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*What book are you reading ?

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i've just finished A Star called Henry by Roddy Doyle. Some nice moments, particularly the seizing of the GPO, but left me feeling a little dissapointed.

i'm reading White Noise by Don Delillo now. The CHief Protagonist is a founding member of a department of Hitler Studies, it surprises me that this isn't already a course that can be taken...
 
Nearly finsihed "UVF" - by Jim Cusack & Henry McDonald.

Its a history of the modern Ulster Volunteer Force, with a section on the original UVF.

Very good read for anyone who wants to increase their knowledge of the Loyalist paramilitaries.
 
You are the G8, we are 6 billion by Jonathan Neale, subtitled "the truth about the Genoa protests"

I actually left it in Pizza Hut this evening, but got it back about three hours later.

Got really into it yesterday when it took me 2 1/2 hours to get to the East London drinks.
 
Originally posted by geordietim
i'm reading White Noise by Don Delillo now. The CHief Protagonist is a founding member of a department of Hitler Studies, it surprises me that this isn't already a course that can be taken...
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i keep trying with delillo... started white noise, started underworld. couldn't finish either...

how is it?
 
i was struggling with it, but then yesterday i had a good couple of hours crack at it and started enjoying it and actually wanting to know more. Certainly for the first 70 pages I was a bit 'couldn't care less' and trying to find fault with it. but now....
 
I'm reading "Twelve-Step Fandango" by Chris Haslam at the moment - was attracted by the quote from Christopher Brookmyre on the cover, as he's a favourite of mine. Only three chapters in so far though...
 
Bataille's Mother, and Mistress Edwardia (or something, can't remember title properly now). Existential rudeness.

Nietzsche Reader. A revelation! Nietzsche is such a poet! But also sends you a bit mad. :cool:
 
Carson McCullers - The heart is a lonely hunter.

written in the 1940's its a story of people who are hopelessly lonely.

So far its beautiful.
 
i managed to get over to Maldon at the weekend. Great second hand bookshop there. So I've been reading lots in the last few days:

found a few Sven Hasell novels. Read all this stuff when I was a kid. Its hard to get hold of now unless you are prepared to go out of yr way (which I'm not) so it was nice to come across them.

A collection of EF Benson's ghost stories. I love all this old stuff : MR James, Le Fanu, Hope Hodgson. Every character is a man of means, having a small private inheritance.

Found another copy of Magnus Mills' Restraint of Beasts, to replace the one I lent out and didn't get back. Couldn't resist reading it again.

Just started Ackroyd's biography of William Blake. I like his novels (except First Light, which is crap) and loved the London Biography. The Blake is excellant already. Just learnt that as a young man he was a participant/observer of the Gordon Riots.
 
Originally posted by Orangesanlemons
Personally prefered 'Fast Food Nation', purely because it was more focused.
Click to expand...

Haven't read Reefer Madness so can't compare, although agree that I found Fast Food Nation focused and coherent. It took the first hundred pages or so to really hook me in tho' and in that sense it could be "difficult".

Just finished...
Dry Bones That Dream - Peter Robinson (ok,nothing special)
and Hells Angel - Sonny Barger

Currently deciding between...
The Beauty Myth - Naomi Klein
or
Moon - Tony Fletcher (Bio on Keith Moon)
 
Books

Well I'm reading The Commanders by Bob Woodward that i found in a Charity shop. It Deals with US military policy in the first @ years of Bush 1's presidency- Panama and Gulf war 1.
The Gangs all there.
:(
Very interesting and readable
newharper
 
Bird Man the many faces of Robert Stroud. Bought when i went to Alkatraz in the summer. Not too bad so far but we shall see.
 
just finished Ben Elton-high society, and am about to start a book called, erm its something like 'this is your life', or something like that but i cant remembere who it is by?
 
Originally posted by pinkslippers
just finished Ben Elton-high society, and am about to start a book called, erm its something like 'this is your life', or something like that but i cant remembere who it is by?
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I quite liked High Society, it wasnt as funny as some of his other books but not bad.
 
Tim Lott - Rumours of a hurricane.

Liking it so far, hopefully my mum is too, as I bought it for her birthday last month.
 
I read an article saying that all marketing execs now are studying "No logo" from Naomi Klein...

I am starting "Baudolino" by Umberto Eco. Isnt it funny that he's described as semiotician, philosopher and novelist?

One's description that impressed me was Cornelius Castoriadis, he was an economist, psychoanalyst, philosopher and social thinker...wow!!

Did anyone read any book by Martha Nusbaum? I am really curious about her work..
 
Still on my IM Banks fest, now onto "Against a Dark Background", then I've just got "Inversions" left.

Antonin - Eco's describable as a few other things as well, this piece by Blackburn takes apart his pretension in hilarious style

SB can also be found taking Martha Nussbaum to the cleaners on tnr dot com but you'll need to set up a (free for a month) subscription first
 
I finished "Road to Nab End" by William Woodruff last month.

It chronicles his childhood in Blackburn between 1912 to 1930. The bits that get me, as a Blackburner, is the sheer poverty felt by the weavers. Food is described as a luxury. But the beauty shines through in the comradery of the local people through the most difficult times. A classic!

I know the street names and the schools that he's shuttled between. As I've grown up and leafletted the houses he grew up in for the Socialist Alliance.

Just started his second autobiography "Beyond Nab End". It's living up to expectations so far. Although I think I should post it on the U75 political books thread:)

My dad was telling me that youngsters before William Woodruffs time were sent down mines in Blackburn. Over 200 or so were killed in Bburn mines, beleive. Eight to twelve year old ffs!

Bastards:mad:
 
Thank you, ICB, very interesting link.

What do u make of the Routledge key guides books? In Cultural Theory, the authors consider Habermas, Derrida and Rorty as the most influential contemporary thinkers.
 
Im reading Jihad vs Mcworld!!!

i have deep feelings against this dichotmy of religion vs capitalism, a variant on Huntington's now infamous clash of civilisation. frankly, it's too neat, over generalised as smacks of Dubaya's us vs them worldview.
Interesting bit under the globalisation/capitalism section tho. The use of the Arabic/Islamic term Jihad i find very difficult to accept, even insulting. it's a fetishisation of Islam and a condensation of ethinc/local/religious nationalism with the growing trend in Islamic militancy. Are there no Christian fundamentalists out there?
 
John Major 'The Autobiography'. I tell you, its a cracker. Citizen's Charter, Back to Basics, Black Wednesday, The Bastards... its all there!


:cool:
 
Originally posted by chegrimandi
The Brothers Karamazov - Dostoyevsky. Guess I won't be posting on this thread for a while then! :eek: :D
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it's a beautiful thang.

(i mean the book, not the fact that you won't be posting... ;) )
 
just read 'porno' by irvine welsh and loved it

only started reading books a few months ago, go thru a few and i've got the book bug now...

porno and the great train robbery are my fav's up to now

btw, can some on post a pic of 'second prize' from trainspotting cos i can't remember his face and its doing my head in.
 
I want to cut and paste this thread into my brain as there are so many excellent reading suggestions .

Just finished 'Northern Lights' by Phillip Pullman and it was brilliant ,imhumbleo. I can't wait to get to Dublin Airport this evening as it will be the first opportunity to get to a bookshop since I finished NL.

Also reading :

'Hereticus' by Dan Abnett , he of 2000AD scripting

'Nam' by Mark (?) Baker - made me realise that in the same situation I may have acted the same way [ a chilling thought ]

'Vietnam' by Stanley Karnow - have just reached the point of the US intervention

and when I get home

'Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency' by Douglas Adams

I wish he had lived to finish the story in 'The Salmon of Doubt'
 
Originally posted by bass
Also (slowly) reading Brothers Karamazov
Click to expand...

i read that too!! took bloody ages mind... a bit harder work than Crime and Punishment. The Idiot is good as well.

have you seen the dodgy hollywood film version with William Shatner?!? :rolleyes:
 
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