Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
matc said:
Just finished ‘Bad Blood’ by John Carreyrou - about Theranos the tech company and the huge sham it turned out to be. I didn’t know anything about this before I read the book, but it’s amazing what actually happened. It’s currently being turned in to a film.
Worth a read IMO.
It's on my 'to read' list.Worth a read IMO.
So many books, so little time.
Just finished "The Outsider" by Stephen King. Picked it up on holiday as I haven't read any of his stuff for years but thoroughly enjoyed it. Typical King, its somewhat far fetched in places but its' so well written, structured and paced and I always feel as if I'm chatting to someone rather than just reading. Very good.
Also read Sandrone Dazieri, "Kill The Angel" which is the follow up to "Kill The Father". Very fast moving and a twisty turney plot that keeps you engrossed. Interesting characters too as I found that most of them I didn't like and it paints a bleak picture of the political situation in Italy and the criminal justice system gets a pasting. Decent read though.
After a few false starts I read "Wolf Hall " by Hilary Mantel, then followed it up with "Bring up the Bodies", the follow on novel. I found them gripping and a marvellous insight into the brutality of Tudor politics. I also enjoyed "Cold Mountain" recently and have been re-reading "Good Omens".
Perseverant said:
After a few false starts I read "Wolf Hall " by Hilary Mantel, then followed it up with "Bring up the Bodies", the follow on novel. I found them gripping and a marvellous insight into the brutality of Tudor politics. I also enjoyed "Cold Mountain" recently and have been re-reading "Good Omens".
I tend to read several books at a time. Currently pretty much half way through Mantel's trilogy which is fine. I prefer Sansom's seven volume scorcher. Whilst Mantel's writng is good, I think Sansom's grasp of the period is better, but then he is a Medievalist.amongst others, I'm also re-reading the Red Sparrow trilogy, for the third or fourth time! Also Parade's End tetralogy, (for the second time), and Moby Dick, also for the second time, although the last time was forty years or more ago, Melville has an extraordinary force in his writing which I'm not sure I fully appreciated back then.
Plenty others did :-)
Edited by IanA2 on Thursday 16th January 18:41
TyposEdited by IanA2 on Thursday 16th January 18:43
towser said:
Craig W said:
Any recommendations for books that are fairly easy to read about different historical events? I know that's a very broad question...
Any subjects really as long as its engaging... the balkans, cold war, vietnam conflict, general US history, famous rulers from the past (Genghis, Mao, Stalin, whatever), british history pre-1900... really anything that is interesting.
Ta.
A few more readable ones that I've enjoyed over the years:Any subjects really as long as its engaging... the balkans, cold war, vietnam conflict, general US history, famous rulers from the past (Genghis, Mao, Stalin, whatever), british history pre-1900... really anything that is interesting.
Ta.
1) The Forever War by Dexter Filkins - focuses on the recent conflicts in the middle east
2) The Road to Kosovo by Greg Campbell
3) Eastern Approaches by Fitzroy Maclean - more of a "boy's own " tale but set within some interesting historical backdrops
4) Any of the Stephen Ambrose books on WW2 are very readable
5) The Great War For Civilisation by Robert Fisk - although it's a but of a daunting looking book it's a great read, once again focused on the middle east and the "War on Terror"
6) A Peoples Tragedy by Orlando Figes - on the russian revolution
7) The Cold War by Odd Arne Westad - a fairly dense subject but I found this very engaging
Picked it up in the Kindle 99p sale before Xmas & can definitely recommend it.
So many books, so little time.
Stan the Bat said:
matc said:
Just finished ‘Bad Blood’ by John Carreyrou - about Theranos the tech company and the huge sham it turned out to be. I didn’t know anything about this before I read the book, but it’s amazing what actually happened. It’s currently being turned in to a film.
Worth a read IMO.
It's on my 'to read' list.Worth a read IMO.
So many books, so little time.
I mentioned this briefly earlier; "The Reunion" by Guillaume Musso. This is not the first of his books I have read, and they certainly don't disappoint. I guess we all like light relief with Harry Bosch and Jack Reacher because we know what we are going to get and who will win out in the end, and I have nothing against that. But Musso is in another realm entirely. You know the basis of the plot and who dunnit early on, but the plot twists and turns, each chapter enticing you on and making you guess and reguess where you are being taken.
His style of writing is powerful. There was a moment when he mentioned certain music that fitted the scene, and it was the second act of Der Rosenkavalier. I felt compelled to listen to the music and he was right, but it is seldom that a book draws you in to such a degree. Oh, by the way, the photo you see here is a proof, so the cover of the book will probably differ
Nearly all of the books I read are passed on - Reacher and Bosch included - but there are some to which I return, and even if I don't they stay here. "An Instance of the Fingerpost" is one, "Empty Mansions" another, and this will join them. I strongly urge you to read this novel. It is a breath of fresh air.
His style of writing is powerful. There was a moment when he mentioned certain music that fitted the scene, and it was the second act of Der Rosenkavalier. I felt compelled to listen to the music and he was right, but it is seldom that a book draws you in to such a degree. Oh, by the way, the photo you see here is a proof, so the cover of the book will probably differ
Nearly all of the books I read are passed on - Reacher and Bosch included - but there are some to which I return, and even if I don't they stay here. "An Instance of the Fingerpost" is one, "Empty Mansions" another, and this will join them. I strongly urge you to read this novel. It is a breath of fresh air.
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