Books - What are you reading?

[IanA2]

biggbn said:

All the great tales have already been told, everything else is adaptation. My degree was English and Philsophy, a good combination and one which really encouraged me to think about why books are written the way they are rather than concentrate on how they are written!

So true.

[andy_s]

biggbn said:

...
I've always felt we shoukd treat philodphers as MMA practitioners look at martial arts, study as much as you can but find out what works for you and use it, and if it doesn't feel right, adapt it....

Brian: 'Think for yourselves!'
Crowd [all]: 'Yes, think for ourselves'

Edited by andy_s on Saturday 23 July 16:03

[TheJimi]

andy_s said:

biggbn said:

...
I've always felt we shoukd treat philodphers as MMA practitioners look at martial arts, study as much as you can but find out what works for you and use it, and if it doesn't feel right, adapt it....

Brian: 'Think for yourselves!'
Crowd [all]: 'Yes, think for ourselves'

Edited by andy_s on Saturday 23 July 16:03

[Got4wheels]

I'm starting an English and History degree in September and I've started on my reading list for my first semester. I've got a nice mix from Victorian to present day literature:

Charles Dickens - Great Expectations
JD Salinger - Catcher in the Rye
Charlotte Bronte - Jayne Eyre
Robert Louis Stevenson - Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
HG Wells - The Time Machine
Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden
EM Forster - Passage to India
Susan Hill - The Woman in Black
Toni Morrison - Beloved
Cormac McCarthy - The Road
Sally Rooney - Normal People

I've started with Great Expectations and compared to some Victorian literature I'm enjoying it. It slow, but it isn't 300 pages of not a lot happening.

Michael

[MC Bodge]

Got4wheels said:

I've started with Great Expectations

Maybe lower them a little?

[coppice]

Sally Rooney is degree course material ? Well I never .

[MC Bodge]

coppice said:

Sally Rooney is degree course material ? Well I never .

I thought similar. I haven't read any, but my wife read the one that was on TV (well before the series was shown) a couple of years ago and didn't like it very much.

[Got4wheels]

coppice said:

Sally Rooney is degree course material ? Well I never .

The course covers work from the Victorian Era to today, so there's inevitably an eclectic mix. I've no idea if she's any good as I've seen both positive and negative reviews for her books.

Michael

[sparkythecat]

CopperBolt said:

Wading through A Time to Kill, John Grisham. Dont usually do "brick" novels but for some reason started this. 450 pages in and wondering why I bothered. Only 400 to go. At about 20 pages a night before I drop off through sheer boredom makes it about 5 weeks before I finish it.

I’ve just finished this.
Not much of a story, was it?

[heisthegaffer]

Just started Mr Pike (of Ibiza fame).

Good so far.

[epom]

Something nice and light for holiday reading.

[biggbn]

MC Bodge said:

Got4wheels said:

I've started with Great Expectations

Maybe lower them a little?

Kudos.

[Skyedriver]

andy_s said:

Just finished Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary. I read The Martian some time before the film and enjoyed it immensely, but sort of skipped Artemis as I thought 'well, more of the same, meh', but picked up Hail Mary for a long flight as I wanted something light but interesting/humorous. It was great, in the same way The Martian is great and if you enjoyed that you'll probably enjoy Hail Mary unless you've ODed on Weir's stuff maybe. It is very 'samey' in that it deals with problems and solutions, but it works here well and introduces a few other aspects too that keeps interest up.

Anyway, rec'd Sci-Fi for sure, with some suspension of disbelief required but never enough to spoil what is a great story.

I'll probably pick up Artemis for the flight home.

Started The Martian a couple of days ago, entertaining and humorous so far, the plot totally not what I expected.

[Skyedriver]

Tony Benn's Diaries - can't say I understand it all, especially as there are abbreviations etc and in the early days name people I don't really remember but none the less, a fascinating read, his thoughts and comments on the various political figures, policies, governments and countries since the 1940's to 2001, albeit his thoughts from a Socialist point of view. I wouldn't say I agree with all of his philosophies and ideas but can see the reasons behind them. He does change opinions of people and policies over the years too - typical politician.

[coppice]

No , typical grown up I'd say. Conviction politicians are the ones who cling to the wreckage of failed policies , insisting they were right. But enough of Corbyn already ... Benn was a lovely man , but thank God he never wielded real power . I saw him give talk a few years ago when promoting the book - a great speaker , one of those people with whom you agree with every word during the speech but come to your senses later .

I heard his diaries on Radio 4 , and on a long drive home from Scotland I confess I had to pull into a lay by to wipe away my tears -his description of losing his wife was unbearably moving

[MC Bodge]

I once went to a talk given by Michael Foot, when he was very old. Very interesting it was.

[thismonkeyhere]

MC Bodge said:

I once went to a talk given by Michael Foot, when he was very old. Very interesting it was.

I once went to a lunch party at the home of a life peer (I was getting to know his daughter), and I was sat next to Roy Jenkins. All I really remember is his flatulence. What that says about me I'm not sure. Nothing very positive.....

Anyway, I've heard RJ's his books are quite good so I should probably read some.

[droopsnoot]

I've just finished "The Devil's Alternative" by Frederick Forsyth. A grain famine in Russia leads to tensions as a source inside the Politburo reveals that they are planning to take sufficient stocks from neighbouring countries. A good book, I usually enjoy FF books, but older than I realised.

[miniman]

Got4wheels said:

JD Salinger - Catcher in the Rye

A-Level English Literature students class Holden Caulfield as the perfect symbol of teenage rebellion and angst. A member of The Breakfast Club a century ahead of his time. The epitome of pubescent hopes and desires.

Just a few short years into adulthood, we realise that he is, in fact, a .

[KaraK]

MC Bodge said:

andy_s said:

Prolex-UK said:

andy_s said:

Prolex-UK said:

The dark hours

Latest balard bosch novel

Just started and very impressef

^ But this first!

Just finished it.

Very good indeed

Set in pandemic so we have covid stuff.. Aftermath of george floyd demos BLM and the jan 6th white house storming going on in the background

Roger that...

Kept it for a 36hr schlep and just finished it - definitely up to snuff, so 5/5, but finished already - I can't believe I'm now back to itching for the 'next one'!

I got around to reading it this week.

It started well and I wanted to keep reading it late.

Is there a bit more (fair) social commentary in the recent books than the earlier ones or is just because they are very well-known current happenings? (yes, I know there were references to Rodney King etc. in the past).

Without any spoilers, I felt that it went a bit silly towards the end (as some of the Bosch books do). Ballard's behaviour ridiculous at times.

It was an easy read and much shorter than the books I often read.

I would like to visit LA and some of the settings of the books.

I thought it was enjoyable - not Connolly's best but even his "average" works are still better than most of the hacks writing in the genre.

The next Ballard/Bosch book is due out in November (Desert Star)