Just finishing: Tobias Wolff's [i]Our Story Begins[/i] - short & perfectly executed forays into the American hinterland.
Just starting: [i]Super Sad True Love Story[/i] by Gary Shteyngart - much hyped, for sure, but hopefully it will live up to its title...
Managing My Life- Sir Alex Ferguson. 8)
I have not read a book from cover to cover since being at university 20 years ago 😳
My attention span is pants, not sure why to be honest.
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EDIT: Oh and this was the last book I read, and it's superb.
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I'm halfway through the Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson, for about the 5th time. And it's no less fantastic on repeats than it was first time through.
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Very funny and even contains a couple of pensioners taking to a bit of impromptu DH riding!
The case for working with your hands
[i]"It is not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?"[/i]
😉
Mrs bought me a Grisham novel to read on holiday, about a kid who fancies himself as a lawyer. It was crap, very very crap.
Best read of late has been Irma Kurtz, "Great American Bus Ride", although its been out a few years.
French Revolutions by Tim Moore. Normal bloke rides the Tour de France route. Very funny and much people on here will relate to.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Mary Ann Schaffer. World war 2 as experienced in Guernsey. Sad in places, a bit scmaltzy but a good read.
Racing Through The Dark - by David Millar
Very interesting - well written too.
Ooh blimey, always have loads on the go.
Taming the Badger which is excellent, very interesting.
Hello, Android - I keep putting it down, it's quite hard work.
Beginning Android Games - this is much better
The day after tomorrow is my current bog book, trashy thriller.
The Great Gatsby
To kill a mockingbird
Ho hum - Member
I have not read a book from cover to cover since being at university 20 years ago
My attention span is pants, not sure why to be honest.
This.
Currently have Peter Ackroyd's biography of Blake, Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf and Pure Effect by Derren Brown sat here that I keep meaning to read but somehow t'internet and magazines always get in the way in terms of reading material.
slainte 😳 rob
I enjoyed the Tim Moore - French Revoloutions book too.
I've just read Mark Cavendish's book, great read.
I've heard that Dave Millars book is good, so I'll be looking for that one next.
They're all roadies though.
I'm interested to hear how you like Super Sad True Love Story, noteeth. It's on my list.
I liked The Case For Working With Your Hands (but then he was preaching to the converted) but felt he got a bit smug. A great companion to this is Jenny Uglow's biography of Thomas Berwick, a fantastic engraver from 18th century; a beautifully written book.
Just finished Leviathan by Phillip Hoare (not Hobbes) - again, a great read even if you're not as into whales as I am. Extraordinary how close we pushed some species to extinction, just a handful were left.
Next book is The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe because I need to read about some derring-do and I know I like his work.
(but then he was preaching to the converted) but felt he got a bit smug
Those of us who are converted probably are a little bit smug 😉
The Fearless Harry Grb by Bill Paxton.
Superb read on one of the games most iconic characters.
I have a new Kindle and have decide to re-read a lot of things I read many years ago (mostly because they are free!) Just finished Tolstoy - Anna Karinina, Brilliant if a bit long winded. Now on D H Lawrence - the Trespassers, not so briliant.
Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini, it's rather good actually.
One Day - handed over from the wife and a very easy read!
Just picked up The Flying Scotsman (Obree not the train)
'The snow geese' William Fiennes
Samuel Beckett's 'Malone Dies' which is very, very rambling, but there, it's supposed to be! And also, 'Decline and Fall' by Evelyn Waugh, which is very entertaining - truly a page turner.
Struggling through Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. Loved No Country For Old Men, but this one is just weird. Really tough going, gave up on it for a while, decided to give it another go. Not quite sure what all the fuss is about yet.
Also just finishing up a Chris Ryan book. I know, I know. Guilty pleasures and all that. Taliban, sex, guns, stuff that blows up, and finding your long lost daughter is all anyone really wants, and you know it. Although to be honest I might have read this one before, they're all so similar.
Got so many books on my list, but I struggle to get them. Books are so expensive. I should probably use a library, come to think about it.
Turn the lights out and go to sleep, its too late to be reading books.
Slowly working through Nothing to Envy and Infinite Jest. No idea why the latter is supposed to be so ace; it's a bit frustrating, and I feel that I need something light and fluffy to read.
Blood Meridian was good, I thought, if pretty brutal.
61 Hours by Lee Child. Good thriller-type story. I only like this sort of book, easy to read and entertaining.
Light in August by William Faulkner.
like Hemmingway, a little disapointing (to me)
Re-reading the Baroque cycle by Neal Stephenson. Reading Hackers and Painters by Paul Graham as well as Get Real by 37 Signals.
[url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/ideas-for-a-best-seller-to-cover-all-bases ]this... hopefully[/url]
127 Hours. Very different perspective to the film. He is even more annoying in the book, but some definite lessons there. Want to go back to Moab!
Working through the free ebooks that came on my Android Phone, read Dracula, then 20000 Leagues Under the Sea, and now on White Fang by Jack London.
Riding Rockets by Mike Mullane, who was one of the first to be selected for the Shuttle programme in the late 70's/early 80's.
If you guys liked French Revolutions (I loved it too), then read Tim Moore's other book, Travels with a Donkey.
Will Adams, Archaeological adventure stuff.. good romping read.
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Sam Bourne, Archaeological adventure stuff..(again) his latest (he's done a few of these now..
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Just finished Jack Higgins Pay the Devil and just starting Jack Higgins East of Desolation.
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Next
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Just started
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I'm gunna lower the tone.. with Audio books & my choices!
Yay, means I can walk the dog, do the gardening, cooking and simple jobs while still enjoying a book.
Last one: World War Z - Max Brooks, very good definitely not you average Zombie book.
Got the complete Smiley, some H. Harrison books & Neil Stephenson's Snow Crash to listen to next but to completely lower the tone, as I had it already loaded (out of curiosity - the g/f wanted it), I've started Harry Potter!
Having Mr Fry read it, is probably the main reason I'm enjoying it though. 😳
Anyone read this yet??
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[i]Anyone read this yet??[/i]
Nope. Got a lot of books to go before that one comes up! Maybe if I was in prison.
Anyone read this yet??
Once. It's not much of a miss. His style is utter pants.
Currently (re) reading Don Camillo's Dilemma alongside Memoirs of a Mangy Lover by Groucho Genius Marx.
I never read at home but am an animal when I'm on holiday. The pick of this years selection is:
The Dark Summit, Nick Heil - Very interesting account about climbing Everest and what is left on the mountain.
The Beckoning Silence, Joe Simpson - Talks about why people climb and takes risk and when it is time to stop, I liked it a lot.
We Were Young and Carefree, Laurent Fignon - Interesting take on road racing, clearly he is very opinionated and says what he thinks, worth reading even if you don't agree with what he says.
Livibng Dangerously, Ranulph Fiennes - He comes across at a bit of an idiot but some of what he acheived is really impressive.
The Man in the High Castle, Philip K Dick
I don't think I'm clever enoogh to understand all the subtleties!
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The Mark Beaumont book is great, problem is it makes you want to plan an epic round the world trip, at the moment im working on the wife letting me out for 5 hours on Sunday, so going to have to put epic rides on the backburner.
Im reading Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time, im on book 9 of about 15! An epic adventure from the armchair.
Just finished "The shadow of the wind" which i really enjoyed and now just starting the "difference engine".
+1 for 'Nothing to Envy'.
Just finished 'The Death of Marco Pantani' by Matt Rendell. Bleakly brilliant and heartily recommended to anyone who enjoys riding bikes and/or reading books. The race accounts and descriptions of the riders' varying styles and physicality are a pleasure to read. It also provides a jaw-dropping insight into the extent of doping practices during the period covered, especially EPO abuse.
On a similar vein, I read Bad Blood recently (and a Lance biog that wasn't at all complimentary to him) which was very interesting in terms of seeing how ingrained doping had become.
Maglia Rosa's a great book on the history of the Giro..
Alan bennett Smut
Feels a bit wierd reading on the train but really good little short stories
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about to start
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[i]127 Hours. Very different perspective to the film. He is even more annoying in the book, but some definite lessons there.[/i]
Indeed. The lesson I learned from that book is to stay well clear of that bloke. He's a liability, took a great many risks in places they shouldn't be taken.
Reading Catch 22 at the moment and I am not really getting it which is strange as lot of other people seem to love it.
The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal - holiday read - excellent! 😯
I'm currently on the uncut (1400 pages, 1.5kg) version of 'The Stand'by Stephen King.
I'm currently on the 3rd book and with only 300 pages left got a feeling that the endings going to be a bit rushed compared to the rest of the story.
Reading my brother-in-law's book about the joys of being a primary school teacher
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As he's related you may consider me to be slightly biased but I must say I am enjoying it *immensely* - easy to read, split into nice bite sized chunks that fit nicely into my train commute / lunch hour
Kein Sex ist auch keine Lösung, by Mai Morgowski. A househusband reading a book for housewives. Cutting observations of modern relationships and abuse/use of stereotypes make thought provoking reading.
Reading Catch 22 at the moment and I am not really getting it which is strange as lot of other people seem to love it.
I had the same reaction--tried it 20 years ago and couldn'g get into it--tried it again several years later--same result.
Currently:
"The Last Gunfight" by Jeff Guinn--a detailed study of the events leading up to and following the 1881 gunfight at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona between the Earps, Doc Holliday and the "cowboy" faction.
"Does The Noise In My Head Bother You?" by Steven Tyler/Aerosmith--and I thought I have done some crazy things.
I'm currently on the uncut (1400 pages, 1.5kg) version of 'The Stand'by Stephen King.
Re-read that a few months ago after 10 years--still enjoyed it.
I recently completed the 7 volume "Dark Tower" series by Stephen King
Different, but very engaging and the ending was---not at all what I anticpated
Book two of the belgarath from eddings.
Stoner how much you want from the book you're reading posted to france.
Reading John le Carre's 'Spy who came in from the cold' and Pratchett's 'Going postal' can't go too far wrong with Discworld books! Just about to order some sh Bernard Cornwell books. Swords, archers and battles, fun. T.V. is on the blink so I'm reading more.
finished this:
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Really good fun with gratuitous iPhone controlled dirigible UAV and Ekranoplan content.
now trying to actually finish this:
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as its nearly 1000 pages long and Ive still got the next two equally weighty sequels to get through afterwards...more maths, chemistry, physics, politics, religion and trade history than my art college educated brain can really handle...plus some good old fashioned pox-riddled swashbuckling for good measure 🙂
Juan, book gratis to you. Pm me your address.
Which one was it you wanted? Nothing to envy, or making things?
'Rabbit Run' by John Updike. Nice so far, but i have never seen the word 'foreshortening' used so often.
samuri - Member
127 Hours. Very different perspective to the film. He is even more annoying in the book, but some definite lessons there.Indeed. The lesson I learned from that book is to stay well clear of that bloke. He's a liability, took a great many risks in places they shouldn't be taken.
I ended up cheering the rock on by the end of it.
Just finished 'The Bricklayer' by Noah Boyd and have started 'The Passenger' by Justin Cronin. I'm at a bit of a loss trying to find something decent having finished the Flashman series.
Just read and then reread 'With the old breed - at Peleliu & Okinawa' by Eugene Sledge. I'm not really a fan of war stories, but this account of a mortar squad with the US marines in the Pacific during the second world war has really got under my skin. Dunno what else to say really. It's not a comfortable read.
the cold six thousand, James Ellroy.
just finished American Tabloid (the first and second part of a trilogy)
all about the mob/Kennedy Family/FBI/Cuban missile crisis/Howard Hughes/J.E Hoover/KKK/Marilyn monroe/Sinatra and based on true facts and conspiracies.
Ellroy has a unique style and i find his books addictive.
for those of you who haven't heard of him he wrote L.A. confidential which was made into a superb film.
Just finished
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Starting
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the regeneration trilogy is excellent, shadow of the wind is good, i really enjoyed the road and middlesex last year. Also been recommended shantaram and a fraction of the whole
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Currently digging through the MBLA Official Training Manual
Stoner you got mail
xj
Bad Science - Ben Goldacre
American Scream The Bill Hicks Story - Cyntha True
How i won the yellow jumper, by, ned boulting, off itv, cycling,
now a book about SKY cycling team and hen the David dopping cyclist book,, cant remembe the names.
The Iliad.
[url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/yvon-chouinard ]This[/url]
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the cold six thousand, James Ellroy.
just finished American Tabloid (the first and second part of a trilogy)
Just finished the final part, Blood's a Rover. More of the same - but he's [i]so good[/i]
Currently on the bedside table are:
"Love All the People" - Bill Hick's routines. Doesn't really work on paper for me
"Greek Myths" - Robert Graves. People used to believe such utter nonsense 😐
😉
"Decision in Normandy" - Carlo D'Este. I'm fascinated by the whole... scale of the Normandy landings & campaign. Very interesting book, much better than Anthony Beevor's recent effort, IMHO
Just finished the final part, Blood's a Rover. More of the same - but he's so good
i actually read that first as i picked it up in a bookshop not knowing it was part III. no big deal, starwars was done out of chronological order 🙂
Just finished Nothing to Envy, so +2 for that one 🙂
Nothing else lined up apart from some reference books.
Jusy finished A lifetime in race - Matthew Pinsent. Very enjoyable and recommended
A force of nature - Robin Knox-Johnson. Wanted to like it but didn't, seemed to spend most of the book complaining about IT failures
No Way Down - life and death on K2. Read it in a day, couldn't put it down. Great read, really brought home how things can go terribly wrong...
Tom Clancy - Executive Orders.
Read most of his books before, but not in chronological order....so I'm getting through them all back to back. In total, got about 5000 pages to read to get through the ones on myself (all re-reads) then I have his factual stuff to get through.
Think he's a great author, a lot more detail than Chris Ryan et al....not slating them, but their books are nice for a chill after a Clancy!
Currently reading Notes On A Scandal which is rather good.
My best fave reads i would recommend, in no particular order:
Blood Meridian, The Road, No Country For Old Men - Cormac McCarthy
A Simple Act of Violence - RJ Ellory
King of The World - brilliant book about Muhammed Ali
World War Z - Max Brooks (read it before the new Brad Pitt movie)
The Passage - Justin Cronin