Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
Read the first couple of Slough House books thanks to a recommendation on here - enjoyed them a lot so thanks to whoever recommended.
Recently read the 'Courduroy' trilogy by Adrian Bell, a lovely look back at farming between the wars in the age just before mechanisation. As a follow up I read 'A Month in the Country' by J.L. Carr which is set where I grew up and again, between the wars. All highly recommended for the style of writing and the imagery evoked.
We were at Alnwick yesterday so I had a bit of a shopping spree in Barter Books to replenish - 2 John Mortimers (Paradise Postponed and the sequel, Titmuss Regained) and a couple of Simon Scarrow (the first two of his 'Eagle' series, Under the Eagle and Eagle's Conquest).
Recently read the 'Courduroy' trilogy by Adrian Bell, a lovely look back at farming between the wars in the age just before mechanisation. As a follow up I read 'A Month in the Country' by J.L. Carr which is set where I grew up and again, between the wars. All highly recommended for the style of writing and the imagery evoked.
We were at Alnwick yesterday so I had a bit of a shopping spree in Barter Books to replenish - 2 John Mortimers (Paradise Postponed and the sequel, Titmuss Regained) and a couple of Simon Scarrow (the first two of his 'Eagle' series, Under the Eagle and Eagle's Conquest).
Mark Benson said:
Read the first couple of Slough House books thanks to a recommendation on here - enjoyed them a lot so thanks to whoever recommended.
Recently read the 'Courduroy' trilogy by Adrian Bell, a lovely look back at farming between the wars in the age just before mechanisation. As a follow up I read 'A Month in the Country' by J.L. Carr which is set where I grew up and again, between the wars. All highly recommended for the style of writing and the imagery evoked.
We were at Alnwick yesterday so I had a bit of a shopping spree in Barter Books to replenish - 2 John Mortimers (Paradise Postponed and the sequel, Titmuss Regained) and a couple of Simon Scarrow (the first two of his 'Eagle' series, Under the Eagle and Eagle's Conquest).
Charles cummings is worth a look if you enjoy a spy storyRecently read the 'Courduroy' trilogy by Adrian Bell, a lovely look back at farming between the wars in the age just before mechanisation. As a follow up I read 'A Month in the Country' by J.L. Carr which is set where I grew up and again, between the wars. All highly recommended for the style of writing and the imagery evoked.
We were at Alnwick yesterday so I had a bit of a shopping spree in Barter Books to replenish - 2 John Mortimers (Paradise Postponed and the sequel, Titmuss Regained) and a couple of Simon Scarrow (the first two of his 'Eagle' series, Under the Eagle and Eagle's Conquest).
The thomas kell triology is a good start
Just finished "The code book" by Simon Singh - Fantastic read and I finally understand encryption ciphers, hashing techniques etc. Been studying IT security for a couple of years now and this is the first book on encryption that explains it clearly.
Just started 1984 by George Orwell. Just finished part1 and so far think it is excellent.
Just started 1984 by George Orwell. Just finished part1 and so far think it is excellent.
Ransoman said:
Just finished "The code book" by Simon Singh - Fantastic read and I finally understand encryption ciphers, hashing techniques etc. Been studying IT security for a couple of years now and this is the first book on encryption that explains it clearly.
Just started 1984 by George Orwell. Just finished part1 and so far think it is excellent.
Between Silk and Cyanide - A Codemaker's War, 1941-1945 by Leo MarksJust started 1984 by George Orwell. Just finished part1 and so far think it is excellent.
You might also like this as it explains some of the complexity of ciphers and codes used during the war.
Marks had a brilliant mind and his comments on the construction of codes are very informative.
My review was 30th June.
MC Bodge said:
Desiderata said:
I just picked up "The Beekeeper of Aleppo" at lunchtime and struggled to put it down to get back to work. I don't think "enjoy" is the right word, but it looks like it's going to be well worth reading.
I challenge anyone who has an opinion on "asylum seekers" to read this.
You might want to suggest it in the NP&E forumI challenge anyone who has an opinion on "asylum seekers" to read this.
Just finished "Never" by Ken Follet, I'd read his Pillars of the Earth trilogy and enjoyed it. Premise of this book seemed promising - story of a slide towards nuclear war and the people and characters involved. Turned out to be cringingly awful, the main story arc was good enough but the characters and the dialogue were terrible - too much in your face political correctness and lines like "First nuclear war and now daddy leaves us for Mrs Judd" made it laughable. Avoid if possible 1/5.
Also wading through "Soldiers" by Max Hastings - excerpts from literature, historic accounts and journalism that track the life of soldiers from biblical times to the current day. Some great stuff in here but some of it's a slog too.
Also wading through "Soldiers" by Max Hastings - excerpts from literature, historic accounts and journalism that track the life of soldiers from biblical times to the current day. Some great stuff in here but some of it's a slog too.
BryanC said:
Ransoman said:
Just finished "The code book" by Simon Singh - Fantastic read and I finally understand encryption ciphers, hashing techniques etc. Been studying IT security for a couple of years now and this is the first book on encryption that explains it clearly.
Just started 1984 by George Orwell. Just finished part1 and so far think it is excellent.
Between Silk and Cyanide - A Codemaker's War, 1941-1945 by Leo MarksJust started 1984 by George Orwell. Just finished part1 and so far think it is excellent.
You might also like this as it explains some of the complexity of ciphers and codes used during the war.
Marks had a brilliant mind and his comments on the construction of codes are very informative.
My review was 30th June.
Since my last post I have now finished 1984. Fantastic book.
I have 3 books to decide from to read next, Daniel Ellsberg's "Confessions of a nuclear war planner", "The Crossing of the Antarctic" by Sir Raymond Fuchs and Sir Edmund Hilary or "Prisoners of Geography" by Tim Marshall. Sometimes deciding what to read next is the hardest part...
A mate who's judgement I usually trust on books has been telling me to read this for ages, but I hadn't got round to it because, well, how interesting do you expect a book about fish to be?
The answer is "very". A well written book by a knowledgeable author who's passionate about her subject. I got quite excited when we went to the local Sealife Centre the other day and discovered they had some Gar.
I really want to see a Sarcastic Fringhead now though 
RizzoTheRat said:
A mate who's judgement I usually trust on books has been telling me to read this for ages, but I hadn't got round to it because, well, how interesting do you expect a book about fish to be?
The answer is "very". A well written book by a knowledgeable author who's passionate about her subject. I got quite excited when we went to the local Sealife Centre the other day and discovered they had some Gar.
I really want to see a Sarcastic Fringhead now though I've just finished I am Pilgrim which I thought I'd seen recommended in this thread but on a quick scroll back I can't find it.
The pace is quite high throughout and it's a thrilling read which I guess is the mark of a good thriller. A couple of threads are a touch unbelievable but you're always going to get that to make a good story.
The pace is quite high throughout and it's a thrilling read which I guess is the mark of a good thriller. A couple of threads are a touch unbelievable but you're always going to get that to make a good story.
tertius said:
RizzoTheRat said:
A mate who's judgement I usually trust on books has been telling me to read this for ages, but I hadn't got round to it because, well, how interesting do you expect a book about fish to be?
The answer is "very". A well written book by a knowledgeable author who's passionate about her subject. I got quite excited when we went to the local Sealife Centre the other day and discovered they had some Gar.
I really want to see a Sarcastic Fringhead now though DRFC1879 said:
I've just finished I am Pilgrim which I thought I'd seen recommended in this thread but on a quick scroll back I can't find it.
The pace is quite high throughout and it's a thrilling read which I guess is the mark of a good thriller. A couple of threads are a touch unbelievable but you're always going to get that to make a good story.
I've read that, I think I saw it recommended here to, but it was a few years back. I've read another of his that I wasn't as impressed with, and have a third on the "to read" pile.The pace is quite high throughout and it's a thrilling read which I guess is the mark of a good thriller. A couple of threads are a touch unbelievable but you're always going to get that to make a good story.
ETA - as below no, I'm thinking of "Nomad" by James Swallow.
Edited by droopsnoot on Thursday 2nd December 09:50
droopsnoot said:
I've read that, I think I saw it recommended here to, but it was a few years back. I've read another of his that I wasn't as impressed with, and have a third on the "to read" pile.
That's interesting. I was under the impression that "I am Pilgrim" was Terry Hayes' debut novel, and he hasn't published anything since? I believe his second novel is due next year sometime (if it actually gets published)?Sebring440 said:
droopsnoot said:
I've read that, I think I saw it recommended here too, but it was a few years back. I've read another of his that I wasn't as impressed with, and have a third on the "to read" pile.
That's interesting. I was under the impression that "I am Pilgrim" was Terry Hayes' debut novel, and he hasn't published anything since? I believe his second novel is due next year sometime (if it actually gets published)?I have read "I am Pilgrim", though, and enjoyed it.
Enjoying this at the mo, (albeit via audiobook as I potter about).
'Icebound, Shipwrecked at the edge of the world' by Andrea Pitzer.
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/54304238-ic...
'Icebound, Shipwrecked at the edge of the world' by Andrea Pitzer.
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/54304238-ic...
MC Bodge said:
I'm currently reading Suttree by Cormac McCarthy.
The beginning is a bit of struggle, but it does improve and I'm finding it quite interesting. It is set somewhere I know very little about.
I have read a number of his books and I know it is his "thing"/"shtick", but I do wish he would use conventional punctuation and also make it clearer who is doing the speaking. Having to re-read sections in order to fathom out what is going on isn't always what I want to be doing.
I have now finished reading the book, which took a bit of effort at times. The beginning is a bit of struggle, but it does improve and I'm finding it quite interesting. It is set somewhere I know very little about.
I have read a number of his books and I know it is his "thing"/"shtick", but I do wish he would use conventional punctuation and also make it clearer who is doing the speaking. Having to re-read sections in order to fathom out what is going on isn't always what I want to be doing.
It was a very unusual, rambling, sometimes impenetrable (partly due to McCarthy's unnecessary insistence on not using punctuation in the accepted way and not providing enough clues as to who is talking or when the setting changes) book that meandered all over a grim, grimy, grotesque version of the world of 1950s Knoxville.
I'm not sure that I would recommend reading it. His other, later, books are arguably better. Friends who had begun reading it in the past gave up early on, apparently.
A while since I posted, but things have been slow. I have reached halfway through two books and ditched them - they were that bad. I did finish one called Shadow of Doubt by Michelle Davies which was slow and the plot only started to move at page 83, but I wouldn't recommend it.
I then turned to an author i much admire, Anthony Horowitz, who was resposible amongst others for the TV series Lewis and Foyle's War plus so many books etc. Unfortunately, I am sad to say that, while well researched, in this instance he was not up to the mark. He was asked by the Ian Fleming Estate to write a new Bond book, this time called "Trigger Mortis". If you find the title somewhat clunky then it is fitting, because I found the prose similar. A typical Bond novel, a girl called Jeopardy, a Korean opponent, and so on.
I shall leave you to read it if you like the genre, but me, I was shaken but unstirred.
I then turned to an author i much admire, Anthony Horowitz, who was resposible amongst others for the TV series Lewis and Foyle's War plus so many books etc. Unfortunately, I am sad to say that, while well researched, in this instance he was not up to the mark. He was asked by the Ian Fleming Estate to write a new Bond book, this time called "Trigger Mortis". If you find the title somewhat clunky then it is fitting, because I found the prose similar. A typical Bond novel, a girl called Jeopardy, a Korean opponent, and so on.
I shall leave you to read it if you like the genre, but me, I was shaken but unstirred.
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