What book(s) are you reading at the moment? - Page 18

ghost.of.an.englishman · #**511** 21st November 2013, 19:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reasonable Doubt

For a short book this is proving quite tough going. Also working my way through the second volume of Michael Foot's Aneurin Bevan biography.

huh, didn't know Michael Foot wrote a biography of Bevan (the NHS guy, yes?).

Picked this up in a charity shop

It's not as much fun as the other Orwell bio I read, but still the man had such an interesting life.

Omar Little · #**512** 29th November 2013, 10:21

^I loved that book when I was a kid. I couldn't help but imagine Charlton Heston as the protagonist (i don't know why they cast that other guy in the film, even having seen the film before reading the book I couldn't see anyone but old Chuck in that role, although he did retain the silly little hat)

I'm currently marveling over this guy:

The Welsh Chekov, apparently, not that i would know not having read any Chekov. It makes one sound pretentious to keep mentioning Chekov and i'm in the mood for sounding pretentious, Chekov. Chekov. Chekov. Chekov.

Alena Lunae · #**513** 29th November 2013, 10:23

Appear · #**514** 29th November 2013, 18:18

^^ Welsh Chekov? Sounds interesting. I'm about half way through a painfully long collection of hewhoshantbenamedagain's stories - they're good, but I think the deeper meaning of them tends to be lost on me (at least until I go and check them out online). To me it's all just peasants and pathos.

I've just started this:

I read Neuromancer a good few years ago now and haven't read any more of him since - I'd forgotten how amazingly dense but vivid his writing can be.

David K · #**515** 29th November 2013, 18:24

^ Bloody love that trilogy.

Appear · #**516** 29th November 2013, 18:44

^ It's so cool! I started that one late last night and I'm already about half way through - I couldn't stop stealing a paragraph or two in the quieter moments at work today.

Have you read any of his later stuff? I'd like to give another of his trilogies a go at some point when I've finished this one - would you recommend one over the other?

Concept · #**517** 29th November 2013, 18:45

I was reading Scoop by Evelyn Waugh, but then dropped it after I realised what a racist pig he is. Before that I completed The Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa and Excluded by Julia Serano.

Pink*Lady · #**518** 27th December 2013, 09:41

Cross and burn by Val McDermid.

Concept · #**519** 27th December 2013, 10:30

Recently finished Species of Spaces and Other Pieces by George Perec and The Poet by Yi Mun-Yol. Started Void by Perec last night.

Pal · #**520** 27th December 2013, 12:58

Reasonable Doubt · #**521** 27th December 2013, 21:36

Just finished reading this, very good:

Will probably make a start on this next:

Also been working my way through the 2014 Socialist Register and Endnotes 3.

MLP James · #**522** 28th December 2013, 21:43

Yesterday I read I Have no Mouth, and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison. I loved it, I really want to play the game now.

ghost.of.an.englishman · #**523** 28th December 2013, 22:04

^ that's funny, I was talking about how great the game is on here the other day

I did it the other way round, played the game first then read the story second. You should totally play it, you won't be disappointed! It's one of the best written, darkest games I've ever played. Harlan Ellision was heavily involved in it, and even did the voice of AM

(which you probably know)

Reasonable Doubt · #**524** 3rd January 2014, 21:16

Appear · #**525** 3rd January 2014, 22:47

Pal · #**526** 3rd January 2014, 23:34

Sebby Debby Ding Dong · #**527** 4th January 2014, 00:28

Pandapop · #**528** 4th January 2014, 00:41

MrsF · #**529** 4th January 2014, 11:24

I have just read 'the unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry' and I am still crying...definitely a book that I would recommend

Appear · #**530** 6th January 2014, 22:16

Just started this:

Sounded really interesting, and I like to know what a fuss is about.

snacksready25 · #**531** 7th January 2014, 21:49

switching between richard powell's
whom the gods would destroy
and mercades lackey
storm rising

Vanessa · #**532** 8th January 2014, 02:54

I Get free books from work, so I'm overloaded

it's nice to be back in the 'groove' of reading regularly though

currently reading The Hunger Games

Tom123 · #**533** 8th January 2014, 10:39

About 2/5 of the way through. It's a bit heavy going in parts and I've skimmed through sections but I shall persevere.

ghost.of.an.englishman · #**534** 9th January 2014, 13:15

Rather a big book, some of the chapters are more readable than others (the chapter about the construction of London's pavements in the 1800's was a little tough going! though that turned out to be quite interesting too). But for the most part it's a lot of fun.

buttonlane · #**535** 9th January 2014, 14:53

This book keeps being mentioned in all 3 anxiety groups I show up at. Must be a sign, so thought Id av a butchers.

Omar Little · #**536** 15th January 2014, 14:09

^Does it have the Paget illustrations? I thought they came as standard with all prints but was disappointed that there weren't any in my complete book of stories. I managed to get one with the drawings in in a charity shop, the stories read so much better with them.

I'm currently dipping in and out of:

Danny Wallace's awkward situations for men. Pretty damn funny.

A couple of books by local authors, mostly about mining and socialism. I'm kinda surprised that someone from my own town - this barren shit hole, famed for being the white sock capital of Europe - wrote with such a spellbinding poetic lilt. In one of his books he describes the spluttering of a candle as being 'like a pinch of toenails thrown on the fire'.

And, This Bloody Mary is the Last Thing I own. It's about boxing, not something I have any interest in whatsoever, but the writer is someone who I really liked when I saw him on a channel4 show many years ago about gambling. Poor bastard died alone and unnoticed in a shitty little flat way before his time - they didn't find his body until a week or two afterwards.

RIP Jonathan Rendall

David K · #**537** 15th January 2014, 14:47

^ I started watching that this morning, then remembered I don't have time for that! It's available for another week yet.

David K · #**538** 15th January 2014, 15:09

^ Sorry mum.

Pal · #**539** 15th January 2014, 16:36

The paperback, not kindle edition.

Omar Little · #**540** 15th January 2014, 20:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by either/or

That photo is not of the actual copy that I have. Mine has the illustrations though, yeah. They do make all the difference.

I watched a documentary on the many faces of Sherlock Holmes, think it's still on iPlayer. Worth watching if you've not seen it.

Ah right.

Ta. I'll be sure to check it out. I have a load of Sherlock Holmes/Conan Doyle documentaries on vhs what i taped off the telly many years ago during a Conan Doyle season.

Hey, have you ever read Arthur & George? I think you'd like it, it's about the real life story of Conan Doyle trying to prove an Indian man named George's innocence. The narrative splits between George and Doyle: George a quiet, myopic clerk who gets the blame for striping some horses right up; and Doyle trying his best to be like his fictional detective but, without being the puttpetmaster of the story, falling prey to making assumptions based on circumstantial evidence.
Really good book.