A books thread – read, reading…

Been a while, and all the others are closed.

Just finished Unsung Hero about Tom Crean, a Navy guy who ended up going on 3 Antarctic expeditions, including Scott’s famous one where lots of people died and Shackleton’s famous one where everybody* got rescued. Quite the stalwart. Did amazing things on both. I knew the very barest bones about these stories, not really much more than “cold” “death” and “boat”. Great to learn more. Amazing tales. Book’s a bit ploddy for the first third, but worth sticking with.

Just started Longitude – about you’ll never guess what. Equally fascinating.

* except 3 of the ten who spent 2 years on the other side of the continent, and sledged for 1500 miles, laying depots that would never be used.

Just read Michael Moorcock’s The Whispering Swarm.
Now reading William T Vollmann’s Last Stories.

Both feature good bits, rubbish bits and too many words.

Just finished Neil Gaimans, Trigger Warning very good collection of short stories, not normally a fan of short stories but they for the most part were very engaging.

I’ve got Ernest Hemingway’s, The Old Man and the Sea and Joe Abercrombie, Half a War up next.

Old man and the sea is probably my favourite book Klaus, fantastic stuff.

Just started Beevor’s Ardennes 1944, and have The Grapes of Wrath and Cooking for Geeks also on the go.

Just about to tuck into ‘Flood of fire’ the long awaited final part of the Ibis trilogy by Amitav Ghosh.

(I still miss The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.)

Right, Amazon tells me I have read the following recently…

If you want an uncomfortable and gripping read, check out The Troop by Nick Cutter. OH MY GOD there is some unpleasantness in that book.

Dave Gorman’s Googlewhack Adventure was a good chuckle.

The Truth About Uri Geller by James Randi is an amazing expose (if a bit old now) of the worlds most infamous spoon-bending liar.

Really enjoyed Raising Steam by some guy called Terry Pratchett. What a loss.

Currently enjoying The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer. Excellent “voice”.

TM

Read Viv Albertine “Boys Clothes Music” – Excellent if you were into that musical era
Reading “Let A Soldier Die”, William E. Holland – Vietnam “classic”, rather dull & disappointing.

Up next… The Girl On The Train.. supposed to be something special, in what way, I’m not sure!

Just started Longitude

OP
When you are finished,go to the Royal Observatory at Greenwich.
The watches are things of beauty.

Just finished The Martian .
Excellent,and I hope that the film does it justice.

+1 for The Martian.

TM

Oh, and sort of like a book (god dammit it’s my thread and I’ll hijack it if I want to!) Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History. A podcast with a recent 5-part series on the First World War. Blueprint for Armageddon

Each part’s 3 or 4 hours long, it’s a monster. Some great insights into the machinations of the war and how and why it started. I’ve not put much thought into it since school. Loads of “Bloody hell, I had no idea… that makes sense” moments.

Well worth listening to, even if you think you’re not the military history type – I don’t think I am. And anyway, there’s military history and world history. You probably need a decent train or car commute to give you enough spare time to properly get stuck into it without being distracted.

OP
When you are finished,go to the Royal Observatory at Greenwich.
The watches are things of beauty.

It’s on the list! Bumping it’s way up though! My Grandpa started making clocks when he retired. I’ve got a skeleton clock of his with a grasshopper escapement – one of Harrison’s I think. Beautiful to watch – until it stops! Not quite up to Harrison’s standards, sorry Grandpa!

Just finished Go Set a Watchman, and not sure yet….

Started on Do No Harm by Henry Marsh. very good so far

Just finished – “A Spy Among Friends” by Ben Macintyre. Brilliant portrayal of the Philby Affair, read more like a thriller than a factual history.

Just started “Ten Million Aliens” by Simon Barnes. His usual writing style, which is rather more journalistic than literary, but still full of fascination and amusement.

Oh, and sort of like a book (god dammit it’s my thread and I’ll hijack it if I want to!) Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History

I like Hardcore History, but be aware he’s an entertainer not a professional historian.

Is Dan Carlin reputable? from AskHistorians

(AskHistorians is an excellent read if you like history, too!)

I’d like to apologise for my misuse of “‘” earlier in the thread.

Just finished Suite Française (which is the biggest pile of drivel I have ever read), salmon fishing in the Yemen, water for elephants and ultra marathon man. Debating whether to carry on raiding my sisters bookcase for more tosh or to get round the charity shops to find something better.

I have So anyway (John Cleese) and unbroken of my own with me so may plough through those first.

I’ve been reading all the jack reacher books over the last few months. Totally brainless but a bit of a change from the usual mountaineering and history books i usually read.

Just started Surely You’re Joking Mr Feynman, quality stuff. 🙂

cheers mogrim, I had that impression of him anyway – I think it’s quite easy* to distinguish his conjecture from other’s theories and from facts and events. I think he’s quite honest in telegraphing where these stop and start.

*Although it’s possible that I’m wrong, and it isn’t!

I’ve stalled part way thoguh Norman Davies’ Europe but the 45 page intro was has stuck with me – essentially a history of histories of Europe and the difficulty in writing your own.

Totally brainless

Read a bit of that in my time. McNab etc. “Oooh, I just read a book in a train journey!”

Quite enjoyed The Martian. There was a thread on it on here which recommended The Stone Man, which I just finished. That was good.

Recently finished Domestique by Charly Wegelius. Really enjoyed it, quite an interesting insight into the life a pro cyclist who isn’t one of the superstars of the team.

Currently about 3/4 way through The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. A bit slow going in parts but very well written. I’ll reserve judgement until I’ve finished but I think I’m enjoying it although some days I can’t be sure.

In the middle of altered carbon by Richard Morgan. Cyberpunk/detectivey thriller. Good read!

OP – following on from ‘Unsung Hero’, Shackleton’s ‘South’ is free on the Kindle. It uses quite a bit of antiquated language, and is a little dry in places, but it’s bloody facinating.

I’ll have to put Crean’s book on my shortlist.

I usually read only non-fiction, so the wife set me a challenge of reading more fiction. I’m currently about 4 books into Pratchett…

Currently reading a collection of short stories ‘Best SF of the year number 16’, which dates from around 1997/8, found it along with around four hundred other ebooks of a slightly iffy provenance on a site that no longer seems to be live.
A lot of now well-known names who were just getting going, and a lot of bloody good stories. That’s on the phone/pad. I’m also reading Robert Macfarlaine’s Landmarks in a hardcover I got for £2.30 from the States, having bought his book The Old Ways as a paperback, loved what I was reading and found a hardcover online, so I can give the first one to a friend for Christmas, I also got his first little book The Holloway and read that very quickly, and I’ve also got his book The Wild Places as a hardcover for when I’ve finished the current one.
After those I’ve got Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy: The Many Faces Of Anonymous , by Gabriella Coleman, and I’ve Always Kept A Unicorn: The Biography of Sandy Denny, byMick Houghton, Rock Stars Stole My Life, by Mark Ellen, and How Music Got Free, byStephen Witt.
The last two were birthday presents from a mate.
Should keep me ticking over for a bit.

Guy Martins autobiography. Excellent.

Just finished The Long War series, Terry Pratchett / Stephen Baxter collaberation. Found it a bit meh to be honest. Wanted to like it as a Pratchett fan but still got a few discworld books to hit yet.
Now reading The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch. Third part of Locke Lamora series and loving it.
Also loved The Martian as above and also hope the film doesn’t ruin it.

only really read books when im on holiday, but had 2 this year and got to read……

‘boys boys boys clothes clothes clothes music music music’ by viv albertine – bloody excellent, best ive read in a long time.

‘anger is an energy’ by john lydon – quite good

’24 hr party people’ – good

and lastly ‘and the ass saw the angel’ by nick cave. wtf goes through that blokes mind, hes just a genius.

and lastly ‘and the ass saw the angel’ by nick cave. wtf goes through that blokes mind, hes just a genius.

You have to read the Death of Bunny Munro.

You have to read the Death of Bunny Munro.

thanks for the heads up, ill go look for it.

My pile of unread books:
Cormac McCarthy, No Country for old men
Sue Townsend, No 10
Leslie Thomas, Tropic of Ruislip
Francis Wheen, How MumboJumbo conquered the World
Peter Cook, Tragically I was an only Twin.

All intended reading following surgery, but I heal well…

I need to get the Grapes of Wrath .

Currently reading One Man and his bike , by Mike Carter.

There was a review on this site .

Very enjoyable, nice light reading that keeps drawing yo in.

Romping thru Germany, Memories of a Nation, which is an excellent read. Got Yeah, Yeah, Yeah by Bob Stanley under the bedside table, alongside Bruce (Springsteen) bio by Peter Carlin. Intend working thru the remastered CDs as I read. Swithered over the Viv Albertine book, DezB, so interested to hear your opinion – added to the want list. Must find my copy of Cut – must be in the attic somewhere.

Yep, also loved The Martian. Also just finished The Girl On The Train, a thriller, which was a real page turner. Currently back to reading another Jack Reacher novel, on the 6th one, the guy’s a total bell end but I think that’s why I like reading them! 😉

Peter Cook, Tragically I was an only Twin.

Be careful where you read that. Very loud laughter may ensue. Very, very funny stuff.

Just started the final book of the Silo Trilogy by Hugh Downey that someone here recommended on an earlier thread. Really like the books and has kept my attention throughout.

Longitude (Sobel) was amazing, couldn’t put it down. Currently reading some social anthropology/psychology:
Sex at Dawn by Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jetha
A very accessible, stimulating and engaging read.

Started on Do No Harm by Henry Marsh. very good so far

I just finished that couple of weeks ago. Brilliant book, probably the best book I’ve ever read.

I’ve just started on the first of the Flashman series. So far so good.

BillMC – Member

Longitude (Sobel) was amazing, couldn’t put it down.

Interesting – I read Galileo’s Daughter by Sobel a few years ago, and didn’t enjoy it at all. There are a few other books by her I’m interested in, but G’s D has really put me off.

Just finished The Facts of Life by Graham Joyce. He’s an author I found last year and am really enjoying working through his books. (Vaguely in the style of Alan Garner, Robert Holdstock. Sort of..)

About to start another Dying Earth book by Jack Vance. Excellent classic SF/fantasy, I hope.