What are you all reading at moment?

I don’t believe I had read a book for over 3 years – bought a fair few but most have never so much as been opened.

However, most of the way through two this Xmas and enjoying them a lot.

Reading Barack Obama “Dreams from my father” well isn’t everybody which I am enjoying but I suspect that if I had read it 12 or 24 months ago it would have had nothing like the same appeal.

Also, reading “Bright Lights, Big City” by Jay McInerney which I must have been promising myself I would read for at least 10 years or more. A bit dated now and very much out of context given the global recession but still a good read nonetheless.

Hoping my rediscovery of reading last well into the new year so what are you all reading that you can recommend to me? 😯

If you like war related books Sniper One is a must.

Just finished: Beechcombings by Richard Mabey – splendid discussion of how we view woodland (no mountain biking, though…).

Currently reading: Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy – stark, elemental, incredibly violent.

Next: Carrie Fisher’s Wishful Drinking – memoirs of the sometime Rebel Alliance Princess, nuff said.

I tend to read mostly SF and books by Kathy Reichs, who writes the Tempe Brennan books, which the tv series Bones is based on. I can highly recommend these as they’re very readable with well developed characters, and the forensics are spot on. ‘From Out Of Nowhere, The History of the Military Sniper’ and ‘Agincourt’ are two brilliant factual historical books that I found very enlightening. I can recommend anything by Neil Gaiman, his book ‘Coraline’ is out this year as a 3d animated movie and is delightfully creepy. Anything by Ian M Banks, Charles Stross, Roger Zelazny, they are all authors I go back and read over and over.

…oh, and the wonderful William Gibson, where I got my username from. His books Pattern Recognition and Spook Country are brilliant and difficult to define, as sort of thriller SF, but not. His book Virtual Light has a San Franisco cycle courier as the main character so should be checked out.

I’ve just finished Neal Stephenson’s Anathem which started slowly. It’s about 900 pages. The first 150 pages were hard work but after that it flew by.

I’m now reading a biography of Robert Hooke mostly because of Stephenson’s book Quicksilver

Razzle.

I tend to fall asleep whatever book I read. It can be a rivetting book, but I just cant keep my eyes open for long.

Started Frank Skinners – On The Road, and it seems good so far. Still cant keep my eyes open for long tho 🙁

CountZero – have just been given Kathy Reichs’ Bones to Ashes; first of her books that I’ll have read so looking forward to it [enjoy P D James though don’t yet know if there are any similarities].

Currently reading Laurie Lee – As I Walked Out One Midsummer’s Morning. Giving me itchy feet ;~)

Ed Macy – Apache.

Patricia Cornwell – “The Front”. Coming up – “Necronomicon”.

I read the first two or three of the Kathy Reichs novels several years ago so might give her another go – I didn’t know there was an association with the Bones TV series but I have never seen the series anyway

Anyone read any Thomas Wambaurg crime novels. I have Hollywood Station that I bought a few years ago but never read – so that may be next.

I think I may need to build my stamina for a 900 pager (matthewjb) – my concentration span at the moment may be better suited to Razzle.

I think I may need to build my stamina for a 900 pager

It took me a while to get through.

Stephenson tends to write huge novels. His Baroque cycle is three 900 pagers. I may start that again once I’ve finished my current one.

I have just finished ‘SOMME MUD’ by E.P.F Lynch, first hand experiences of the trenches WW1 – excellent read.
Not been out and about much so I rob Mrs books, Martina Cole, just finished The Runaway and now reading The Jump by same authoress, Extremely violent, London underworld stuff – recommend any of her books – lads….

Currently reading “Belching out the Devil” by Mark Thomas, all about how Coke are bastards. Also part way through “Is it just me or is everything shit 2“, which is surprisingly good (that one’s a perfect toilet book).

Next will be “How to be a bad birdwatcher” by Simon Barnes (not that Simon Barnes), which I’ve just borrowed off my dad. Then probably “Nation” by Sir Terry Pratchett.

Parky….

can i once again recommend “all quiet on the orient express” by magnus mills.
fantastic.

I’m reading Redemtion Song, the Joe Strummer Biog. It’s good.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51X5PMMQ3NL._SL500_AA240

I’ve just finished reading Moods of Future Joys by Alastair Humphreys, its the first part of his round-the-world-cycle trip. Good read but I now need to buy his second instalment!
I went to his talk a couple of years ago at the Kendal Mountain Film Festival, it was very good and ever since then I’ve been meaning to get the book.

I have been reading Scandinavian detective books. First the Wallender series, then the excellent (but very black!) Icelandic Erlendur series, and just now a trilogy by Stieg Larsson. Only the first 2 are published in English so far – Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and Girl Who Played With Fire – and they’re really unputdownable!!

Currently on The Face of Death by Cody Mcfadyen. Really enjoyed Shadow Man, so decided to read on.

Lost Civilisations of the Stone Age – Richard Rudgley.

For about the 4th time.

Things I’ve enjoyed lately have been:

Psychovertical – Andy Kirkpatrick
Into The Wild – Jon Krakaeur
The Boys Of Everest – Clint Willis

Got Spook Country about 6 months back but not started it yet…

The Steig Larsen ones look interesting. Neil Stevenson’s early books are very good and a lot shorter; Zodiac and the Big U are non SF, Snow Crash is brilliant, and Diamond Age is probably the last easily digested one. Bones the series is best looked at as coming before the Tempe Brennan books. The last one I read in one go, I finished it around three in the morning…:)
I’d love to know how Kathy Reichs manages to fit everything into her life, being a Forensic Anthropologist in America and Canada, lecturing in same, writing books, acting as advisor and Producer on the tv series…

I’ve just finished reading Moods of Future Joys by Alastair Humphreys, its the first part of his round-the-world-cycle trip. Good read but I now need to buy his second instalment!

I’ve read both, after seeing him speak in the local library. His blog’s worth a read too – http://www.alastairhumphreys.com/%5B/url%5D. I think my copies of his books are at my dad’s at the moment; you’re welcome to borrow book two if he’s finished it.

Snow Crash is brilliant

God, takes me back a bit. Aye I enjoyed that one ‘back in the day’ when I read ficton…

I keep meaning to read some Neil Stevenson. I’d quite like to read some more SF stuff; I’ve read a few Iain M Banks, William Gibson, Cory Doctorow and Ursula Le Guin and really liked them.

Oliver twist – no don’t laugh it’s a cracking read full of social comment and satire ñ depressingly for a story written in 1830 it has some very modern themes ñ part of the attraction of reading Dickens is the social commentary

Just finished First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde about to read Nation by Sir Terry Pratchett. Then I’ve got 50 People Who F*cked Up Britain

Hamlet’s Mill by Giorgio De Santillana & Hertha von Dechend.

An essay investigating the origins of human knowledge and its transmission through myth. apparently.

Gets me to sleep of a night nice and dandy though 😆

I’m finding The Elfish Gene: Dungeons, Dragons and Growing Up Strange by Mark Barrowcliffe ceaselessly funny at the moment after that I’ve got Born in Flames: Termite Dreams, Dialectical Fairy Tales and Pop Apocalypses by Howard Hampton lined up.

miketually, I’m gratified to find someone who’s read Cory Doctorow. I picked up Little Brother in Waterstones, then found it as a free ebook through Stanza on my iPhone, then found all his other books are free through Creative Commons, so I’ve added them to all the other ebooks on my phone. All I need is to find a way of getting ebookz off the darknet onto my phone…

Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman: Yvon Chouinard. Brilliant inspiring and engaging

I’m gratified to find someone who’s read Cory Doctorow

I’ve only read “Down and out in the magic kingdom” and “Eastern Standard Tribe” so far. He’s also done some readings of his short stories that you can download from his website, that I’ve listened to. Some brilliant ideas in his stories.

The Sweet Forever, George Pelecanos.

Also got Alias Grace by Margaret Attwood and Beechcombings on the go, but I wouldn’t say I was actively reading them.

Also got Alias Grace by Margaret Attwood

i wasn’t that impressed by that one. But I thought The Blind Assassin was brilliant.

I am terrible, I tend to start books, get 8/10 of the way through and then start another, must have 8-10 books on the go and end up swapping between them.

Does anyone else do this?

Anyway, getting back to the question, Barack Obama -Dreams from my father, well, just started it anyway 😉

I’ve just started this

Very interesting & moving

At the moment?

Singletrack. 😛

The Tour is Won on the Alpe by Jean Paul Vespini- not bad , an interesting enjoyable read
Before that, The Eagle of Canavese by Herbie Sykes- excellent read, highly recommended,a well written and a fascinating account about italian cycle racing in the 60s.

Unfortunately I am reading the CISSP Prep Guide, something I would not recommend unless you have terminal insomnia or need an infosec qualification.

When I can truly read no more, I turn to “Gust Front” by John Ringo.