What book are you reading atm??

Rubberlegs

Smoke gets in Your Eyes, and other lessons from the crematorium. I saw it mentioned here, so thanks Luminious! It's absolutely fascinating, I can't put it down. There is no holding back on gory details, so it wouldn't be for anyone squeamish. If you are a ghoul like me , you will love it

cloudatlas

'Walking away' by Simon Armitage.

Lucifer31

Human Universe, by Brian Cox & Andrew Cohen.

Just finished Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything

scream

In The Dark by the master of horror, Richard Laymon

Comic Book Guy

Police by Jo Nesbo

Love the Harry Hole series, the quality of writing has got better and better with each book, not that there was anything wrong with the first one!

py2006

scream wrote: »

In The Dark by the master of horror, Richard Laymon

I don't recall Mr King relinquishing his thrown!

boobar

boobar wrote: »

Just started Steve Coogan's autobiography Easily Distracted..

So far so good.

Finished it a few nights ago...very interesting insight into the life of this great comic actor...a must read for Alan Partridge fans

willmunny1990

looking for a book following Filth, which was brilliant, far superior than the film.

is trainspotting worth a look? obviously ive already seen the film.

LenaClaire

Read a new book called Rise of the Rocket Girls by Nathalia Holt. It is about the women who were "computers" at JPL before machines were computers and helped with the foundations of NASA.

It was very interesting to see how the technology grew as well as the challenges they fought against as women in tech at the time (1940s to 70s is main focus).

ToddyDoody

I'm leafing through 'Why Men Marry Bitches: A Woman's Guide to Winning a Man's Heart'

It's actually cringe worthy. I want to die

Paddy Samurai

Reading two at the moment.....

The Liars key by Mark Lawerence

And

The Thicket by Joe R Lansdale

cowboyBuilder

Fall of the Giants

Cant believe I´m only discovering this trilogy now ... and 2 more to come after this

Ken Follet is an amazing storyteller

Birneybau

willmunny1990 wrote: »

looking for a book following Filth, which was brilliant, far superior than the film.

is trainspotting worth a look? obviously ive already seen the film.

I actually thought 'Marabou Stork Nightmares' was his best.

But 'Trainspotting' is indeed worth a read, difficult at the beginning but once you get the hang of the dialogue...

the evasion_kid

Off the Rails in Phnom Penh: Into the Dark Heart of Guns,Girls, and Ganja by Amit gilboa

gutenberg

Reading The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett now.

I read Ian McEwan's On Chesil Beach while on a flight at the weekend. Wow. It was amazing.

8mv

Some recent reads:

I Am Pilgrim - Terry Hayes

On one level it’s a well-paced, if very contrived and unbelievable story revolving around a terrorist threat. On most other levels it’s bloody awful. No likeable characters at all, with the possible exception of the terrorist – he had an interesting back story. All characters are drawn with broad brushstrokes – Americans are good and serious about world affairs. Arabs / Muslims (they’re all the same) are cunning and evil. Europeans are naïve / incompetent / lazy / corrupt (especially those border guards) Australians are drunk but sound. Al Jazeera are not to be trusted, the UN is a nice idea but, of course, ultimately useless. The tragedy of September 11th is mercilessly exploited by dropping clumsy references to it whenever the author feels we need to be reminded of the Arab threat. One good thing – it’s a very easy read. I got through all 850 odd pages in a couple of days. If the author had just told the story without feeling the need to tell us what we should think as well, then it might have been a decent read.

Spill, Simmer, Falter, Wither - Sara Baume

This is only a fraction of the length of the previous book, but it took me ages to get through it. I think it was because most, if not all of it, is written in the second person singular, present tense. As such, I found it difficult to settle into a comfortable reading pattern and could only take a few pages each night. I found the two characters, one man and his dog, quite unlikeable as well. But I’m glad I finished it – the final 25 pages or so are excellent and reward the reader for sticking with it.

Going Off Alarming – Danny Baker

Second part of DBs memoirs. If you like Danny and are familiar with his weekly radio show (or podcast of same) then you know you will like this. Dealing for the most part with his most successful period in TV, there’s lots of well-told funny tales. As usual, his dad – Spud – steals the show.

Night Music – John Connolly

A new collection of short stories. None of them scary or very disturbing – some of them quite quaint. I liked it. There’s a lightness of touch and a wit that appears all too briefly in the Charlie Parker novels. I stopped reading those around “The Lovers” – I thought the supernatural elements were dominating the books by that stage and I preferred the earlier books where evil was perpetrated by flesh and bone people. On the strength of this I might take them up again.

The Girl with All The Gifts – M.R. Carey

Pretty decent zombie apocalypse story I thought – they are not my usual genre so I don’t have anything to compare this with. The story keeps your interest and moves along at a quick pace. Only thing is, even though this is set in England, one can’t stop thinking of The Walking Dead and making comparisons.

I've just started "A God In Ruins" by Kate Atkinson. Might be my favourite author and so far, 40 pages or so, I'm delighted.

Birneybau

8mv wrote: »

Some recent reads:

I Am Pilgrim - Terry Hayes

On one level it’s a well-paced, if very contrived and unbelievable story revolving around a terrorist threat. On most other levels it’s bloody awful. No likeable characters at all, with the possible exception of the terrorist – he had an interesting back story. All characters are drawn with broad brushstrokes – Americans are good and serious about world affairs. Arabs / Muslims (they’re all the same) are cunning and evil. Europeans are naïve / incompetent / lazy / corrupt (especially those border guards) Australians are drunk but sound. Al Jazeera are not to be trusted, the UN is a nice idea but, of course, ultimately useless. The tragedy of September 11th is mercilessly exploited by dropping clumsy references to it whenever the author feels we need to be reminded of the Arab threat. One good thing – it’s a very easy read. I got through all 850 odd pages in a couple of days. If the author had just told the story without feeling the need to tell us what we should think as well, then it might have been a decent read.

Absolutely awful. I'm about 750 pages in and basically hate-reading it now. It will not defeat me!

rsh118

Lads, has anyone else been reading Tim Robinson's books about Connemara? He's a Gaelige speaking English cartographer who makes hand drawn maps and writes books about Connemara.

It's literally like reading a wool blanket, next to a peat fire, whilst an old man with a 5 o'clock shadow describes myths and legends of the local landscape. Pure hot chocolate joy.

PowerToWait

8mv wrote: »

Some recent reads:

I Am Pilgrim - Terry Hayes

On one level it’s a well-paced, if very contrived and unbelievable story revolving around a terrorist threat. On most other levels it’s bloody awful.

I started out enjoying it. But then not. Liked the terrorist character. A lot of it was CSI level unbelievable.

Could not finish.

Finished the second Charlie Parker book. It's good if not brilliant. Really like the Angel and Louis characters. Think I am going to read "Bad Pharma" by Ben Goldacre next!

sadie06

I'm reading and really enjoying Stoner by John Williams.

Custardpi

Making an attempt to read Dante's Divine Comedy, since it's been sitting on my shelf for several years. I have a pretty good translation of it with good explanatory notes but it's a bit heavy going so far. I read Boccaccio's Decameron years ago (which is regarded as being a response to Dante's work) & found it easy enough to read so hopefully I can get into the style of this as I go on.

Paddy Samurai

Not my usual type of book,but I am enjoying the change.

In "The Thicket," award-winning novelist Joe R. Lansdale lets loose like never before, in a rip-roaring adventure equal parts "True Grit"and "Stand by Me--"the perfect introduction to an acclaimed writer whose work has been called "as funny and frightening as anything that could have been dreamed up by the Brothers Grimm--or Mark Twain"

bonzodog2

Halfway through Lab Girl, by Hope Jahren. Very good.

http://www.amazon.com/Lab-Girl-Hope-Jahren/dp/1101874937

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Azxk-llA9Y

Also partway through HtHH

mariaalice

Rodger Scruton. Fools, Frauds, and Firebrands. Thinkers of the New Left.

I will reserve judgement until I am finished but it is an interesting book on the history of ideas and how they become influential. While the title is provocative the book is not.

FreeFallin94

I finished The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater a few days ago. It's the final instalment of The Raven Cycle, a YA fantasy series. Normally I don't enjoy YA at all, but these books were just fantastic. Gorgeous writing and loads of character development. It's definitely one of my all-time favourite series.

Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K Massie - a non-fiction book about the last Tsar of Russia and his wife, and all of the events that brought imperial Russia to an end. I've always been quite interested in the Romanov dynasty and I'm finding this to be really informative. I've been reading it for about a month and I'm only about 30% through, so lots more to go.

Just started reading Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman today. Really enjoying it so far. I've read 3 other Gaiman books, but this one is really reminding me a lot of Terry Pratchett's style of writing / humour.

FunLover18

I've just started I Am Pilgrim after several people recommended it, it's told from the first person perspective which was grand for the first few chapters but then it flashes back in time. I don't think the author is familiar with the phrase 'Show, don't tell', I'm finding it incredibly tedious and if it keeps up like this I may put it back on the shelf.

McChubbin

Just started Trigger Warning by Neil Gaimen. I figured it would be a good entry book to his line of work. Only got as far as the synopsises so far but I'm interested. Hoping to get the Sandman graphic novel at some point.

FunLover18

McChubbin wrote: »

Just started Trigger Warning by Neil Gaimen. I figured it would be a good entry book to his line of work. Only got as far as the synopsises so far but I'm interested. Hoping to get the Sandman graphic novel at some point.

I think there's a series of Sandman GNs. I've only read 'Stardust' and 'Neverwhere' but I enjoyed both very much.

aligator_am

McChubbin wrote: »

Just started Trigger Warning by Neil Gaimen. I figured it would be a good entry book to his line of work. Only got as far as the synopsises so far but I'm interested. Hoping to get the Sandman graphic novel at some point.

If you get the chance then read American Gods, it's a brilliant book, also listened to the audio book and it's really good too.

Currently reading the third volume of the Winston Churchill biography by William Manchester, really enjoyable, Churchill was one tough old bollix, he must have been eating bricks for breakfast