*What book are you reading ?

[Vulpine]

reading raise "high the roof beam, carpenters" and seymour an introduction" by J. D. Sallinger at the moment, planning on reading catch 22 next.

 

[Random One]

Invisible monsters by Chuck Palahniuk

 

[Maggot]

Tom Robbins

Originally posted by Dubversion
yep. went through a mad phase where i read them all in about a month.

only one i haven't read is Fierce Invalids, but it's on the pile ready. my favourite is probably Skinny Legs and All, but i reckon they're all good.

Reading Fierce Invalids at the moment and it's of his usual high standard. Skinny Legs and Cowgirls are my favourites.

The only thing which puzzles me is why crutches figure so largely on the cover of my copy. The central character, Switters, uses a wheelchair and stilts but not crutches.

 

[newharper]

Bomber by Len Deighton.

A fictionalised 24 hours in WW2 of what it's like to bomb and be bombed, apparently. seems pretty evenhanded so far.

 

[Masseuse]

The Memory of Birds in Times of Revolution by Breyten Breytenbach.

I had to get it because I fell in love with the title. It's dead good.

 

[foo]

A Word Child - Iris Murdoch.

Bugger, she was a clever woman!! And she writes as a man brilliantly imo.

I'm going to be knackered at work today 'cos I couldn't put this down last night.

Definitely recommend it.

 

[Random One]

Noam Chomsky-Power and Terror;post-9/11 talks and interviews

 

[ringolevio]

The Name of The Rose by Umberto Eco.

Again.

 

[chazegee]

Middlesex

Finding it a bit of a struggle

I blame space penguins

 

[butterfly child]

Sahara - Michael Palin.

I've been reading it on the toilet, but seeing as I've been sitting on the toilet a lot lately ( ) I've actually been reading it a fair bit.

It's quite hard going though (in more ways than one!)

 

[easy g]

David Nobbs:

The Fall & Rise Of Reginald Perrin

finished that yesterday and am half way through...

The Return Of Reginald Perrin

completely missed the tv series but am loving the books...wow wot an everyman!

Is the series as good as the books??

 

[Furvert]

alias grace by margaret atwood.

 

[baldrick]

felix holt: the radical - george eliot

 

[LDR]

I've got three on the go at the moment.

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Weapons of Mass Deception by Sheldon Rampton & John Stauber

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

 

[aqua]

have on 'well I tried to start it' lists:

Life of Pi
No Logo
some fantasty thingy that I can;t remember the name of
Pulman Trilogy first book

Currently reading Year 1000

Its taken about 6mths to get back into reading I seem to go in waves with it, heres hoping I can clear the back log

 

[Roadkill]

Originally posted by easy g

Is the series as good as the books??

IMO it's better.

I didn't like the books very much (although it's ten years since I read them) but I watched the first series again quite recently and loved it.

 

[easy g]

I see you can get the lot for around £30 on dvd..might be my new years present to myself

 

[Roadkill]

Yeah, I got series one for my Dad for £10 on DVD. Unfortunately, I don't think it's out on VHS, or I'd go and get a copy for myself.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I'm reading three at the moment, hopping between them as I go....it's the Asa Briggs trio of Victorian Things, Victorian Cities and Victorian People. I've read them before but they are extremely good and worth reading again.

 

[Athos]

Originally posted by Scott
I've got three on the go at the moment.

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Weapons of Mass Deception by Sheldon Rampton & John Stauber

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

3 Books concerning fictional subject matter, then?

 

[corporate whore]

I'm reading Do Not Pass Go, by Tim Moore. It's an attempt to figure out Monopoly ended up using the London streets it did. Anyone ever been to Vine Street? Why Marylebone and not Waterloo? No Tottenham Court Road?

The Waddington employee who was charged with sorting out the streets (born in Brixton, fact fans!) came down from Leeds with his secretary (nudgenudge) and settled on the streets and utilities we all know and have acquired from a drunken uncle on Boxing Day.

Moore retraces Waddnington bloke's steps and tries to figure out what it was about the chosen places that so attraacted him to them. Is developing into a nice snapshot of London in the 1930s.

DISCLAIMER: this is not as dull as it may sound...

 

[Rollem]

the good women of china - xinran

 

[chegrimandi]

Originally posted by Rollem
the good women of china - xinran

thats a top book, the stories are incredible........

two on the go, 100 years of solitude, gabriel garcia whathisface

vive la revolution by Mark Steel, enjoying both.

 

[bigbry]

Since Christmas I've read two books (had them for Xmas) - first read "It's Not About The Bike" by Lance Armstrong in which the bike racing is sedcondary to the guy's fight against cancer. Last night I finished "A Short History Of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson which tries to put the history of the earth, universe, etc from the Big Bang ntil now in a simplified form - struggles to maintain it's thread at times but eminently readable in Bill Brysons humurous style

I'd recommend both !

 

[rubbershoes]

Just finished Claire Tomalin’s biography of Samuel Pepys. My mum gave it to me for Xmas and I thought it would be a bit turgid despite winning the Whitbread last year.

It's a real cracker though. It brings Pepys to life and also told me a lot about 17th century history that I didn’t know. Well written and interesting - you couldn't ask for more

 

[foo]

Originally posted by Rollem
the good women of china - xinran

Shocking book, especially when reading the most recent accounts. tbh, I got pissed off with the writing style - but a very important book nonetheless.

Is it right that xinran was unable to publish it in China so had to come over here?

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

'The Master and Margarita' by Mikhail Bulgakov. I'm not too sure what it's all about, but I like the writing style and it has some brilliant imagery. And you can buy it new for £3.99.

 

[fractionMan]

I recently read about 3/4 of the 'The Master and Margarita' before losing interest. Shame really. I'm now reading some Iain M Banks book. I've also just read 'desolation road' which was a mighty good sf book.

 

[Rollem]

Originally posted by foo
tbh, I got pissed off with the writing style - but a very important book nonetheless.

its not so much the writing style, more the fact that its tanslated i think foo dont know about it being unable to be printed in china, but wouldn't be surprised. have read a fair few chinese "women" books, and am shocked everytime. and we think we've got problems being women in the west

 

[mains]

Originally posted by bigbry
Since Christmas I've read two books (had them for Xmas) - first read "It's Not About The Bike" by Lance Armstrong in which the bike racing is sedcondary to the guy's fight against cancer.

I had a glut of cycling books for christmas. I've read the LA book and you're right, his cancer is the main focus; there are some truly harrowing passages not least his wifes IVF treatment. My problem with the book overall though is that his arrogance rears its ugly head near the end, he is ungracious in victory and cuts no slack whatsoever to his opponents, particularly Jan Ullrich who he makes out to be some kind of anti christ.

If you enjoyed that and can handle another cycling book then I recommend 'Flying Scotsman' by Graeme Obree, again his (unfinished) battle with depression and attempted suicides is the main focus but there is light in there, a fascinating read.

But for me the daddy of cycling books is 'Rough Ride' by Paul Kimmage, a savage if not bleakly humourous expose of the merry go round that is professional cycling. The focus is on drug use and he pulls no punches whatsoever, highly recommended.