Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
Having never been a sci-fi fan, Jeff Vandemeer's Annihilation (southern reach) trilogy were a nice surprise. Really intriguing and pleasantly odd, if a little waffly.
Half way through his Borne book now, which feels like a plot my 9 year old could have come up with, but it's all written so well that I'm really liking it.
My normal fodder is non fiction. Has anyone else read Fordlandia by Greg Grandin? It's all about ford's rubber plant in the amazon where they tried to recreate small town America in the rainforest. Its great!
Half way through his Borne book now, which feels like a plot my 9 year old could have come up with, but it's all written so well that I'm really liking it.
My normal fodder is non fiction. Has anyone else read Fordlandia by Greg Grandin? It's all about ford's rubber plant in the amazon where they tried to recreate small town America in the rainforest. Its great!
Just finished 'To Have and Have Not' by Hemingway
The first chapter was like watching the film, right down the exact dialog in many cases.
So much so that I could hear Humphrey Bogart and Walter Brennan's voices in my head as I read it. And then the film and the book parted company substantially.
Both (film and book) are great in their own way.
A lovely modern high quality hardback Folio edition from 1999 that felt as though it had never been opened.
The first chapter was like watching the film, right down the exact dialog in many cases.
So much so that I could hear Humphrey Bogart and Walter Brennan's voices in my head as I read it. And then the film and the book parted company substantially.
Both (film and book) are great in their own way.
A lovely modern high quality hardback Folio edition from 1999 that felt as though it had never been opened.
Just finished this: and - having long had a bit of an affinity for trees and woods, woodworking, strolling in forests etc - I loved it.
Writing is clear yet poetic; a proper wide-ranging miscellany, yes, but coherently-presented, and nicely argued in places. Overall effect - very soothing.
Several other quite different tomes on the go currently...
Writing is clear yet poetic; a proper wide-ranging miscellany, yes, but coherently-presented, and nicely argued in places. Overall effect - very soothing.
Several other quite different tomes on the go currently...
I just started re-reading Dick Francis books and up to around his 10th. Easy reads and reasonable plots but boy have the attitudes and language dated - particularly Smokescreen, based in South Africa. It's interesting how many of his plot twists and turns could have been resolved instantly using a mobile phone these days.
Tony Angelino said:
unrepentant said:
Scabutz said:
mattyn1 said:
On recommendation, I am just about to start this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soldier-Spy-Tom-Marcus/dp...
Anyone read it?
I'm half way through this. fking amazing.https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soldier-Spy-Tom-Marcus/dp...
Anyone read it?
Fastchas said:
Tony Angelino said:
unrepentant said:
Scabutz said:
mattyn1 said:
On recommendation, I am just about to start this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soldier-Spy-Tom-Marcus/dp...
Anyone read it?
I'm half way through this. fking amazing.https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soldier-Spy-Tom-Marcus/dp...
Anyone read it?
Scabutz said:
Think a lot of that was because MI5 redacted it. He has a follow up book out this year that took ages to get mi5 to clear. That goes into more details apparently.
Frankly I got bored of him constantly reminding us of how ordinary people could not do what he does - he came across a bit "Super Army Soldier".Sections where he was mentally judging people as inferior to him as they went about their every day life made him come across as a right pr*ck.
(I would never say it to his face mind )
Bit late finding it as it was written years ago but just finished two brothers by Ben Elton, story of Jews in Germany from after ww1 through ww2. Fascinating glimpse into what it was like as the country imploded.
Incredible book and I think it should be studied in school, brought a tear to my eye when I finished it. Can't recommend it highly enough.
Incredible book and I think it should be studied in school, brought a tear to my eye when I finished it. Can't recommend it highly enough.
Max Hastings Vietnam - a huge book, meticulously researched and forensic in its detail. Am left stunned by it - conflict stuff isn't my thing at all (I'd rather read (even) Delia Smith than some macho SAS effort ) but as I grew up with the Vietnam war on TV I wanted a dispassionate account. Nobody comes out of this well , and there must be another 'special place in hell' reserved for Kissinger , where he can be reunited with Nixon .
A masterpiece , harrowing and almost un- putdownable- all 800 pages ...
A masterpiece , harrowing and almost un- putdownable- all 800 pages ...
coppice said:
Max Hastings Vietnam - a huge book, meticulously researched and forensic in its detail. Am left stunned by it - conflict stuff isn't my thing at all (I'd rather read (even) Delia Smith than some macho SAS effort ) but as I grew up with the Vietnam war on TV I wanted a dispassionate account. Nobody comes out of this well , and there must be another 'special place in hell' reserved for Kissinger , where he can be reunited with Nixon .
A masterpiece , harrowing and almost un- putdownable- all 800 pages ...
On my bookshelf and in the 'to read' list.A masterpiece , harrowing and almost un- putdownable- all 800 pages ...
If you found the historical subject interesting;
'The Vietnam War' documentary by Ken Burns & Lynn Novick is an hours long and highly detailed account.
To the extent that it exposes Kissinger and Nixon for the monsters that they were in that episode of history.
Kissinger was much worse than that of course: 'The Trial of Henry Kissinger' by Christopher Hitchens.
It should keep people awake at night knowing what these bds got away with. They really cannot be the only ones.
Junior Bianno said:
Goaty Bill 2 said:
'The Idiot' By Dostoevsky
Translation by Eva M. Martin
One from my collection of Heron books 'The Greatest Masterpieces of Russian Literature' series.
Oooh - I've got those. I think you may have read more of them than I have though Translation by Eva M. Martin
One from my collection of Heron books 'The Greatest Masterpieces of Russian Literature' series.
https://www.hcbooksonline.com/product-category/her...
I do know Folio are Heron of the same quality?
Thanks.
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