I've just started The Discworld series, at the beginning, with The Colour Of Money.....
I got as far a Mort, ( which is book 4 in the series.......of 39. :o ) back in the late 80s early 90s and wandered off elsewhere for some reason.
Wish me luck, I may be a while.....
Mein Kampf
(Not really, but when I posted that on another Rush forum, they locked the thread down whilst they debated whether the post should be deleted and whether I should be banned...)
Good luck with the Discworld Polis.
I used to rely on my sister to keep me up to date with it, so I'm a couple of years out of date now.
I'm currently reading Nemesis by Isaac Asimov. Found a load of Asimov books at the back of a cupboard so I've been working my way through those of late.
Quote from: Nick Sims on February 22, 2013, 18:21:41 pm
Mein Kampf
(Not really, but when I posted that on another Rush forum, they locked the thread down whilst they debated whether the post should be deleted and whether I should be banned...)
Good luck with the Discworld Polis.
I used to rely on my sister to keep me up to date with it, so I'm a couple of years out of date now.
I'm currently reading Nemesis by Isaac Asimov. Found a load of Asimov books at the back of a cupboard so I've been working my way through those of late.
Really?
So historians are not allowed.
Still reading Clapton's auto. It's pretty dull tbh.
Quote from: JonL on February 22, 2013, 18:52:33 pm
Still reading Clapton's auto. It's pretty dull tbh.
Played guitar,
Took drugs,
Shagged beautiful woman.
Another dull day at the coalface.
There was a signed copy of Mein Kampf that went up for sale last week....sold for £42k.
I thought this was quite cheap but apparently it was £35k more than was expected.
Just read the first few pages of Killing Floor, the first Jack Reacher story.
I'd never heard of the series until the Tom Cruise movie came out.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41ouxxlhQwL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU02_.jpg)
Got a few on the go some may fall by the wayside
Umberto Eco - The Prague Cemetery
Christopher Hitchens - God Is Not Great
Mickey Spillane Omnibus vol. 1.
...and another one about Tolkien's use of old English, Norse and Scandinavian languages in TLOTR...sitting sleepily somewhere on a shelf
Just finished Equal Rites, the 3rd in The Discworld series.
Starting The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks, in remembrance.
Bring Up The Bodies - Hilary Mantel
Just bought an E reader, so am downloading all sorts of stuff to see what it's like.
Currently the Orphans of the Helix, a short follow up to Dan Simmons' Hyperion saga.
After... well there's plenty to discover :-)
Did just finished Dan Brown's Inferno. Quite liked it, then again, I actually have Dante's Divine Comedy so it was a lot of fun thumbing through that while reading Inferno.
Just finished
Life of Pi
Noel Redding autobiography
Quote from: Fishy on August 02, 2013, 13:28:28 pm
Just finished
Life of Pi
Was it true you were reading it 22/7, just to get it finished? ::) ;)
Andrew Marr's History of the World. Ambitious but enjoyable.
Quote from: dom on August 02, 2013, 19:16:25 pm
Andrew Marr's History of the World. Ambitious but enjoyable.
Ooh what happens at the end?
Quote from: Bisto on August 02, 2013, 19:18:12 pm
Ooh what happens at the end?
We all go to heaven of course, but you knew that already ;)
Quote from: dom on August 02, 2013, 19:22:59 pm
We all go to heaven of course, but you knew that already ;)
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Holiday reading over the last 12 days:
Hellraiser-Ginger Baker. The man is a tosser, good read though.
Into The Fire-Dakota Meyer. Excellent book about a sniper's time in Afghanistan. Left me feeling very angry, nothing compared to how he was left feeling though.
World War Z- forget the author. Good fun. Very satirical in places.
Now reading Life by Keith Richards. Superb stuff.
Vikings by Neil Oliver the Scottish television historian. I got it at Christmas as a present form the Mrs. and have been promising to read it since then.
Also reading War With The Newts by Karel Capek... very good.
I like to have a non fiiction and fiction book on the go at once.
Stephen Donaldson - Against All Things Ending
On to Dutch literature. Basically old stuff that did I not read until now.
Now reading "The Dark Room of Damokles". About the war of course. Like 90% of Dutch literature (the other 10% are ego novels :-)
Holiday reading :
Ian Rankin - Standing in Another Man's Grave. Latest "Rebus" novel, plenty of scope for the series to continue. Perfect holiday book.
Campbell Armstrong - The Bad Fire. Really enjoyed a few of his earlier books, but this was a bit predictable
Iain Banks - Transition. Enjoyed it more than I thought I was going to. Interesting concept and actually had a story that developed and finished (which can be an issue with Banks)
Lee Child - Killing Floor. The first "Reacher" book. Petty poor to be honest. Easy to put down and pick up though
Stuart McBride - Cold Granite. Another "series" book, this time set in Aberdeen. Ok
Mike Gayle - The Importance of Being a Bachleor. Fluff. Wouldn't have bothered if I hadn't run out of other stuff.
Bez, with you on Killing Floor.
Just finishing off Why Evolution is True by Jerry Coyne
(http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/files/2009/04/coyne_book.jpg)
Quote from: Straight Shooter on August 02, 2013, 19:14:35 pm
Was it true you were reading it 22/7, just to get it finished? ::) ;)
no its not true :)
Quote from: Chris Quartly on August 08, 2013, 01:48:10 am
Just finishing off Why Evolution is True by Jerry Coyne
(http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/files/2009/04/coyne_book.jpg)
Has he come up with anything new, or is he just cashing in?
Quote from: Bisto on August 13, 2013, 21:02:03 pm
Has he come up with anything new, or is he just cashing in?
Hardly anything to cash in on?
It's from a few years ago (2009) and is probably the best popular-science book giving an overview for the evidence for evolution. I bought it because I read his website dailly so felt like I should support him, but it's really a great book.
Quote from: Chris Quartly on August 13, 2013, 23:44:04 pm
Hardly anything to cash in on?
It's from a few years ago (2009) and is probably the best popular-science book giving an overview for the evidence for evolution. I bought it because I read his website dailly so felt like I should support him, but it's really a great book.
Its a niche market, comparatively speaking sure, but why bother if you thought it would lose money? Take that as being rhetorical I'm not axe grinding just feeling a bit mischievous Chris
Straw Dogs by John Gray is an interesting book which attacks science, philosophy and religion and looks at where mankind is today and what the future holds for us.
I read it last year and felt very depressed at the fate of mankind once I'd finished it.
Quote from: Nulli Secundus on August 14, 2013, 09:35:15 am
Straw Dogs by John Gray is an interesting book which attacks science, philosophy and religion and looks at where mankind is today and what the future holds for us.
I read it last year and felt very depressed at the fate of mankind once I'd finished it.
Sounds like my kind of book ;D
...must say I don't really need to read a book to confirm my opinion that we're all going to hell in a handcart but its always good to have some facts and figures to back up your convictions. ;)
You'll enjoy Straw Dogs then Bisto ;)
Quote from: Nulli Secundus on August 14, 2013, 14:27:38 pm
You'll enjoy Straw Dogs then Bisto ;)
Good enough for me! I'm off to the library to track it down. Cheers! :)
Yesterday I read Alice On Mars, the latest by the master of far fetched fiction, Robert Rankin. I bought it via his Facebook page and it's a 100 page short story ( 50 pages are illustrations). It was a hand numbered (638/3000) autographed/personalised copy by the great man himself. Seeing as it's as short as it is, I got through it in one afternoon sitting.
Now on The Old Man And Mr Smith by Peter Ustinov. A fable about God and The Devil meeting on Earth after a few millennia and undertaking a fact finding mission on Earth. They find it very difficult to adapt to modern day life. As it's Ustinov, I'm expecting it to be very funny.
Just finished this.
A great entertaining read, with some real LOL moments.
(http://i.cdn.turner.com/dr/golf/www/release/sites/default/files/imagecache/article_med_image/article_images/American%20Caddie_300.jpg)
Michael Moorcock - Tales of the Eternal Champion vol. 1 Von Bek
I have been slowly working my way through this over the summer. Fascinating stuff.
He does a very good job of explaining the complexities of Balkans politics at the time (although I doubt much has changed).
(http://multimedia.thenational.ae/ssp_director/p.php?a=an11dWEneWBpPjw7MCY1JyMpPT0hJiIiJDE1Pyk9JSA9PCM8Pj44JDA%2FLCE%3D&m=1357812266)
Red Leaves by Thomas H Cook.
Nothing to do with holidays! He's a crime writer who writes 'atmospheric' psychological thrillers. Usually set in small-town mid America and told in flashback. I've read a bunch of his stuff and always enjoyed his books.
Picked up a couple out of a 3 volume hard back Medieval History both mint for a Tenner just need to track down the first now.
Got through Red Leaves in one sitting.
Now onto something I picked up last week. Welcome To Mars: Fantasies Of Science In The American Century 1847-1959 by Ken Hollings. The blurb on the back says "... draws upon newspaper articles, advertising campaigns, declassified government archives, old movies and newsreels from... when the future first took a tangible presence". Not my usual sort of thing, but I am enjoying it.
Robin Hobb - Assassins Apprentice
Just bought one of the DC Comics 'Before The Watchmen' prequel graphic novels...Comedian Rorschach.
#5 in the series.
(http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348023674l/9817591.jpg)
Started reading all the Adrian Mole books again.
My boys were reading them on holiday. I am already on the third book. They are good fun and a real blast from the past.
#5 in the series.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71S0-z6Gz2L._SL1013_.jpg)
Quote from: Nulli Secundus on August 30, 2013, 11:27:49 am
Started reading all the Adrian Mole books again.
My boys were reading them on holiday. I am already on the third book. They are good fun and a real blast from the past.
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid of the 80's.
Loved them, especially Growing Pains.
Just starting Misspent Youth by Peter F Hamilton.
This is something unusual in that it's a 'stand alone' novel. For once, it's not part of a series and it's only just over 400 pages. PFH's stuff is usually series and the individual books are doorstop style 900 page plus blockbusters. Again, unusually for him, it's set on Earth rather than in distant space. It concerns a 78 year old man who undergoes "rejuvenation" and wakes up looking like a 20 year old. The story follows his difficulty in adapting to his new look and how it affects his family and friends, particularly his teenage son and the son's girlfriend. Different from Hamilton's huge, sprawling space opera's but I'm looking forward to it as I have read a lot of his other stuff and really enjoy his work.
Just read: Under the Skin - Michael Faber. Very good. Barking mad. Gonna be an interesting one to turn into a film.
Now reading The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman which is most interesting. Rewriting the gospel to make it actually sound half sensible.
Just started reading Pete Townsend's autobiography.
Quote from: JonL on September 18, 2013, 16:46:15 pm
Just started reading Pete Townsend's autobiography.
I got the audio of this (Pete himself) and listened to it on a couple of long car journeys. Really good.
The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter. About a quarter of the way in and liking it.
Quote from: cygnusxdave on September 25, 2013, 20:50:04 pm
The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter. About a quarter of the way in and liking it.
Bought that to read on my hols. Not got round to starting it yet...
Kiss - nothin to lose
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51EBra%2ByeHL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_SX342_SY445_CR,0,0,342,445_SH20_OU02_.jpg)
Stephen King/Peter Straub - The Talisman
(http://www.tenpennydreams.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20121016035629IainBanksTheCrowRoad.jpg)
I got a book token for my birthday in September and bought George Orwell's Animal Farm & 1984.
I read them both when I was 15 and thought it's about time I read them again ;)
(http://i.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/quickfix/7/2/9/209729.jpg?v=1)
Cousin Christie's Dino Porn :)
Still reading Townsend's auto (Pete, not Sue)
Next it will be Tune in, vol 1 of the new, hefty Beatles biog.
Greg Bear - Eon
Barbarians: An alternative Roman History - Terry Jones and Alan Ereira
No 6 in the series.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/74/Wyrd-sisters-cover.jpg)
(http://www.historiskamedia.se/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/G%C3%B6ring-201x300.jpg)
a book about his time from he was captured in may 1945 to his death
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51-f9eBcy4L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_SX342_SY445_CR,0,0,342,445_SH20_OU02_.jpg)
The Dirty War - Martin Dillon
No. 7
(http://www.lspace.org/ftp/images/bookcovers/uk/pyramids-1.jpg)
Fifty Dead Men Walking - Martin McGartland
Jasper Fforde - The Eyre Affair
Not read for too long. Still ploughing through Townsend's auto, but not enjoying it much.
Got the new Percey Plant biog next.
Still not finished the Terry Jones book Barbarians...the non academic, ironic and slightly sarcastic style that was amusing at first is now wearing a bit thin 2/3rds of the way through. The trouble is its difficult to find an (English language) learned tome that has a flowing narrative and doesn't assume you are an ancient history or a classics grad/post grad. I suppose its not the kind of subject that non academic publishing houses would take a punt on.
Quote from: Bisto on December 04, 2013, 22:54:21 pm
Still not finished the Terry Jones book Barbarians...the non academic, ironic and slightly sarcastic style that was amusing at first is now wearing a bit thin 2/3rds of the way through. The trouble is its difficult to find an (English language) learned tome that has a flowing narrative and doesn't assume you are an ancient history or a classics grad/post grad. I suppose its not the kind of subject that non academic publishing houses would take a punt on.
Was there a TV series to accompany the book?
I seem to recall there was and it was very good.
Quote from: Nulli Secundus on December 11, 2013, 17:27:40 pm
Was there a TV series to accompany the book?
I seem to recall there was and it was very good.
Im pretty sure there was something done by Jones on tv...not sure if it was this or something else thoigh. My copy of the book probably pre dates any tv series as there is no mention of a tie in in the blurb.
Btw, according to Jones it turns out that the Romans were probably responsible for postponing the Industrial Revolution by about 1700 years or more by obliterating the culture and technology of many more advanced civilizations. c***s! >:(
Quote from: Bisto on December 11, 2013, 20:33:08 pm
Btw, according to Jones it turns out that the Romans were probably responsible for postponing the Industrial Revolution by about 1700 years or more by obliterating the culture and technology of many more advanced civilizations. c***s! >:(
That's an interesting theory. In the TV series I saw there was a lot of interesting art, writings and churches built by the Goths and Visigoths which is something many people are not aware of.
Reading Animal Farm by George Orwell.
Quote from: Nulli Secundus on December 19, 2013, 08:53:19 am
That's an interesting theory. In the TV series I saw there was a lot of interesting art, writings and churches built by the Goths and Visigoths which is something many people are not aware of.
But of course the Goths and Visigoths post-dated the Roman Empire. IIRC they were very active in church building in Lombardy and were involved in what the Roman church regarded as heretical practices.
Anyhoo, I'm (re) reading The Story of England by Michael Wood - The greatest story ever told - which was a TV series for sure.
Quote from: Nick Slikk2112 on December 19, 2013, 21:26:02 pm
But of course the Goths and Visigoths post-dated the Roman Empire. IIRC they were very active in church building in Lombardy and were involved in what the Roman church regarded as heretical practices.
Anyhoo, I'm (re) reading The Story of England by Michael Wood - The greatest story ever told - which was a TV series for sure.
The terms Goth Visigoth amongst others were Roman and more of a convenient generic noun which covered many smaller Germanic tribes....it basically means barbarian....in a similar way that Pagan meant non christian, Barbarian ( Goth meant non Roman, therefore non civilised) They were certainly contemporary with the Romans as was their art, technology and culture.
Quote from: Bisto on December 20, 2013, 00:00:00 am
The terms Goth Visigoth amongst others were Roman and more of a convenient generic noun which covered many smaller Germanic tribes....it basically means barbarian....in a similar way that Pagan meant non christian, Barbarian ( Goth meant non Roman, therefore non civilised) They were certainly contemporary with the Romans as was their art, technology and culture.
OK. OK. they postdated the highpoint of the classical Roman Empire - say round about 100AD - coming more onto the scene in the late 4th century. The Goths may well have come from southern Sweden - Gothenburg if you will. The Romans already had a good word for Barbarians - Barbarian. Their art and technology was predicated upon more or less Roman ideals, as the Roman Empire was the provider of cultural hegemony throughout Europe at the time. The tribes of Southern England - whether they be Brythonic, Gaulish or even Proto-Germanic - were certainly starting to buy into the Roman world even before the Roman conquest.
Thinking about it - I'm rambling - weren't the Goths (or Visigoths) proponents of what the Roman church called the Arian heresies? The TV series on Barbarians is starting to come back to me Alaric, Theodoric, Ravenna...
Quote from: Nick Slikk2112 on December 20, 2013, 00:42:32 am
OK. OK. they postdated the highpoint of the classical Roman Empire - say round about 100AD - coming more onto the scene in the late 4th century. The Goths may well have come from southern Sweden - Gothenburg if you will. The Romans already had a good word for Barbarians - Barbarian. Their art and technology was predicated upon more or less Roman ideals, as the Roman Empire was the provider of cultural hegemony throughout Europe at the time. The tribes of Southern England - whether they be Brythonic, Gaulish or even Proto-Germanic - were certainly starting to buy into the Roman world even before the Roman conquest.
Thinking about it - I'm rambling - weren't the Goths (or Visigoths) proponents of what the Roman church called the Arian heresies? The TV series on Barbarians is starting to come back to me Alaric, Theodoric, Ravenna...
"Coming onto the scene" ? According to Jones they were already well established culturally and socialy but Im not bothered about giving chapter and verse
Quote from: Bisto on December 21, 2013, 10:18:40 am
"Coming onto the scene" ? According to Jones they were already well established culturally and socialy but Im not bothered about giving chapter and verse
Yes coming onto the scene. Written history from those days in western Europe comes from the Roman perspective. The Romans were the scene, you had to impinge upon Roman consciousness to register on the scene :)
I read The Vikings by Neil Oliver and he states if you want to see what Europe would have been like without the Romans then look at Scandinavia. The Roman Empire never extended that far north and whilst there was some trade there was very little Roman influence and so Christianity didn't really take off there until several hundred years after it did throughout the rest of Europe.
England's 100 Greatest Views by Simon Jenkins.
95 of them are of me from various angles, the rest are in the Peak District.
A Storm of Swords book 1 by George RR Martin
and also
The Making of The Empire Strikes Back by J.W. Rinzler
Some walking book based on disused London underground stations....bit geeky but interesting nonetheless.
Quote from: Bisto on January 13, 2014, 20:39:48 pm
Some walking book based on disused London underground stations....bit geeky but interesting nonetheless.
sounds good actually. I recently read a book about underneath Manchester. There's all sorts of stuff under there. Old bunkers and old access tunnels that haven't been used in a long time. The first time I went into Manchester after reading it I couldn't help but think of all the stuff beneath the streets (I don't mean sewers and stuff but all the stuff we've built, used and abandoned)
Quote from: new_mercury on January 13, 2014, 20:43:16 pm
sounds good actually. I recently read a book about underneath Manchester. There's all sorts of stuff under there. Old bunkers and old access tunnels that haven't been used in a long time. The first time I went into Manchester after reading it I couldn't help but think of all the stuff beneath the streets (I don't mean sewers and stuff but all the stuff we've built, used and abandoned)
Typical as you get older that the past becomes ever more fascinating the more evidence of it that becomes revealed over time. Similar to discovering a band from the 70s I guess. Also easy to regret not being there at the time but there are lots of folk here who envy you the experience of first discoveries of all those albums.
Quote from: Bisto on January 13, 2014, 20:39:48 pm
Some walking book based on disused London underground stations....bit geeky but interesting nonetheless.
Sounds interesting to me :)
The Beeb News website had a feature on them - disused underground stations - a few days back
Quote from: Bisto on January 13, 2014, 20:50:43 pm
Typical as you get older that the past becomes ever more fascinating the more evidence of it that becomes revealed over time. Similar to discovering a band from the 70s I guess. Also easy to regret not being there at the time but there are lots of folk here who envy you the experience of first discoveries of all those albums.
I know what you mean about the envy in a way. I'm a trekkie and have been for quite a while and have seen every episode/film quite a lot of times. In the last few years I've introduced my wife to it all and watching it with her I was very envious that she was seeing these for the first time and I enjoyed seeing someone else getting hooked on them. In a way it's the closest I can get to seeing them for the first time again.
I'm also the same when someone I know is getting into a band I've been into for years. A few years ago my brother, out of the blue, asked me for a few rainbow albums and I obliged and it was great listening to his opinions of those albums.
short version: I agree!
Quote from: new_mercury on January 13, 2014, 21:31:40 pm
I know what you mean about the envy in a way. I'm a trekkie and have been for quite a while and have seen every episode/film quite a lot of times. In the last few years I've introduced my wife to it all and watching it with her I was very envious that she was seeing these for the first time and I enjoyed seeing someone else getting hooked on them. In a way it's the closest I can get to seeing them for the first time again.
I'm also the same when someone I know is getting into a band I've been into for years. A few years ago my brother, out of the blue, asked me for a few rainbow albums and I obliged and it was great listening to his opinions of those albums.
short version: I agree!
A fellow Rainbow fan eh?....good man! There are a few of us here but we don't really discuss them. There was a long running thread for Porcupine Tree which has sputtered out for fairly obvious reasons. A lot of us like old school Prog and Classic Rock but, despite claims to the contrary, were not complete dinosaurs in terms of our listening habits we are a very eclectic bunch. I think it's fair to say most of us here are in their mid to late 40's and early 50's but there are a few younger members, you aren't the youngest by any means...just don't expect to have too many conversations about Dance music ;)
Quote from: Bisto on January 13, 2014, 22:11:36 pm
A fellow Rainbow fan eh?....good man! There are a few of us here but we don't really discuss them. There was a long running thread for Porcupine Tree which has sputtered out for fairly obvious reasons. A lot of us like old school Prog and Classic Rock but, despite claims to the contrary, were not complete dinosaurs in terms of our listening habits we are a very eclectic bunch. I think it's fair to say most of us here are in their mid to late 40's and early 50's but there are a few younger members, you aren't the youngest by any means...just don't expect to have too many conversations about Dance music ;)
Suits me I wouldn't know the first thing about dance music. My age is deceptive in that regard. My wife often says I was born at the wrong time. For example my MP3 player currently consists of: Queen, Led Zepp, Rush, Rainbow, Beatles, Mott the Hoople, Rolling Stones, The Jam, Bad Company, Dead Daisies, Beck, Slash, Michael Jackson, Star Sailor, Buddy Holly, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and it carries on in that kind of vein.
Quote from: new_mercury on January 13, 2014, 22:29:39 pm
For example my MP3 player currently consists of
Whoa, hold on a minute, MP3 player?
I'm still buying vinyl...
Quote from: Nickslikk2112 on January 13, 2014, 22:50:44 pm
Whoa, hold on a minute, MP3 player?
I'm still buying vinyl...
New vinyl bad, old wax cylinder good. ;D
(http://www.cylinder.de/img/brownwaxcolumbia.jpg)
(http://www.aberdeenquest.com/web/MultimediaFiles/ABDMS021230.JPG)
Come on now sir, I'm not that far behind the times. Although the Caress of Steel remastered Pianola roll is rather tempting...
Tbe Dark Tourist - Dom Joly
Started Stephen King's sequel to The Shining last night. Dr. Sleep. Get's going full on from the off. I can tell I am going to enjoy it already.
An NHS leaflet on "Glued Wounds".
Rather predictable with a dry, clinical writing style, but apparently essential reading, especially for someone in my current position. ::)
Quote from: Matt2112 on January 16, 2014, 13:27:59 pm
An NHS leaflet on "Glued Wounds".
Rather predictable with a dry, clinical writing style, but apparently essential reading, especially for someone in my current position. ::)
I told you to be careful with that superglue
Just starting Nick Mason's auto. Hope there's not too much about cars.
Quote from: JonL on January 18, 2014, 12:46:56 pm
Just starting Nick Mason's auto. Hope there's not too much about cars.
Can't be much in it about drumming :)
London Under by Peter Ackroyd.
It's about what's under London. Shit Mostly.
The Eerie Silence by Prof Paul Davies - Re: potential for intelligent life other than earth, in the Milky Way and beyond. Very interesting if somewhat mind boggling at times.
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists - Robert Tressell
Gut Reaction by Hudson Jones on.
What a find! I think this might be a life changing book :)
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/ed/Wolf_Hall_cover.jpg/200px-Wolf_Hall_cover.jpg)
Quote from: Andy42g on April 13, 2014, 20:54:43 pm
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/ed/Wolf_Hall_cover.jpg/200px-Wolf_Hall_cover.jpg)
Found that, as with her other works, a bit of a hard read :(
Quote from: Craig Smith on April 14, 2014, 00:33:47 am
Found that, as with her other works, a bit of a hard read :(
Not exactly flying through it myself - but am told I should keep going as it "clicks" after a while...
Just finished The Secret Race. A fascinating read by Tyler Hamilton about his time as a pro cyclist, and the doping programmes, like something out of a spy book.
Just dived into Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton.
I just finished The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub, and I'm moving on to the sequel Black House. I'd like to go back to reading The Dark Tower series when I'm done. Or simultaneously, I don't know if I can wait.
Just finished "Why E=MC2 (and why should we care?)" by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw. Manage to follow a fair bit of it and some of the principles, but the mathematics was pretty beyond me despite their efforts!
Now moving onto Hitch 22, and already within a chapter I'm really missing Christopher Hitchens, he just had an amazing style and the world is much poorer without him.
To cheer myself up, re-reading McCarthy's Bar by the late , great Pete McCarthy.
Reminds me that I really out to get Ireland for a bit of that Irish Crack.
Just finished some parts of the Raymond E. Feist series the Riftwar Saga, ok-ish I suppose. Easy reading for sure.
Then read Paul Stanley's auto biography, which was quite okay actually. Then again, I had read Frehley's and Criss's (no interest whatsoever in $immon$ writings) so it's good to balance out the stories.
Now started on Yellow Fever by Michael Rasmussen... jaysus, the things people do to get to the top. Good read though.
Rough Ride by Paul Kimmage, cycling book written for once by someone who wasn't mega successful, about the hardships of pro cycling, and doping
very readable indeed
Jonners,
ever read this article? Great read especially for amateur cyclists!
http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/dropping-in/I-Couldn-t-Be-More-Positive.html?page=all
Great article, many thanks
Been reading a few cycling books recently. Have done the usual Wiggins/Cavendish/Eddie Merckz biogs, but have delved a bit deeper now into stories like Kimmage, and a nice one called "chasing Lance" about the 2005 TdF
Bill Bryson's new paperback - Summer of 1927. Love his stuff - really bringing history to a new audience. A Brief History of Almost Everything was fabulous and I need to read that again. This one seems just as interesting.
Something pretty rubbish until get my way round to buying the new Margaret Atwood book. Looking forward to it, final book in the Oryx and Crake trilogy. Just read HBO are going to make them into a mini series.
Wide Eyed and Legless: Inside the Tour de France by Jeff Connor
Great read
Quote from: Jonners on June 16, 2014, 17:01:27 pm
Wide Eyed and Legless: Inside the Tour de France by Jeff Connor
Great read
I recommend The Secret Race. Really opened my eyes, though if you're well informed on the subject, there may not be many surprises. I thought it was very good though.
I will look out for that, I enjoy the tour books very much
Just finished "The Psychopath Test" by Ron Jonson. Thoroughly engrossing if somewhat rambling adventure into what he refers to as "The Madness Industry". He puts forward a very strong case that psychology and in particular psychological profiling is not really scientific at all, at best guess work and at worst downright dangerous. This concurrs with my own engineering certainty that you are highly unlikely to diagnose and/or fix a problem without a thorough understanding of how the mechanism works and that a lot of what we are seeing today mooted as diagnosis of ADD,ADHD etc is just pseudo science running wild for the benefit of pharmaceutical profits at the expense of human lives.
Quote from: Jonners on May 19, 2014, 12:28:59 pm
Rough Ride by Paul Kimmage, cycling book written for once by someone who wasn't mega successful, about the hardships of pro cycling, and doping
very readable indeed
Sounds interesting...will check it out.
Currently half-way through Chris Froome's "The Climb." Wouldn't usually bother with an autobiography of someone so young, but it was an impulse buy at the airport on Monday, and I'm happy to say it's a pretty good read. :)
Just read Paul Stanley's autobiography. Thoroughly enjoyable read. Gone back to listen to my very modest collection of KISS albums. Hast changed my mind about their music, though I would like to see them live.
Just Finished "put me back on my bike" by William Fotheringham, about Tom Simpson
Now, this is a great book!
Recently bought a kindle so figured I'd check out some of the free classics. Am currently reading Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Lynch On Lynch, (edited) by Chris Rodley
Superb book consisting of interviews with the maestro about his films from the very early shorts through to Mulholland Drive. There are no straight "explanations" of course, but it's a peek behind the (velvet) curtain and has plenty of fascinating insight and background. For fans like me it's a gold mine of a book.
Been catching up on some bucket list titles
The Third man by Graham Greene
and
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Nothing ages so quickly as visions of the future
Dominion - CJ Sansom - an excellent book, looking at what may have happened if Britain hadn't continued to fight Germany in WW2 past 1940. A fascinating read. well recommended. Takes you back to the 1950s but a very different version of it.
The Secret Race by Tyler Hamilton and someone else who's name escapes me
Good read for you cycling buffs out there
Quote from: Jonners on September 30, 2014, 10:16:34 am
The Secret Race by Tyler Hamilton and someone else who's name escapes me
Good read for you cycling buffs out there
That one really opened my eyes to the cloak and dagger world of doping. Fascinating.
Quote from: JonL on September 30, 2014, 15:55:27 pm
That one really opened my eyes to the cloak and dagger world of doping. Fascinating.
Indeed. basically everyone was doing it, but some had more money and better doctors to help cover it up
(Mentioning no names of course.....)
Best book on cycling i have read.
In my Lance obsessive phase, Im now reading 7 Deadly sins by David Walsh, his pursuit of Lance
Another fascinating read.
Billy Idol's Dancing with Myself.
As you would expect, drugs and sex in excess.
Peter F. Hamilton's Mindstar Rising, the 1st Greg Mandel book.
Kind of weird in that it is set in a future Peterborough/Rutland. As I live in Peterborough it is just a little strange seeing local roads / villages / locales mentioned. This I think is Hamilton's first book - and he still lives over Rutland way I think.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11745460-one-man-and-his-bike
Absolutely joyful so far, no bike geekiness, just a bloke cycling round Britain, and the places and people he meets
Nice stories, he has a gentle but very funny style of writing about his experiences, and you find yourself empathising with him, and looking out for places he has visited. Shows the other side of cycling
The Circle - Dave Eggers.
The Youngs: the brothers who build AC/DC
Poor - and he has an annoying habit of slagging off others authors who have done (superior) bios on the group...
Somme Mud by Edward Francis Lynch
Excellent read so far
Britain in the Middle Ages - Francis Pryor
Swotting up for life under the Tories...
(http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1416448118l/22245552.jpg)
I'm reading Chasing the Scream at the Moment and am finding it fascinating. What's interesting is that I was already on the side that thinks the war on drugs has been atrocious, but there's stuff I really had no idea about, and lots of things I thought I knew that are actually wrong. Really great book (about 2/3 of the way through).
http://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Scream-First-Last-Drugs/dp/1620408902
Some Jack reacher novel, cant remember the name, but it appears to be following exactly the same formula as the previous 20
I have read quite a lot over these past few weeks, most impressed by a Dutch novelist, Alex Boogers with his book 'Alleen met de Goden' which is of no use to most of you here since it is in Dutch only. Still, I enjoyed it so much I needed to mention it.
Now reading another Dutch novel, La Superba by I.L Pfeijffer. Have also been reading a lot of poetry.
(http://numerocinqmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Capture15.jpg)
Read the latest Ken Follett and Wilbur Smith offerings on holiday. Now on To Kill A Mockingbird.
Just started The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber.
Finished volume 2 (of 3) of War And Peace.
If you are not daunted by the shear size of it, it is a very good read (most of the time)
Quote from: pdw1 on August 14, 2015, 23:51:14 pm
Finished volume 2 (of 3) of War And Peace.
If you are not daunted by the shear size of it, it is a very good read (most of the time)
It would certainly be more manageable if it were sheared....
Or should that be shorn?
Currently reading David Mitchell's "The Bone Clocks." I really enjoyed "Cloud Atlas," but this is brilliant. :)
The Passion of Fausto Coppi.
If you like cycling, the books about the stars of old are absolutely fascinating
(http://www.paul-charles-smith.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/post-office.jpg)
Needed something for my kindle so started reading Animal Farm.
Printed books good, e-books bad :)
I usually read printed books, but for going to gigs I like to have my kindle on me to read between sets if I'm on my own, saves ruining the book having it bash around in a bag.
Guess Who's Back.
A rather funny and interesting story of Hitler reappearing in modern day Germany.
Written by a German author so it's quite a groundbreaker in Germany.
Fatherland by Robert Harris
fascinating read so far
Atticus Lish - Preparation for the next life
Maddadam - Margaret Atwood
Just re-read the first two books in the trilogy before reading this. Amazing imagination, but I still think Oryx and Crake was the pinnacle.
The Crusader by Michael Eisner.
Very good read so far
All Involved - Ryan Gattis. Very intense read about LA in '92 during the Rodney King riots.
Norwegian Wood, Chopping, Stacking and Drying Wood the Scandinavian Way - Lars Mytting
The Loyal Liutenant-The George Hincapie story
Lance's number two drug mule/cycling pal
WHite Line Fever-Lemmy's Autobiography
Funny read
Not exactly reading, but I'm on the 3rd (and final) audio book in Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn trilogy. I read the physical books about 10 years ago.
By the way, if anyone is looking for a good sci-fi audio book, I highly recommend Iain M Banks' Excession. Cracking yarn, and read/performed by Peter Kenny, who has an enormous repertoire of accents / voices to bring the book to life with. I've not heard anyone better yet.
I got it at a bargain price from The Works.
Leave it to Psmith by PH Wodehouse. Hilarious! ;D
The Book of Opeth.
Does exactly what it says on the padded hardback. It's got my name in it too.
2017 - War with Russia - by a retired British General. Scary and plausible tale about a Russian land-grab of the Baltic states and NATO's impotence in the face of it. He excoriates the Cameron figure, but is much kinder to the Clinton one....
Lost Boy Lost Girl Peter Straub
Inferno by Dan Brown
Quite enjoyable in a silly way
http://bokelskere.s3.amazonaws.com/4fab0f9e2fdb8b2a01d4126f044ef11a0befc7cb91b0bbb9ae59f1c9.jpeg
Book 3 in a series of 5 about a young norwegian sailor during WWII
Holiday reading :
Stieg Larsson - The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Suffered a bit by having seen the film....still very enjoyable and I'll investigate further.
John Grisham - Rogue Lawyer
OK, but no better than that
Harlan Corben - Fool Me Once
Pants
Paula Hawkins - Girl on the Train
Not finished this one yet, but no great....
The Betamax Theory by Lee Kenny. Exclellent nostalgia sci fi
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Brutal.
Metallica - Back to the front
A fantastic retrospective of the whole ear culminating with the MOP album and tour. Really takes me back to that time, when Metallica were really quite a phenomenon. Packed with a wealth of photos, memorabilia and anecdotes from everyone who was there at the time.
Fantastic - I've gone back and listened to those Cliff Burton records and they still sound as fierce and fresh as they did back then. A bit like Def Leppard after Steve Clark's death..Metallica never really recovered after Burton - none of those subsequent records hold a candle to the first 3 records...
Glad I got to see them with Cliff. You're absolutely right about the first 3 albums....the huge progressive leap between Kill 'em all and Ride the Lightning is incredible. MOP is arguably the defining Thrash album. I still get plenty of enjoyment out of some of the subsequent albums but they are definitely not in the same league.
Quote from: Bisto on September 03, 2016, 13:05:44 pm
Glad I got to see them with Cliff. MOP is arguably the defining Thrash album.
Wish I'd seen them with Cliff. There's no way I would have been allowed to have seen them at Newcastle Mayfair in 1986...
I think you're doing MOP a disservice - it's one of the seminal, greatest rock records of that decade - up their with Back in Black, Appetite for Destruction, Moving Pictures....
Quote from: captainkurtz on September 03, 2016, 15:05:38 pm
Wish I'd seen them with Cliff. There's no way I would have been allowed to have seen them at Newcastle Mayfair in 1986...
I think you're doing MOP a disservice - it's one of the seminal, greatest rock records of that decade - up their with Back in Black, Appetite for Destruction, Moving Pictures....
Can't argue against that! :D
I've missed out on so many seminal gigs, far too many to mention, but you can't Do 'em all. I turned up at the Hammy O without a ticket and scored one from a Punk with a mahoosive Mohecan with a spare. He had only really come to heckle Anthrax when they played "God save the Queen"
The trouble was we were half way up the back of the Stalls!
Quote from: Bisto on September 03, 2016, 13:05:44 pm
Glad I got to see them with Cliff. You're absolutely right about the first 3 albums....the huge progressive leap between Kill 'em all and Ride the Lightning is incredible. MOP is arguably the defining Thrash album. I still get plenty of enjoyment out of some of the subsequent albums but they are definitely not in the same league.
I hate you ;)
Not seeing Metallica with Cliff is one of the great regrets of my musical life.
Quote from: pdw1 on September 03, 2016, 18:37:39 pm
I hate you ;)
Not seeing Metallica with Cliff is one of the great regrets of my musical life.
Sorry mate....but I'm sure there are plenty you did get to see that I didn't. My son's ex g/f's dad is about 60....once we'd established our love of the same/similar type of music he reeled off the following;... Bowie (from Spiders of Mars tour onwards), Hawkwind, Queen II tour onwards, Thin Lizzy, The Who, Elton John, Zeppelin, Free, Mott, Sabbath, Purple Mk II, III & IV tours, Rainbow tours (Dio era), Aerosmith, BÖC, Heart, Family, ELO, UFO (with Schenker first time around), Gentle Giant, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Brand X, Genesis, Yes, Floyd, Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Little Feat, Zappa, Captain Beefheart, Carole King, Johnny Winter, Talking Heads, Styx, Triumph, Van Halen, SRV, Fleetwood Mac, Rush and more.....all in the 70's/early 80's....none of which I had seen in that period, most of them I have yet to see and many of whom I will never get to see! :'(
Quote from: pdw1 on September 03, 2016, 18:37:39 pm
Not seeing Metallica with Cliff is one of the great regrets of my musical life.
I did :)
Twice :D
The second time was only a week or two before he died :(
Oh, and I'm reading a book about the Great Days of the Canals. I missed them :(
I'm on me hols in Montenegro at the moment. Must admit I very rarely read books, in fact the last time I read one I was in Montenegro in 2015. However I bought Lemmy's autobiography the other day when it popped up on offer for 99p on my Kindle. I'd had the paper version for years, but never read it. Finished it last night. Very frank and entertaining, but I expect most of you have read it already.
Also reading a collection of Callan short stories, written by the creator of the character and writer of many of the TV scripts, James Mitchell. These were originally serialised in the Daily Express in the '70s. Interestingly the Callan in these stories seems a bit different from the TV persona - less hand-wringing, less intense. He still has the odd bitter moment, the occasional reluctance or regret, but mostly he just gets on with his lethal and murky business. Typical cold war spy fare and a bit formulaic, but clever and classy.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Callan-Uncovered-James-Mitchell/dp/1909619132
Continuing my PG Wodehouse phase: Leave it to Psmith[|i].
I'm working my way through Peter F. Hamilton's Void Trilogy.
I finished book 1 last week, The Dreaming Void, and am now on book 2 - The Temporal Void.
I'm working my way through the Harry Potter series.
I have read chapters to my kids at bedtime, listened to huge chunks on long car journeys to keep them quiet but I have never read a whole book from start to finish. I'm just starting the Goblet of Fire.
3 books on the go at the moment:
In car audio book: The Temporal Void, Peter F. Hamilton
Physical book: Terminal World, Alastair Reynolds
E-book: Consider Phlebas, Iain M. Banks
Had to stop my Harry Potter adventures as I have caught up with my youngest and she wont let me read beyond her.
So I read The Martian over the weekend at Centre Parcs.
Ecclesiastical History of the English People - Bede
It appears that the NHS could be greatly helped if people drank water which had held relics of the saints and were surrounded by Bishops and Monks praying for them. It worked wonders 1,300 years ago :)
Even dogs in the wild...Ian Rankin
Most excellent
Closed casket...Sophie Hannah
Its all about the bike-Robert Penn.
Truly lovely book, even if you are not a bike geek
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10003343-it-s-all-about-the-bike
Went away for the weekend so returned to my volume of Callan short stories. Good stuff.
Two Brothers by Ben Elton.
The man can spin a good yarn, read all his books and he hasn't disappointed.
Van Halen Rising by Gregg Renoff.
For a VH nut like me, this is manna from heaven...
David Millar - The Racer, the inside story of life on the road.
Think you have to be a touch mad to be a pro Road Race Cyclist. That or a Doper.
Speaking of Dopers, I've also just read: Racing through the Dark: The fall and rise of David Millar
Peter F. Hamilton, Great North Road
NASA Saturn V Haynes Manual by David Woods - excellent book on the history, development and engineering of the greatest machine ever made by man.
Peter F. Hamilton: The Abyss Beyond Dreams
Mister Satan's Apprentice: A Blues Memoir - Adam Gussow
Peter F. Hamilton : Night Without Stars
John Williams : The Cardiff Trilogy
Thinking Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman
'Captain Trips' - Jerry Garcia biog
Jingo - Terry Pratchett
Ernest Cline : Ready Player One
A Fast Ride Out Of Here - Pete Way biog. Xmas pressie.Good read, might get it finished tomorrow.Obviously a few Rush references.
Alastair Reynolds : Revenger
Ned Boulting: On the Road Bike, The search for a Nation's Cycling Soul
Another freebie e-book:
Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0 : Origins by Randolph Lalonde.
Quite enjoying it - reminds me a little of early space opera, in particular, E. E. Doc Smith.
It's the 1st in a long running space opera series. I think this is the 1st freebie I've read which is tempting me to buy the next one in the series when I've finished this one.
Ready Player One
What a very, very good book this is
Another freebie e-book: Liquid Cool by Austin Dragon.
What does this button do?
The Bruce Dickinson autobiography.
It reads just like how he comes over in interviewers and very funny and insightful in what makes a band successful.
Quote from: pdw1 on March 10, 2018, 15:41:31 pm
What does this button do?
The Bruce Dickinson autobiography.
It reads just like how he comes over in interviewers and very funny and insightful in what makes a band successful.
I got that for Christmas - not started it yet - I did hear him reading some of it on Planet Rock at the end of last year and it sounded like a good read. Maybe next on the list, am trying to read more this year but have so far only managed one book, although that's already beaten last year ;D ::)
Nearly at the end of 'Bowie, Bolan and the Brooklyn Boy' - Tony Visconti biography. It's been a good holiday read.
Just read Alastair Reynold's Revenger which I thought was very good indeed and a bit of a return to form - quite original, and I'm very much looking forward to the sequel - planned for 2019 I believe.
Have now started on Ernest Cline's Armada .
Well I rattled through that.
***** SPOILERS AHEAD *****
Rush get a mention again - Moving Pictures this time.
It does borrow heavily from the likes of The Last Starfighter and Ender's Game but Cline references both of these (and others) within the book itself. Sadly I can't remember a reference to Anderson's UFO which I imagine isn't deliberate- I guess that Cline isn't aware of UFO. Which is a little sad considerong that there are a number of similarities- UFO has a secret organisation defending the Earth, with a secret Base on the moon. With the defense craft being called Interceptors.
In Cline's Armada we have the secret Earth Defense Alliance, complete with secret base on the dark side of the moon, and he even calls the ships Interceptors.
Armada's Interceptors are wisely not 1-shot ships like UFO (sorry UFO but.that was such a stupid idea!).
Quote from: Reg on March 26, 2018, 16:37:29 pm
Well I rattled through that.
***** SPOILERS AHEAD *****
Rush get a mention again - Moving Pictures this time.
It does borrow heavily from the likes of The Last Starfighter and Ender's Game but Cline references both of these (and others) within the book itself. Sadly I can't remember a reference to Anderson's UFO which I imagine isn't deliberate- I guess that Cline isn't aware of UFO. Which is a little sad considerong that there are a number of similarities- UFO has a secret organisation defending the Earth, with a secret Base on the moon. With the defense craft being called Interceptors.
In Cline's Armada we have the secret Earth Defense Alliance, complete with secret base on the dark side of the moon, and he even calls the ships Interceptors.
Armada's Interceptors are wisely not 1-shot ships like UFO (sorry UFO but.that was such a stupid idea!).
Brilliant Dinky toy though - could easily "take someone's eye out" ;D
The Nature and Subsequent uses of Flint: Volume 1 - the basics of Lithic Technology by John W. Lord
Armada-Bloke who wrote Ready Player one
Liking it so far, another geek fest
Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton
Dragons do Victorian romanticism. Recommended if you like Trollope or dragons
I don't read books often, but downloaded Adam Hall's Tango Briefing to my Kindle just before coming on holiday here in Cornwall, and I finished it today.
Tango Briefing is one of 19 novels written by the British author Elleston Trevor under the nom-de-plume Adam Hall, about an enigmatic British secret service 'executive' (agent) named Quiller. He also wrote The Flight Of The Phoenix, which became a famous James Stewart film 50-odd years ago.
I particular wanted to read this one because a Quiller TV series was made by the BBC in 1975, and the only episode I can remember was based on this book. Older readers may also remember a 1966 film, The Quiller Memorandum, with George Segal.
This one was written in 1973 and doesn't have the usual cold war theme. Instead he has to find a freighter plane with a mysterious cargo that's come down in the Sahara, before various Arab government and security services can find it.
I found it a frustrating, but ultimately rewarding read. It's a cracking story, told in the first person but bloody hell, he takes his time telling it - in a long-winded, rambling stream-of-consciousness style, sometimes taking in plot aspects that contribute nothing ultimately to the story. He also has this little trick of taking you by surprise by casually referring to something you haven't quite found out about yet, for dramatic effect - "it occurred to me, in one of those stray thoughts that pass through our minds at unlikely moments, that it wasn't a very easy death I was giving him" - Er, what? Oh, right! Even though he's got you under armed guard, you're about to kill him!
And it gets a bit wearing after a while.
I honestly think you could remove about 40% of the book and it would be all the better for it. Needs an edit but it won't get one, and it's worth a few hours of your time anyway if you're into this sort of thing.
Cider with Roadies - Stuart Maconie. Very entertaining ("I've always considered Queen to be a pantomime version of Led Zeppelin" ;D )
Around the World in 80 Days - Mark Beaumont
A daft Scotch bloke who cycled 18,000 miles in under 80 days, over 240 miles a day in four four hour stints each day.
Gets a bit repetitive: Got up after five hours sleep, cycled a bit over 240 miles in the day. McGreat. Got up after five hours sleep, cycled a bit under 240 miles in the day. McBummer.
Quote from: Nïckslïkk2112 on November 04, 2018, 22:49:20 pm
Around the World in 80 Days - Mark Beaumont
A daft Scotch bloke who cycled 18,000 miles in under 80 days, over 240 miles a day in four four hour stints each day.
Gets a bit repetitive: Got up after five hours sleep, cycled a bit over 240 miles in the day. McGreat. Got up after five hours sleep, cycled a bit under 240 miles in the day. McBummer.
Sounds like that one that motorcyclist did, name escapes me.
The Salt Path - Raynor Winn
The tale of a couple who find themselves homeless in their 50s and decide to walk the SW Coast path.
just finished
The Sence of an Ending. Julian Barnes
now
Wolf Hall. Hilary Mantel
Just finished :
The Gospel According to Luke - Steve Lukather.
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
Agatha Christie on crack
Our narrator must relive the same day again and again at a party at mansion lost in the countryside until he works out who the murderer is. And each day as a different guest.
I have not quite finished it yet but I am completely gripped.
I've just finished "The Ark", book 1 of the Children of a Dead Earth series (rather good for a freebie e-book).
Just about to start on Peter F. Hamilton's latest epic, "Salvation" having received a physical hardback for Christmas. I'm really looking forward to this - and there is a new Alastair Reynolds due out in January which I have been waiting for - the sequel to "Revenger" which was a great return to form for Reynolds.
"Brexit and Ireland" by the Irish Times journalist David Connolly. Early days but it appears to be very comprehensive
I'm currently near the end of Hamilton's Salvation - which is terrific, and in the car, I am listening to the audio book of Alastair Reynolds "Revenger" as a warm up to "Shadow Captain" to refresh my memory.
A game for all the family .Sophie Hannah . Liking her stuff
I am reading Swallows and Amazons to my youngest
and enjoying it almost as much as she is. :)
Just started on Alastair Reynolds "Shadow Captain", sequel to "Revenger".
btw, Peter F. Hamilton's "Salvation" was a terrific start to his new set of books. I'm now very much looking forward to "Salvation Lost".
I, Partridge. Enjoying it, some LOL moments
Just started I Am Pilgrim Terry Hayes
Started in Cixin Liu's The Three Body Problem. Book 1 of a fascinating Chinese Sci-Fi trilogy (together with The Dark Forest and Death's End it forms Remembrance of Earth's Past).
I've just finished Hack Attack by Nick Davies.
It's the full story of the phone hacking scandal that brought down The News Of The World by the journalist that originally broke the story in The Guardian. Absolutely shocking. The (non) activity of the Metropolitan Police and the Press Complaints Commission allowed it to continue for far longer than it should've. They were all terrified of putting themselves into Newscorp's line of fire.
Just about to start Raising Steam, the 40th Discworld novel.
Started on the 3rd (and final) Takeshi Kovacs novel, Woken Furies
Quote from: pdw1 on February 26, 2019, 22:52:42 pmI am reading Swallows and Amazons to my youngest
and enjoying it almost as much as she is. :)
We have now moved on to Swallowdale 8)
Quote from: döm on December 29, 2018, 22:00:06 pm"Brexit and Ireland" by the Irish Times journalist David Connolly. Early days but it appears to be very comprehensive
Clairvoyant, by any chance?
Made a book purchase for the second time in about 5 years (Geddy's BBBoB the other one) - and, like the arrival of late buses, two at once:
The Strange Death Of Europe by Douglas Murray
12 Rules For Life by Jordan Peterson
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Book by Yuval Noah Harari
Couple of chapters into The Strange Death Of Europe.
Douglas Murray is certainly one of the most astute and eloquent commentators of the day and this is a tour de force so far; and he hasn't even finished setting out his stall yet. Engrossing.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
rereading this after something like 25 years
The Remains of The Day - Kazuo Ishigura
Contract in Blood - A History of UK Thrash Metal by Ian Glasper
Not really a history but a series of long interviews with bands mainly from the 80s. Everybody's here from the great Onslaught & Sabbat to the obscure who only ever released a couple of demos. Great nostalgia for those of us who were there.
Jordan B Peterson - 12 Rules for Life
I've seen him on Youtube a few times and was quite impressed. The book on the other hand is hard work. I found it totally uninspiring and difficult to read. Way too many religious examples for me. I wouldn't recommend.
Flea - Acid for the Children
Hi-Fi News (January 2020)
Quote from: pxr5 on November 29, 2019, 20:22:54 pmJordan B Peterson - 12 Rules for Life
I've seen him on Youtube a few times and was quite impressed. The book on the other hand is hard work. I found it totally uninspiring and difficult to read. Way too many religious examples for me. I wouldn't recommend.
Bought this some time ago, but haven't got round to reading it yet.
I was similarly impressed by his public/media appearances, especially the famous Cathy Newman interview.
Quote from: Matt2112 on December 26, 2019, 11:48:51 amBought this some time ago, but haven't got round to reading it yet.
I was similarly impressed by his public/media appearances, especially the famous Cathy Newman interview.
Yes that Cathy Newman interview was very good. Sadly the book doesn't live up to anything like that though.
I've never read an autobiography before. I nearly read David Niven's - The Moon's a Balloon a long time ago, but I didn't get round to it in the end. However, I was tempted by Brice Dickinson's so just started reading What Does This Button Do. Some of the reviews have said it's too much about flying and his other hobbies, rather than his Iron Maiden stories. I got through the first few pages last night and it seems OK so far - the style of his (or a ghost writer) writing is quite good. As a fan of early Priest I may even give KK Downing's autobiography a read too.
I need to finish off The Strange Death Of Europe by Douglas Murray; then on to his The Madness Of Crowds.
Then I might try 12 Rules.
I got Peter F. Hamilton's Salvation Lost for Christmas, but I think I might re-read the fantastic Salvation first to get me back up to speed with the characters.
I did finally finish Richard K. Morgan's Woken Furies a few weeks ago. The 3rd and final Takeshi Kovacs novel, which I enjoyed much more than the 2nd book, but not as much as the 1st.
Born To Run - Springsteen autobiography
I
Quote from: DavidL on December 22, 2019, 17:04:40 pmHi-Fi News (January 2020)
I used to read this religiously,is it any good?
Quote from: rufus the dawg on January 05, 2020, 16:35:29 pmII used to read this religiously,is it any good?
At the moment it's my favourite hi-if mag. I have previously subscribed to Hi-Fi World and then Hi-Fi Choice but gave that up a couple of years ago. I used to buy the occasional copy of 'News' but have been buying it more regularly recently. I used to think that they concentrated on too much on esoteric (expensive) equipment but I think they've reigned that in a bit (see Hi-Fi+).
I am probably more interested in the content that deals with things other than equipment reviews. The contributors are pretty good, including Ken Kessler. The other highlight is the 'vinyl icon' feature which tells the story of a classic album, written by ex-Melody Maker writer, Steve Sutherland.
I love reading it whilst soaking in the bath!
Two books,
British and German Battle cruisers, development and operations.
The Home Maker - Dorothy Canfield Fisher. About husband and wife swapping roles. IE An House Husband and a wife going to work in the 1920s USA.
I rattled through Hamilton's Salvation, and am now savouring the 2nd book in the series, Salvation Lost.
This book has noticeably ramped up the action - it is rattling along at quite a pace and before I know it, I'll be finished and wanting to crack on with the next.
This is really, really, good. I'm so pleased to be along for the ride.
I really must bag a copy of Alastair Reynolds' Bone Silence to keep me going for a while after this (3rd in the Revenger series). Perhaps re-read the 1st 2 again before the 3rd. Well listen to the 1st actually, as I have the audio book. . . hmm... I guess I'm starting to ramble a bit.
Night all - off for another chapter of Salvation Lost before sleep.
Finished Salvation Lost. Hell of a ride, and roll on the completion of this story in Saints of Salvation.
Am currently listening to (I read the physical book when it came out a year ago) Alastair Reynolds' Shadow Captain audio book in preparation for the 3rd part of Revenger, Bone Silence.
I've finished "What does this Button do?", Bruce Dickinson's autobiography. It's OK, not bad, but not good either. There isn't any of his personal life (apart from the recent cancer), and maybe too much piloting and fencing. I could forgive this if he mentioned Iron Maiden more. I don't recall Dave Murray being mentioned once, never mind Paul Di'Anno who he once referred to as the other singer. A lot of his solo career too which didn't interest me much. If you want to know the ins and outs of Iron Maiden I wouldn't really recommend this. I'm hoping KK Downing's book is a bit more involved.
Now I'm reading Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. About 2 thirds of the way through and I'm liking it a lot. I saw the film when it first came out and I'm going to watch it again after finishing the book. The book follows a more linear timeline than the film which mixed the stories together. Both good though.
Just finished In the Court of King Crimson an Observation over 50 years by Sid Smith. Ronseal.
About to read again Plague's Progress - a Social History of Man and Disease by Arno Karlen
The Right Stuff - Tom Wolfe
The story of the first American jet test pilots and astronauts; fun stuff
Quote from: pdw1 on April 13, 2020, 11:10:07 amThe Right Stuff - Tom Wolfe
The story of the first American jet test pilots and astronauts; fun stuff
Great film.
Leviathan Wakes: The Expanse, Book 1. I can see why the TV series (The Expanse) is so good now. The material is fantastic.
Rachel Joyce - Perfect
The Madness Of Crowds by Douglas Murray
Had to park his other book The Strange Death Of Europe about half way through, as this one feels more "urgent".
However, both books are a tour de force of the sort of astute insight and nuance that a stream of soundbite black-and-white social media posts (from both sides of the argument) couldn't possibly provide.
Quote from: Matt2112 on April 15, 2020, 18:49:33 pmThe Madness Of Crowds by Douglas Murray
Had to park his other book The Strange Death Of Europe about half way through, as this one feels more "urgent".
However, both books are a tour de force of the sort of astute insight and nuance that a stream of soundbite black-and-white social media posts (from both sides of the argument) couldn't possibly provide.
Finished this today - absolutely compelling stuff.
Run a Google search for reviews and sticking out amongst a bunch of favourable write-ups is a bitter hatchet job from - guess who! - The Guardian, and reading that suggested the reviewer had made up his mind after reading about three-quarters of Murray's book and didn't bother with the rest - including 16 pages of references, sources and notes.
I've just started Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest, the autobiography of KK Downing. Only a little of the way through and it's better than Bruce Dickinson's already.
I finished KK Downing's autobiography last night. All in all it was better than Bruce Dickinson's effort and all a bit Spinal Tap - which made it more fun to read tbh. Got an itch for another autobiography now, any recommendations (music only) before I bang on with the next GoT book.
Quote from: pxr5 on May 14, 2020, 19:56:07 pmI finished KK Downing's autobiography last night. All in all it was better than Bruce Dickinson's effort and all a bit Spinal Tap - which made it more fun to read tbh. Got an itch for another autobiography now, any recommendations (music only) before I bang on with the next GoT book.
Steve Lukather's - The Gospel According to Luke.
Quote from: pxr5 on May 14, 2020, 19:56:07 pmI finished KK Downing's autobiography last night. All in all it was better than Bruce Dickinson's effort and all a bit Spinal Tap - which made it more fun to read tbh. Got an itch for another autobiography now, any recommendations (music only) before I bang on with the next GoT book.
Pete Way's is good
Quote from: DavidL on May 15, 2020, 00:05:21 amPete Way's is good
Ta. I saw that on Amazon last night when looking up Straight Shooter's recommendation. I might give them both a go. UFO certainly had a reputation back in the day. God knows what the Rush boys must have thought of the likes of Kiss and UFO on tour.
I'm hesitant to carry on with GoT books now the series has finished. I've done 4 of them so far, but knowing the ending has dulled them somewhat. Instead I'm reading one of my wife's books: This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor. Very funny and scathing of the NHS. My only gripe is the lack of sympathy to the patients, but I guess that's understandable.
Quote from: Nïckslïkk2112 on April 12, 2020, 22:42:49 pmAbout to read again Plague's Progress - a Social History of Man and Disease by Arno Karlen
Now I know we're all doomed, I've switched to something a bit more lighthearted.
Bill Bryson - The Road to Little Dribbling, more notes from a small island
It's OK not as good as the original and he gets a bit too political.
After reading about his becoming a UK citizen, I would suggest that the UK citizenship test should be reading his
Notes from a Small Island and if you don't laugh you can feck right off.