Last Book You Read....

[Melanius Mullarkey]

The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd. Whilst I dont think Nan was ever mounted during her lifetime, it’s a beautifully written book.

Edited October 24, 2019 by Melanius Mullarkey

[welshbairn]

10 minutes ago, Shandon Par said:

I’m half way through reading Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James. He jokingly called it an African Game of Thrones but it’s not too bad a description. Reminds me a bit of some of Louis de Berniere’s trippy South American books. First part of a fantasy trilogy and I think it’s going to be roughly the same story told from three perspectives. 

Half way through listening to James Ellroy’s latest in his second American trilogy (This Storm). Pretty much as you’d expect. Lots of rude words!

 

I've been checking airports the last few months for This Storm in the airport only paperbacks sections, no luck, bit surprised. Might give Marlon James a go. Been meaning to read Brief History of Seven Killings for ages but the text is tiny in my copy and it hurts my head.

Edited October 24, 2019 by welshbairn

[Shandon Par]

11 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

I've been checking airports the last few months for This Storm in the airport only paperbacks sections, no luck, bit surprised. Might give Marlon James a go. Been meaning to read Brief History of Seven Killings for ages but the text is tiny in my copy and it hurts my head.

Brief History.. should be on tv before long too. 
 

John Crow’s devil is his first book and probably a bit more accessible but still full of sex, violence and repression. His 1950s rural Jamaica reminded me of what 17th century Fife would have been like. Plenty of burnings, rumpy puppy and lynchings.

[Savage Henry]

Brief History.. should be on tv before long too. 
 
John Crow’s devil is his first book and probably a bit more accessible but still full of sex, violence and repression. His 1950s rural Jamaica reminded me of what 17th century Fife would have been like. Plenty of burnings, rumpy puppy and lynchings.

17th century you say?

[bishopburn boy]

10 hours ago, Shandon Par said:

Brief History.. should be on tv before long too. 
 

John Crow’s devil is his first book and probably a bit more accessible but still full of sex, violence and repression. His 1950s rural Jamaica reminded me of what 17th century Fife would have been like. Plenty of burnings, rumpy puppy and lynchings.

17:00 hundreds , possibly  ...

[tongue_tied_danny]

17 hours ago, Shandon Par said:

Brief History.. should be on tv before long too. 
 

 

There doesn't seem to be a release date for this yet. 

I only got about halfway through the book a few years ago. I will need to go back and finish it before the series comes out.

[Shandon Par]

Just now, tongue_tied_danny said:

There doesn't seem to be a release date for this yet. 

I only got about halfway through the book a few years ago. I will need to go back and finish it before the series comes out.

Marlon James was talking about the tv series on a podcast recently and it sounded like it was well under way but doesn't seem to be much about it online. 

No spoilers but there are a lot more than 7 killings but not everyone in the book gets bumped off and of those who make it (at least to the later chapters) some are very likeable characters. Som

[coprolite]

Doggerland- once you get past the disappointing lack of lay-bys this is a cracking wee read. It's like the lighthouse keepers in chewin the fat set in the world of soylent green. The cover has quote comparing it to waiting for godot but that's a shit comparison and shouldn't put you off. 

The Scottish clearances by Tam Devine- A good socio economic analysis of agricultural improvement across Scotland, culminating in the Highland clearances. I felt it was a little unclear on what actually happened in terms of the anti clan measures after culloden but was otherwise fairly comprehensive. It's an accessible history, but I wouldn't say it's a pop history; there is far too much care taken to emphasise how partial records are and to not generalise to be a compelling narrative. 

The annihilation Score by Charles Stross- I read this because of comparisons with Iain m banks, which I didn't get. Imaginative and original but I'm not sure I enjoyed it so much overall, although it had great bits. I think he's trying to bring fantasy horror stuff into Sci fi. Not sure I approve, but am giving another of his a shot to see if it grows on me. 

[Miguel Sanchez]

Oil! by Upton Sinclair

Not necessarily as cheerful as the exclamation mark would have you believe.

[Silverton End]

The White Mountains by John Christopher.

First in The Tripods trilogy, dystopian old school sci-fi, written in the 1960's.

[Savage Henry]

Agent Running in the Field by John Le Carré. It’s one of his more accessible books, and it knocks spots off most of his rivals. I preferred A Delicate Truth, but its much better that The Tailor of Panama.

[tongue_tied_danny]

Heinrich Gerlach - Breakthrough at Stalingrad.

No holds barred story about the fate of Axis troops trapped in The Cauldron during the battle of Stalingrad. Pretty grim.

An interesting story behind the book. The author was captured at Stalingrad and wrote the book in a POW camp. The Russians confiscated the completed manuscript when he was released. It was found decades later in some archive in Moscow then finally published.

Edited November 25, 2019 by tongue_tied_danny

[LondonHMFC]

James Milner - Ask a footballer

Not sure why I was given this as a present, but a decent read nonetheless. 

Opposed to the usual autobiography footballers tend to do, Milner answers questions put to him from Twitter / Team mates / Co writer. 

Comes across as a very level headed bloke, never touched a drink and had the same partner from school. A real model professional. Can tell he thinks a lot of Robertson as well, he is mentioned a lot. 

Oh and Inverness was the first ground he got abuse, playing for England 16s. 

 

[coprolite]

Beyond weird- everything you thought you knew about quantum physics is different--Philip Ball. 

Still fairly baffled by the whole thing, but at least I think I know what I'm baffled by. Almost no physics needed, very accessible. Relies less on analogy than anything else I've read on the topic. Recommended. 

Salvation Lost by Peter F Hamilton. Pacy Sci fi action thriller, Part 2 of the trilogy. Not quite up to the heights of the first one but still pretty good. Fairly sure there will be a massive twist in the finale. 

[Saigon Raider]

Skinny Dip and Star Island by Carl Hiaason + I think he might be my favourite author when I just want a fun blast. The South Florida setting and brilliant characters make his books very enjoyable.

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - this was superb. Two stories told alongside each other in WW2. It won a pile of awards and easy to see why.

Currently on Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer - has started well, the story of a young boy on a quest in Manhatten after his Dad does in 9/11. Again, won a load of book of the year awards - very interesting style of writing.

All recommended.

[Big Chief Toffee Teeth]

I would humbly suggest that you gather your Christmas book tokens and head to Waterstones for at least one of my top five literary gems of 2019 :

1. The Witch's Nipple by Sved Larnsfeldt
In his Nordic Noir debut, Larnsfeldt's Northern Swedish landscape becomes a brooding character itself, as D.I. Sangra Hurnsoen is caught in the maelstrom of a murderous Norse cult.
2. This Blighted Shore, by Julian Oliphant
Shortlisted for Tunnocks Teacake Dystopian Fiction Award, Oliphant's heavily analagous tale of a young transgender couple's ill- fated romance in 22nd century sectarian Belfast demands readers examine their own fears on a post-Brexit Britain, where laws are unfettered by EU notions of equality.
3. A Pair of Ragged Claws by Toni Gushing
In what must surely be the final time a quotation from Eliot's " Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock " is used for a book or whimsical rock album title, Gushing's semi-autobiograpical study of growing up in an abusive family in Godalming, written in blank verse, cannot but engage.
4. Yer Claimt!, by Rab S. Tam
Reformed Wishaw teenage gang leader, and recently released lifer, tells of how his relationship with a Unitarian prison visitor moved him towards sculpture, Veganism and eventual recruitment to MI5.
5. Little Tin Soldiers by Jed Cuttlefish
A sweeping novel in which four naive music fans from London are arrested at the Woodstock festival and, in a farcical administrative bungle, conscripted to the American Forces. The story of how "The Fighting Cockneys" brought British 60s music to the Vietnamese jungle, where only CCR, The Beach Boys and Hendrix had previously been heard, is alternately poignant and hilarious.

[Dan Steele]

7 hours ago, Big Chief Toffee Teeth said:

I would humbly suggest that you gather your Christmas book tokens and head to Waterstones for at least one of my top five literary gems of 2019 :

1. The Witch's Nipple by Sved Larnsfeldt
In his Nordic Noir debut, Larnsfeldt's Northern Swedish landscape becomes a brooding character itself, as D.I. Sangra Hurnsoen is caught in the maelstrom of a murderous Norse cult.
2. This Blighted Shore, by Julian Oliphant
Shortlisted for Tunnocks Teacake Dystopian Fiction Award, Oliphant's heavily analagous tale of a young transgender couple's ill- fated romance in 22nd century sectarian Belfast demands readers examine their own fears on a post-Brexit Britain, where laws are unfettered by EU notions of equality.
3. A Pair of Ragged Claws by Toni Gushing
In what must surely be the final time a quotation from Eliot's " Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock " is used for a book or whimsical rock album title, Gushing's semi-autobiograpical study of growing up in an abusive family in Godalming, written in blank verse, cannot but engage.
4. Yer Claimt!, by Rab S. Tam
Reformed Wishaw teenage gang leader, and recently released lifer, tells of how his relationship with a Unitarian prison visitor moved him towards sculpture, Veganism and eventual recruitment to MI5.
5. Little Tin Soldiers by Jed Cuttlefish
A sweeping novel in which four naive music fans from London are arrested at the Woodstock festival and, in a farcical administrative bungle, conscripted to the American Forces. The story of how "The Fighting Cockneys" brought British 60s music to the Vietnamese jungle, where only CCR, The Beach Boys and Hendrix had previously been heard, is alternately poignant and hilarious.

Excellent writing, sir! 

[Shandon Par]

On 05/01/2020 at 05:53, Saigon Raider said:

Skinny Dip and Star Island by Carl Hiaason + I think he might be my favourite author when I just want a fun blast. The South Florida setting and brilliant characters make his books very enjoyable.
 

Can never recommend him enough. They’re such good fun.

[RH33]

Reading the Rebus series. Not sure I get the hype.

Detective with drink problem, can’t maintain relationships, usual takes a beating. Rinse and repeat.

But I’ve started so I’ll finish!

[Shandon Par]

4 minutes ago, RH33 said:

Reading the Rebus series. Not sure I get the hype.

Detective with drink problem, can’t maintain relationships, usual takes a beating. Rinse and repeat.

But I’ve started so I’ll finish!

I’ve never gone back and re-read the early books but the ones as Rebus gets close to retirement age are worth sticking around for. It may be because so much of it is set in and around places that are familiar to me that makes me like them more though.

Through in your neck of the woods there’s a good hitman trilogy by Malcolm Mackay. A bit more bare bones than Rebus books. It’s like a Rebus tale but told from the perspective of one of the low-lifes.