This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

Swiper the fox

Just a few comments, I was hugely disappointed with The Fight when I read it, had such high hopes for it after reading ABOUT it for years, I actually struggled to finish, Mailers ego was so big that the book is mostly about him rather than the fight.
Also disappointed in the last few weeks with two books I read from recommendations here, The 100 year old man book is so-so at best, it has its moments but it could have been so much better, it's no Forrest Gump.
The wasp factory didn't appeal to me either, I've started on the Crow road and I'm enjoying that much more.
I bought the Colm Toibin and Donal Ryan books that were nominated for the Booker and will get around to them soon.

Jimmy Iovine

Swiper the fox wrote: »

Just a few comments, I was hugely disappointed with The Fight when I read it, had such high hopes for it after reading ABOUT it for years, I actually struggled to finish, Mailers ego was so big that the book is mostly about him rather than the fight.

I read the first two chapters yesterday. The first one was very good and gave a great insight into Ali and the events surrounding the postponement of the fight.

The second chapter is crazy. I've never read any of Mailer's other books so I'm not sure of his style, but I had to laugh at his use of the third person. I've never read a book or even an article by someone who uses the third person to describe themselves. I think it's fascinating. We were always told in college to write our thesis in the third person, but I had no idea really how to do it properly. I was never happy with how it turned out so I ditched it and wrote in the first person.

You are right though, he loves himself. The passage where he is describing how people introduced him when he arrived in the hotel before the fight is hilarious. His ego is sky-high.

Gonzovision

I've just finished the Cuckoos Calling, which I enjoyed. Didn't really have any preconceptions about it before I'd read it and hadn't read her previous novel. Just a good old detective story, nice and grounded.

Have started something completely different today. The Fall of Carthage: The Punic Wars 265-146BC by Adrian Goldsworthy. It seems to have a nice narrative style, which is great because I find it easy to get bogged down in some of these very detailed historical books.

Callan57

Finished Holy Orders by Benjamin Black aka John Banville
I really love these stories of Dr Quirke and Det Insp Hackett and the Ireland of 1950s

Now I moving on to a book that has been highly recommended to me "The Puppet Boy of Warsaw" by Eva Weaver - looking forward to it.

Hidalgo

Picked up a few 2nd hand books earlier this week including 'Wind Through the Keyhole' by Stephen King.
Part of the Dark Tower Series, think it fits in between books 4 and 5 so I'll have to re-read book 4 its so long since I originally read it.

Currently on 'Interesting Times' by Eric Hobsbawm, really good memoir of a 20th century life.

Lolyta

I just finished reading The City of Bohane by Kevin Barry - it took a couple of chapters to get used to the language he uses in the book, but by the end I found myself reading with the accent in my head!

It's a really good story and there's a good few twists in it that keep you drawn in. Not sure about the ending of it - it comes quite sudden and I was left feeling I wanted to know more about the fate of some of the key characters. Maybe there's room for a sequel here???

Anyway, I've decided to go with something more lighthearted for my next read - I have just started The 100 Year Old Man That Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared (Jonas Jonasson). Seems like a fun little story that's not too mentally taxing!

Swiper the fox

Lolyta wrote: »

I just finished reading The City of Bohane by Kevin Barry - it took a couple of chapters to get used to the language he uses in the book, but by the end I found myself reading with the accent in my head!

It's a really good story and there's a good few twists in it that keep you drawn in. Not sure about the ending of it - it comes quite sudden and I was left feeling I wanted to know more about the fate of some of the key characters. Maybe there's room for a sequel here???

Anyway, I've decided to go with something more lighthearted for my next read - I have just started The 100 Year Old Man That Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared (Jonas Jonasson). Seems like a fun little story that's not too mentally taxing!

That's two books I would nominate for the Books that disappointed me thread. I absolutely love Kevin Barry's short stories but cannot understand for the life of me the acclaim that that novel got, it's drivel.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I thought I was reading too many novels and thought I'd have a go at reading a bit of fact. So I got "How The Irish Saved Civilization" from the library.
It required a lot of concentration and was awfully long winded for what little point it was trying to make. I think anyone with a basic idea of Irish/Christian history would have known it all already anyway. A bit disappointed really.

I'm reading "Rabbit Proof Fence" next, which I think is mostly factual too, so fingers crossed it's better.

a0ifee

just finished Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. It had a really interesting premise but it just wasn't for me. Started At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie O'Neil now, might be a bit trek, you'd think the dialect wouldn't be difficult for an Irish person!

SarahBM

I have started the Count of Monte Cristo. You lads better be right. Im only on page 30 and Im finding a bit heavy. I hope I get into the swing of it soon. Since it is such a huge book I figure I would be sill to be carrying it around in my handbag, so Of Mice and Men (even though I didnt like East of Eden) is going to be the handbag book. some many books to read.

Call Me Jimmy

Doors of Perception for the second time. I think it will be an annual reading of mine to remind me to check in with my own consciousness!

Belle E. Flops

SarahBM wrote: »

I have started the Count of Monte Cristo. You lads better be right. Im only on page 30 and Im finding a bit heavy. I hope I get into the swing of it soon. Since it is such a huge book I figure I would be sill to be carrying it around in my handbag, so Of Mice and Men (even though I didnt like East of Eden) is going to be the handbag book. some many books to read.

Stick with it, you won't be sorry. I carried it with me in my handbag for months, it only just about fit. Typical though, just as I finished the book the strap of the bag snapped with the weight.
Worth it though.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

SarahBM wrote: »

I have started the Count of Monte Cristo. You lads better be right. Im only on page 30 and Im finding a bit heavy. I hope I get into the swing of it soon. Since it is such a huge book I figure I would be sill to be carrying it around in my handbag, so Of Mice and Men (even though I didnt like East of Eden) is going to be the handbag book. some many books to read.

BLASPHEMY!!!!

Anyway, I read Rabbit Proof Fence in about 2 hours today. It's a really interesting story but it's almost like it's a kids book. I get that the author was told the story 50/60 years after it happened, and the subjects were little kids when it happened, but I just think it could have been so much more.

emeraldstar

SarahBM wrote: »

I have started the Count of Monte Cristo. You lads better be right. Im only on page 30 and Im finding a bit heavy. I hope I get into the swing of it soon. Since it is such a huge book I figure I would be sill to be carrying it around in my handbag, so Of Mice and Men (even though I didnt like East of Eden) is going to be the handbag book. some many books to read.

Even though I'm an absolute book lover and it's completely blasphemous to me, I ripped my copy into three sections

IvyTheTerrible

emeraldstar wrote: »

Even though I'm an absolute book lover and it's completely blasphemous to me, I ripped my copy into three sections

Noooooooooooooo!

/hears the books screaming/

MagicMarker

This is why there is such a thing as a kindle.

Merkin

Reading The Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes. I didn't even know these ships existed so it's a fascinating concept and a thumping good read. Thoroughly enjoying it.

Honey-ec

MagicMarker wrote: »

This is why there is such a thing as a kindle.

I hate Kindles. Got a present of one two Christmasses ago and I sold it and paid for my ticket to the Heineken Cup semi-final with the proceeds.

Anyway, currently rereading James Herbert's Nobody True. I'm running desperately low on books. I should really go to my house and collect all my books (my ex has them all boxed up and ready for me), but I just don't have space for them in my mam's

Callan57

Just started The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Just started It's Fine by Me by Per Petterson. Not far enough in yet to comment on the plot, but the writing feels a bit clunky. Have a feeling that might be the translation from Norwegian to English though.

emeraldstar

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

Noooooooooooooo!

/hears the books screaming/

I know. I only did it because the book was free. I'm still upset about it.

SarahBM

Im afraid to get a kindle coz I think I will end up starting loads of books and not finishing them. they wont be there sitting on my shelf haunting me.
As for tearing a book into pieces. my best friend cant bare to have the spine creased, never mind actually tear it! LOL

I read East of Eden based on recommendations on this thread. perhaps my expectations were too high, but I just didnt enjoy it at all. made no impression on me what so ever.

Mr.Nice Guy

AnnyHallsal wrote: »

City of Bohane. So far finding it irritating. The Pat McCabe/Martin McDonagh cartoonish rural violence seems old hat at this stage.

+1

I read this recently too and I think it's very overrated.

wantacookie

Rereading Graceling by Kristen Cashore Great Book!

MagicMarker

I've jumped on the band wagon and started reading A Game of Thrones, even though I've already seen the first season and know what happens, this is still one epic book!!

I'm glad I held off on watching the 2nd season, can't wait to get stuck into the book!!

implausible

Lolyta wrote: »

I just finished reading The City of Bohane by Kevin Barry - it took a couple of chapters to get used to the language he uses in the book, but by the end I found myself reading with the accent in my head!

Am reading this at the moment too. I love the language, it often makes me pause to smile. I'm enjoying the language so much though, I'm losing the plot (!) and having to reread sections of it.

The Count is on the kindle a long time now, really must get to it.

Slattsy

Finally starting Nineteen Eighty Four

Aenaes

Just started A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute last night.

Mr.Nice Guy

MagicMarker wrote: »

I've jumped on the band wagon and started reading A Game of Thrones, even though I've already seen the first season and know what happens, this is still one epic book!!

I'm glad I held off on watching the 2nd season, can't wait to get stuck into the book!!

I started reading the series earlier this year and I doubt I'll watch the TV show now as I enjoy the books so much.

I'm impressed Martin is able to keep track of the amount of characters he creates.

Tom Joad

Just finished A Prayer for Owen Meany - really enjoyed it to start with - some great characters and a refreshingly different story but ran out of patience with it and it became a chore to finish. While the characters were very well developed and interesting for me the story while interesting wasn't that great and it rambled on a bit.

AnnyHallsal

Recently read Everyone Loves our Town: A History of Grungea and The Dice Man. The latter was AWFUL. Now Reading Zachary Leader's Life of Kingsley Amis. Much better.

Callan57

Finished The Tiger's Wife - an engrossing & enthralling read. Loved it

Now it's on to Brodeck's Report by Philippe Claudel

eire4

Just finished a re read of Tim Pat Coogan's biography of Michael Collins. What a great book. Greatest Irishman of the 20th century for me.

Meathlass

Starting Khalid Hosseni 'And the mountain echoed'

Hated Kite Runner but loved A thousand splendid suns so I'm 50/50 on my expectations.

Monkeybonkers

The Man Who Would be King by Rudyard Kipling

Swiper the fox

I feel like I've wasted the past few weeks book wise by reading Iain Banks two supposed classics, Wasp Factory was fairly rubbish and the Crow road was about 200 pages too long and frequently boring and confusing.
I'm now looking forward to The Testament of Mary, The Spinning Heart, Blood Horses and Pulphead. All are on my locker now, wife just finished the spinning heart and cannot praise it highly enough.

Aenaes

So, I finished A Town Like Alice. Enjoyed it, can see why it's regarded as a very book. Only criticism is maybe it's a little too "neat".

Now I'm on Naked Lunch by William Burroughs. It started weird and I'm thinking it's only gonna get weirder.

SarahBM

Ok, I havent picked up the Count of MC in a few days. I wanted something light and short so I picked up an Eoin Colfer book sitting in the "To Read" pile. I have never read Artemis Fowel or any of his other books, but I am very much liking his style so far.

Callan57

Finished Brodeck's Report by Philippe Claudel at the weekend - this is a truly remarkable book & one I don't think I will ever forget reading. It is so amazing after reading it I purchased my own Kindle copy as the book I read was a library copy.

Right now I'm reading Desert by J M G Le Clézio

SarahBM

A thing that would kind of annoy me about the kindle is that when you have read a brilliant book, you cannot really share it with someone. you cant say "Oh, I read this amazing book, I'll give it to you/lend it to you!" - you have to tell them go away and get it them selves.

Monkeybonkers

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad









Can you fdad me?

Tom Joad

Was struggling to pick a next book so looked back at the last few pages here and got stuck into the Count of Monte Cristo - only 100 pages in but can already see it being one of my favourite books ever. Absolutely loving it - so well written and a great story set in an amazing time in history.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

About half way through "Remembering Babylon by David Malouf.

It's about an English boy (maybe a bit simple) who somehow ends up overboard off the coast of Australia, back when they were first settling it. He's found washed up on a beach by some natives who reluctantly let him into their tribe. Then he shows up in the middle of a settlement town. The people there know he's white but he has very little English and their fear of "the blacks" make them suspicious of him and even of each other.

I'm really enjoying it so far.

midgetflynn

I finished Life After Life by Kate Atkinson and The Guinea Pig Diaries by A.J. Jacobs this week. I started My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster today

Cokeistan

Reading the wastelands by Stephen King. Third book in the dark tower series and it just keeps getting better

Swiper the fox

midgetflynn wrote: »

I finished Life After Life by Kate Atkinson and The Guinea Pig Diaries by A.J. Jacobs this week. I started My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster today

Can't you at least tell us if you liked them, this thread is pointless if it's just a random list of books.

I started The Spinning wheel last night and am absolutely loving it, would have read it in one go but it was very late.

wantacookie

Bitterblue by Kristen Cashore Addicted!

Monkeybonkers

Swiper the fox wrote: »

Can't you at least tell us if you liked them, this thread is pointless if it's just a random list of books.

If you look at the title of this thread it doesn't mention anything about reviewing the books. Why don't you start a book review thread if that's what you want to see?
I think this thread is fine as it is. I don't want to have to read a review, be it short or long, of every book that users are reading. I just like to see what people are reading, not what they think of it.

emeraldstar

Swiper the fox wrote: »

Can't you at least tell us if you liked them, this thread is pointless if it's just a random list of books.

I don't think it aims at being anything else - relax :pac:

emeraldstar

SarahBM wrote: »

Ok, I havent picked up the Count of MC in a few days. I wanted something light and short so I picked up an Eoin Colfer book sitting in the "To Read" pile. I have never read Artemis Fowel or any of his other books, but I am very much liking his style so far.

Likewise (although that is mainly because I spilled a bottle of water all over my bag the other day so the book has been sitting open, ever so slowly drying out, since then). In the meantime, I've read The Hunger Games and am now well into Catching Fire. Surprisingly loving this series! Very addictive.