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This week I have been reading

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  • donnyaddick
    donnyaddick Posts: 315
    Currently Reading 'Paranormality - why we see what isn't there' by Prof Richard Wiseman. Was bit worried it was going to be mega - scientific but is accessible as well as fascinating.
  • hawksmoor
    hawksmoor Posts: 2,608
    Jints said:

    I really liked Restless, Any Human Heart and Brazzaville Beach but thought that Ordinary Thunderstorms was terrible, put me off him but I should get round to reading the rest of the back catalogue.

    I thought Ordinary Thunderstorms whizzed along at a fair clip, but some of the plot contrivances were very unlike Boyd, including (SPOILER ALERT) the innocent lead character being named as the killer of the Asian scientist in the very next day's newspaper. Not, 'Police would like to speak to,' but 'He is definitely the murderer.'

    Did like Restless and, especially, any Human Heart. But loved The New Confessions, which takes in WW1 trench warfare, POW camps, the Berlin silent film industry, and the US Communist witch hunts.
  • Jints
    Jints Posts: 3,491
    I'll give the New Confessions a try, sounds like its up my street.

    Currently tearing through a biog of Peter the Great, which I got on kindle for just a quid. About 130 pages in and it's an absolute cracking read.
  • Algarveaddick
    Algarveaddick Posts: 21,156
    Reading something called "The last secret of the Temple", by Paul Sussman. Hard to describe, a mystery thriller set in the Middle East conflict, some kind of hidden religious icon and nazi involvement a la Raiders of the lost Ark, but more grown up. Historical religious conflict a la Dan Brown, but far more well written. Can't see where it is going, but it is very compelling.
  • stonemuse
    stonemuse Posts: 34,004
    Algarveaddick said:

    Reading something called "The last secret of the Temple", by Paul Sussman. Hard to describe, a mystery thriller set in the Middle East conflict, some kind of hidden religious icon and nazi involvement a la Raiders of the lost Ark, but more grown up. Historical religious conflict a la Dan Brown, but far more well written. Can't see where it is going, but it is very compelling.

    like the sound of that ...will give it a try
  • Wheresmeticket
    Wheresmeticket Posts: 17,304
    edited January 2013
    Just read "The Sea Wolf" - Jack London (White Fang, Call of the Wild) cos it was on my Kobo and I'd downloaded it with a load of other free books from Gutenburg. It was really good.

    Re: Murukami, "The Wind-up Bird Chronicle" was good, I thought. "Norwegian Wood" a bit more contrived. I was gonna read "IQ" but didn't get around to it, and now there's what, 3 of them?
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,354
    Spies of the Balkans .. Alan Furst. The latest in a great little series
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,354
    Wheresmeticket? said:

    Just read "The Sea Wolf" - Jack London (White Fang, Call of the Wild) cos it was on my Kobo and I'd downloaded it with a load of other free books from Gutenburg. It was really good.

    Re: Murukami, "The Wind-up Bird Chronicle" was good, I thought. "Norwegian Wood" a bit more contrived. I was gonna read "IQ" but didn't get around to it, and now there's what, 3 of them?

    Don't bother
  • Weegie Addick
    Weegie Addick Posts: 16,521
    Badger said:

    Got I am the secret Footballer, lifting the lid on the beautiful game for xmas.

    Prepare to be disappointed...

  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,354
    1984 .. George Orwell
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  • stonemuse
    stonemuse Posts: 34,004
    Weegie Addick said:

    Badger said:

    Got I am the secret Footballer, lifting the lid on the beautiful game for xmas.

    Prepare to be disappointed...

    I enjoyed it
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,225
    Finish "Berlin at War 1938 - 45" by Roger Moorehouse. Interesting read on the social side of living in the German capital and attitudes to the nazis and the war. Worth a go if you like the social/personal side of history.

    Just started the Eyre Affair by jasper fforde. Was recommended to me as similar to the Rivers of London books which I really liked.

    Not got into it yet but it is suitably weird.
  • Redskin
    Redskin Posts: 3,113
    edited January 2013
    hawksmoor said:

    Just coming off a William Boyd jag. Almost finished his The New Confessions, which I rate as among his very best. I may read The Prestige next.

    If you like The New Confessions try his latest,Waiting for Sunrise.
    I guarantee you'll enjoy it.
  • hawksmoor
    hawksmoor Posts: 2,608
    Thanks for the heads up, Redskin. I'll definitely get that. Not sure about Boyd writing the new Bond novel, although he does seem preoccupied with spying (Restless, Any Human Heart).
  • Redskin
    Redskin Posts: 3,113
    @ hawksmoor

    You're welcome.Sunrise concerns itself with themes you mentioned in his other books-I think he's trying to exorcise some personal demons through these stories,but I may be barking up the wrong tree.
    I didn't know about him penning the new Bond novel...I think he could make a decent fist of it.
  • Madz
    Madz Posts: 1,004
    Just seen this thread and getting some good idea's of next books to read so thanks for this. I like to read all types of books from Jefferry Archer to Matthew Rielly and I like some autobiographies (Ozzy Osborne is qualilty) and other non fiction books too (Billy The Kid: The Endless Ride and Public Enemies were very interesting, ignore the film for Public Enemies and enjoy the book so much better).

    Finished "Life of Pi" last week which was excellent.

    Just started "The Twelve" by Justin Cronin which, if no one is aware, is the sequel to "The Passage" which was a great book to read which will have you hooked. Its about a world that has been taken over by Vampire type creatures (called Virals) and how humanity learns to survive and adapt. Kind of similar to the films 28 Days Later and I Am Legend really but you honestly have no idea who will survive. Highly recommend The Passage will let you know on the sequel.
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,354
    @Madz .. welcome .. dis is where all de interlectewels ang abaht (:->)
  • IdleHans
    IdleHans Posts: 10,968
    The Pale King by David Foster Wallace.

    Weird unfinished book about boredom, strangely engrossing.
  • Algarveaddick
    Algarveaddick Posts: 21,156
    IdleHans said:

    The Pale King by David Foster Wallace.

    Weird unfinished book about boredom, strangely engrossing.

    What? Do you mean he got bored with writing it, and gave up IH? :-)
  • Jints
    Jints Posts: 3,491
    Algarveaddick said:

    IdleHans said:

    The Pale King by David Foster Wallace.

    Weird unfinished book about boredom, strangely engrossing.

    What? Do you mean he got bored with writing it, and gave up IH? :-)
    He got bored with depression and topped himself sadly.

    A hell of a loss - perhaps the most inventive writer of the last few decades.
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  • Algarveaddick
    Algarveaddick Posts: 21,156
    Jints said:

    Algarveaddick said:

    IdleHans said:

    The Pale King by David Foster Wallace.

    Weird unfinished book about boredom, strangely engrossing.

    What? Do you mean he got bored with writing it, and gave up IH? :-)
    He got bored with depression and topped himself sadly.

    A hell of a loss - perhaps the most inventive writer of the last few decades.
    I feel rotten for making a joke now... TMOG.

    Not heard of him before, I shall have to find out more.
  • Jints
    Jints Posts: 3,491
    His masterpiece is Infinite Jest. A sprawling, massive, complex novel which is impossible to describe. I thought it was genius but at the same time can understand why some people can't get through it or hate it. It's the best book I'd never recommend to anyone!

  • LawrieAbrahams
    LawrieAbrahams Posts: 3,779
    Jints said:

    His masterpiece is Infinite Jest. A sprawling, massive, complex novel which is impossible to describe. I thought it was genius but at the same time can understand why some people can't get through it or hate it. It's the best book I'd never recommend to anyone!

    I went out and bought this on your non-recommendation. Someone bought me a John Grisham for Christmas (never read him before) and have gone from that to Infinite Jest - could hardly be more different! Only about 40 pages in and over a thousand to go but so far so good.
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,354
    edited February 2013
    White Dog .. Peter Temple .... the Tolstoy of Australian authors (along with Thomas Keneally)
  • JiMMy 85
    JiMMy 85 Posts: 10,194
    Just finished 'The Fear Index' and thoroughly enjoyed it.

    Just started "The Zombie Survival Guide", which is the first of two books, the latter World War Z is the inspiration for thew new Brad Pitt movie. Interesting so far, but nothing new/ that I hadn't learnt via Walking Dead.
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,354
    JiMMy 85 said:

    Just finished 'The Fear Index' and thoroughly enjoyed it.

    Robert Harris is a very good writer and covers a lot of different topics .. try his ancient Rome novels and of course Fatherland

  • Algarveaddick
    Algarveaddick Posts: 21,156
    Algarveaddick said:

    Reading something called "The last secret of the Temple", by Paul Sussman. Hard to describe, a mystery thriller set in the Middle East conflict, some kind of hidden religious icon and nazi involvement a la Raiders of the lost Ark, but more grown up. Historical religious conflict a la Dan Brown, but far more well written. Can't see where it is going, but it is very compelling.

    Now finished this book, really recommend it! Will make a great film one day.
  • Shrew
    Shrew Posts: 5,749
    Henry Irving said:

    Finish "Berlin at War 1938 - 45" by Roger Moorehouse. Interesting read on the social side of living in the German capital and attitudes to the nazis and the war. Worth a go if you like the social/personal side of history.

    Just started the Eyre Affair by jasper fforde. Was recommended to me as similar to the Rivers of London books which I really liked.

    Not got into it yet but it is suitably weird.

    I Thoroughly enjoyed The Eyre Affair, it hooked me into the whole of the Thursday Next Series
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,225
    Shrew said:

    Henry Irving said:

    Finish "Berlin at War 1938 - 45" by Roger Moorehouse. Interesting read on the social side of living in the German capital and attitudes to the nazis and the war. Worth a go if you like the social/personal side of history.

    Just started the Eyre Affair by jasper fforde. Was recommended to me as similar to the Rivers of London books which I really liked.

    Not got into it yet but it is suitably weird.

    I Thoroughly enjoyed The Eyre Affair, it hooked me into the whole of the Thursday Next Series

    Me too. Now reading the 2nd in the series
  • Baldybonce
    Baldybonce Posts: 9,648
    Bloods
    Black Veterans of the Vietnam War: An oral history
    Grim but interesting reading.

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