Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
Just finished 'Dunstan' by Conn Iggulden - a dramatization of St Dunstan's life. Superbly paced and very evocative. Dunstan's certainly not a saint in the book, he's a bit of an old rogue but has a good heart. It really feels like Iggulden researched 10th Century life (as it did for his 'Wars of the Roses' books set in Tudor England) - Dunstan sees 3 kings, descendants of Alfred the Great come to the throne and plays a part in all their lives as well as building Glastonbury Abbey, rebuilding Canterbury Cathedral, became what we'd now think of as a first minister to the king and in addition had skills at the forge - a renaissance man well before the renaissance.
Very enjoyable read.
Very enjoyable read.
p1doc said:
really enjoying my dennis wheatley duke de richleau novels-dated but fun-3 down 8 to go
Been a while since I read those!Took a break from The Witchwood Crown to read 'The Furthest Station', a novella by Ben Aaronovitch. Was quite disappointed to find it was only a novella, but still entertaining.
https://www.amazon.com/Uneasy-Rider-Travels-Throug...
I'm currently about half way through this and I would call it a Pistonheads must read, very, very entertaining.
I'm currently about half way through this and I would call it a Pistonheads must read, very, very entertaining.
SilverSixer said:
plasticpig said:
The problem with most Russian literature is it's so damn depressing. The last book I read before I gave up was The Village by Ivan Bunin. Halfway through and it was so depressing I put the book down and haven't read any Russian literature since.
~ *Bulgakov required for plasticpig in aisle 2. Bulgakov to aisle 2 please.*Once I have finished 'In The First Circle' I shall take a break from the more 'serious' works and try to get the dog's side of the story.
Chris Type R said:
I read this over the weekend (The '86 Fix) - enjoyable escapism. Quite a bit in the story which I can recognise / identify with. I'm a few pages into the sequel.
Ok, I enjoyed "Beyond Broadhall: The '86 Fix Conclusion" less than "The '86 Fix" - but if you've got to the end of the latter you'll want to know how the story ends, so it's a worthwhile read.Reading "Who Sent Clement?" now, by the same author.
Goaty Bill 2 said:
SilverSixer said:
plasticpig said:
The problem with most Russian literature is it's so damn depressing. The last book I read before I gave up was The Village by Ivan Bunin. Halfway through and it was so depressing I put the book down and haven't read any Russian literature since.
~ *Bulgakov required for plasticpig in aisle 2. Bulgakov to aisle 2 please.*Once I have finished 'In The First Circle' I shall take a break from the more 'serious' works and try to get the dog's side of the story.
I've not proceeded with any heavy Russian literature as in the process of a house move. Plenty of distractions at the moment.
Currently reading a book recommended on here a while back, 'On the Beach' by Nevil Shute. Post apocalyptic novel, set in Australia which explores the fall out from a nuclear war.
g3org3y said:
Goaty Bill 2 said:
SilverSixer said:
plasticpig said:
The problem with most Russian literature is it's so damn depressing. The last book I read before I gave up was The Village by Ivan Bunin. Halfway through and it was so depressing I put the book down and haven't read any Russian literature since.
~ *Bulgakov required for plasticpig in aisle 2. Bulgakov to aisle 2 please.*Once I have finished 'In The First Circle' I shall take a break from the more 'serious' works and try to get the dog's side of the story.
I've not proceeded with any heavy Russian literature as in the process of a house move. Plenty of distractions at the moment.
Currently reading a book recommended on here a while back, 'On the Beach' by Nevil Shute. Post apocalyptic novel, set in Australia which explores the fall out from a nuclear war.
'The Heart of a Dog' is also a Glenny translation, albeit a very reasonably priced 1968 edition.
While SilverSixer originally recommended Bulgakov, it was references by Solzhenitsyn (from In The First Circle) that finally convinced me he must be necessary reading.
And, speaking of SilverSixer - I believe even he, after so very many volumes of Russian literature, has conceded to feeling depressed after reading 'On The Beach'.
Goaty Bill 2 said:
The only reasonable option I could find for 'The Master and Margarita' was the current in print Everyman's Library edition, translation by Michael Glenny. From that (circa £13 delivered), the price for older publications jumped to over £125 for editions published as late as the '90s.
'The Heart of a Dog' is also a Glenny translation, albeit a very reasonably priced 1968 edition.
While SilverSixer originally recommended Bulgakov, it was references by Solzhenitsyn (from In The First Circle) that finally convinced me he must be necessary reading.
And, speaking of SilverSixer - I believe even he, after so very many volumes of Russian literature, has conceded to feeling depressed after reading 'On The Beach'.
From my research before purchase, it seemed to me that the Glenny translation was generally considered the best (more free flowing and in keeping with the original Russian). I think you'll enjoy. I've mentioned previously, 'A Country Doctor's Notebook' is probably my favourite of Bulgavok's books, but that's more to do with the finding of common ground (though my practice is a bit closer to civilisation!) than any particular literary reason.'The Heart of a Dog' is also a Glenny translation, albeit a very reasonably priced 1968 edition.
While SilverSixer originally recommended Bulgakov, it was references by Solzhenitsyn (from In The First Circle) that finally convinced me he must be necessary reading.
And, speaking of SilverSixer - I believe even he, after so very many volumes of Russian literature, has conceded to feeling depressed after reading 'On The Beach'.
I'm about 50 pages from the end of 'On The Beach'. It's a decent book so far and an interesting read exploring how society may react in a situation where it is faced with an inexorable death from the fallout of nuclear war. I do not predict a happy ending!
I just finished reading Christopher Hitchen's "God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything", a superb treaty exploring theology, dogma, the societal impact of religion and to quote Richard Dawkins "the God delusion". It's quite a big read, not for the faint of heart or short of time, but it is certainly worth it IMO.
Hitchens has an amazing way with words, his debates are always filled with such amazing rhetoric, and his books are no different. I'd describe his writing style as a man with copious knowledge striving to get it all to fit onto the page. Informative and unbelievably well researched, this in depth exploration of the nature of religion is a must read for anyone with a mind for philosophy and theological debate.
I could write all day about this book but I won't. I'll just say this, its the only philosophical/academic treaty that has ever made me laugh out loud. Profound and engaging, well worth the price tag
Hitchens has an amazing way with words, his debates are always filled with such amazing rhetoric, and his books are no different. I'd describe his writing style as a man with copious knowledge striving to get it all to fit onto the page. Informative and unbelievably well researched, this in depth exploration of the nature of religion is a must read for anyone with a mind for philosophy and theological debate.
I could write all day about this book but I won't. I'll just say this, its the only philosophical/academic treaty that has ever made me laugh out loud. Profound and engaging, well worth the price tag
'In The First Circle' by Solzhenitsyn completed.
Reading the plot description from wikipedia one might easily be lead into believing this a spy/espionage sort of novel. In short; it isn't, though it maintains some of the secrecy and tensions of just such a story.
It is the story of the men and women of a Moscow sharashka (secret research facility and 'special' prison) staffed principally by talented zeks (prisoners from the gulag) during the post war years of Stalinist Russia.
Solzhenitsyn spent some years of his sentence in just such a facility and with the benefit of having read 'The Gulag Archipelago', one can see that many of his personal experiences and stories of others are built into his highly developed and extensive cast of main characters.
The entire story takes place over three days.
My copy is now filled with post-it notes of passages and chapters to be re-read.
"What is the most precious thing in the world? I see now that it is the knowledge that you have no part in injustice.
Injustice is stronger than you, it always was and always will be, but let it not be done through you."
And now, 'The Heart of a Dog' by Mikhail Bulgakov
(Also a film The Heart of a Dog (Vladimir Bortko 1988), though I'm not watching that until I've read the book.)
Reading the plot description from wikipedia one might easily be lead into believing this a spy/espionage sort of novel. In short; it isn't, though it maintains some of the secrecy and tensions of just such a story.
It is the story of the men and women of a Moscow sharashka (secret research facility and 'special' prison) staffed principally by talented zeks (prisoners from the gulag) during the post war years of Stalinist Russia.
Solzhenitsyn spent some years of his sentence in just such a facility and with the benefit of having read 'The Gulag Archipelago', one can see that many of his personal experiences and stories of others are built into his highly developed and extensive cast of main characters.
The entire story takes place over three days.
My copy is now filled with post-it notes of passages and chapters to be re-read.
"What is the most precious thing in the world? I see now that it is the knowledge that you have no part in injustice.
Injustice is stronger than you, it always was and always will be, but let it not be done through you."
And now, 'The Heart of a Dog' by Mikhail Bulgakov
(Also a film The Heart of a Dog (Vladimir Bortko 1988), though I'm not watching that until I've read the book.)
Under the skin by Michel Faber
I thought I got the rec from here but can't find any reference tonight using search....
The book was made into a movie I've yet to see, although I believe SJ gets her kit off, but I understand the novel is a lot darker and nastier than the film
Unusually for me I found it more thought provoking than most of the books I read, although the ending was a bit crap
Anyone else??
I thought I got the rec from here but can't find any reference tonight using search....
The book was made into a movie I've yet to see, although I believe SJ gets her kit off, but I understand the novel is a lot darker and nastier than the film
Unusually for me I found it more thought provoking than most of the books I read, although the ending was a bit crap
Anyone else??
Goaty Bill 2 said:
And, speaking of SilverSixer - I believe even he, after so very many volumes of Russian literature, has conceded to feeling depressed after reading 'On The Beach'.
Just finished. A brutal book in its delivery. Yet for all its depressive content there's an idealism and nobility to events. I suspect should this ever play out in real life anarchy would predominate.I'll think I'll have to choose something a little more lighthearted to follow this!
g3org3y said:
I'll think I'll have to choose something a little more lighthearted to follow this!
I finished 'The Heart of a Dog' by Bulgakov last night.I'm not really sure how to describe this one at all frankly.
Certainly some subtle criticism of early Soviet Russia, but avoiding making this the apparent or obvious focus.
It is one of those books you really don't want to put it down once you've started, and you certainly can't find it depressing.
Oddly entertaining.
Somewhat like one of those Ian Banks novels where you have absolutely no idea what is going on or why, but simply have to keep reading because you need to find out.
Really not sure what to read next.
I have such a stack of books next to me, and more on the bedside table...
unrepentant said:
SilverSixer said:
I read Shute's 'On the Beach' over the weekend. I are depress.
Brilliant book, very moving but bleak. All the more so for Shute's plain matter of fact language. Read Trustee From The Toolroom to cheer yourself up. I finished "The Dark Charisma of Adolf Hitler" by Laurence Rees a few days ago. Disappointingly it falls a little shy of the mark when it comes to explaining Hitler's charisma. I would have liked a more detailed assessment as there is a tendency to hand wave away reactions to Hitler's demands as part and parcel of his natural charisma - the same natural charisma that Rees also notes both Franz von Papen and Paul von Hindenburg seemed immune to.
I understand the book acts as an accompanying text for a BBC series of the same name, so together they may cover more ground, but it hasn't quite done it for me. I have not been deterred from reading more work from Laurence Rees, for I know he has an entire book based on Auschwitz.
Following this was one of the most controversial pieces of scholarship on Nazi Germany to emerge in the last few years; "Blitzed" by Norman Ohler (translated from German to English by Shaun Whiteside). It has been out for a year or so now but I bought the paperback when it became available as opposed to the hardback. It also features some of the greatest cover art ever.
Sir Ian Kershaw spoke highly of this book. Antony Beevor spoke highly of this book. Richard J. Evans detests it. In my eyes, if even half accurate it warrants another look at certain operations undertaken during the war - chief among them, Fall Gelb.
Ohler was a novelist first and an historian second, so the book progresses at lightning pace with fun chapter names and section headings; two of the most memorable are "High Hitler" and "One Reich, One Dealer". All said, if you have any interest in Nazi Germany it does offer another angle from which to assess events during it.
I'm not sure what's coming next - I spotted a book on Württemberg during the Second World War in my local library and, given my time spent in Germany has thus far only been in the modern state of Baden-Württemberg, it seems like a nice intersection of my (limited) experience and the region's history.
I understand the book acts as an accompanying text for a BBC series of the same name, so together they may cover more ground, but it hasn't quite done it for me. I have not been deterred from reading more work from Laurence Rees, for I know he has an entire book based on Auschwitz.
Following this was one of the most controversial pieces of scholarship on Nazi Germany to emerge in the last few years; "Blitzed" by Norman Ohler (translated from German to English by Shaun Whiteside). It has been out for a year or so now but I bought the paperback when it became available as opposed to the hardback. It also features some of the greatest cover art ever.
Sir Ian Kershaw spoke highly of this book. Antony Beevor spoke highly of this book. Richard J. Evans detests it. In my eyes, if even half accurate it warrants another look at certain operations undertaken during the war - chief among them, Fall Gelb.
Ohler was a novelist first and an historian second, so the book progresses at lightning pace with fun chapter names and section headings; two of the most memorable are "High Hitler" and "One Reich, One Dealer". All said, if you have any interest in Nazi Germany it does offer another angle from which to assess events during it.
I'm not sure what's coming next - I spotted a book on Württemberg during the Second World War in my local library and, given my time spent in Germany has thus far only been in the modern state of Baden-Württemberg, it seems like a nice intersection of my (limited) experience and the region's history.
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