What book are you reading atm??

Teyla Emmagan

Midnight's Children, by Salman Rushdie. I like the narrative parts of it, when he's telling what happened in the past etc, but there's a lot of stream of consciousness waffle in the present which I don't enjoy. I didn't really realise how many European influences there still were in Indian back around 1950.

I read 'The Sea, The Sea' before, my first Iris Murdoch. That is still percolating in my brain, interesting oddball characters. Very moving.

Carry

Im' reading the Neapolitan novels by Elena Ferrante, I'm at the fourth and last book of the series.

Usually I wouldn't touch a book with "girly" covers, or with reviews that claim it's about a lifelong friendship between two women. (Whoever decided the covers should be dismissed from the publishing house.)

It is indeed about a friendship, but it's way more than that.
It's about Italian history from after the war until today, about fascists and communists, poverty and exploitation in factories and the arrogance of bourgeois intellectuals, about the radicalisation of students in the 60s and 70s and the birth of feminism, the conflicts of women between longing for love, being sexually exploited and being assertive in their own right, the North-South divide in Italy that still exists, the power of the Church and the Mafia, the struggle to get an education and to write books and much more. The four books are the most complex novels I've ever read.

And they are written in a beautiful language (and beautifully translated, hat tip to the translator). It's highly intelligent and intellectual writing and yet gripping and vivid. Reading it I feel the heat and the chaos and smell the smells of Naples. And recognise my own past and how I evolved over the decades. It's very relatable.

The titles of the four novels:
My brilliant friend
The story of a new name
Those who leave and those who stay
The story of the lost child

theoldbreed

Just finished The Girl Before after it had been recommended by a friend. I am struggling to find anything positive to say about it, quite a predictable, frustrating read.

theoldbreed

Just finished The Girl Before after it had been recommended by a friend. I am struggling to find anything positive to say about it, quite a predictable, frustrating read.

NIMAN

Could someone name me a book please.

Heard a radio piece this morning on book recommendations. A woman was chatting about a book perfect for 7 or 8yr old boys, about a boy who set up a detective agency and the latest book was set in florida.

Anyone know it?

Ardennes1944

Sapiens, A Brief History of Mankind by yuval noah harari.

Pretty interesting so far I must say!

optogirl

'Set the Boy Free' - Johnny Marr. Excellent so far & a much more engaging & pleasant read than the Alan Partridge-esque 'Morrissey' by Morrissey.

Listening to the audiobook of The One by John Marrs. It's an interesting psychological thriller following a few different characters and their experiences with the newest dating site in their world; matchyourdna.com, in which people are matched biologically, so you know that they're "the one".

greenspurs

Hunger- Sean Kelly ..... (on the) Rivet-ting stuff... Hes the King !!!

Cheshire Cat

NIMAN wrote: »

Could someone name me a book please.

Heard a radio piece this morning on book recommendations. A woman was chatting about a book perfect for 7 or 8yr old boys, about a boy who set up a detective agency and the latest book was set in florida.

Anyone know it?

Which station was it? Maybe they have a podcast of the programme.

Alternatively I would try the parenting forum, the chances there are probably better

New Home

NIMAN wrote: »

Could someone name me a book please.

Heard a radio piece this morning on book recommendations. A woman was chatting about a book perfect for 7 or 8yr old boys, about a boy who set up a detective agency and the latest book was set in florida.

Anyone know it?

Could it be this (if it's recent enough) or this, if it's older?

happyday

theoldbreed wrote: »

Just finished The Girl Before after it had been recommended by a friend. I am struggling to find anything positive to say about it, quite a predictable, frustrating read.

I just had a look at the summary on Goodreads. It sounds like an interesting idea for a book. Pity it didn't follow through.

Fathom

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
By Neil deGrasse Tyson

Whew! Drink coffee while reading.

Oops69

John mc Gahern, wonderfully perceptive writing in 'That they may face the rising Sun ' , was expecting/dreading bits of incest/ sex abuse and industrial school fall-out but mercifully it was relatively light on that.

NIMAN

NIMAN wrote: »

Could someone name me a book please.

Heard a radio piece this morning on book recommendations. A woman was chatting about a book perfect for 7 or 8yr old boys, about a boy who set up a detective agency and the latest book was set in florida.

Anyone know it?

Update: It was Timmy Failure.....thanks all.

SlipperyPeople

Bram stokers Dracula for the first time. Great read so far.

sReq | uTeK

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

&

Elon Musk - Autobiography

Both very very good.

_Roz_

He Said, She Said by Erin Kelly.

Haven't read enough yet to pass judgement.

Hector Savage

Science in the soul by Richard Dawkins, interesting read - as ever.

happyday

I've just finished Days Without End myself. I loved it. The writing is amazing. Barry brings you right into the time and place with the dialogue and descriptions. Fabulous book.

NoCrackHaving

Half of a Yellow Sun, very well written and very enjoyable.

Ipso

hungoverbunny wrote: »

Bram stokers Dracula for the first time. Great read so far.

Thought it dragged a bit in the middle.
If you're into vampire books you should try Salem' Lot and let the Right One In.

Autosport

Don't close your eyes: Holly Seddon

A great read, kept my interest throughout and a few twists thrown in for good measure

Teyla Emmagan

Panchinko. It's alright, not bad. But no 'Do not say we have nothing' (one of my favourite books last year).

Summer wind

Tonight I'm starting Salem's Lot by Stephen King. Looking forward to it:)

mariaalice

Got Grange Abbey David Delaney today, its a pot boiler simple brain dead type of reading.

Jayop

Just finished The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I hadn't watched the TV series when I read the book but it was because of the attention around that that I looked into it. I have to say it was a very different to what I'd normally read. Tough enough going, but I'd really recommend it.

Reading Alias Grace now by the same author now. Not just as much of a page turner, but I really am intrigued and there's so many ways the book could go, I have no idea which one it will take.

appledrop

Reading Hillbilly Elegy by J.D Vance. Flying through it. Really interesting book on white poor working class in America.

Whispered

Ipso wrote: »

let the Right One In.

This is a brilliant book, one of my favourites. Very unusual for a vampire story, heart wrencing at times. I was found it more disturbing than scary. Really loved it. It is not a Meyer type vampire story.

leahyl

Just fInished Circle of Friends and Lion: a long way home - both excellent reads