Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
CardinalBlue said:
Just finished "This is Going to Hurt" by Adam Kay. It's the diary of a junior doctor, and quite eye opening. I'd certainly recommend it.
Ooo - I think I’m going for that next. I generally like his sense of humour and hope it’s an overall balance of laughter and a serious take on the realities.K12beano said:
This week I have been hooked - start to finish - on Kazuo Ishiguro: Remains of the Day a stunningly simple piece of prose, beautifully paced to unwind a retrospective, and ultimately moving, story of one man’s perspective on his world as a butler. Spiffing.
As I am sure you are aware, also a stunning film, an absolute masterpiece.I really must read the book.
Goaty Bill 2 said:
K12beano said:
This week I have been hooked - start to finish - on Kazuo Ishiguro: Remains of the Day a stunningly simple piece of prose, beautifully paced to unwind a retrospective, and ultimately moving, story of one man’s perspective on his world as a butler. Spiffing.
As I am sure you are aware, also a stunning film, an absolute masterpiece.I really must read the book.
One of the rare occasions where the film has honoured the writer.
edited typo
Edited by IanA2 on Friday 19th January 13:39
finished I am Pilgrim last night.
its a bit self indulgent but as thrillers go its way above most of the candyfloss churned out these days.
I might see what the reviews are like of his follow on - not sure I like the premise but you never know.
either that or its Artemis - Andy Wiers' follow on the The Martian.
its a bit self indulgent but as thrillers go its way above most of the candyfloss churned out these days.
I might see what the reviews are like of his follow on - not sure I like the premise but you never know.
either that or its Artemis - Andy Wiers' follow on the The Martian.
droopsnoot said:
"Live Fire" by Stephen Leather was very good. After that I went on to the new John Grisham "The Rooster Bar", which isn't all that good in truth. Premise is quite good, but other than a few bits of interest it doesn't really have much going for it. It's a far cry from "The Firm". Next I read "The Couple Next Door" by Shari Lapena, which was much better with a few twists and turns along the way.
Stephen Leather is very good - the whole Spider Shepherd is worth a read.I've also got into Clive Cussler over the last couple of years - I didn't realise he had written so many!
Herbs said:
I've also got into Clive Cussler over the last couple of years - I didn't realise he had written so many!
He's very good, in the main. He's doing a bit of a franchise thing like a lot of other authors, so he writes "with" other people (which I suspect means he does the broad storyline and they do the rest) for each of the different character groups. OK, so it's a bit over the top sometimes, but then I read for entertainment and it entertains me. The only ones I don't like are the Isaac Bell series, just because they're set further back in the past than I choose to read. I've read a couple, and the writing is fine, but I just didn't enjoy them enough to go for more.droopsnoot said:
He's very good, in the main. He's doing a bit of a franchise thing like a lot of other authors, so he writes "with" other people (which I suspect means he does the broad storyline and they do the rest) for each of the different character groups. OK, so it's a bit over the top sometimes, but then I read for entertainment and it entertains me. The only ones I don't like are the Isaac Bell series, just because they're set further back in the past than I choose to read. I've read a couple, and the writing is fine, but I just didn't enjoy them enough to go for more.
Agreed, I've done the Oregon, Dirk Pitt series and a few books into the Kurt Austin ones.droopsnoot said:
He's very good, in the main. He's doing a bit of a franchise thing like a lot of other authors, so he writes "with" other people (which I suspect means he does the broad storyline and they do the rest) for each of the different character groups. OK, so it's a bit over the top sometimes, but then I read for entertainment and it entertains me. The only ones I don't like are the Isaac Bell series, just because they're set further back in the past than I choose to read. I've read a couple, and the writing is fine, but I just didn't enjoy them enough to go for more.
Cussler writes turgid bilge IMO.
Turgid bilge
Another that agrees here
The best one of his I remember was They Raised Titanic (or words to that effect)
After that he always had his hero Dirk Pitt meeting some old geezer in the desert who was always Cussler
You'd expect a super hero like Pitt to remember meeting this old git before a few times
I read a few before the sameness every time took over
Another that agrees here
The best one of his I remember was They Raised Titanic (or words to that effect)
After that he always had his hero Dirk Pitt meeting some old geezer in the desert who was always Cussler
You'd expect a super hero like Pitt to remember meeting this old git before a few times
I read a few before the sameness every time took over
perdu said:
After that he always had his hero Dirk Pitt meeting some old geezer in the desert who was always Cussler
You'd expect a super hero like Pitt to remember meeting this old git before a few times
I read a few before the sameness every time took over
Agree with the sameness, however I find that a little of the appeal - I started reading Cussler in my teens, and it's a comfy familiarity to have as a bedtime read when I spot one I haven't read in a charity shop.
plasticpig said:
Cussler writes turgid bilge IMO.
Thing is, I tend to think that with a lot of the "highbrow" stuff that gets posted on here, all these classical writers and Ulysses and War and Peace and the like (if the readers of those will forgive me for lumping them all in together). I don't read stuff like that, because I just want some brain-out entertainment when I read, and TV doesn't do that for me currently.Still, boring place if we all liked the same.
K12beano said:
CardinalBlue said:
Just finished "This is Going to Hurt" by Adam Kay. It's the diary of a junior doctor, and quite eye opening. I'd certainly recommend it.
Ooo - I think I’m going for that next. I generally like his sense of humour and hope it’s an overall balance of laughter and a serious take on the realities.Rattled through this on my commutes.
When it makes you laugh it really splits your sides - embarrassing in front of your fellow commuters.
It brings you sadness and then it makes you cry - I was listening over Audible and the author was cracking up and so was I.
It comes with a Political Message - but when it gets there, so would probably the most apolitical you know.
I’m reporting this partly because you’re warned in the foreword - something to the effect that you know the story of the Titanic but you still went to see the f
king film 
It’s a roller coaster and thoroughly, thoroughly recommended for all its facets!
droopsnoot said:
Thing is, I tend to think that with a lot of the "highbrow" stuff that gets posted on here, all these classical writers and Ulysses and War and Peace and the like (if the readers of those will forgive me for lumping them all in together). I don't read stuff like that, because I just want some brain-out entertainment when I read, and TV doesn't do that for me currently.
Still, boring place if we all liked the same.
I am not adverse to the techno thriller genre. I have enjoyed the Michael Crichton books I have read for example. Still, boring place if we all liked the same.
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