Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
GetCarter said:
The Lewis Trilogy by Peter May. Fab... especially if you know the Outer Hebrides.
I just read the first of that trilogy recently after reading his latest book Entry Island.I don't know the Outer Hebrides but he is such a good writer I suspect I could go there and it would be exactly as I now imagine.
coppice said:
Women writers- disliked . Hmm. Is that because they have a low alien count , few references to AK47s or space shuttles ? If you are unconvinced by female authors try Goldfinch (Donna Tartt) or Postcards(Annie Proulx) for starters. If you don't like those you should be condemned to read Dan Brown and Jeffrey Archer's dire efforts for all eternity!
Rather patronising and more importantly incorrect.Why the assumption that anyone who doesn't like female authors do not like good literature? It doesn't even make sense and ignores the whole point.
Ive said it before that I reckon I love about 3 in 10 books I read by a female author and about 7 in 10 from a male (of similar literary merit)
With an infinite number of books to read I have simply concluded I am better sticking to male authors. If I read Goldfinch my chances are even lower given that I wasn't blown away by Secret History and I am seldom that taken by women's writing.
I don't think I've ever bothered to think about the gender of the author when reading a book, I either like it or dislike it. Would be interesting to see whether I prefer male or female authors in general.
I do know that the Farseer Trilogy are almost my favourite fantasy books and they are written by a woman.
I do know that the Farseer Trilogy are almost my favourite fantasy books and they are written by a woman.
leglessAlex said:
I don't think I've ever bothered to think about the gender of the author when reading a book, I either like it or dislike it. Would be interesting to see whether I prefer male or female authors in general.
I do know that the Farseer Trilogy are almost my favourite fantasy books and they are written by a woman.
It's worth thinking about, I really hadn't until it came up here. I do know that the Farseer Trilogy are almost my favourite fantasy books and they are written by a woman.
The last two books I read were both 'ok'; one female author, one male author. I can't say I'm a fan of Robin Hobb, though I found that trilogy readable (the later ones less so), but my favourite book of all time is by a woman, C.J.Cherryh - Tripoint.
I might go through my paperback library in a while and see what the ratio there is, probably a good historical indicator for me (most books in the last 5 years for me have been electronic).
jimmyjimjim said:
It's worth thinking about, I really hadn't until it came up here.
The last two books I read were both 'ok'; one female author, one male author. I can't say I'm a fan of Robin Hobb, though I found that trilogy readable (the later ones less so), but my favourite book of all time is by a woman, C.J.Cherryh - Tripoint.
I might go through my paperback library in a while and see what the ratio there is, probably a good historical indicator for me (most books in the last 5 years for me have been electronic).
I can understand not being a huge fan of Hobb, in some ways she seems to be a 'typical' female author and focuses more of how the character is feeling and emotions. The last two books I read were both 'ok'; one female author, one male author. I can't say I'm a fan of Robin Hobb, though I found that trilogy readable (the later ones less so), but my favourite book of all time is by a woman, C.J.Cherryh - Tripoint.
I might go through my paperback library in a while and see what the ratio there is, probably a good historical indicator for me (most books in the last 5 years for me have been electronic).
It's hardly surprising that some people prefer male or female authors though, they will be written in different styles generally. I don't think there's anything wrong with saying you prefer one over the other(again, generally).
Slyjoe said:
The next three are pretty good as well. 
The latest one (Foxglove Summer) is released on the 13th Nov. However the OH spotted a copy on a shelf in Waterstone's yesterday and nabbed it. When we went to pay we expected them to say it wasn't out yet but we got away with it!
After the sheer drop that was the cliffhanger of the last one, I am pretty excited about getting it!
'The Member of the Wedding'
Which is totally a female book, according to the rather crude appraisal given earlier. In that nothing really happens and many emotions are discussed. Which is, really, how I like books to be. If you just want a film script style chain of events and utilitarian dialogue, then why not just consume it as a visual medium? The beauty of writing is the potential to do more than just that.
Incidentally there's much talk of science fiction on here. The core concept of 'The Culture' by Iain M. Banks seems to be taken from a conversation between two characters in 'The Member of the Wedding' - although McCullers manages to sum this up in a few lines; as opposed to a whole series.
General themes of racial and sexual equality abound; also equality of sexual orientation which was seriously radical in 1947! Slightly alternative perspective as well - I think the racial angle (this is set in Alabama where that was, like the main issue) is displayed with a much greater degree of sophistication and tenderness than the White=Bad, Black=Good polarisation of something like 'The Help'.
Berenice, the black housekeeper, isn't overtly good or bad. Neither is Frankie (F.Jasmine), instead they are real people. All the characters could conceivably exist beyond the confines of its few pages; the as yet un-named town is given life. With fairly spare description, a few key details picked out and the rest filled in by the reader's imagination, it feels, it smells, it boils and freezes, it's really there.
For a book written during the war some of the politics are fantastically prescient; in that she seemed to realise the whole Nazi thing was a transient phase and the latter half of the twentieth century would be defined by the East/West planned economy vs free market collision. Which is the world Frankie has to somehow comprehend and Berenice will experience but, owing to age, has fewer worries about.
Which is totally a female book, according to the rather crude appraisal given earlier. In that nothing really happens and many emotions are discussed. Which is, really, how I like books to be. If you just want a film script style chain of events and utilitarian dialogue, then why not just consume it as a visual medium? The beauty of writing is the potential to do more than just that.
Incidentally there's much talk of science fiction on here. The core concept of 'The Culture' by Iain M. Banks seems to be taken from a conversation between two characters in 'The Member of the Wedding' - although McCullers manages to sum this up in a few lines; as opposed to a whole series.
General themes of racial and sexual equality abound; also equality of sexual orientation which was seriously radical in 1947! Slightly alternative perspective as well - I think the racial angle (this is set in Alabama where that was, like the main issue) is displayed with a much greater degree of sophistication and tenderness than the White=Bad, Black=Good polarisation of something like 'The Help'.
Berenice, the black housekeeper, isn't overtly good or bad. Neither is Frankie (F.Jasmine), instead they are real people. All the characters could conceivably exist beyond the confines of its few pages; the as yet un-named town is given life. With fairly spare description, a few key details picked out and the rest filled in by the reader's imagination, it feels, it smells, it boils and freezes, it's really there.
For a book written during the war some of the politics are fantastically prescient; in that she seemed to realise the whole Nazi thing was a transient phase and the latter half of the twentieth century would be defined by the East/West planned economy vs free market collision. Which is the world Frankie has to somehow comprehend and Berenice will experience but, owing to age, has fewer worries about.
- Y'See - loads more interesting than books where things happen.
Finished 'Gray Mountain' by John Grisham, good as all his are, if a little predictable towards the end. Then went on to 'Live Wire' by Harlan Coben, a Myron Bolitar novel that I haven't read before and was up to the standard of most of them, a good read. Just started on 'Medusa' by Clive Cussler, though so far I'm only through what would be the pre-title sequence if it were a film - the historical prelude that most CC novels contain.
Just finished "Blindsight" by Peter Watts. Frankly the best hardcore science fiction novel I've read since Neuromancer.
Just got the sequel: Firefall. BE WARNED. If you buy on Kindle the Firefall they are selling is an omnibus with Blindsight included. This makes it a snip at under a fiver. Less of a bargain if you've just bought Blindsight separately. (Less than £2 so not much of a loss.)
I am really enjoying Peter Watts work which is completely new to me. I'll probably read all of it in short order...
Just got the sequel: Firefall. BE WARNED. If you buy on Kindle the Firefall they are selling is an omnibus with Blindsight included. This makes it a snip at under a fiver. Less of a bargain if you've just bought Blindsight separately. (Less than £2 so not much of a loss.)
I am really enjoying Peter Watts work which is completely new to me. I'll probably read all of it in short order...
Just starting "Empty Mansions", the story of the life of Huguette Clark, daughter of the richest man in America, who died at age 104. The book runs to 450 pages of which about 100 are the acknowledgements and indices. This is the forensic dissection of a woman it seems no one had ever heard of, who live the latter part of her life in a simple hospital room - by choice - and the dissemination and theft of her huge fortune. I love forensics and history, so I think that this will keep me happily ensconced for a while!
davepoth said:
I'm still reading Ulysses. I'm now 520 pages in and I just made the foolish mistake of flicking through bit I have left. The final paragraph of the book is 42 pages long. 
I am still reading it too. 25 years after I started it. I'm on about page 50 and its so long since I picked it up Ill have to read 50 pages to recap. Torturous book.On that subject- has anyone here read any Faulkner? IN a similar vein I have tried to read a number of his books and I have yet to manage more than 100 pages. It is become a challenge for me. He is my nemesis.
Don said:
Just finished "Blindsight" by Peter Watts. Frankly the best hardcore science fiction novel I've read since Neuromancer.
Just got the sequel: Firefall. BE WARNED. If you buy on Kindle the Firefall they are selling is an omnibus with Blindsight included. This makes it a snip at under a fiver. Less of a bargain if you've just bought Blindsight separately. (Less than £2 so not much of a loss.)
I am really enjoying Peter Watts work which is completely new to me. I'll probably read all of it in short order...
Ooh, a sequel...missed that one, cheers!Just got the sequel: Firefall. BE WARNED. If you buy on Kindle the Firefall they are selling is an omnibus with Blindsight included. This makes it a snip at under a fiver. Less of a bargain if you've just bought Blindsight separately. (Less than £2 so not much of a loss.)
I am really enjoying Peter Watts work which is completely new to me. I'll probably read all of it in short order...
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