*What book are you reading ?

[Roadkill]

I've taken a break from Narnia (now on the 6th of 7 books) to read Dark Winter - The Story of the Hull Triple Trawler Tragedy by Stuart Russell.

In January-February 1968, three Hull trawlers disappeared or sank in the space of a few weeks. Of the total 59 men on board, only one survived. There was a massive but only partly successful campaign to improve safety at sea in the wake of the disaster. Stuart Russell was a journalist with the Hull Daily Mail at the time. A very sad story, but fascinating reading.

 

[Orang Utan]

Originally posted by spooky fish
Also on the lookout for Dead Air by Iain Banks, but this is dependent on being lucky and finding it in the library.

Don't bother - it is embarrassingly bad - like some sad fat old uncle trying to impress the youngsters by being hip. Banks has so badly lost it. I seem to be experiencing a very sharp curve of increasing disappointment here. His first three are masterpieces and The Crow Road ain't bad either but ever since Crow Road, he has been increasingly shite. In fact he gets worse the more hip je tries to be. I've got more to say on this but no time at the moment. More about Dead Air tomorrow.


On a positive note - I also recently read All Points North by Simon Armitage - it was reet good.

 

[foo]

Originally posted by foo
The Jenette Winterson is going to win for now I think. I can't see where she's going with the it....and I'm intrigued.

Well, I'm intrigued no more. The only place Winterson was going was even more up her own arse. Nice idea, but irritating use of language and I could almost feel her desperate attempt at being 'clever' in every line.

So I'm back to Life After God - D. Coupland.

I want to keep reading but I wouldn't say its enjoyable. It's made me well up a couple of times. Poor fucking bloke. I keep wanting to tell him that life doesn't have to be seen with his bleak vision...but of course, for him, it does. Excellently written, and it makes me selfishly glad that I managed to crawl my way out of similar depths - and thank fuck, I can still see wonderment in the world.

I haven't finished it yet but I'd definitely recomend this book from what I've read so far.

edited: to get the blokes name right.

 

[Rollem]

well, ive finished 'the bell jar' (sylvia plath) - yes i'm a slow reader - and have to say, foo and nvp, i thought it was quite good. got a bit eratic in places, but that's how it should be i guess. so you're wrong

about to start 'girlfriend in a coma', by douglas coupland...

 

[Dubversion]

Originally posted by Rollem
well, ive finished 'the bell jar' (sylvia plath) - yes i'm a slow reader - and have to say, foo and nvp, i thought it was quite good. got a bit eratic in places, but that's how it should be i guess. so you're wrong

i read that in one night, on a speed binge when i was about 16.

just as i finished, i came downstairs cos i heard a noise and found my mother lying on the floor with the phone in one hand and a bottle of tranquilisers in the other and the emergency services operator going 'hello.. hello..'


strangely, ive never felt the urge to read it again..

 

[foo]

Originally posted by Rollem
about to start 'girlfriend in a coma', by douglas coupland...

I've got that on a pile ready to read but I think I'll read something in between as I'm coping with Life After God at the moment and might fancy something a bit lighter.

I did used to rate the Bell Jar when I was younger Rollem. I just don't any more. Long and boring explanation that I won't bother with here.

When are you going to read the fucking Alice Walker one then bird?


xx etc.

 

[Rollem]

fuck dub



erm, yeah...

 

[atitlan]

Just started "The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles" by Ronald Hutton which is meant to be a fairly academic examination of pre-Christian religion in Britain and pretty sceptical of reinvented new-age Paganism.

 

[Dubversion]

fuck dub

Originally posted by Rollem


erm, yeah...

with hindsight, that post of mine seemed a bit attention seeking

it wasn't, it's just a thing that happened which would attain its true degree of headfuck in the mind of someone else who'd just finished the book, if that makes sense

 

[Donna Ferentes]

The Oxford Illustrated History of the Greek and Hellenistic World and Tony Miles : It's Only Me, England's First Chess Grandmaster by Geoff Lawton.

 

[Calva dosser]

Dead Air-Ian Banks

Originally posted by Orang Utan
Don't bother - it is embarrassingly bad - like some sad fat old uncle trying to impress the youngsters by being hip. Banks has so badly lost it. I seem to be experiencing a very sharp curve of increasing disappointment here. His first three are masterpieces and The Crow Road ain't bad either but ever since Crow Road, he has been increasingly shite. In fact he gets worse the more hip je tries to be. I've got more to say on this but no time at the moment. More about Dead Air tomorrow."


True. A bad dose of Elton-itis, and I don't mean a propensity to cottage in Vicarage Road.

We know old Banksy chugs them out every year so's he can spend the rest of it on the piss and fucking about with flash old motors, but he could be a leetle less cursory about it. This, along with 'The Business' has been donated to my 'Books to lend to people who you don't really respect. A lot.' Pile.

Oh, and while I'm about it another dissappointing effort by a Sweaty was Irvine Welsh's Porn. Just gave up.

The annoying thing is, it's not as if these bloody geniuses need to turn out this shite. They couldn't consume all they own either in Skag or Bellhaven 80 shilling, is it something contractual?

 

[Elpenor]

Might give Dead Air a miss then.

Currently reading London Orbital by Iain Sinclair, finding it a bit

at the moment.

As for The Human Stain which I finished last week, its OK, but I've read better, and it was a bit of a drain to read. 75 page chapters don't make for a light read before bedtime.

I found it similar (although inferior) to J M Coetzee's Disgrace, could be interesting reading the two of them in unison.

 

[Calva dosser]

Actually, to be fair, Dead Air is worth reading because of the most colon cramping description of that morning after, "did I 'phone,text, e-mail her?" moment

 

[zora]

Anyone here into kids' picture books?

From the creators of the funny book The Gruffalo, Axel Scheffler and Julia Donaldson, comes the lovely The Snail And The Whale.
They tell in pacey rhymes and cheerful pictures the heartwarming story of ...err...the snail and the whale who travel the world together.

I recommend that everyone grabs a mug of cocoa and goes to read it in their local bookshop (it will only take you 10 min.) and comes back with a big smile.




re: Dead Air. I can see what you mean, but I still quite enjoyed reading it. Possibly because the only other book by Iain Banks I've tried to read (and gave up on halfway through) was The Business...?

 

[Orang Utan]

Originally posted by zora
Anyone here into kids' picture books?

Not really, but I like The Story Of The Little Mole Who Knew It Was None Of His Business, about a little mole who wakes up with a poo on his head and goes off to find who's responsible - cue load of animals pooing to prove it's not them. It might or might not be relevant to reveal that the authors are German.

MORE INFO HERE

itExtraordinary Chickens isn't for kids, but has some great pics of freaky chickens in

 

[zora]

Not really, but ...

Sounds like you are into them to me

A little bit.

Good to hear that you like the Little Mole.

 

[onemonkey]

Originally posted by zora
Anyone here into kids' picture books?

well this is awesome but it doesn't really count does it?

we always liked "dinosaurs and all that rubbish", "canonball simp" and going way back "the very hungry caterpillar"

which is a good excuse to quote funniest bit of Stupid White Men by Michael Moore. In his open letter to GWB asking him if he can read to an adult level...

All the signs of this illiteracy are there - and apparently no one has challenged you about them. The first clue was what you named as your favorite childhood book. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar", you said.
Unfortunately, that book wasn't published until a year after you graduated from college."

 

[Nina]

Just started The trial of Henry Kissinger by Hitchens.
Quite apt since I've been in Asia so long witnessing the after math of death and destruction.

Also half way through Memoirs of a Geisha. It's depressing but feels a bit better now I've realised it isn't a true story. So sad In fact, the last month seems to have been full of harrowing books.

Think I need something lighter next.

 

[onenameshelley]

still reading 12 step fandango, which is not too bad but i appear to be going through one of those phases where i just cant settle to read anything. I hate those times where i become unable to concerntrate on reading

 

[simon_gill]

Book

Im reading Dreamcatcher by Stephen King.

 

[andy2002]

I've been reading 'Easy Riders, Raging Bulls' for the past two or three weeks. It's very indepth and detailed so I'm really taking my time over it. Some great stories in there about the likes of Warren Beatty, Dennis Hopper and Robert Altman. Hilarious and scary.

 

[Maggot]

Originally posted by onenameshelley
but i appear to be going through one of those phases where i just cant settle to read anything. I hate those times where i become unable to concerntrate on reading

I had one of those earlier this year (and I know why). It was quite frustrating.

Am now enjoying Stupid White Men which Onemonkey mentioned above. I also have a whole pile of books which people bought/lent me when I was in hospital still to get through. I wish I was a faster reader.

 

[mango5]

To the Victor the Spoils - Colin MacInnes
Impossible Saints - Michele Roberts
Wizard of Oz Screenplay
The River of Time - David Brin (short stories)

Half way through all of these - always have a few on the go

 

[ck]

"Designed by Peter Saville"

Astounding. Although I'd never normally take a coffee-table sized book outside the house , I lugged this about all week and read it on the way to and from work.

 

[oddjob]

commonsense, by tony benn

interesting

 

[Thimble Queen]

reading....

neverwhere by neil gaiman for like the millionth time!

 

[2 Hardcore]

'Charlie Big Potatoes' by Phil Robinson. Only started it last night, so too early for critical comment, but looking good.

 

[2 Hardcore]

Originally posted by onenameshelley
still reading 12 step fandango, which is not too bad but i appear to be going through one of those phases where i just cant settle to read anything. I hate those times where i become unable to concerntrate on reading

Stick with it, it's worth it! Well I enjoyed it, anyway

 

[Nina]

Martin Amis London Fields.

 

[Dubversion]

well, i yesterday managed to read all 300 pages of Footnote by Boff from Chumbawamba, which is a brilliant look at his life and well readable even for non-fans - thoughtful, funny, sad in places, and just damn good (so cheers to fozzie bear for that )

back on the george melly autobiography, which is even better than i expected, his navy years were great- his attempts to weather the rough-arsed atmosphere of the navy whilst lying in his hammock reading books about Surrealism, his honesty about how self-consciously pompous he was, are brilliant.. on to his jazz years now. did george melly know EVERYBODY?