Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
I've just finished "The Girl On The Train" by Paula Hawkins.
It's a bit like "Gone Girl" (Which I did enjoy), but its English commuter belt setting is easier to relate to for me than the Stepford Wives town of "Gone Girl"
Unlike "Gone Girl" it's a pretty solid whodunnit and does keep you guessing to the end (if not about who actually dunnit!)
It's also refreshing in that the central character has few redeeming features, so you're never really sure if you're on her side or not.
I enjoyed it, but I wonder how well it translates on film to an American setting? I did, however, find myself thinking that a lot throughout the book, so will have to see the film sometime!
M.
It's a bit like "Gone Girl" (Which I did enjoy), but its English commuter belt setting is easier to relate to for me than the Stepford Wives town of "Gone Girl"
Unlike "Gone Girl" it's a pretty solid whodunnit and does keep you guessing to the end (if not about who actually dunnit!)
It's also refreshing in that the central character has few redeeming features, so you're never really sure if you're on her side or not.
I enjoyed it, but I wonder how well it translates on film to an American setting? I did, however, find myself thinking that a lot throughout the book, so will have to see the film sometime!
M.
Edited by marcosgt on Friday 3rd February 15:01
epom said:
EdJ said:
I just blitzed through Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel. Really enjoyed it - thought provoking and gripping, switching between the run up to a devastating plague that wipes out most of the world population and how the few survivors are coping 20 years later. Absolutely recommended.
Ordered Shadow R1 said:
epom said:
EdJ said:
I just blitzed through Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel. Really enjoyed it - thought provoking and gripping, switching between the run up to a devastating plague that wipes out most of the world population and how the few survivors are coping 20 years later. Absolutely recommended.
Ordered Mark Benson said:
DoctorX said:
Just about to finish this, having devoured the Lewis Trilogy. Now want to visit Lewis & Harris.jimmyjimjim said:
Mark Benson said:
Good recommendation, thanks to all. Finished it night before last.About 2/3rds the way through Stormbird by Conn Iggulden.
Bought as a Christmas book by my wife as I enjoyed the CJ Sansom 'Shardlake' books, this is the first of four books set during the Wars of the Roses.
Really enjoying it, haven't ever read one of his books before (flicked through his 'Dangerous Book for Boys' and thoroughly approved however) but I'll definitely seek out others in the series.
Bought as a Christmas book by my wife as I enjoyed the CJ Sansom 'Shardlake' books, this is the first of four books set during the Wars of the Roses.
Really enjoying it, haven't ever read one of his books before (flicked through his 'Dangerous Book for Boys' and thoroughly approved however) but I'll definitely seek out others in the series.
Mark Benson said:
About 2/3rds the way through Stormbird by Conn Iggulden.
Bought as a Christmas book by my wife as I enjoyed the CJ Sansom 'Shardlake' books, this is the first of four books set during the Wars of the Roses.
Really enjoying it, haven't ever read one of his books before (flicked through his 'Dangerous Book for Boys' and thoroughly approved however) but I'll definitely seek out others in the series.
Read all his books, they are great! Bernard Cornwell is the similar.Bought as a Christmas book by my wife as I enjoyed the CJ Sansom 'Shardlake' books, this is the first of four books set during the Wars of the Roses.
Really enjoying it, haven't ever read one of his books before (flicked through his 'Dangerous Book for Boys' and thoroughly approved however) but I'll definitely seek out others in the series.
This year continues to go well for reading - after Station Eleven, I read Before The Fall - superbly written book, feels a bit like a thriller at times, but brilliant character development and a proper thought provoking read. I then tried another book by Blake Crouch called Run - classic fast paced thriller, but so well written. I could barely put it down, and a couple of times missed my home bus stop (always a sign that I'm reading something flipping good).
I'm now reading His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae - completely different, but damn it it's good! Takes you back to 1869 and is a real insight into how the world was back then. Very different, scarily so, but also comfortably similar in some respects. Highly recommended so far (I'm about 50% in).
By the way, I always have a few non-fiction books on the go - can definitely recommend Robert Tombs' English and their History and for those of you interested in current affairs (Brexit in particular), All Out War by Tim Shipman.
I'm now reading His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae - completely different, but damn it it's good! Takes you back to 1869 and is a real insight into how the world was back then. Very different, scarily so, but also comfortably similar in some respects. Highly recommended so far (I'm about 50% in).
By the way, I always have a few non-fiction books on the go - can definitely recommend Robert Tombs' English and their History and for those of you interested in current affairs (Brexit in particular), All Out War by Tim Shipman.
The Soviet-Afghan War is one of those conflicts I know a bit about, but not enough to be content with. Braithwaite worked as an ambassador in Moscow between 1988 and 1992, so is held in quite high stead.
I saw also that Laurence Rees has a new book out, simply entitled 'The Holocaust'. Reviews of it are excellent, so it's another entry into my to-read list.
Just finished "A Little Life" by Hanya Yanagihara. The story of a man's life recovering from an abusive childhood. Was never going to be a perky read, but it's a book of such constant misery.
A true Arthur Penis of a character who seemingly met every child molester in the US and pretty much made everyone round about him miserable and spends the latter parts of the book constantly apologising.
I wound up having zero sympathy for the main character and if I could have reached through the pages I'd have throttled him. Not sure if that's the feeling the author intended but I breathed a sigh of relief when I finished. Was only really compelled to keep on reading to see if he actually ever cheered the fk up.
To be fair there were some thought provoking parts...but those were few and far between.
And to cap it all - it was a 30 HOUR listen on Audible : 1/5
Now starting "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman - which is a breath of fresh air.
A true Arthur Penis of a character who seemingly met every child molester in the US and pretty much made everyone round about him miserable and spends the latter parts of the book constantly apologising.
I wound up having zero sympathy for the main character and if I could have reached through the pages I'd have throttled him. Not sure if that's the feeling the author intended but I breathed a sigh of relief when I finished. Was only really compelled to keep on reading to see if he actually ever cheered the fk up.
To be fair there were some thought provoking parts...but those were few and far between.
And to cap it all - it was a 30 HOUR listen on Audible : 1/5
Now starting "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman - which is a breath of fresh air.
Edited by towser on Thursday 16th February 11:57
AClownsPocket said:
I've switched tack a little bit and thought I'd try some sci-fi. Picked up this
Finding it hard going to be honest but will persevere.
Have you read Proxima by Baxter first? Ultima won't make a lot of sense otherwise. I enjoyed the pair.Finding it hard going to be honest but will persevere.
I've just finished Purity by Jonathan Frantzen. It was highly entertaining. A family history story with its routes in the fall of Berlin Wall and life in East Germany then brought well up to date with the next generation and the internet/social media age. Annoying, funny and sympathetic characters.
Now starting The Singularity is Near by Kurzweil as a starting point on my reading on AI
Just finished the latest of this series and really enjoyed it. For a detective novel fix, these really hit the spot.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/LJ-Ross/e/B00SMWDX98/ref=...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/LJ-Ross/e/B00SMWDX98/ref=...
"Black Water Lilies" by Michel Bussi. If you like run of the mill pot-boiler police thrillers, then this is not for you. It is so different, so well written and above all translated, that I defy you to understand or discern just where it is going to lead you. It is one of those books you don't want to put down but at the same time don't want to finish either. Of 350 pages, I only found out just what was going on at the end, and there was just no way I could see where it was leading me. It truly is one of the best books I have read in a long long time. It helps that I have been to Giverny and the Monet house and museum, but that really isn't necessary. The book stands above the location although I did out of interest use Google Earth to verify one or two things. About the only thing I can criticize is the use of "Tiger Triumph" instead of "Triumph Tiger". For the rest, go buy it, sit back, take your time and thoroughly enjoy. I defy you to work it out before the last few pages. Truly astounding.
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