This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

IvyTheTerrible

SarahBM wrote: »

I read The Last of the Mohicans a few years ago. I love the film so I really was looking forward to reading it, but like you I just got very bogged down in it and I didn't enjoy it at all. One of the few cases I think where I thought the film was better than the book.
As for Game of Thrones - the sheer size of the books puts me off. At the moment for some reason I am struggling to read at all. I've lost my "mojo" :eek:

I also got bogged down in The Last of the Mohicans! I really wanted to read it because the film is one of my favourites. I also think the film is better. Aparently it was based much more on the 1936 film than the original novel.

Dial Hard

Two more weeks to the end of the academic year and being able to read for pleasure again!

I did, however, sneak a re-read of Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things in there last week after my final assignment went in...

First up for post-exam reading is Stephen King's Gerald's Game. Spotted it on my boyfriend's bookshelf a few weeks ago and got terribly excited as it's one of the very few King's I haven't read yet.

fistfights

Dial Hard wrote: »

First up for post-exam reading is Stephen King's Gerald's Game. Spotted it on my boyfriend's bookshelf a few weeks ago and got terribly excited as it's one of the very few King's I haven't read yet.

Just my opinion but 'Gerald's Game' is probably one of King's creepiest novels!


I'm reading 'Sister Queens: The Noble, Tragic lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile' by Julia Fox (jesus, that title is a mouthful) and 'Don't Mention the Wars' by Tony Connelly.

I've read 33 books so far this year but I just can't get into anything the past week or so. I think I'll need to give up on non-fiction for a while.

Callan57

I about 50% into Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann and enjoying it a lot

Wyldwood

Picked up Lars Kepler's The Hypnotist in the library based on the glowing recommendations here and really enjoyed it. It's a very intense thriller and, in spite of several holes in the plot, is probably one of the best Scandinavian detective books I've read. Thank you to those who recommended it. This thread is great for recommendations.

Now for something lighter, maybe The Silkworm as I liked The Cuckoo's Calling.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I read Translations by Brian Friel today. Very short play. It's set in the 1830's in Irish speaking Donegal. The English are mapping the area and are changing all the place names to English ones and are being met with a little bit of resistance from some locals. I know plays are limited by their nature to how much action can actually happen but this one hints at such a great story. It would be really great to have it fleshed out more in film, maybe, or even a novel.

crustybla

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. I'm enjoying it as an easy enough read.

SarahBM

crustybla wrote: »

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. I'm enjoying it as an easy enough read.

My housemate raves about this book. If we are ever having a conversation about books, she always mentions this one. Look forward to hearing what you think.

I am not liking the Book of Evidence at all. I will finish it because I want to know how it ends but it is not an enjoyable read. I need to read something I like next, because I haven't liked the last few books I have read and I am getting annoyed!

Aenaes

I finished A Feast For Crows. The next book in the series, A Dance With Dragons takes place at the same time with characters split into different books. Which means I'll have to read A Dance With Dragons before I can start watching the current season of Game of Thrones. Slightly annoying approach to splitting the novels plus it meant re-visiting annoying characters sooner because there's less characters overall.


Anyway, now I'm reading Berlin: The Downfall 1945 by Antony Beevor. I really enjoyed Stalingrad by him so I'm hoping for the same amount of knowledge and detail. I'm heading there in May so I'm hopefully I can pick out some locations/landmarks.

IvyTheTerrible

Aenaes wrote: »

I finished A Feast For Crows. The next book in the series, A Dance With Dragons takes place at the same time with characters split into different books. Which means I'll have to read A Dance With Dragons before I can start watching the current season of Game of Thrones. Slightly annoying approach to splitting the novels plus it meant re-visiting annoying characters sooner because there's less characters overall.


Anyway, now I'm reading Berlin: The Downfall 1945 by Antony Beevor. I really enjoyed Stalingrad by him so I'm hoping for the same amount of knowledge and detail. I'm heading there in May so I'm hopefully I can pick out some locations/landmarks.

Here is a suggested reading order for the those two books in the series: http://boiledleather.com/post/25902554148/a-new-reader-friendly-combined-reading-order-for-a

Aenaes

Yeah, I saw that. I've read A Feast For Crows now though and don't fancy going back to it. It's alot slower paced than the previous books.

I'll pick up A Dance With Dragons near the end of May.

Callan57

Finished Tigers In Red Weather - very absorbing read.

Now I'm going to go with the much talked about The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins

Busi_Girl08

I'm nearing the end of Kafka on the Shore at the minute. It's been...quite the journey.

Aenaes

Busi_Girl08 wrote: »

I'm nearing the end of Kafka on the Shore at the minute. It's been...quite the journey.

Kafkaesque?

eire4

Finished a re read of Morgan Llywelyn's Finn Mac Cool.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Just finished reading The Bloodied Field by Michael Foley. A thorough account of events leading up to and surrounding Bloody Sunday (1920)

It sheds a lot of light on the state of Ireland at the time, the complete lack of interest the British government actually took in governing us, events that led to the introduction of the Black and Tans and the Auxiliaries. It also tells the stories of the people who were killed that day. Michael Hogan obviously gets a lot of the attention on that front but it also delves into the lives of all the other victims of that day, something that you don't really hear about when people discuss the event.

What is especially good about it is that it just sets out to present the facts. So much research must have gone into this book. There are extracts from diaries, parliamentary meetings, GAA county board meetings, witness statements, official military accounts of events and lots more. You can come to your own conclusions at the end of it.

Callan57

Finished The Girl on the Train - enjoyed it a lot

Next is Hanging with the Elephant byMichael Harding

minnow

Just finished Slaughterhouse Five, really enjoyed it and completely different to what I had expected.

I have heard it compared with Catch 22 in terms of an anti-war message, that is the only similarity. Catch 22 is a superior read IMO, definitely funnier.

SarahBM

I gave up on the Book of Evidence. I just couldn't continue with it. I hated it.
I have Wonder in my handbag, but to be honest I don't quite feel like reading anything at the moment

kirk buttercup

Going on holidays next month any suggestions for a good holiday read ( young kids will be taking most of the time up so something light that can be read for an hour at night)?

eire4

Finiahed a re read of Morgan Llywelyn's Pride of Lions. Focused on the life of Brian Boru's son Donough Mac Brien in the years after the Battle of Clontarf.

SarahBM

I finished reading Wonder this morning. It's a wonderful book, excuse the pun. I'd highly recommend it.
I forgot to bring another book home with me for the wknd so I borrowed Child 44 from a friend. Looking forward to it.

Swiper the fox

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Just finished reading The Bloodied Field by Michael Foley. A thorough account of events leading up to and surrounding Bloody Sunday (1920)

It sheds a lot of light on the state of Ireland at the time, the complete lack of interest the British government actually took in governing us, events that led to the introduction of the Black and Tans and the Auxiliaries. It also tells the stories of the people who were killed that day. Michael Hogan obviously gets a lot of the attention on that front but it also delves into the lives of all the other victims of that day, something that you don't really hear about when people discuss the event.

What is especially good about it is that it just sets out to present the facts. So much research must have gone into this book. There are extracts from diaries, parliamentary meetings, GAA county board meetings, witness statements, official military accounts of events and lots more. You can come to your own conclusions at the end of it.

I really looked forward to this as it combined two of my enduring passions, Irish history and the GAA. I have to admit that I found most of it boring and the bits I liked were probably fictitious accounts of events that were unlikely to have been recounted by anyone in the detail Foley goes into. In saying all that I learned quite a bit about Bloody Sunday that I hadn't known beforehand.
I think the authors other book Kings of September is one of the finest and best researched books I've ever read.
Right now I'm rereading Friday Night lights, one of the best sports books ever IMO

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Swiper the fox wrote: »

I really looked forward to this as it combined two of my enduring passions, Irish history and the GAA. I have to admit that I found most of it boring and the bits I liked were probably fictitious accounts of events that were unlikely to have been recounted by anyone in the detail Foley goes into. In saying all that I learned quite a bit about Bloody Sunday that I hadn't known beforehand.
I think the authors other book Kings of September is one of the finest and best researched books I've ever read.
Right now I'm rereading Friday Night lights, one of the best sports books ever IMO

I found the very detailed accounts of the football leading up to the match quite boring. I suppose he had to create some context for the match but it felt at times like he was just trying to get the word count up.

Overall though I think the book fills in a lot of gaps in knowledge about that day and that's no bad thing.

Mr.Nice Guy

I've been reading At Swim-Two Birds by Flann O'Brien but I may have to quit it as I'm finding it tough to get through. I liked the early parts and in particular the interactions involving the uncle, but it becomes difficult to follow as it continues. Well, for me at least.

Part of the problem might be that I've a few other books to get through so I probably needed something lighter than this.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

I've been reading At Swim-Two Birds by Flann O'Brien but I may have to quit it as I'm finding it tough to get through. I liked the early parts and in particular the interactions involving the uncle, but it becomes difficult to follow as it continues. Well, for me at least.

Part of the problem might be that I've a few other books to get through so I probably needed something lighter than this.

I started reading this a few years back but couldn't follow it at all. Gave up after about 20 pages.

Hrududu

I finally finished The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, which I've been picking at for ages. For the most part it was enjoyable, but the problem with stories that have 'time travel' is that for the most part when you think them through they unravel a bit. I had a problem with the ending

It seems ridiculous that he would send Vincent a letter telling him everything before he died. Firstly he has no proof that Vincent told him the truth about his real name or origin. And secondly Vincent has previous with getting older people born before him to do his dirty work. With all the information Harry gives Vincent at the end he has all he needs to have someone older go back and kill Harry before he's born. It just made no sense that he would show his hand in that way.

Callan57

Over the weekend I read The Zone of Interest by Martin Amis - difficult but absorbing read.

This morning I started The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop

eire4

Finished a re read of Morgan Llywelyn's Pride of Lions which is the sequal to Lion of Ireland and is focused on Brian Boru's son Donough.

Aenaes

eire4 wrote: »

Finiahed a re read of Morgan Llywelyn's Pride of Lions. Focused on the life of Brian Boru's son Donough Mac Brien in the years after the Battle of Clontarf.

eire4 wrote: »

Finished a re read of Morgan Llywelyn's Pride of Lions which is the sequal to Lion of Ireland and is focused on Brian Boru's son Donough.

I'm not trying to be smart here but did you do a re-read of a re-read with only a few days in between?

I have the book in the to-read pile. Looking forward to tackling it eventually.

mejulie805

Reading Two Brothers by Ben Elton. I like his style and it flows well but not sure about it!

eire4

Aenaes wrote: »

I'm not trying to be smart here but did you do a re-read of a re-read with only a few days in between?

I have the book in the to-read pile. Looking forward to tackling it eventually.

Haha good spot. No I just didn't realise I had already posted reading Pride of Lions again. Hope you enjoy the book when you get around to it. I know I certainly did although not enough to read it twice in a week:)

Fathom

Darkest Evening of the Year, Dean Koontz.

Callan57

The Temporary Gentleman by Sebastian Barry

Aenaes

I finished Berlin: The Downfall 1945 by Antony Beevor. It's well researched and tells the story well, as to be expected by Beevor it seems. I'll have to check out his other works in the future.

I started The Bridges Of Madison County by Robert James Waller. About 50 pages in (which is about a third) and it's gripped me.

Esterhase

I haven't had nearly as much time for reading as I'd like over the last few weeks, but I got through 25% of Gregory's 'The Other Boleyn Girl' on a long bus trip this morning. It's a trashy read with flat characters, but easy for my 6am brain to cope with. I'll finish it off over the weekend and then I can move on to Dark Eden by Chris Beckett, which I picked up on a Kindle deal the other day.

Aenaes

I finished The Bridges Of Madison County. A nice, simple story but I didn't like when some of the descriptions turned ethereal.

Now I'm reading The Rebel Outlaw: Josey Wales by Forrest Carter.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I'm reading Shame and the Captives by Thomas Keneally. It's about the POW camps in Australia during WW2 and based around a real life break out of Japanese prisoners from a camp near a small NSW town. There's also an Italian prisoner working on a local farm who is having an affair with the wife of an Australian soldier who has been a POW in Europe for that last 3 years.

It sounds interesting but it's actually quite boring.

Belle E. Flops

Finished 'The remains of the Day' by Kazuo Ishiguro. Nothing exciting happens but it is a really lovely story. Throughout it I wanted to shake the main character while at the same time feeling really sorry for him. Really enjoyed it.

Read Neil Gaiman's short story 'The Sleeper and the Spindle'. Surprisingly, i didn't think it was great and I'm a big fan of his.

I've just started 'Anne of Green Gables' and really enjoying it so far. It's been on my to read list with ages.

ivytwine

On Tickle Me Elmo's recommendation, I finished The Girls At the Kingfisher Club the other day. Hugely enjoyable.

Ice Storm

I'm reading Far from the Madding Crowd.

I was interested in seeing the film but I wanted to read the book first. More often than not, I end up being critical of the film when I've read the book but I enjoy being a critic nonetheless!

Anyway, the book is turning out to be quite the slog! I'm finding it very dull and it's taking me much longer to read than I anticipated. I've started skimming through it at this stage just to finish it.

I previously read Tess of the d'Urbervilles and while it's not the most uplifting story (to say the least!) I enjoyed reading it so this is a bit of a disappointment.

Callan57

Skipping my way through The Blue Beadspread by Raj Kamal Jha

pavb2

I've started the Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco I hope it picks up as it's quite slow moving at the moment.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Ice Storm wrote: »

I'm reading Far from the Madding Crowd.

I was interested in seeing the film but I wanted to read the book first. More often than not, I end up being critical of the film when I've read the book but I enjoy being a critic nonetheless!

Anyway, the book is turning out to be quite the slog! I'm finding it very dull and it's taking me much longer to read than I anticipated. I've started skimming through it at this stage just to finish it.

I previously read Tess of the d'Urbervilles and while it's not the most uplifting story (to say the least!) I enjoyed reading it so this is a bit of a disappointment.

I loved Far From The Madding Crowd. I'd go so far as to say it's one of my all time faves.

OakeyDokey

I finished Rebel Bell and the sequel to it Miss Mayhem by Rachel Hawkins. Rebel Belle was great but I was let down by Miss Mayhem. I also finished Eric (9th Discworld book) by Terry Pratchett. I'm really enjoying the series.

Leocolceathrar

Imperial Reckoning by Caroline Elkins.

Horrifying account of Britain´s gulag in Kenya.

ivytwine

pavb2 wrote: »

I've started the Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco I hope it picks up as it's quite slow moving at the moment.

That's a toughie. I found it a slog at times but the payoff was worth it.

eire4

Finished a re read of Morgan Llywelyn's 1916 her look at the Easter Rising.

Callan57

The Fires of Autumn by Iréne Némirovsky

Ice Storm

ivytwine wrote: »

That's a toughie. I found it a slog at times but the payoff was worth it.

It took me two attempts to read The Name of the Rose. The first time, I stopped reading at the unnecessarily long description of the church and didn't pick it up again. That was a library book and I had to return it unfinished.

A few years ago I got it on the kindle and that time I read it from start to finish. It was definitely worth it.

I've struggled with every Eco book I've read tbh. Some were more worth it than others!