Books - What are you reading?
Discussion
Started reading "Lost Connections" by Johann Hari.
It's an easy enough book to read so far, very engaging and interesting. I bought it because I've got my own battle with depression and thought it would help with that. The first few chapters don't make comfortable reading if you're on medication, put it that way. But I would say, just as a topic for those who haven't been depressed or have mental illness, it's fascinating.
It's an easy enough book to read so far, very engaging and interesting. I bought it because I've got my own battle with depression and thought it would help with that. The first few chapters don't make comfortable reading if you're on medication, put it that way. But I would say, just as a topic for those who haven't been depressed or have mental illness, it's fascinating.
Levin said:
droopsnoot said:
I've just finished "Odessa Sea" by Clive Cussler. I enjoyed it, as I do with all his stuff (except the Isaac Bell series), but it annoyed me that a professional writer with all his proofreaders has his characters come to the UK and offer a £100 note to someone. He's not the only one who has done this - either Tom Clancy or Lee Child (who really should know better) also made the same mistake.
Are £100 notes not a thing in England? I have most definitely seen £100 notes from Danske Bank and Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland. They massive, and the first time I saw either I immediately assumed they were counterfeit.IanA2 said:
Levin said:
droopsnoot said:
I've just finished "Odessa Sea" by Clive Cussler. I enjoyed it, as I do with all his stuff (except the Isaac Bell series), but it annoyed me that a professional writer with all his proofreaders has his characters come to the UK and offer a £100 note to someone. He's not the only one who has done this - either Tom Clancy or Lee Child (who really should know better) also made the same mistake.
Are £100 notes not a thing in England? I have most definitely seen £100 notes from Danske Bank and Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland. They massive, and the first time I saw either I immediately assumed they were counterfeit.paulguitar said:
I am reading '1984' by George Orwell. It seems a good time, with the way things are going in the USA. I love it so far, the way history is simply erased and it is a 'post-truth' world is so believably done. It's genuinely possible to imagine some of it actually happening.
Perhaps another very relevant book is Sinclair Lewis's 'It Can't Happen Here'.https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Can%27t_Happen_...
peterg1955 said:
I am currently reading Frederick Forsyth's autobiography "The Outsider: My Life in Intrigue" and he has had a fascinating and at times very risky life.
As Reuters correspondent in East Berlin during the early 60s he almost started WW3 and gave the Stasi the run around...
I have learnt much more detail about Biafra (specifically the manipulation of the reporting of the situation by the British govt in the early days), I was only 12-13 when it was happening so not really that aware of the why and how of the events apart from remembering pictures of starving children on the TV and in the papers.
His view of working for the BBC and their relationship to the Labour govt was also quite revealing.
In all very recommended.
Thanks for the post on this - I've been a fan of his for years, and will add this to my list. As Reuters correspondent in East Berlin during the early 60s he almost started WW3 and gave the Stasi the run around...
I have learnt much more detail about Biafra (specifically the manipulation of the reporting of the situation by the British govt in the early days), I was only 12-13 when it was happening so not really that aware of the why and how of the events apart from remembering pictures of starving children on the TV and in the papers.
His view of working for the BBC and their relationship to the Labour govt was also quite revealing.
In all very recommended.
Prolex-UK said:
The Border by Don Winslow.
Last in a triology about the drug cartels in Mexico.
Bang up to date with a dodgy POTUS as well.
Cracking read.
Authors other books are worth looking out for as well
His The Force book was one of my favourite reads from last year. Brilliant writer. Last in a triology about the drug cartels in Mexico.
Bang up to date with a dodgy POTUS as well.
Cracking read.
Authors other books are worth looking out for as well
RC1807 said:
As I've read everything he's published, I thought I'd catch up on the latest...
Halfway through, intriguing. Keeping my interest.
If you like JLB as an author, and Robicheaux as a character, chances are you've already read it!
Not sure that I’ve read that one, but I’ve read quite a few of James Lee Burke’s books, one I particularly remember is, “In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead.”Halfway through, intriguing. Keeping my interest.
If you like JLB as an author, and Robicheaux as a character, chances are you've already read it!
I like the repartée between Detective Dave Robicheaux, and his sidekick, Clete Purcell in the books.
I’ve just finished “Faithless” by Karin Slaughter, a native Georgian who writes knowledgeable fiction about Georgia Law Enforcement, (Georgia U.S.).
I’m about to start “Palm Beach Finland” by Antii Tuomainen, I’m intrigued by the incongruous title, Palm Beach suggests hot, Finland is synonymous with cold.
Some good ones!
Bit of a diversion. 'Brummie' Stokes, like Tom Crean, is a little known character of exploration, here's a few comments from his obit a few years ago:
"John "Brummie" Stokes, who has died aged 70, was an SAS mountain expert and part of a 28-man Army team which ascended Everest in 1976; despite losing all his toes to frostbite, he returned to tackle the summit a further three times."
"While in Dhofar he was shot in the leg, necessitating the removal of a kneecap, but overcame the injury well enough to be chosen for the Nuptse summit attempt three years later."
A dry humour in adversity and an interesting army career, a great read, up there with the classic from the old guys that I read years ago, 'Lofty' Large's "Soldier Against the Odds", another remarkable but understated and modest account of life in hard times, and a model for many still today.
Bit of a diversion. 'Brummie' Stokes, like Tom Crean, is a little known character of exploration, here's a few comments from his obit a few years ago:
"John "Brummie" Stokes, who has died aged 70, was an SAS mountain expert and part of a 28-man Army team which ascended Everest in 1976; despite losing all his toes to frostbite, he returned to tackle the summit a further three times."
"While in Dhofar he was shot in the leg, necessitating the removal of a kneecap, but overcame the injury well enough to be chosen for the Nuptse summit attempt three years later."
A dry humour in adversity and an interesting army career, a great read, up there with the classic from the old guys that I read years ago, 'Lofty' Large's "Soldier Against the Odds", another remarkable but understated and modest account of life in hard times, and a model for many still today.
droopsnoot said:
I've just finished "Odessa Sea" by Clive Cussler. I enjoyed it, as I do with all his stuff (except the Isaac Bell series), but it annoyed me that a professional writer with all his proofreaders has his characters come to the UK and offer a £100 note to someone. He's not the only one who has done this - either Tom Clancy or Lee Child (who really should know better) also made the same mistake.
Apart from that, though, a decent book if you like that kind of stuff.
saw Romanov ransom in Tesco and got it-pretty good so will catch up on the rest of the series-any other cusslers you can recommend?Apart from that, though, a decent book if you like that kind of stuff.
Pretty much all of them, though as I mentioned I personally don't like the Isaac Bell series just because of the time period they're set in. Some of the earliest books I recall reading are my Dad's copies of the earlier Dirk Pitt (senior, spoiler alert) books, Raise the Titanic, Mayday and so on. I resisted all the non-Pitt ones for ages, but then came across a selection somewhere and gave them a go.
I've just read "The Chemistry of Death" by Simon Beckett. A good read about a forensic pathologist who's fed up of that life so goes to be a GP in a small village, and things happen. The only thing that annoys me is that he uses a similar writing "thing" quite a few times, where he'll say something like "I felt as if everything was going to be great from this day on" and then follow it with "If only I'd known". Almost as if he thinks the plot is getting a bit slow and he wants to remind the reader to keep going, which is a pity because the plot was doing fine.
Finished Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sleep?, enjoyed it.
Jumping back to William Gibson now, I did the main Sprawl trilogy so I'm starting Burning Chrome which is the 'fourth' book to to the trilogy, consisting of 10 short stories. I can't get enough of that universe.
I'm quite eager to read Dune next, now that hype is building for the upcoming new film adaptation
Jumping back to William Gibson now, I did the main Sprawl trilogy so I'm starting Burning Chrome which is the 'fourth' book to to the trilogy, consisting of 10 short stories. I can't get enough of that universe.
I'm quite eager to read Dune next, now that hype is building for the upcoming new film adaptation
A couple of good books in the last month.
among them, first:
Now I’ve enjoyed a couple of Murakami, including most notably 1Q84 - which I found was really enjoyable.
So, the pace, the language and the perspective were all quite familiar and most welcome in “Killing Commendatore”.
But, being honest, overall it was quite a lacking experience. It wasn’t until afterwards that I caught up with any reviews. But I could agree with others who were disappointed. 4/10
If you like Murakami you’ll probably like it. But if you are new - don’t start here.
Anyway I moved on, and have just finished:
This is my first foray into the books, having fully enjoyed Douglas Henshall, Mark Bonnar et al in the excellent Telly experience over the last few years.
Well, if you like “Shetland” then this book is just great. Various things were changed to make the TV, but this doesn’t detract from a good storyline and well written narrative. Jimmy Perez is a bit more shoddy, Sandy a bit more of a simpleton and you get to imagine some different perspectives, and I found the whole thing totally enjoyable. 8/10
among them, first:
Now I’ve enjoyed a couple of Murakami, including most notably 1Q84 - which I found was really enjoyable.
So, the pace, the language and the perspective were all quite familiar and most welcome in “Killing Commendatore”.
But, being honest, overall it was quite a lacking experience. It wasn’t until afterwards that I caught up with any reviews. But I could agree with others who were disappointed. 4/10
If you like Murakami you’ll probably like it. But if you are new - don’t start here.
Anyway I moved on, and have just finished:
This is my first foray into the books, having fully enjoyed Douglas Henshall, Mark Bonnar et al in the excellent Telly experience over the last few years.
Well, if you like “Shetland” then this book is just great. Various things were changed to make the TV, but this doesn’t detract from a good storyline and well written narrative. Jimmy Perez is a bit more shoddy, Sandy a bit more of a simpleton and you get to imagine some different perspectives, and I found the whole thing totally enjoyable. 8/10
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