This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

eire4

Finished a re read of John Connolly's The Black Angel. His best book to date for me.

SarahBM

Finished Life of Pi - hated it. Cant see what all the hype with it was about

Started Rebecca last night. only on Chapter 3 but I already love the style of writing. Cant wait to get stuck in.
Thats what bank holidays are for, right?!?!?

Callan57

SarahBM wrote: »

Finished Life of Pi - hated it. Cant see what all the hype with it was about

Started Rebecca last night. only on Chapter 3 but I already love the style of writing. Cant wait to get stuck in.
Thats what bank holidays are for, right?!?!?

I'm in agreement with you on both books

Wyldwood

Oh no, I just started Life of Pi, hope it won't be a bad start to my reading New Year!

I love Du Maurier's style of writing, must give Rebecca & My Cousin Rachel another go.

SarahBM

Wyldwood wrote: »

Oh no, I just started Life of Pi, hope it won't be a bad start to my reading New Year!

I love Du Maurier's style of writing, must give Rebecca & My Cousin Rachel another go.

well my friend just finished it and she loved it, and I know a good few people who thought it was great, so dont let my opinion put you off.

skeleton_boy

Finished The Stone Cold Truth, now onto The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest

Callan57

Just started my first read of 2013 & it's The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Say it Aint So

Tortilla Flat - John Steinbeck

IvyTheTerrible

John Dies at the End by David Wong.

Monkeybonkers

The Governor: The life and times of the man who ran Mountjoy by John Lonergan

Quality

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt

have downloaded all the shortlisted man bookers for the last ten years and am gonna go through them, throughout the year.

wilkie2006

Quality wrote: »

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt

have downloaded all the shortlisted man bookers for the last ten years and am gonna go through them, throughout the year.

I really enjoyed TSB - thought it was an excellent read.

Quality

Yep half way through, Nicely paced.

baconsarnie

Quality wrote: »

Yep half way through, Nicely paced.

Really enjoyed the Sisters Brothers as well.

Just finished "Fortress of Solitude" by Johnathan Lethem & started "Nine Nights" by Bernardo Carvalho.

Really enjoying the latter already.

AnnyHallsal

Gravity's Rainbow

baconsarnie

AnnyHallsal wrote: »

Gravity's Rainbow

Be interested to see what you make of it Anny

I read it in 2011. Some of the passages are hilarious and most of it is fantastically written. If you accept that there is no real narrative arc and enjoy the language and the sheer scope of it, it can be fantastic.

Granted, after 600+ pages the intensity does wear off a bit. It's one of those books I'm glad I've read, but certainly wouldn't recommend to anyone!

AnnyHallsal

baconsarnie wrote: »

Be interested to see what you make of it Anny

I read it in 2011. Some of the passages are hilarious and most of it is fantastically written. If you accept that there is no real narrative arc and enjoy the language and the sheer scope of it, it can be fantastic.

Granted, after 600+ pages the intensity does wear off a bit. It's one of those books I'm glad I've read, but certainly wouldn't recommend to anyone!

Great to hear your take on it. I'm 60 pages in, enjoying the style. Felt completely disoriented for a while but feel like I'm beginning to get my bearings. I'll update you when I've a more informed opinion. I was underwhelmed by the last two books I read - The Art of Fielding and Germania - so hoping for more here.

baconsarnie

AnnyHallsal wrote: »

Great to hear your take on it. I'm 60 pages in, enjoying the style. Felt completely disoriented for a while but feel like I'm beginning to get my bearings. I'll update you when I've a more informed opinion. I was underwhelmed by the last two books I read - The Art of Fielding and Germania - so hoping for more here.

I think disorientation is the most common effect from reading it. In fact, I'd say I had less of a handle on "it" as the book progressed- but was more comfortable in being lost. If that makes any sense. (none, i suspect)

I loved the Art of Fielding I have to say, I've recommended that to a lot of people. Granted, I was lucky enought to read it before I had heard any hype so my expectations of it were pretty low.

Germania- I agree. It's not a bad book, but a it pales in comparison with a book that really delivers an insight into a country like, Graham Robb's "The discovery of France"

AnnyHallsal

baconsarnie wrote: »

I think disorientation is the most common effect from reading it. In fact, I'd say I had less of a handle on "it" as the book progressed- but was more comfortable in being lost. If that makes any sense. (none, i suspect)

I loved the Art of Fielding I have to say, I've recommended that to a lot of people. Granted, I was lucky enought to read it before I had heard any hype so my expectations of it were pretty low.

Germania- I agree. It's not a bad book, but a it pales in comparison with a book that really delivers an insight into a country like, Graham Robb's "The discovery of France"

How interesting that you've read those too!

I know everyone else loved The Art of Fielding. I'm not sure why it didn't really engage me. I think the hype did set my expectations rather high and the story seemed a little gentle.

Germania I've been comparing unfavourably to Stuart Maconie's tour of Northern England, Pies & Prejudice, which I absolutely loved.

baconsarnie

AnnyHallsal wrote: »

Germania I've been comparing unfavourably to Stuart Maconie's tour of Northern England, Pies & Prejudice, which I absolutely loved.

I have Maconie's book on my ever-expanding list of "to be read in the near future". I'm a big fan of his on BBC radio 6- either his Sunday "Freak Zone" show or his daily show with Mark Radcliffe.

AnnyHallsal

baconsarnie wrote: »

I have Maconie's book on my ever-expanding list of "to be read in the near future". I'm a big fan of his on BBC radio 6- either his Sunday "Freak Zone" show or his daily show with Mark Radcliffe.

I adored it, packed full of the kind of fascinating little details I felt were lacking in Germania.

baconsarnie

AnnyHallsal wrote: »

I adored it, packed full of the kind of fascinating little details I felt were lacking in Germania.

I'll move it up my virtual list so. It will have to wait until I've worked my way through my xmas acquisitions.

a0ifee

I've started reading Les Misérables! I can see why it's called the brick - I've only got in ten pages so far. But I really like the writing style, so it's worth the length.

arienlass

A Street cat named Bob by James Bowen, brilliant true story about how a street musician who is also a recovering addict comes across a street cat called Bob and how they helped each other along the way.

Tom Joad

a0ifee wrote: »

I've started reading Les Misérables! I can see why it's called the brick - I've only got in ten pages so far. But I really like the writing style, so it's worth the length.

Read this recently for the first time and loved it - its definitely one of my favourite books of all time. It's long but stick with it - you're in for a treat..

highlydebased

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Was there hype? Other than it was JK Rowling? I didn't see that much hype from reviewers about it once they'd actually read it.

I can see why- overall it reminded me of an episode of Eastenders (which I do not watch if I can help it)

Now reading May we be Forgiven- A.M Homes

Callan57

Finished The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafón .... great read.

Now next up .... To The End Of The Land by David Grossman

clairefontaine

Finished Cat and Mouse by James Patterson. First book I ever read where the chapters are 3 pages long and two hours into it find myself on chapter 162 or something along those lines. Good read for the plane or a busy day, can withstand a lot of interruptions and keeps you going. Nothing transcendent.

baconsarnie

Just started "The Optimist's Daughter" by Eudora Welty

IvyTheTerrible

baconsarnie wrote: »

Just started "The Optimist's Daughter" by Eudora Welty

Is it terrible that when I hear that name I think of enormous burps and Krusty the Clown!

baconsarnie

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

Is it terrible that when I hear that name I think of enormous burps and Krusty the Clown!

Coming Eudora!!

Tom Joad

Just started One hundred Years of Solitude by Marquez - can't believe I never got around to it before this..

Jimmy Iovine

I started reading 'Team of Rivals' recently. It's about Abraham Lincoln and how he managed to include the 3 other guys vying for the Republican nomination in his cabinet.

I've read about 80 pages and have nearly 700 more to go. It's a very good book so far though. A great insight into the life of one of the greatest men to have ever lived.

Necronomicon

Just finished 'The Day of the Triffids' by John Wyndham. This is a cracking bit of dystopian fiction that always seems to fly under the radars when people compile lists of the genre's elite.

I'm on a bit of a Sci-Fi kick so I'm going onto Asimov's 'Caves of Steel'. I've never actually read an Asimov book, I heard this was a good series to start on.

Avox

Read the "Beautiful Creatures" series over the past week, some very good light reading..

eire4

Finished a re read of John Connolly's short stories collection Nocturnes. Fun read with a supernatural theme to the stories.

jaxdasher

Just finished "Consider Phelbas" by Iain M. Banks. Quite action packed for a sci fi book but still has good depth. The universe it's set in is amazing. Fan of Firefly series will get abit of kick from this. Will continue on the next book.

Huzzah!

highlydebased wrote: »

I can see why- overall it reminded me of an episode of Eastenders (which I do not watch if I can help it)

Now reading May we be Forgiven- A.M Homes

This was my introduction to Homes, and I loved it. Interested to see how you find it.

baconsarnie

Just started "The Invisible Gorilla (and other ways our intution deceives us)" by Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons.

I knew my memory was suspect to say the least, but now....

[-0-]

I read The Hobbit once again over Christmas and I just started reading The Lord of the Rings 50th edition. It's a beautiful book, with some details on the printing history of LOTR which I found fascinating.



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618517650/

SarahBM

beautiful copy of the LOTR, I wouldnt want to take it out of the box, its so pretty!

I have to re-read the Hobbit again, its been too long.

Just finished Rebecca last night, I couldnt put it down! I love it. first book in a long time to hook me in like that. Going to see the play adaptation of My Cousin Rachel in the Gate on Friday and really looking forward to it. Going to get a few more Du Maurier books I think.

so now Im going to try and finish a patrica cornwell one I started ages ago but put down coz I got a bit bored. Must learn to finish things I start!

swapple

An Object of Beauty - Steve Martin. So far so good

clairefontaine

The Good Father by Noah Hawley. Beautiful and moving account in first person narrative of a man whose son is convicted of political assassination and sentenced to death. The narrator is a divorced man with a new family and sets out to clear is son from his first marriage's name while his son is in solitary waiting for lethal injection. It's heartbreaking and powerful. Definitely recommend.

wilkie2006

[-0-] wrote: »

I read The Hobbit once again over Christmas and I just started reading The Lord of the Rings 50th edition. It's a beautiful book, with some details on the printing history of LOTR which I found fascinating.



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618517650/

Oooooh, I like that a lot... well selected!!!

[-0-]

wilkie2006 wrote: »

Oooooh, I like that a lot... well selected!!!

It really is beautiful. I bought it last year and was afraid to open it too much! I decided while it is great to have, it is a damn shame to leave it on my shelf and never read it. It really enhances the reading too. I'm savouring it by only reading one chapter per day.

Callan57

Today I began The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

Meathlass

Just finished King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild - an account of the Belgian colonisation of the Congo and the human rights movement in the early 19th century which exposed widespread cruelty and slavery there as part of the rubber trade.

I know it doesn't sound it but it's a great book, expertly researched and the writing just flows along. Roger Casement has a large part to play in the story too so very interesting. It's certainly made me think again about small lil Belgium.

The_Gatsby

Just finished reading The Grapes of Wrath and thought it was brilliant. It took me a while to get my head around the colloquial language but the book is now one of my favourites.

I'm currently reading Tom Browns School Days. It's a great read, for me especially, as I grew up in England and certain aspects of it remind me of my childhood. Only 60 pages in but I already love it.

baconsarnie

Just started "The Sportswriter" by Richard Ford and the first 30 pages have flown past.

emeraldstar

Going between The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse and The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming.