[Closed] What are you reading...?

The pale horseman from Bernard Cornwell. It's alright, part of a trilogy of four books. ALfred the Great Vs The Danes, sword fighting and such.

Spanish for idiots. Does what it says on the tin.

infinite jest by david foster wallace, about halfway through, only another 450 odd pages to go!

Sadly I'm not reading anything at the moment, since the demise of the local Borders I've benn too apathetic to get into the local town and browse the appalling selection that WH Smiths have.

Have just read Callsign Hades by Paddy Bury though. Good read.

The Tipping Point and The Innovator's Dilemma. I don't do fiction.

I

Slowly getting through Don't Know Much About History and America, Empire of Liberty.
Just finished Sebastian Faulks' A Week in December. Very weak and cliched.
Just starting Spies of the Balkans by Alan Furst.

Have a interest in reading The Calculus Diaries by Jennifer Ouellette. If any of you guys have and fancy giving a review.

Brighton Rock, Graham Greene.

This will be followed by Walden, Thoreau. Then maybe Teaching a Stone to Talk, Annie Dillard.

Last: [i]Just Kids[/i] by Patti Smith - memoir of the early seventies New York art and music scenes (Max's, the Chelsea Hotel, etc) before she was famous.

Next: dunno, I'll grab something from the pile 🙂

[i]This will be followed by Walden, Thoreau[/i]

One of my favourite books ever. Shame he was born too early to own a mountain bike.

Last book was Heat by Bill Buford.

Very enjoyable and informative food book, written by a former New Yorker editor. I wasn't enthusiastic about another bloody food book, but the quality of his writing won me over.

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Legend of a Suicide by David Vann.

Kinda traumatic but I've started so I'll finish!

just finished a second chance at eden by peter f hamilton
currently indulging in
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and next up is the scar by china mieville or possibly generation kill depends how the mood takes me

All The President's Men, Bernstein & Woodward. Gripping from page 1

The Plague by Albert Camus.

I'm struggling with it to be honest. 🙂

[i]The Rider[/i] by Tim Krabbe- although I must admit I haven't picked it up for a while.

imperial life in the emerald city by rajiv chandrasekaran.

The view of the aftermath of the iraq war from inside the former palace of saddam

so far, very good.

I'm between books at the moment, until the new Robert Rankin plops through my letterbox tomorrow (hopefully).

The Flashman series is good, there is one in Glenbuck bothy that I've dipped into on my occasional visits.

I'm currently reading Lanark by Alaisdair Gray, and so far it is exceeding the (old) hype.

Currently reading The Chamber John Grisham (not at all heavy) nextbook will be Peugeot 206 Hdi owners manual Haynes. 😆

Just finished The Dharma Bums, just started The Qur'an, it's quite a read so far.

Just about to finish Rifleman Costello.......errr i'm a bit sad like that though 😐

Waderider, I left a copy of 'The Omen' in Suileag bothy if you're interested 😀

Currently reading the Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner, having recently read The Testament of Gideon Mack, which borrows heavily from it.

In between I'm reading Mountains of the Mind by Robert McFarlane, but not wildly gripped, probably because I've been to so few of the mountains he talks about.

Also got a copy of 'Lochan of the Green Corrie' gathering dust under the bed, I loved the style of writing but haven't been in the mood to finish it, the story is a little meandering.

So, Bear, you've looked at hinduism, are looking at islam so I guess it will be the Guru Granth Sahib next?

I'm reading A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian which is surprisingly jolly.

I'm reading Harlan Coben - The Final Detail (reading lots of his stuff at the moment)

Although its slow going because I have to fit it between reading various chemistry textbooks!

Just about to finish this

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And will probably tackle this next
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Finished [i]One Day[/i] by David Nicholls last week, partly picked because they shot some of the movie around the corner from me last month. Good book. I think it's the 6th thing I've read on my Kindle, still really enjoying it.

Currently reading [i][url= http://craphound.com/makers/ ]Makers[/url][/i] by Cory Doctorow. He has an interesting approach to ebooks - gives them away in every possible format because it's better than attempting the impossible task of stamping out piracy. Then if you like it, buy it or buy a copy for an institution that wants one. Nice model. The book is pretty good so far too in a geeky kind of way.

Well if anyone wants to read my dissertation on natural plant hallucinogens, you can download a free copy via my blog 🙂

Just finishing up the Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling. I've read this before but I don't remember any of it. Still very good. Particularily interesting seeing real world characters popping in and out of the alt-history.

Still working my way through "Defence of the Realm: The Official History of MI5". Got it at Christmas, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it even if it is very detailed, but kids and life in general have prevented me from giving it the time it needs and deserves.

Need to hurry up, as the MI6 book will be on the Xmas list this year!

Sean Condon's 'Drive Thru America', it's a Lonely Planet travelogue detailing his coast-to-coast roadtrip. Very amusing.

I'm also working my way through the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels, having thoroughly enjoyed the recent movie adaptation.

Brighton Rock is fantastic!

Also, you cannot go wrong with Flashman, every book is a winner.

Breakfast of Champions - Kurt Vonnegut

Just finished the Rotters' Club, about to start The Slap

Nick

I'll be the only honest one and say STW.

Currently: Rubicon, a history of the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire.

Next: Home by Tim Relf (Don't bother looking for it, his book didn't do well despite good reviews but he's a mate so...)

[i]Cloud Atlas[/i]. And [i]Feet In The Clouds[/i]. And something else, the title of which I can't remember.

This will be followed by Walden, Thoreau.

Hard-going in places, but well worth it.

Just finished the latest Pratchett and looking for something else. Luckily, we have a well stocked library at work 🙂

Ayn Rand - The Virtue of Selfishness

Halfway through Ozzy Osbournes autobiography - hilarious 😆

Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis, it's very good.
Just getting to the end of The first Thomas Covenant novel, which is OK,
Just finished Odd Thomas by Kootz, that was good,
Just about to start Firewall by Andy McNab
About a quarter of the way through Cram for CISSP, which is a bit dry but important.

A book about an ultra marathon runner.

Just starting the third of the Stieg Larsson Millennium trilogy "The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest". These books have kept me reading until the early hours most nights, hence feeling perpetually knackered during the day.

Reading [i]Perfecting Sound Forever - The Story of Recorded Music[/i] by Greg Milner, and [i]Zero History[/i] by William Gibson.

From the highbrow to the nostalgie de la bou: just finishing David Halpern's 'The Hidden Wealth of Nations' and re-reading Harry Thompson's biography of Peter Cook and dipping into Rabelais' 'Gargantua and Pantagruel'.

'The Three Musketeers' by Alexandre Dumas. Good fun.

not long since finished the girl with the dragon tattoo - thought it was poor, TBH

just finished "of mice and men" which was about the only affordable book i could find in NZ, $30-$40 a book seems a bit steep. so have ordered a load from amazon, even with 30 quid P&P it works out much cheaper.

oh and if you've not read of mice and men then i totally recommend it, funny, moving and also very sad.

Just finished Generation Kill by Evan Wright

Fantastic first hand account of the second Gulf War.

The boy in striped pyjamas.

Bad Science -

Cadel Evans' Autobiography.

Mercia and the Making of England. Superb.

I'm geting towards the end of 'We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families' by Philip Gourevitch. It's the second book about the Rwanda genocide that i've read, and i would recommend it to anyone with an interest in Africa and UN politics. I find it hard to get my head around the fact that this modern day genocide was allowed to happen when it could so easily have been stopped in it's tracks.

I'll probably move onto some lighter reading after i've finished it.

Gawain & the Green Knight (Simon Armitage update).

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Not bad but not as good as the rave reviews suggest IMO. Almost finished.

Halfway through On Bullfighting by AL Kennedy.

Next up, the new DBC Pierre.

Just finished reading IT by Steven King. After 1300 pages I was a little underwhelmed by the ending...

Halfway through Bourne Identity which is great, and totally different to the film

Girl with the dragon tattoo is next on the pile

Enjoying some free classics on Kindle - reading The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes at the mo 🙂

It has taken me about 2 years to read "The Life and Times of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman" by Laurence Stearne
The most bizzarre book I have ever read and that's saying something
Very hard work but strangely rewarding

Surf-Mat will laugh, but a Reacher novel by Lee Child. My mum gave it too me and I was so bored with Joel Rose's The Blackest Bird, that I grabbed it off the shelf one night. It's actually a good story building to quite a tense climax.
"Hard Way" is it's rather unoriginal title.
Next will be "Shakey" the Neil Young biography, as recommended by someone on STW 🙂

Kick ass the graphic novel.

I am on the second Millennium Trilogy book and I have to say its entertaining but a bit one dimensional and stereotypical. An easy read so I guess that's why its popular, but I am not chomping at the bit to read the third.

Best book I have read this year was Shantaram, I was sad when I finished it.

Bazzer

Just finished Brasyl by Ian McDonald - most enjoyable read. Now keeping an eye out for other stuff by him.

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Seem to have an addiction to depressing existential Swedish crime novels at the moment.

Currently reading the Man on the Balcony by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo which is pretty dark but weirdly gripping so far.

Just finished "Anathem" by Neal Stephenson - very good but a bit weighty in hardback! Parallel worlds type thing in his typical beautifully descriptive and immersive style, not quite as good as the Baroque Cycle but still excellent.

Now reading "Shades of Grey" by Jasper Fforde - I think its his best work to date and am now eagerly awaiting the next in the series.

'How not to run a club' by Peter Hook, v. amusing and my first Kindle book.

nowt... just finished 're-heated cabbage' by Irvine Welsh..

very droll.. I'd recommend it

Sprocket Jockey - I've just ordered all ten Martin Beck books off a well known auction site after getting a tasted for Scandinavian crime-angst over the summer, wish they'd hurry up and get here!

At the moment though I'm reading a seemingly interminable debate about whether or not we as cyclists should wear helmets. Same old hackneyed characters, using the same old tired arguments, pops up almost daily on here - had to pop in here for light relief before finishing.

Got a few on the go as I usually do.

Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon, very weird but very good, dipping in and out.
Sabbath's Theater - Philip Roth, nearly finished, again, pretty bizarre
Let my people go surfing - Yvon Chouinard, a little sanctimonious at times but overall inspirational stuff for a small business owner in the outdoor industry.

Infinite Jest is one of my favourite books of all time, probably the greatest fiction written in the last 20 years - good call verbal kint.

Dirt music is brilliant no teeth, as is most of Winton's stuff. For another excellent Aussie read check out Peter Temple - The Broken Shore one of my favourite crime books of all time.

simonralli2 - Member
Well if anyone wants to read my dissertation on natural plant hallucinogens, you can download a free copy via my blog

sr2 - are you by any chance Carlos Castaneda? I do hope not!

All the Flashman novels are great.

Roumeli by Patrick Leigh Fermor (again) is my current book - I've just been to some of the places he talks about, so it's even more interesting to me. (I think that ALL of PLF's books are excellent - for me, he's the world's greatest living travel writer, a title which William Dalrymple will inherit eventually - PLF's 95 years old and may he live as long as he wants to!)

a title which William Dalrymple will inherit eventually

In Xanadu was excellent. Have you tried his later books? I loved them. City of Djinns is both funny and erudite.

i think I also enjoyed the Patrick Leigh Fermor trilogy where he walks from somewhere in England to wherever - perhaps I didn't complete the trilogy - in fact the only title I can remember is 'Between the woods and the water'......

anyway I've also been on a hideously fashionable Scandinavian Crime spree - starting with Mr Mankell - then on to the Millenium Trilogy - 2/3rds through the last one - they've been ok/goodish - then on to Jo Nesbo and I've enjoyed them.....

and pointers for which way next in the ScandoKrimefest.???
...think I tried an Indridarson...not sure if that lit my fire....

Picked up 'Making History' by Stephen Fry. Ok so far.

andy_hamgreen - as per post above, check out the Martin Beck series and see where Mankell got his inspiration.

Anyone else into Don Winslow?

"The Winter of Frankie Machine" is a great surf-noir crime caper - bit like Carl Hiassen, "Power of the Dog" is completely different - quite a heavyweight saga about the Mexican drug trade partly based on real life events. Brilliant book.

Oh yes - and any crime fiction fan has GOT to read David Peace's Red Riding series. Fantastically dark and murky.

Julian

No - Castaneda was a plagiarist and fraud - my writings for real 🙂

Private Eye, Racecar Engineering, D-Day by Antony Beevor.