Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
Legend83 said:
Just finished On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan, a beautifully written but pretty depressing short novella about a recently married couple struggling to consumate their vows in early 1960s 'proper' Britain. The boy is gagging for it but has no clue, the girl is basically frigid and the idea of sex reviles her. The ending was a bit rushed but it was very good.
Got the following back-load from the library:
- A Tale of Two Cities
- The Road
- Bonfire of the Vanities
- Knots and Crosses (the first Rebus novel)
A quick follow up to this post.Got the following back-load from the library:
- A Tale of Two Cities
- The Road
- Bonfire of the Vanities
- Knots and Crosses (the first Rebus novel)
I read The Road in three sittings - having seen the film I thought it would be an effort but I thought it was magnificent. The relationship between man and son, the 'protect him at all costs' was so believable and so gut-wrenching.
This book got under my skin and I confess my eyes were red at times.
If the apocalypse ever comes, I know what it will look like thanks to Mr McCarthy - an incredible narrative rendering of the end of the world.
Anyone read the JJ Abrhams/Doug Dorst book S? I've just started it and am trying to tackle it by reading through the novel first, ignoring footnotes and annotations/comments/props and then once I've done that, go through again and read the whole as a 'meta-book' or however you want to put it.
I'm enjoying it so far, but finding it quite hard not to be distracted by all the other guff on the pages.
I'm enjoying it so far, but finding it quite hard not to be distracted by all the other guff on the pages.
Legend83 said:
A quick follow up to this post.
I read The Road in three sittings - having seen the film I thought it would be an effort but I thought it was magnificent. The relationship between man and son, the 'protect him at all costs' was so believable and so gut-wrenching.
This book got under my skin and I confess my eyes were red at times.
If the apocalypse ever comes, I know what it will look like thanks to Mr McCarthy - an incredible narrative rendering of the end of the world.
First I read a chapter of 'the Road' in Playboy back in 2006 and then put every effort possible to get my hands on one of the first printed examples. Then was the first who translated it in Russian. Great book, although the film was far weaker. I think McCarthy among the few greatest throughout the last centuries. He never tries to invent a bicycle, instead what truly shocked me is his attention to detail. You have to be there all the time, like a reporter to catch so many and yet be a great playwright too. I read The Road in three sittings - having seen the film I thought it would be an effort but I thought it was magnificent. The relationship between man and son, the 'protect him at all costs' was so believable and so gut-wrenching.
This book got under my skin and I confess my eyes were red at times.
If the apocalypse ever comes, I know what it will look like thanks to Mr McCarthy - an incredible narrative rendering of the end of the world.
Is there a website where you can log all of the books you have read - viewable to others - and that if you choose you can give star ratings and a review. Also books you want to read ?
Amazon purely have the wish list but as we only read the book once each then donate it to charity or give to a friend/family member to read and donate it to charity/anoter keeping track of what I have read over the years is difficult.
Amazon purely have the wish list but as we only read the book once each then donate it to charity or give to a friend/family member to read and donate it to charity/anoter keeping track of what I have read over the years is difficult.
Justin Cyder said:
Anyone read Dominion, CJ Samson?
Stephen King tweeted about it this morning which will send sales through the roof if nothing else.
It's on my 'to read' list. Sansom wrote the Shardlake series of historical novels which are very well reviewed so I have hopes for it. Stephen King tweeted about it this morning which will send sales through the roof if nothing else.
Not very useful speculation, I know!
Welshbeef said:
Is there a website where you can log all of the books you have read - viewable to others - and that if you choose you can give star ratings and a review. Also books you want to read ?
Amazon purely have the wish list but as we only read the book once each then donate it to charity or give to a friend/family member to read and donate it to charity/anoter keeping track of what I have read over the years is difficult.
Also the ability to list own to yet to read Amazon purely have the wish list but as we only read the book once each then donate it to charity or give to a friend/family member to read and donate it to charity/anoter keeping track of what I have read over the years is difficult.
Anyone?
Welshbeef said:
Is there a website where you can log all of the books you have read - viewable to others - and that if you choose you can give star ratings and a review. Also books you want to read ?
Amazon purely have the wish list but as we only read the book once each then donate it to charity or give to a friend/family member to read and donate it to charity/anoter keeping track of what I have read over the years is difficult.
www.goodreads.comAmazon purely have the wish list but as we only read the book once each then donate it to charity or give to a friend/family member to read and donate it to charity/anoter keeping track of what I have read over the years is difficult.
micky g said:
Welshbeef said:
Is there a website where you can log all of the books you have read - viewable to others - and that if you choose you can give star ratings and a review. Also books you want to read ?
Amazon purely have the wish list but as we only read the book once each then donate it to charity or give to a friend/family member to read and donate it to charity/anoter keeping track of what I have read over the years is difficult.
www.goodreads.comAmazon purely have the wish list but as we only read the book once each then donate it to charity or give to a friend/family member to read and donate it to charity/anoter keeping track of what I have read over the years is difficult.
You can write reviews, rate on a star basis, mark books as 'want to read', 'read' or 'reading'. Works out well. You can sign in via facebook, too.
Not sure if it is out on the street yet, but I'm about 2/3rds of the way through "The strange death of Fiona Griffiths" by Harry Bingham. Never heard of him before, but it is a cracking good read and worth getting. I see he has written two other books before, but have no idea what they are like but if up to the level of this one as good a read as Stieg Larsson.
lowdrag said:
Not sure if it is out on the street yet, but I'm about 2/3rds of the way through "The strange death of Fiona Griffiths" by Harry Bingham. Never heard of him before, but it is a cracking good read and worth getting. I see he has written two other books before, but have no idea what they are like but if up to the level of this one as good a read as Stieg Larsson.
I've read at least one of his that was good - Sweet Talking Money. Also read The Money Makers, which I'd forgotten was by him.
lowdrag said:
I've finished it, and it was truly a cracking read from start to finish. There came a moment when I thought I could guess the ending, but I was wrong. A cracking read from start to finish, and paradoxically one of those books where you don't want to get to the end. It's that good.
Not available here until March 13, so will keep my eye out for it then rather than ordering through Amazon(what I normally do)as have some unspent book tokens. 
Currently reading-->
Too early in to say good/bad but, certainly seems intriguing.
The Hypno-Toad said:
Just finished or rather devoured, Gone Girl.
Brilliant. Totally lives up to the hype. The last page sent shivers down my spine.
Brilliant. Totally lives up to the hype. The last page sent shivers down my spine.
Ta for that, it's been ages since I've read a book that fast. Got about a third of the way through it and then became totally hooked, was like I was cheering on a football team at one point.
Am now starting on "The Distance" by Helen Giltrow. I think this one is already out, but I'm not sure. I am sure of one thing though, and that is that it will have to be exceptional to keep my interest after finishing the Harry Bingham book. I'll keep you posted.
Edited by lowdrag on Tuesday 4th February 08:29
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