Books - What are you reading?

[andy_s]

Just finished Desert Star by Michael Connelly, Bosch's latest in other words. I've read all the Bosch books, so not an objective opinion here but if you're familiar then you won't be disappointed at all, excellent throughout in terms of the continuing series and as a standalone [plot/character etc], quality is consistent with most of the other Bosch books. 5/5 Rogers given.

[Scabutz]

Ages ago I bought a complete set of Dickens in matching paperbacks. Thought it would look good on the bookcase.

Never read any, except a Christmas Carol.

Want to start, any advise where? Just read them in order or pick some good ones? Which ones are recommended?

[tertius]

Scabutz said:

Ages ago I bought a complete set of Dickens in matching paperbacks. Thought it would look good on the bookcase.

Never read any, except a Christmas Carol.

Want to start, any advise where? Just read them in order or pick some good ones? Which ones are recommended?

Most people start with either Great Expectations or David Copperfield, though I find GE pretty disappointing.

For me there are a few that really stand out:
A Tale of Two Cities
Our Mutual Friend
Bleak House

And a few that were really tedious:
Nicholas Nickleby
Barnaby Rudge
Martin Chuzzlewit

I’d suggest starting with A Tale of Two Cities - a shorter novel (in Dickens terms of course) and in my opinion a terrific story.

There is a noticeable difference between the earlier and later novels … a friend of mine (himself an author and lecturer) put it as “the later books are better novels, but not better Dickens”.

However, my stand out favourite of them all is Bleak House.

[Scabutz]

tertius said:

Scabutz said:

Ages ago I bought a complete set of Dickens in matching paperbacks. Thought it would look good on the bookcase.

Never read any, except a Christmas Carol.

Want to start, any advise where? Just read them in order or pick some good ones? Which ones are recommended?

Most people start with either Great Expectations or David Copperfield, though I find GE pretty disappointing.

For me there are a few that really stand out:
A Tale of Two Cities
Our Mutual Friend
Bleak House

And a few that were really tedious:
Nicholas Nickleby
Barnaby Rudge
Martin Chuzzlewit

I’d suggest starting with A Tale of Two Cities - a shorter novel (in Dickens terms of course) and in my opinion a terrific story.

There is a noticeable difference between the earlier and later novels … a friend of mine (himself an author and lecturer) put it as “the later books are better novels, but not better Dickens”.

However, my stand out favourite of them all is Bleak House.

Great thanks. Will start there.

[paulguitar]

Scabutz said:

Ages ago I bought a complete set of Dickens in matching paperbacks. Thought it would look good on the bookcase.

Never read any, except a Christmas Carol.

Want to start, any advise where? Just read them in order or pick some good ones? Which ones are recommended?

You could do worse than to start with David Copperfield and Olver Twist, I reckon.

[paulguitar]

droopsnoot said:

I've just read "Starter for ten" by David Nicholls.

He wrote perhaps the worst book I have ever read, 'One Day'. Dear lord, it was horrendous.

[mikebradford]

I'm not someone who generally reads books.
I bought The Thursday Murder Club for my holiday, as I recognised the authors name.
It really surprised me. Great characters and it kept my attention.
Usually I get bored and don't finish books.
The characters are likable, and is lead me to buy the other 2 books.

I've heard the rights have been bought by Stephen Spielberg to make into a film.

[Desiderata]

I'm reading two at the moment.
The first, Mathew Parris's autobiography was recommended and lent to me by my neighbour.

I've always struggled with autobiographies, picked up a few and abandoned them shortly afterwards as self gratifying ego trips, but this one is an exception. It's a bit of a slow read, I'm just reading 50 or so pages at a time so I'm only half way through after a week, but I'm enjoying it immensely. Lots of subtle humour and genuine heartfelt observations on life.

The second, A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, by Eric Newby was recommended in another book I read recently, among the Mountains, by Wilfred Thesiger.

It arrived in the post today from World of Books and I sneaked a quick peak at it after dinner. Two hours later, about half way through it I've just put it down briefly for a tea break but I'm pretty sure I'll finish it tonight. It's just one of those books you can't stop reading. Unlike Thesiger's rather dry(but interesting) log of his travels in the same area, Newby's style is a hilariously self-deprecating tale of what , in spite of the light hearted approach, was a difficult and dangerous true boys own type of adventure.
I've already made a mental note to track down some more of his work.

[coppice]

paulguitar said:

droopsnoot said:

I've just read "Starter for ten" by David Nicholls.

He wrote perhaps the worst book I have ever read, 'One Day'. Dear lord, it was horrendous.

And I loved it . I have enjoyed all his books .

[Stuart70]

Desiderata said:

I'm reading two at the moment.

The second, A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, by Eric Newby was recommended in another book I read recently, among the Mountains, by Wilfred Thesiger.

It arrived in the post today from World of Books and I sneaked a quick peak at it after dinner. Two hours later, about half way through it I've just put it down briefly for a tea break but I'm pretty sure I'll finish it tonight. It's just one of those books you can't stop reading. Unlike Thesiger's rather dry(but interesting) log of his travels in the same area, Newby's style is a hilariously self-deprecating tale of what , in spite of the light hearted approach, was a difficult and dangerous true boys own type of adventure.
I've already made a mental note to track down some more of his work.

I you enjoy that then a move across to Dervla Murphy is a good thought “Wheels within Wheels” and “Full Tilt”, followed up by a more recent, Rory Stewart, “The Places In Between”.

I am fascinated by travelogues descpite the fact I never go anywhere exciting.

[tertius]

Desiderata said:

I'm reading two at the moment.

The second, A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, by Eric Newby was recommended in another book I read recently, among the Mountains, by Wilfred Thesiger.

It arrived in the post today from World of Books and I sneaked a quick peak at it after dinner. Two hours later, about half way through it I've just put it down briefly for a tea break but I'm pretty sure I'll finish it tonight. It's just one of those books you can't stop reading. Unlike Thesiger's rather dry(but interesting) log of his travels in the same area, Newby's style is a hilariously self-deprecating tale of what , in spite of the light hearted approach, was a difficult and dangerous true boys own type of adventure.
I've already made a mental note to track down some more of his work.

If you enjoy Newby’s writing then The Last Grain Race is a good read.

[Prolex-UK]

andy_s said:

Just finished Desert Star by Michael Connelly, Bosch's latest in other words. I've read all the Bosch books, so not an objective opinion here but if you're familiar then you won't be disappointed at all, excellent throughout in terms of the continuing series and as a standalone [plot/character etc], quality is consistent with most of the other Bosch books. 5/5 Rogers given.

Was an excellent book.

[FiF]

mikebradford said:

I'm not someone who generally reads books.
I bought The Thursday Murder Club for my holiday, as I recognised the authors name.
It really surprised me. Great characters and it kept my attention.
Usually I get bored and don't finish books.
The characters are likable, and is lead me to buy the other 2 books.

I've heard the rights have been bought by Stephen Spielberg to make into a film.

That one surprised me too in a very similar way. I was stuck for something lighter to read. My e- book had decided to be uncooperative with my laptop and had also gone into a big sulk on " no you can't charge the battery."

Was having a rest from Christopher Andrew's Authorised History of MI5. Mrs F had picked Osman's first book for her birthday, and was now engrossed in the second, so picked it up for a quick scan as it saved me having to get off my backside to look for something else.

Mrs F is getting the latest one for Christmas, rate she goes through books I'll probably be reading it late Boxing Day. Not surprised it's been picked up for film rights.

[IanA2]

Scabutz said:

tertius said:

Scabutz said:

Ages ago I bought a complete set of Dickens in matching paperbacks. Thought it would look good on the bookcase.

Never read any, except a Christmas Carol.

Want to start, any advise where? Just read them in order or pick some good ones? Which ones are recommended?

Most people start with either Great Expectations or David Copperfield, though I find GE pretty disappointing.

For me there are a few that really stand out:
A Tale of Two Cities
Our Mutual Friend
Bleak House

And a few that were really tedious:
Nicholas Nickleby
Barnaby Rudge
Martin Chuzzlewit

I’d suggest starting with A Tale of Two Cities - a shorter novel (in Dickens terms of course) and in my opinion a terrific story.

There is a noticeable difference between the earlier and later novels … a friend of mine (himself an author and lecturer) put it as “the later books are better novels, but not better Dickens”.

However, my stand out favourite of them all is Bleak House.

Great thanks. Will start there.

Having read all of them at one time or another over the last half century, the only one that I've returned several times is A Tale of Two Cities.

That would be my choice.

[spikeyhead]

tertius said:

Scabutz said:

Ages ago I bought a complete set of Dickens in matching paperbacks. Thought it would look good on the bookcase.

Never read any, except a Christmas Carol.

Want to start, any advise where? Just read them in order or pick some good ones? Which ones are recommended?

Most people start with either Great Expectations or David Copperfield, though I find GE pretty disappointing.

For me there are a few that really stand out:
A Tale of Two Cities
Our Mutual Friend
Bleak House

And a few that were really tedious:
Nicholas Nickleby
Barnaby Rudge
Martin Chuzzlewit

I’d suggest starting with A Tale of Two Cities - a shorter novel (in Dickens terms of course) and in my opinion a terrific story.

There is a noticeable difference between the earlier and later novels … a friend of mine (himself an author and lecturer) put it as “the later books are better novels, but not better Dickens”.

However, my stand out favourite of them all is Bleak House.

I've always found Bleak House a little bleak, however it's a decent picture of real life in Dickensian times.

I like David Copperfield, and agree that A Tale of Two Cities is a wonderful book. The English used in Nickolas Nickleby is as good as has ever been written, there's some wonderful prose.

[droopsnoot]

I've just finished "How the dead speak" by Val McDermid. Featuring characters Carol Jordan and Tony Hill - albeit with a change of setting. Some human remains are discovered in the grounds of an old convent, and it's down to the team to try to investigate the history of the place to see if it's criminal or not, but then they discover some more remains, much more recent this time. A good read, I always enjoy her stuff.

It does illustrate the dangers of not reading series books in sequence. There is such a major change in situation for the two main characters, and I haven't read the previous book(s) that explain how it happened, or if I have, it was years ago and I've forgotten. Then, when I do get that book and start to get to that section, I'll already know the outcome.

[Skyedriver]

Just finished "Drem - Scotland's Spitfire Airfield"
Something of a catalogue to be fair but a whole lot of interesting history interspersed.
What really gets you is the number of pilots who died during training or just flights out to sea on a report. Not in action. Very sad.

[KaraK]

andy_s said:

Just finished Desert Star by Michael Connelly, Bosch's latest in other words. I've read all the Bosch books, so not an objective opinion here but if you're familiar then you won't be disappointed at all, excellent throughout in terms of the continuing series and as a standalone [plot/character etc], quality is consistent with most of the other Bosch books. 5/5 Rogers given.

Finished that the other week myself - I still don't think the recent ones are quite up there with the best Bosch books, but they're still bloody enjoyable IMO.

I followed it up with The Plague Stones by James Brogden, which was a solid if unspectacular horror. Now on to The Maid by Nita Prose.

[lornemalvo]

KaraK said:

andy_s said:

Just finished Desert Star by Michael Connelly, Bosch's latest in other words. I've read all the Bosch books, so not an objective opinion here but if you're familiar then you won't be disappointed at all, excellent throughout in terms of the continuing series and as a standalone [plot/character etc], quality is consistent with most of the other Bosch books. 5/5 Rogers given.

Finished that the other week myself - I still don't think the recent ones are quite up there with the best Bosch books, but they're still bloody enjoyable IMO.

I followed it up with The Plague Stones by James Brogden, which was a solid if unspectacular horror. Now on to The Maid by Nita Prose.

I can't believe the Kindle version of Desert Star is more expensive than the hard cover book.

[KaraK]

lornemalvo said:

I can't believe the Kindle version of Desert Star is more expensive than the hard cover book.

Really? That's a bit st! I listened to it on Audible so never saw the comparative pricing for the book editions