Last Book You Read....

[NotThePars]

2 hours ago, Stellaboz said:

Red Mars. 

Absolutely incredible epic tale of 100 people going to  Mars to initiate plans for colonization. It just utterly blows up from there into something insane. Found it impossible to image a lot of the time, but it's a fantastic read which explores future possibilities on the red planet, as well as the self-destruct nature of capitalism and society as we know it today. 

 

1 hour ago, MixuFruit said:

Green & Blue are great too, it's one of my favourite science fiction series.

Have this sitting on my tablet. Will need to dive in at some point.

[topcat(The most tip top)]

"The mysterious affair at Styles" Agatha Christie's first detective novel.

As the template for so many subsequent stories it feels a little formulaic through no fault of it's own but its a cracking read nonetheless

 

 

[RH33]

New Ian Rankin- his standard method writing.

Tattooist of Auchwitz-wasn’t great.

[alta-pete]

Next book I’m going to read: 

Fun fact for today. You ever heard of thon boy Tim Peake, the astronaut? 

My mother popped in with my birthday present this pm. Tim Peake’s Autobiography! (Fk knows why, I suppose that’s the sort of gift you give when you struggle to see what on earth the beneficiary might need, but anyhoo). 

Turns out I was at school with him for two years! 

I bet he’s always asking himself - I wonder whatever happened to that Scottish boy alta-pete !!! I’ll bet he’s made something of his life!!

(I’m expecting a wee menshie around p.60 ). Will keep ye’s posted.

[welshbairn]

5 minutes ago, alta-pete said:

Next book I’m going to read: 

Fun fact for today. You ever heard of thon boy Tim Peake, the astronaut? 

My mother popped in with my birthday present this pm. Tim Peake’s Autobiography! (Fk knows why, I suppose that’s the sort of gift you give when you struggle to see what on earth the beneficiary might need, but anyhoo). 

Turns out I was at school with him for two years! 

I bet he’s always asking himself - I wonder whatever happened to that Scottish boy alta-pete !!! I’ll bet he’s made something of his life!!

(I’m expecting a wee menshie around p.60 ). Will keep ye’s posted.

Bet he was thinking what he was doing trapped in a tin can breathing Russian farts when he could have been living the life of Riley like Pete, down on Terra firma.

[alta-pete]

2 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

Bet he was thinking what he was doing trapped in a tin can breathing Russian farts when he could have been living the life of Riley like Pete, down on Terra firma.

And supporting The Rangers.

[Granny Danger]

5 hours ago, RH33 said:

New Ian Rankin- his standard method writing.

Tattooist of Auchwitz-wasn’t great.

Just finished the new Rankin, the standard has dropped book-on-book for the last four or five.

Pity too as I always liked the main character.

 

[Co.Down Hibee]

Four Kings by George Kimball

 

All about the golden era of the middleweight division in boxing during the 80s (mainly) with Leonard, Hagler, Duran  and Hearns. Really good insight from Kimball.

[RH33]

3 hours ago, Granny Danger said:

Just finished the new Rankin, the standard has dropped book-on-book for the last four or five.

Pity too as I always liked the main character.

 

Yup stretching it out too far.

[Saigon Raider]

Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry.

First one of his I have read and I enjoyed it...I think. Basically two older Irish gangster types sitting in a ferry terminal with flashbacks of their lives. The dialogue was great and I am still thinking about it so that probably says something.

[Bairnardo]

Couple of questions. 

Firstly I am halfway through Sapiens, and looking for another similarly sort of historical/educational book which offers a kind of overview level. I dont have time to read loads of different books about one particular historical subject but history does interest me. 

 

Also, I know the origins are disputed but are there  definitive "best versions" of the Iliad and the Odyssey? 

[yoda]

Guns, Germs, and Steel  is very long and probably in the same pigeonhole as Sapiens.  It's an interesting perspective on human history but not one I necessarily agree with. 

Edited December 10, 2020 by yoda

[Bairnardo]

Guns, Germs, and Steel  is very long and probably in the same pigeonhole as Sapiens.  It's an interesting perspective on human history but not one I necessarily agree with. 

I will have a look at that come the time to order something else.

[NotThePars]

2 hours ago, yoda said:

Guns, Germs, and Steel  is very long and probably in the same pigeonhole as Sapiens.  It's an interesting perspective on human history but not one I necessarily agree with. 

Most people I know dismiss it pretty roundly these days but it is an interesting read.

[tongue_tied_danny]

3 hours ago, Bairnardo said:

Couple of questions. 

Firstly I am halfway through Sapiens, and looking for another similarly sort of historical/educational book which offers a kind of overview level. I dont have time to read loads of different books about one particular historical subject but history does interest me. 

 

Also, I know the origins are disputed but are there  definitive "best versions" of the Iliad and the Odyssey? 

Have you read A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson?

It's a rather light hearted look at the creation of the universe. Bryson admits that he's not a scientist and as a result some of the information may not be entirely accurate but he's always very entertaining, even if he doesn't quite get his facts correct. 

[Bairnardo]

8 minutes ago, tongue_tied_danny said:

Have you read A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson?

It's a rather light hearted look at the creation of the universe. Bryson admits that he's not a scientist and as a result some of the information may not be entirely accurate but he's always very entertaining, even if he doesn't quite get his facts correct. 

Tbh mate iv read f**k all over the last few years. I want to educate myself so a bit torn between rattling through some of the "classics" or sticking to science/politics/historical type stuff. 

[Granny Danger]

27 minutes ago, tongue_tied_danny said:

Have you read A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson?

It's a rather light hearted look at the creation of the universe. Bryson admits that he's not a scientist and as a result some of the information may not be entirely accurate but he's always very entertaining, even if he doesn't quite get his facts correct. 

A book that I’ve wanted to read, thanks for the reminder.  Have downloaded the sample from Amazon.

[eindhovendee]

6 hours ago, tongue_tied_danny said:

Have you read A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson?

It's a rather light hearted look at the creation of the universe. Bryson admits that he's not a scientist and as a result some of the information may not be entirely accurate but he's always very entertaining, even if he doesn't quite get his facts correct. 

 

6 hours ago, Bairnardo said:

Tbh mate iv read f**k all over the last few years. I want to educate myself so a bit torn between rattling through some of the "classics" or sticking to science/politics/historical type stuff. 

6 hours ago, Bairnardo said:

Tbh mate iv read f**k all over the last few years. I want to educate myself so a bit torn between rattling through some of the "classics" or sticking to science/politics/historical type stuff. 

A great idea to read Bryson's book. 

Makes some impossibly difficult subjects easily readable.

Learnt more about the Big Bang and DNA than I'll ever need to know and chuckled all the way through.

[DiegoDiego]

That's John le Carré dead then. Topped the bestseller lists in every decade since the '60s. One of those authors who you feel will continue to grow in stature long past their death.

[Theroadlesstravelled]

Working my way through The Epic of Gilgamesh.