Author Topic: What was the last book you read? (Read 152694 times)

Chinbits · « **Reply #4360 on:** October 8, 2011, 10:44:39 PM »

Quote from: Rusty Oysterburger on October 8, 2011, 10:25:57 PM

Not sure where you are up to so I don't want to spoil anything but I really lost interest after the big 'event' and had no real investment in those characters. The fact there is no real villain or antagonist for two thirds of the book doesn't help I think, and some of the chapters reaaaalllly drag.

Like you say, it is well written and and the overall story is fascinating but it's definitely far too bloated for it's own good.

Totally agree. Moving onto On the Road next so don't think it's going to get any easier.

afc turkish · « **Reply #4361 on:** October 9, 2011, 01:12:20 AM »

Quote from: LF on October 8, 2011, 10:21:46 PM

If you like those kinds of football books, read the Italian job by Gianluca Vialli and Gabriele Marcotti.

just about the best book you can have on italian football culture

Agree with the Bellos being an excellent read, and the Italian Job is also worthwhile, although I found it hard to take Vialli as seriously as I might, since the book made no mention of the use of steroids at Juventus...

LF · « **Reply #4362 on:** October 10, 2011, 12:24:17 AM »

Quote from: afc turkish on October 9, 2011, 01:12:20 AM

Agree with the Bellos being an excellent read, and the Italian Job is also worthwhile, although I found it hard to take Vialli as seriously as I might, since the book made no mention of the use of steroids at Juventus...

well its not a history book.

Mostly culture of the game there.

bellinter · « **Reply #4363 on:** October 10, 2011, 09:55:10 AM »

stick with 'The Passage' lads, the pacing and interest really does pick up for the last third. I agree that it definitely does drag out a lot going through the day to day life on the colony, but it gets better.

Rusty Oysterburger · « **Reply #4364 on:** October 10, 2011, 10:00:00 PM »

Quote from: bellinter on October 10, 2011, 09:55:10 AM

stick with 'The Passage' lads, the pacing and interest really does pick up for the last third. I agree that it definitely does drag out a lot going through the day to day life on the colony, but it gets better.

I did finish it a while ago and while it did improve I was still left a little unimpressed...

gomez · « **Reply #4365 on:** October 12, 2011, 01:50:36 PM »

Finished Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie, i've read some good books lately and this is up there with the best of them. Didn't really know what to expect from the author, but I was absolutely blown away. If anybody has read anymore of him could you suggest another book to try?

bellinter · « **Reply #4366 on:** October 12, 2011, 04:25:22 PM »

Quote from: Rusty Oysterburger on October 10, 2011, 10:00:00 PM

I did finish it a while ago and while it did improve I was still left a little unimpressed...

hopefully, with parts 2 and 3 to come, we'll see the villain side a bit more. There is a long, long way to go. I thought Peter was a good character, myself. I hope this book proves to be more 'goundwork' than anything and it will be appreciated better in the context of the trilogy.

JP-65 · « **Reply #4367 on:** October 12, 2011, 05:18:02 PM »

Quote from: gomez on October 12, 2011, 01:50:36 PM

Finished Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie, i've read some good books lately and this is up there with the best of them. Didn't really know what to expect from the author, but I was absolutely blown away. If anybody has read anymore of him could you suggest another book to try?

The Moor's Last Sigh

gomez · « **Reply #4368 on:** October 13, 2011, 01:28:09 PM »

Quote from: JP-65 on October 12, 2011, 05:18:02 PM

The Moor's Last Sigh

Thanks.

Just read The Fatal Eggs by Mikhail Bulgakov, short but very enjoyable, well worth a read.

gomez · « **Reply #4369 on:** October 16, 2011, 02:46:10 PM »

Death and the Penguin by Andrey Kurkov, a subtle black comedy about an unemployed writer who begins work as an obituary writer for a newspaper.

The story is about how he and his penguin (adopted from the Kiev Zoo after it could no longer afford to feed its animals) become embroilled in the Ukranian underworld.

Really good book.

The Gulleysucker · « **Reply #4370 on:** October 18, 2011, 11:02:15 PM »

Finally finished Sea Room by Adam Nicolson

After a slowish start for the first couple of chapters it then changes gear and starts to suck you in with elegant and almost Conradian descriptive passages that I found so enthralling at times I had to go back and re-read them on occasions simply to luxuriate in their beauty again.

It is really a book to savour slowly (and not to skim read!), just a chapter every so often to really take it all in and to appreciate his undoubted literary and wordsmith skills at conveying life on the Shiants, a subject that would initially appear to be dull, but that he makes absolutely fascinating.

Although non fiction, if you like your Conrad, you'll love portions of this. Highly recommended.

.adam · « **Reply #4371 on:** October 19, 2011, 09:20:26 AM »

Strictly not a last book I've read but somewhat on topic; is anyone looking forward to reading 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami?

Japan went mad for it when it was released and it has finally now been translated in to English. I believe it's due out some time next week.

It's a three part/book story but the first two will be released as one book an the final as another. I've pre-ordered both in Kindle format - one was about £7 the other about £5. Hopefully it lives up to expectations.

Oh, and I'm in the middle of reading Brave New World by Aldous Huxley at the moment.

.adam · « **Reply #4372 on:** October 19, 2011, 09:51:37 AM »

It transpires that the first volume (books one and two) are out now and the final installment is released on 25th Oct.

The first volume is currently £5.59 on Kindle. Will read it after finishing Brave New World and leave a review here.

JP-65 · « **Reply #4373 on:** October 19, 2011, 10:54:52 AM »

Quote from: .adam on October 19, 2011, 09:51:37 AM

It transpires that the first volume (books one and two) are out now and the final installment is released on 25th Oct.

The first volume is currently £5.59 on Kindle. Will read it after finishing Brave New World and leave a review here.

I can DM a link for it if you're interested.

tinner777 · « **Reply #4374 on:** October 19, 2011, 11:54:28 AM »

Just listening to the BBC audiobook of the hobbit. A delight

ttnbd · « **Reply #4375 on:** October 19, 2011, 12:49:30 PM »

Just finished The Gathering Storm by Sir Winston Churchill. Next up is Their Finest Hour (and 4 more after that). Was looking for them for ages as an ebook and finally found them. Great to look at the conduct of the war from the words of Churchill.

gerrardsarmy · « **Reply #4376 on:** October 20, 2011, 12:18:20 AM »

Quote from: RedBlakey on September 21, 2011, 01:28:37 PM

also recently read one about a guy who was stuck in the Australian outback for a long time and his survival story.

What's the name of this one mate?

Rusty Oysterburger · « **Reply #4377 on:** October 20, 2011, 12:57:54 AM »

Can anyone recommend a decent biography of Werner Von Braun?

And Could He Play · « **Reply #4378 on:** October 20, 2011, 01:10:24 AM »

Quote from: gerrardsarmy on October 20, 2011, 12:18:20 AM

What's the name of this one mate?

I'D BE VERY INTERESTED IN READING THIS. sorry caps.

tinner777 · « **Reply #4379 on:** October 20, 2011, 09:58:43 AM »

The Devil's Graveyard by Anonymous, the third bourbon kid, funny in a popcorn kind of way

hassinator · « **Reply #4380 on:** October 20, 2011, 10:58:42 AM »

just finished 'twisting my melon' which is ok but if you need the crib notes shaun ryder formed a band; did loads of smack and can't remember very much apart from a few 'high-lights' when he was doing crack instead. they did make some amazing records along the way though.

JP-65 · « **Reply #4381 on:** October 20, 2011, 12:08:10 PM »

Just finished "Boomerang" by Michael Lewis. Some good vignettes, but he's writing this a little early as the sovereign debt issues haven't been solved yet.

Still a good read, as anything by him is.

Chinbits · « **Reply #4382 on:** October 20, 2011, 12:11:26 PM »

Target by Simon Kernick was a good read. Never going to win any prizes but it's a good page turner.

saoirse08 · « **Reply #4383 on:** October 23, 2011, 02:46:10 PM »

Just read 'The Hunger Games'. Not bad, kept me interested and reading till the end, despite wanting to lash it a few times. Although, it's a complete rip-off of 'Battle Royale' a Japanese film/novel.

In complete contrast, I've just begun Dickens' 'Bleak House', which I'm enjoying immensely.

Kopite B205 · « **Reply #4384 on:** October 23, 2011, 03:39:02 PM »

Karl Pilkington - An Idiot Abroad diary. Found it very funny as I'd never seen the tv show. Since watched it on DVD - hilarious.

martinkelly · « **Reply #4385 on:** October 23, 2011, 03:56:51 PM »

Frankenstein, it's dull.

Elli · « **Reply #4386 on:** October 24, 2011, 12:28:11 PM »

Bill Bryson - At Home

I'm about halfway through - it's not quite what I thought it said on the tin, but being Bryson, it's interesting, engaging and compelling. He has a knack for bringing the little stories to life which I really enjoy. He must have done some serious research, too.

The 5th Benitle · « **Reply #4387 on:** October 24, 2011, 12:33:41 PM »

Just finished 'The Help'. Outstanding. Film looks like it's a very good adaptation, too.

Enemy · « **Reply #4388 on:** October 24, 2011, 12:46:01 PM »

^ Great book.

corkboy · « **Reply #4389 on:** October 24, 2011, 09:51:31 PM »

Quote from: Elli on October 24, 2011, 12:28:11 PM

Bill Bryson - At Home

I'm about halfway through - it's not quite what I thought it said on the tin, but being Bryson, it's interesting, engaging and compelling. He has a knack for bringing the little stories to life which I really enjoy. He must have done some serious research, too.

He is sheer class. I re-read a Short History of Nearly Everything every few years, it is utterly gobsmacking but the stories of the people involved are just as entertaining.

And Could He Play · « **Reply #4390 on:** October 24, 2011, 10:32:58 PM »

suggestions for books about child soldiers in africa, i read one a while back and loved it. Strange request like.

Trabolgan · « **Reply #4391 on:** October 24, 2011, 10:39:56 PM »

Try "My Friend The Mercenary" by James Brabazon. True story about a photographer and his mercenary bodyguard in Liberia and during the civil war there. Cracking read.

MichaelA · « **Reply #4392 on:** October 25, 2011, 08:54:06 AM »

Just read The Sisters Brothers, by Patrick DeWitt. It's on the Man Booker short list, and is a tale of the American Wild West, the Gold Rush and the lives of the eponymous protagonists. It's a good read, but I'm not sure that it's great literature - I would prefer to have reread Peter Carey's True History Of The Kelly Gang, which was set in a different continent in the same era, and is wonderfully written.

Andy @ Allerton · « **Reply #4393 on:** October 25, 2011, 11:51:56 AM »

Nearly finished 'Gargoyle'

Started off very tediously and was a massive slog. Nearly at the end and it's finally got interesting.

MichaelA · « **Reply #4394 on:** October 25, 2011, 11:52:41 AM »

Quote from: Andy@Allerton on October 25, 2011, 11:51:56 AM

Nearly finished 'Gargoyle'

Started off very tediously and was a massive slog. Nearly at the end and it's finally got interesting.

I read that a year or so back. Meh.

And Could He Play · « **Reply #4395 on:** October 25, 2011, 11:53:52 AM »

Quote from: Trabolgan on October 24, 2011, 10:39:56 PM

Try "My Friend The Mercenary" by James Brabazon. True story about a photographer and his mercenary bodyguard in Liberia and during the civil war there. Cracking read.

cheers.

Andy @ Allerton · « **Reply #4396 on:** October 25, 2011, 11:58:26 AM »

Quote from: MichaelA on October 25, 2011, 11:52:41 AM

I read that a year or so back. Meh.

The first half moved very slowly. Couldn't really engage with the characters, but now the back story (full of holes) is emerging, I'm at least wondering how it will tie up the now and then.

Lfsea · « **Reply #4397 on:** October 25, 2011, 06:06:18 PM »

Just a little heads up for those with apple devices - it seems that Starbucks are doing a free ebook offer at the moment. Next to the counter they have a little card which has a code on the back for a free download.

This week's book is 'Limitless' by Alan Glynn, I don't even think you have to buy anything to get it.

So if you can put aside your apathy/hatred towards the various multinationals involved it could be a good way of getting some legit-lit.

Haven't a clue what the book is like.

tinner777 · « **Reply #4398 on:** October 25, 2011, 10:32:22 PM »

Johnny Glynn. Seven days of Peter crumb. Pretty dark read

Anywhichwayucan · « **Reply #4399 on:** October 28, 2011, 06:49:30 PM »

Just about to tuck into 'Dancing to the Precipice' by Caroline Moorehead.