Stupid White Men- Michael Moore (have got around to reading this at last)