Books - What are you reading?

Books - What are you reading?

Author
Discussion

droopsnoot

11,933 posts

242 months

Thursday 31st January 2019
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I've just finished "Dark Sacred Night" by Michael Connolly, which features Harry Bosch and one of his newer characters, Renee Ballard, working together. Very much enjoyed it, as I always do with his stuff.

soad

32,894 posts

176 months

Friday 1st February 2019
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The Shout by Stephen Leather. Superb!

biggbn

23,322 posts

220 months

Friday 1st February 2019
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Fear and loathing at Rolling Stone. Basically a collection of the good doctor, hunter stockton Thompson's articles for rolling stone magazine. Have read most already but as a lifelong fan, nice to have them all in the same place.

IanA2

2,763 posts

162 months

Friday 1st February 2019
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DickyC said:
The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Mcintyre. A true story about MI6 and a KGB man. Astonishing. And there are some funny bits where MI6 were in uncharted territory. On one occasion they had to set up an apparently chance meeting in Finland near the Russian border. Three groups were involved. They had to fly in, each hire a random car and meet at a prearranged venue. They arrived separately in three identical red Volvos with sequential registration numbers. They had all used the car hire firm at the airport. "We looked like a convention."
Agreed a cracking read as was his Philby offering; and if you haven't already, try Bill Browder (Red Notice) &/or the Red Sparrow trilogy by Jason Matthews. Quality.

smithyithy

7,245 posts

118 months

Tuesday 5th February 2019
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andy_s said:
Seem to on a sci-fi spree at the moment, I read a lot of it as a kid - Asimov mainly, and haven't revisited the genre for a while except for Morgan. So I thought I'd take a look at one of the modern classics with Neuromancer by William Gibson.
I too read Neuromancer last month, really enjoyed it!

Started the second book of the trilogy Count Zero this weekend and read a few chapters at lunch today - promising so far.

I want to stick with the same author and finish the trilogy (and maybe the associated short story(ies), then I might finally read Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep.

droopsnoot

11,933 posts

242 months

Friday 8th February 2019
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I've just read two Stephen Leather books, "Light Touch" followed by "Tall Order". Both very good, as they always are.

K12beano

20,854 posts

275 months

Friday 8th February 2019
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This is fascinating. ⅔ of the way through, but knew little of the history and impact of the mongols...


andy_s

19,400 posts

259 months

Friday 8th February 2019
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This just jumped my queue The Master and His Emissary by Iain McGilchrist. It goes into brain function, specifically the two hemispheres and how they cooperate, he goes on in the second half to examine the effects of this in wider society; any book by a specialist in a number of areas will be broad and deep, and this is no exception but so far good reading. The over-arching premise is fascinating - a sort of philosophy by physiology. There is a small YouTube clip to outline this: https://youtu.be/dFs9WO2B8uI


andy_s

19,400 posts

259 months

Friday 8th February 2019
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^ how spooky!

LordGrover

33,539 posts

212 months

Friday 8th February 2019
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Great video... will try a sample of the book. beer

Ruskie

3,989 posts

200 months

Friday 8th February 2019
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The Secret Barrister currently. I’m struggling a bit with it TBH.

Stan the Bat

8,918 posts

212 months

Friday 8th February 2019
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soad said:
The Shout by Stephen Leather. Superb!
Just finished this, it's a bit different but I wouldn't say superb.

Stan the Bat

8,918 posts

212 months

Friday 8th February 2019
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Ruskie said:
The Secret Barrister currently. I’m struggling a bit with it TBH.
Agreed, have read half, will save the rest for the future.

K12beano

20,854 posts

275 months

Friday 8th February 2019
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Ruskie said:
The Secret Barrister currently. I’m struggling a bit with it TBH.
Really?

I read it not long after Adam Kay’s “This is Going to Hurt”

It was as depressing and hilarious in equal measure! And just as informative I thought.

If you can, I think it’s worth sticking with it. (But I can understand if it’s not your cup of tea)

E24man

6,714 posts

179 months

Friday 8th February 2019
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Stan the Bat said:
Ruskie said:
The Secret Barrister currently. I’m struggling a bit with it TBH.
Agreed, have read half, will save the rest for the future.
Agree also; she bogs herself down in the constant plea for more money.

droopsnoot

11,933 posts

242 months

Sunday 10th February 2019
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I've just read "Straight to Hell" by John LeFevre. It's a collection of tales of things that bankers get up to - wild parties, pranks on fellow workers, that kind of thing. It's decent enough in its own way, but I think I've read at least one other very similar book, though perhaps that was turned into fiction.

After that I read the last of my three Guy Bellamy books, "The Holiday", featuring three separate couples who happen to holiday in the same place in the South of France, but have very different backgrounds. Again, an enjoyable read as his others were.

biggbn

23,322 posts

220 months

Monday 11th February 2019
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S3 Alex said:
Re-reading Catch 22 for the millionth time. It's so good, and so clever. I love it.

Also just finished re-reading a couple of Orwell books.
Catch 22 perhaps my favourite book, absurdity personified

biggbn

23,322 posts

220 months

Monday 11th February 2019
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gbbird said:
The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde.
Another great book, some cracking laugh out loud lines yet really sinister and dark in places

biggbn

23,322 posts

220 months

Monday 11th February 2019
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andy_s said:
This just jumped my queue The Master and His Emissary by Iain McGilchrist. It goes into brain function, specifically the two hemispheres and how they cooperate, he goes on in the second half to examine the effects of this in wider society; any book by a specialist in a number of areas will be broad and deep, and this is no exception but so far good reading. The over-arching premise is fascinating - a sort of philosophy by physiology. There is a small YouTube clip to outline this: https://youtu.be/dFs9WO2B8uI

The alphabet and the goddess covers similar ground, a really eye opening book about how the male brain suits the written word better and the erosion of female deities and folklore because of the move from spoken to write word. Out of print now, I found my copy on eBay

p1doc

3,117 posts

184 months

Monday 11th February 2019
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andy_s said:
This just jumped my queue The Master and His Emissary by Iain McGilchrist. It goes into brain function, specifically the two hemispheres and how they cooperate, he goes on in the second half to examine the effects of this in wider society; any book by a specialist in a number of areas will be broad and deep, and this is no exception but so far good reading. The over-arching premise is fascinating - a sort of philosophy by physiology. There is a small YouTube clip to outline this: https://youtu.be/dFs9WO2B8uI

sounds really interesting added to my amazon list