This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

Miss.Mayhem

Just started Slam by Nick Hornby.

Rory Gallagher

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Finished Bereft earlier.

Kind of an abrupt ending but at the same time it was kind of what the whole story was building towards so.... yeah. I really liked it.

Now it's either Dubliners or Room.....

Dubliners!

Wyldwood

Read George Saunders Tenth of December collection and wasn't that impressed. I liked the Tenth of December story and Victory Lap but I found the rest of the stories very "samey", as in, socially awkward, underprivileged people who were envious of those who had succeeded. Some were disturbingly dark. I didn't really like the stunted style of writing either.

Now reading Burial Rites by Hannah Kent and so far I'm loving it.

Meathlass

Just finished 'The Sign of the Cross' by Colm Toibin. Published in 1994. Part travelogue, part autobiographical with the author visiting areas of Catholic Europe in the early 90s. Very interesting and readable and occasionally funny as it was researched just after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

a0ifee

Callan57 wrote: »

Sorry to hear that - I though it a profound and amazing read but each to his/her own.

I thought it was beautifully written, but there was nothing in the story that interested me, and I found it pretty difficult to follow. I might come back to it one day :pac:

Paddy Samurai

About 150 pages in ,and liking it big time.

It is 1536, and the expert swordsman, Jean Rombaud, has been brought over from France by Henry VIII to behead his wife, Anne Boleyn.

But on the eve of her execution Rombaud swears a vow to the ill-fated queen - to bury her six-fingered hand, symbol of her rumoured witchery, at a sacred crossroads. Yet in a Europe ravaged by religious war, the hand of this infamous Protestant icon is so powerful a relic that many will kill for it...

From a battle between slave galleys to a black mass in a dungeon, through the hallucinations of St Anthony's Fire to the fortress of an apocalyptic Messiah, Jean seeks to honour his vow.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Have started Dubliners. Only read a few so far but I like them. Short stories are very hit and miss for me, but these ones are great. They are, as it says on the tin, short stories, but they feel like complete stories not just half ideas as I sometimes find with shorts.

Early days but I think it'll go in the pile with My Oedipus Complex and For Esmé - With Love and Squalor.

Callan57

Finished The Lieutenant - a quick, enjoyable read. If you liked The Secret River you will like The Lieutenant, it covers similar territory.

Now it's on to The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

That_Guy

Almost finished Jose Mourinho: The Dark Side Of The Special One by Miguel Torres.

Fascinating insight into Jose Mourinho's time at Real Madrid. I've read sports books/autobiographies before but I've lost count of the amount of times I've uttered the words, "holy sh*t" throughout.

Highly recommended for any football fan or sports fan in general.

Moving on to the Darth Bane trilogy next. Star Wars fiction written by Drew Karpyshyn.

Spanish Eyes

How do you all decide what books to read?

I mean what makes you choose a particular book? There a lot of obscure titles in this thread, so I just wondered how you found them!

I hope you understand what I mean. Not many blockbuster/best sellers in the thread! So is it a College/Uni/Bookclub thing, or an interest in a genre or author?

I am amazed at the variety of titles here, many of which I would never have heard of. But many I did and have read.

Maybe a generational thing. But a good book transcends everything, in my book!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

^ I've been using Goodreads to get recommendations. It's not the most accurate at it but it does throw up some interesting titles and you can look at other people's reviews and thoughts on them too.

Bosley1421

^Worked in the book trade for many years. You accumulate a lot of knowledge, favourite authors/genres and friends in publishing who are always predicting the next big thing!

SarahBM

A lot of books I have read over the last year have been for book clubs, I have read some random ones, but I have to say a lot of books I have read have been based on recommendations from this thread

Callan57

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

How do you all decide what books to read?

I mean what makes you choose a particular book? There a lot of obscure titles in this thread, so I just wondered how you found them!

I hope you understand what I mean. Not many blockbuster/best sellers in the thread! So is it a College/Uni/Bookclub thing, or an interest in a genre or author?

I am amazed at the variety of titles here, many of which I would never have heard of. But many I did and have read.

Maybe a generational thing. But a good book transcends everything, in my book!

I don't honestly know how it happens - a part of me believes the books find me not the other way round.
I listen to a lot of radio & spend a lot of time in bookshops & the library and I read reviews in The Irish Times, New York Times, The Guardian & The Sunday Times and I used to love The Works but it's gone to hell in a handbag of late.
I also watch what others are reading - kindles etc have ruined that passtime now too & discuss books with a few friends & workmates. I'm on Goodreads but don't find their recommendation that useful to be honest.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Callan57 wrote: »

I'm on Goodreads but don't find their recommendation that useful to be honest.

I assume the more you rate the more accurate they get but generally I'd agree. They're not great but I do find that just browsing around the site and seeing what other people with similar tastes are reading is quite useful.

a0ifee

I use goodreads too and some of their recommendations can be..questionable...but following other people on that site leads to many hidden gems!! also, i spend many many hours in bookshops :pac:

Belle E. Flops

I take note of books mentioned on here. I use Amazon a lot to find similar books to those I have enjoyed. If I hear a book being mentioned on a TV programme or film I look it up.
I could spend hours wandering around Waterstones just looking at books that catch my eye.

Ice Storm

I take some recommendations from threads like this.

In fact, I was reading the "books that disappointed you" thread a few days ago and actually ended up adding a couple to my wishlist! :pac:

Other than that I browse book shops and the kindle store offers and recommendations. My recommendations can be downright weird though - Amazon recommends the bible for me.

That_Guy

I read books through word of mouth, recommendations (here or otherwise), interests (film, sports) and usually browse my recommendations from Amazon.

Wyldwood

I'm also on Goodreads but find their recommendations way out most of the time. I read from book club lists and friend's hand-me-down books and quite a lot from boards. Amazon recommendations are sometimes worth a gamble too.

Wyldwood

Finished Hannah Kent's Burial Rites and it was superb. Loved the writing style which was simple, straightforward narrative, no overflowery descriptions or long-winded diversions. The story is heartbreaking. I didn't want the book to finish, though I was dying to know how it ended, so read slowly. Highly recommended.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Wyldwood wrote: »

Finished Hannah Kent's Burial Rites and it was superb. Loved the writing style which was simple, straightforward narrative, no overflowery descriptions or long-winded diversions. The story is heartbreaking. I didn't want the book to finish, though I was dying to know how it ended, so read slowly. Highly recommended.

I read this right after reading The Goldfinch and the writing style was so refreshing after having to wade through pages and pages for tiny bits of plot.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Still reading Dubliners. Getting a bit bored now.

I don't think short stories are made for sitting down and reading cover to cover. But it's from the library so I'm working on a time scale with it.

SarahBM

I'm about 70% through Jurassic Park and I love it!!! Cannot believe I didn't know it was a book before lol

I'm not sure what to read next. Think I'll make a book jar. Someone suggested it to me on Twitter once or maybe it was here. Put the names of all the books you have in a jar and pick one at random.

Bosley1421

SarahBM wrote: »

I'm about 70% through Jurassic Park and I love it!!! Cannot believe I didn't know it was a book before lol

I'm not sure what to read next. Think I'll make a book jar. Someone suggested it to me on Twitter once or maybe it was here. Put the names of all the books you have in a jar and pick one at random.

You should try Rising Sun, another Crichton novel.
Very entertaining thriller, also became a movie.

Aenaes

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Still reading Dubliners. Getting a bit bored now.

I don't think short stories are made for sitting down and reading cover to cover. But it's from the library so I'm working on a time scale with it.

I've figured out the same. What I do now is keep a book of short stories to one side and read one story after I finish a book. As you say, difficult when it's from a library.

I finished Clash Of Kings by George R.R. Martin last night. Nicely set up for the third book, I just need to find a slim book to read in between.

Callan57

Finished The Kitchen House late last night - a gripping read but quite harrowing too.

This morning I picked Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld off the "patiently waiting" shelf and on impulse at lunchtime (after reading great things about it here!) I got Burial Rites - there was a few bob left on the Eason's Xmas giftcard.
That's the rest of the week sorted

eire4

Finished a re read of Frank Delaney's Ireland. A really good book about a young boy and his fascination with a storyteller who visits his house when he is a young boy.

boccy23

Just finished The Son by Jo Nesbo.

Standalone from the Harry Hole novels and a good read.

Starting Game of Thrones today.

Aenaes

boccy23 wrote: »

Starting Game of Thrones today.

Enjoy!


Oh yeah, I've been reading Trans-Siberian Express by Warren Adler.

Miss.Mayhem

Someone to Watch Over Me by Madeleine Reiss

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Just started Room by Emma Donoghue, not sure I can put up with this baby talk for 320 pages!

SarahBM

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Just started Room by Emma Donoghue, not sure I can put up with this baby talk for 320 pages!

Stick with it!

Belle E. Flops

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Just started Room by Emma Donoghue, not sure I can put up with this baby talk for 320 pages!

I did not enjoy this book at all and totally failed to understand why everyone thinks it's so amazing!

Wyldwood

Me too, it was definitely one that didn't live up to the hype for me.

Scuid Mhór

About four hundred pages into Infinite Jest at this point; it took me about three weeks to get halfway there but after that it's plain sailing, I just couldn't put it down. Unfortunately I've got college finals coming up over the next two weeks and the desire to devour more of this behemoth is seriously, seriously meddling with my cramming tendencies. Everyone should read this book (although it's probably not for everyone, to be fair).

Swiper the fox

I'm in a strange situation, for some reason unknown to me I bought a book called "when mr dog bites" last week, even as i was at the till I knew it wasn't really my thing. I started reading it the other night and it seems to be a book for teenagers, thing is it's not so bad that I want to give up on it, it looks like I'll have to press on, will probably scan read through most of it.

My wife is reading Burial rites which i bought from the recommendations on here, she's nearing the end now and was in absolute bits last night, sobbing uncontrollably, can anybody reassure me that it's to do with the book and not the fact that she's married to me:o:pac:

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Still reading Room, have kind of gotten used to the baby talk now but it's annoying the crap out of me that he says things like "bendedy spoon" but knows the right words for penis and vagina.

Callan57

Starting Burial Rites by Hannah Kent tonight ... hope it is as good as the reviews say

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Callan57 wrote: »

Starting Burial Rites by Hannah Kent tonight ... hope it is as good as the reviews say

'tis

Slattsy

Slattsy wrote: »

Giving A Tale of Two Cities another go (wish me luck)

It aint easy, slowly slowly catchey monkey
#prayforslattsy

Ice Storm

Slattsy wrote:

It aint easy, slowly slowly catchey monkey

Once I got into A Tale of Two Cites, I read it very quickly. I actually stayed up all night reading it to get to the end.

I only started reading Dickens a few years ago and found him much more accessible than I expected. I'm about to start another but I'm not sure which to read next.

minnow

Callan57 wrote: »

Starting Burial Rites by Hannah Kent tonight ... hope it is as good as the reviews say

I started it a couple of days ago. 100 pages in and really enjoying it. Was a bit worried when I noticed that most of the praise on the cover was from authors I'd mostly never heard of (generally a bad sign) but it's a good read.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Ice Storm wrote: »

Once I got into A Tale of Two Cites, I read it very quickly. I actually stayed up all night reading it to get to the end.

I only started reading Dickens a few years ago and found him much more accessible than I expected. I'm about to start another but I'm not sure which to read next.

Great Expectations, if you haven't already. Nicholas Nickleby is a snooze fest so I wouldn't bother with it.

Ice Storm

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Great Expectations, if you haven't already. Nicholas Nickleby is a snooze fest so I wouldn't bother with it.

Thanks, I've read Great Expectations. I've just started David Copperfield so I'll see how I get on with that.

IvyTheTerrible

I've started Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse, I love the way it's written! And I think I get some of the underlying meaning!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Finished Room. It was alright but it wasn't great. I think the idea was better than the execution. I had no idea it got such critical acclaim, I just knew that Lenny Abrahamson was directing the film version so I thought I'd give it a read. I wasn't expecting them to

actually get out of the room and certainly not at the point of the book that they did.

It was all just a bit too easy for me and Jack's level of intelligence and interpretation of what was happening around him was so up and down that I couldn't really buy into it. It's not the worst book I've ever read but I've read much better.

SarahBM

Finished Jurassic Park today. Really enjoyed it. (first time in my life I have found misprints in a book I was reading which made me a bit )

I was going to pick a book out of the "Book Cup" when I got home, but I happened to pick up a few books in Chapters, so while I was waiting around for a concert I started Burial Rites. Only about 20 pages in, but I think I will like it.
Picked up and Arthur Conan Doyle book The Lost World, never read him before.

I also picked up the Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson (same man who wrote The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared)

mel84

Elliemental wrote: »

Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel. It`s one of the best historical fictions I have ever read.:D

Absolutely loved wolf hall-- any other recommendations from this author??

Callan57

mel84 wrote: »

Absolutely loved wolf hall-- any other recommendations from this author??

Bring Up The Bodies is possibly, slightly better. Loved both books:)