This week I have been reading

North Lower Neil

stonemuse said:

North Lower Neil said:

Algarveaddick said:

Finished The Ink Black Heart - Robert Galbraith. I really enjoyed it, though I do get what some say about the transcripts of messages and texts being a bit hard to follow at times. It looks rather daunting at over 1200 pages, but I found it as unputdownable as ever. It could have done with a cast list as characters drift in and out, and it keeps you guessing to the end. The relationship between Robin and Strike becomes more intriguing in this book too.               

Next one is better, in my opinion, so hopefully you get to read that one soon too!

Taking that on holiday in a few weeks 

Booked extra luggage allowance?!

AddicksAddict

Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde. A follow-up to Shades of Grey (not 50 shades…), only 22 years after the first book. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where your standing depends on what colours you can see. Lots of social commentary mixed in with a dry wit. I really like this bloke’s work. 

DaveMehmet

blackheathcanuck said:

Just finished Lovers in Auschwitz by Keren Blankfeld, incredible book in so many ways. Horrific yet inspiring.

I’ve just finished The Boy Who Drew Auschwitz by Thomas Geve. He was 13 when he was sent to Auschwitz and survived there and 2 other concentration camps over nearly 2 years. 

EveshamAddick

Just coming to the end of But What Can I Do by Alistair Campbell. Essential reading for analysis of the Trump/Johnson shit shows..

Algarveaddick

To lighten the mood - a little murder for you...

Picture You Dead - Peter James. True to form Roy Grace novel, based around the world of art forgery with a particularly evil villain that James has already cast for the TV show within the book.     

jacob_CAFC

Just finished The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu. Brilliant set of short stories, most are sci-fi but they're not hard sci-fi or anything like that. Hard to pick a favourite but "The Litigation Master and Monkey King" moved me the most. Would really recommend. 

EveshamAddick

Craig Brown’s Beatles book One Two Three Four. Enjoyable if a little odd..

Algarveaddick

Slow Horses by Mick Heron, as recommended by my good friend Stonemuse a while back. Lived up to the hype, a cracking read all about a group of MI5 spies who have made mistakes and are now persona-non-grata in the service, given menial tasks to do in the hope that they will resign. They accidentally find themselves mixed up in an active operation and see a chance to redeem themselves. Gary Oldman plays the leader of this little group in the TV series (which I would love to see) and I am sure he fits the character in the book to a T.        

Wheresmeticket

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. Gripping dystopian first book of a trilogy...written around 2000 about a man-made pandemic.

cafc4life

Lady Joker - Kaoru Takamura

stonemuse

EveshamAddick said:

Craig Brown’s Beatles book One Two Three Four. Enjoyable if a little odd..

Great book

stonemuse

Algarveaddick said:

Slow Horses by Mick Heron, as recommended by my good friend Stonemuse a while back. Lived up to the hype, a cracking read all about a group of MI5 spies who have made mistakes and are now persona-non-grata in the service, given menial tasks to do in the hope that they will resign. They accidentally find themselves mixed up in an active operation and see a chance to redeem themselves. Gary Oldman plays the leader of this little group in the TV series (which I would love to see) and I am sure he fits the character in the book to a T.        

You’ve got a lot of great books to read mate … plenty more in the series 

EveshamAddick

stonemuse said:

EveshamAddick said:

Craig Brown’s Beatles book One Two Three Four. Enjoyable if a little odd..

Great book

Yes enjoying it. Though some of the anecdotes seem a little fringe..

DaveMehmet

EveshamAddick said:

Craig Brown’s Beatles book One Two Three Four. Enjoyable if a little odd..

I read that, it's an excellent book.

Algarveaddick

stonemuse said:

Algarveaddick said:

Slow Horses by Mick Heron, as recommended by my good friend Stonemuse a while back. Lived up to the hype, a cracking read all about a group of MI5 spies who have made mistakes and are now persona-non-grata in the service, given menial tasks to do in the hope that they will resign. They accidentally find themselves mixed up in an active operation and see a chance to redeem themselves. Gary Oldman plays the leader of this little group in the TV series (which I would love to see) and I am sure he fits the character in the book to a T.        

You’ve got a lot of great books to read mate … plenty more in the series 

Already got Dead Lions on the shelf lined up! 

thickandthin63

Just finished Loyalty by Martina Cole,great story from this most excellent of crime writers.

Fanny Fanackapan

Killing Moon - Jo Nesbo's latest. 

Well worth reading with Harry Hole back in the saddle. 

blackheathcanuck

Native Son, Richard Wright. Amazing book.

Raith_C_Chattonell

A Good girl's guide to murder.

I primarily choose books that have reviewed well on Amazon and promise a good story.   This one rated 91% 4 star and above of 41,000 reviews - and the BBC are to release a six part series on it.

Anyway, chapter one told me it's all a bit 'jolly girls hockey sticks', plus I was too old and too male for this book. 

I heroically ploughed on though.  I have to admit I really enjoyed the story, good level of mystery that left me intrigued till near the end. 

Would I recommend it to you serious readers out there?  No! 

Jints

Just finished Barnaby Rudge, generally regarded as one of the weakest of Dickens' novels. I think that's fair but it's still decent with some fantastic highlights and so interesting to read a detailed account of London in the late 18th century when so much of central London was still fields. The book centres on the anti-catholic riots of 1780 named after Lord Gordon. These are almost forgotten today despite being by far the worst riots in Londons (probably ENgland's history). 

80 pages into Young Churchill, his own account of his first 30 years. I have fond memories of reading this at school and it's as good as I remember with lots of wit and enough action and extraordinary events for a dozen lifetimes. 

North Lower Neil

Can't remember if I posted it on here when I finished it, don't think I did, so:

List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey.

It's about a ten year old living in West Yorkshire during the 70s - her family are thinking of moving away due to the Yorkshire Ripper murders, and she decides that if she solves the case she'll be able to stay.

I thought it would be a gritty, true crime type story but it's not at all - it's a coming of age novel, all about community, friendship etc in a rough area and time, Miv and the list is just an excuse for her to look into things, talk to neighbours etc.

Really enjoyed it, best book I've read so far this year.

CafcWest

Just finished "For Richer, For Poorer - Confessions of a Player" by Victoria Coren (now Coren-Mitchell) about how she got into Poker and won the EPT and £500,000.  As a recreational Poker player found it really interesting and she has a great writing style.

Jints

CafcWest said:

Just finished "For Richer, For Poorer - Confessions of a Player" by Victoria Coren (now Coren-Mitchell) about how she got into Poker and won the EPT and £500,000.  As a recreational Poker player found it really interesting and she has a great writing style.

Might try this. I was once at an online table with her at a tournament back when I played a lot.

robinofottershaw

For those of you whom have read and enjoyed A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, the eight episode adaptation starring Ewan McGregor will be streaming on Paramount Plus from this (Good) Friday.

Algarveaddick

estCafcWest said:

Just finished "For Richer, For Poorer - Confessions of a Player" by Victoria Coren (now Coren-Mitchell) about how she got into Poker and won the EPT and £500,000.  As a recreational Poker player found it really interesting and she has a great writing style.

I love VCM ( probably more than is healthy...  ). Would someone with zero interest in poker find it worth reading, CafcWest?

DaveMehmet

CafcWest said:

Just finished "For Richer, For Poorer - Confessions of a Player" by Victoria Coren (now Coren-Mitchell) about how she got into Poker and won the EPT and £500,000.  As a recreational Poker player found it really interesting and she has a great writing style.

And rack

CafcWest

Algarveaddick said:

estCafcWest said:

Just finished "For Richer, For Poorer - Confessions of a Player" by Victoria Coren (now Coren-Mitchell) about how she got into Poker and won the EPT and £500,000.  As a recreational Poker player found it really interesting and she has a great writing style.

I love VCM ( probably more than is healthy...  ). Would someone with zero interest in poker find it worth reading, CafcWest?

@Algarveaddick Yes I think so - there is a lot about people and relationships with other players and her family which is a good insight into her life if that interests you.  Some funny anecdotes too.  At the end of each chapter she mentions hands she has had and thoughts about how to play them but you can skip them.  At the end of the book there is a brief summary of poker games and terminology.

Algarveaddick

CafcWest said:

Algarveaddick said:

estCafcWest said:

Just finished "For Richer, For Poorer - Confessions of a Player" by Victoria Coren (now Coren-Mitchell) about how she got into Poker and won the EPT and £500,000.  As a recreational Poker player found it really interesting and she has a great writing style.

I love VCM ( probably more than is healthy...  ). Would someone with zero interest in poker find it worth reading, CafcWest?

@Algarveaddick Yes I think so - there is a lot about people and relationships with other players and her family which is a good insight into her life if that interests you.  Some funny anecdotes too.  At the end of each chapter she mentions hands she has had and thoughts about how to play them but you can skip them.  At the end of the book there is a brief summary of poker games and terminology.

Thanks very much mate. 

AddicksAddict

Algarveaddick said:

Slow Horses by Mick Heron, as recommended by my good friend Stonemuse a while back. Lived up to the hype, a cracking read all about a group of MI5 spies who have made mistakes and are now persona-non-grata in the service, given menial tasks to do in the hope that they will resign. They accidentally find themselves mixed up in an active operation and see a chance to redeem themselves. Gary Oldman plays the leader of this little group in the TV series (which I would love to see) and I am sure he fits the character in the book to a T.        

Season 1 is excellent, 2 OK, Oldman is great in all of it. 

Algarveaddick

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