This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

doriansmith

Just started reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Haven't read anything in a while, time to start getting through the pile of unread books sitting on my shelf!

a0ifee

doriansmith wrote: »

Just started reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Haven't read anything in a while, time to start getting through the pile of unread books sitting on my shelf!

absolutely LOVED that book, went in knowing literally nothing about the story and it had me on edge the whole story!

first book of 2014: Human Traces by Sebastian Faulks. I think I might have posted that I was reading it a few months ago but it turns out my copy was missing pages..fixed that now!

Call Me Jimmy

Read The Essence of The Upinishads which was meant to be a talk through the scriptures themselves, shedding light on it etc. but it seemed more a personal self-help book. Well it had that feel.

Now reading more Yates, Eleven Kinds of Loneliness - short stories. No matter what the content I enjoy yates prose more than anyone I think.

While reading this I'll be deciding between Crime & Punishment (the good translation) and Ripley's Game. It's just a question of am I ready to commit to Crime and Punishment. I'm in quite a meditative place at the moment, and Dostoevsky said ye really need to be in a good mental state to write something like that, so I think to appreciate it it also applies.

biZrb

Swiper the fox wrote: »

I finally got around to the Thing about December last night, about 80 pages in now(finished April for those who've read it). This guy is an extraordinary writer IMO, nobody has ever written contemporary Ireland as well as he does, the Spinning heart is my favourite book of the year so far but this will run it close I think. It's a heartbreaking story but the text is littered with dark humour and a few real belly laughs.
My wife who is a big reader finished it a few weeks ago, she said something interesting, she wondered why a writer with such talent could bring such a sad story to life.
Another poster has said the main character reminded them of the Pat Shortt character from Garage, I'm getting that also. What a book!

I'm reading this atm. I also feel Johnsey reminds me of Josie from Garage. Its a real heartbreaking read so far.

SarahBM

I just finished reading the 100 year old man who climbed out of the window and disappeared. It was excellent. Perhaps even one of my favorite books ever. I enjoyed every part of it. I loved all the characters. Especially Allan and the inspector of the police. I was enjoying it so much I found myself slowing down so it wouldn't end! I'm sad now. But it really was an amazing story! 10/10

Starting No Country for Old Men for light house book club and The Contractors by John B Keane for my own. Not a book I would have picked but we'll see how it goes.

adrian522

Well i really have gotten out of the habit of posting here but I've read a few books over the last few months so here we go:

The Club by Christy O'Connor

I loved this, a year in the life of a rural GAA club, brutally honest and gets to the heart of what the GAA is all about. Highly recommended to any GAA fan. Probably not worthwhile if you have no interest in the sport.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

I enjoyed this. It was very easy reading and a powerful story that stays with you after you've put the book down. It deals with similar themes as the Kite Runner, but it works quite well and you feel empathy for the characters in the book. I would like him to write a book set somewhere else at this point though.

Midnight in Sicily by Peter Robb

I read this while travelling around Sicily during the summer, it's a nice insight into the corruption around the political scene and he spends a lot of time on the mafia. I felt he could have devoted a bit more time to the culture and history of the place though.

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

I had read the Shadow of the Win many years ago, so picked this up. I think it started out well and the premise is very good, the book just got very disjointed in the second half. It was a good story but he lost the run of himself towards the end. I'm not sure I'd read the third book in the series.

Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman

I really enjoyed this book, I've read a lot of negative things about it but I thought it worked really well. It's written from the point of view of a young Ghanan boy who has just arrived in London. It has a lot in there about the gang culture in London and in my opinion is a very powerful book. I can understand how some people wouldn't like the way it written but I really liked it.

You Can't Win by Jack Black

This is my favorite book I've read this year. It was originally written in the 1920's and was re-printed in the 1960's. William Burroughs called it his favorite book.

It tells the story of Jack Black, he was a hobo and thief in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He battles with Gambling,Alcohol,Opium addictions as well as being in and out of jail. Highly recommended.

The book is less than £2 on kindle if you are interested.

And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

I'm, currently reading this, it seems like a bit of more of the same from Hosseini, and even at that it seems the weakest of his books, as the story jumps around a bit all over the place, but I'll reserve judgement until I've finished.

The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst

I really tried to get into this book, but I just couldn't. It seems fine for what it is (a period piece essentially) but I had no real connection with any of the characters and despite trying to stick with it I just couldn't finish the thing.

Aenaes

SarahBM wrote: »

I just finished reading the 100 year old man who climbed out of the window and disappeared. It was excellent. Perhaps even one of my favorite books ever. I enjoyed every part of it. I loved all the characters. Especially Allan and the inspector of the police. I was enjoying it so much I found myself slowing down so it wouldn't end! I'm sad now. But it really was an amazing story! 10/10

A copy of this book arrived at my house this morning sent from a friend in Berlin who also raved about it. I'm looking forward to starting it.

Currently reading The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson, this is the sequel of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I'm not finding it as enthralling as the first to be honest. Dragon Tattoo kinda sucked you in with a great cast of characters and a compelling mystery.

The Girl Who Played With Fire doesn't have the same feel and the characters aren't as interesting since knowing them from the first book (which is a little unfair) and the descriptive style of Larsson is getting annoying. Laptops with X amount of memory, a 32" screen, milk-white keyboard, then this person went to the shop and bought 2 packets of cereal, milk, teabags and cigarettes.
It's still a decent story but I'm finding myself looking towards the finishing the last page sooner rather than later so I can start something else.

SarahBM

I have no grá what so ever to read the Stigg Larsson books. I have sooooo many books to read. Not enough hours in the day.
Do read the 100 Year Old Man.... its such a lovely book! its so easy to get into, you will fly through it.

Callan57

Finished The Blind Man's Garden by Nadeem Aslam today. First book of 2014 & if the rest of the books I read this year are as good I will be on very, very happy reader. No word for it except superb - 10/10

Now I need to finish Watership Down this weekend

syngindub

Thanks for some of the great suggestions above and looking forward to tackling a few of them.

Currently reading Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk
Just about 1/2 way into it, some very funny moments, enjoying it so far.

biZrb

SarahBM wrote: »

I just finished reading the 100 year old man who climbed out of the window and disappeared. It was excellent. Perhaps even one of my favorite books ever. I enjoyed every part of it. I loved all the characters. Especially Allan and the inspector of the police. I was enjoying it so much I found myself slowing down so it wouldn't end! I'm sad now. But it really was an amazing story! 10/10

Loved this book so much. I started to read it when I was on a really long train journey, it was lovely to be able to just sit and read for a few hours.

AnnyHallsal

Over Christmas I read the Letters of William Burroughs and that novel everyone's talking about Stoner. Devoured it whole on Christmas Day. A quietly gripping account of one man's life. If you like campus fiction it will particularly appeal.

Now reading Revolution in the Head, a scintillating track-by track analysis of the Beatles.

MARTYRYAN

AnnyHallsal wrote: »

Over Christmas I read the Letters of William Burroughs and that novel everyone's talking about Stoner. Devoured it whole on Christmas Day. A quietly gripping account of one man's life. If you like campus fiction it will particularly appeal.

Now reading Revolution in the Head, a scintillating track-by track analysis of the Beatles.

Revolution in the Head is fantastic. Sometimes though, I found, The songs are dissected to a level that removes a lot of the joy of them. I like many of the songs he slates but can't argue with his analysis.

You should read "Junkie", if you haven't already. I

Belle E. Flops

I finished Marina a few days ago and really enjoyed it. It's very gothic and Zafon's writing in places is beautiful. Every so often I would go back and read sentences that stood out for me.

I have started Insurgent, the 2nd book in the Divergent trilogy. It's very easy to read and it is very a young adult novel but I'm enjoying it all the same.

I downloaded the Silmarillion yesterday onto my phone and iPad and I couldn't restrain myself from starting it straight away. I love Tolkein and I love the world he created.

I'm also about half way through the Beautiful and the Damned but I put it aside about 2weeks ago because I had lost interest. I will get back to it and finish it, and it is interesting in parts, but it is no Gatsby.

SarahBM

Belle E. Flops wrote: »

I finished Marina a few days ago and really enjoyed it. It's very gothic and Zafon's writing in places is beautiful. Every so often I would go back and read sentences that stood out for me.

I have started Insurgent, the 2nd book in the Divergent trilogy. It's very easy to read and it is very a young adult novel but I'm enjoying it all the same.

I downloaded the Silmarillion yesterday onto my phone and iPad and I couldn't restrain myself from starting it straight away. I love Tolkein and I love the world he created.

I'm also about half way through the Beautiful and the Damned but I put it aside about 2weeks ago because I had lost interest. I will get back to it and finish it, and it is interesting in parts, but it is no Gatsby.

Read this a few years ago after I had finished the Lord of the Rings, simply because I didnt want to leave Middle Earth.
It is beautiful and Epic and if you love Tolkein, you will certainly enjoy it. Its basically the entire history of Middle Earth and there are some beautiful stories in there. Enjoy.


I started the Contractors. Its ok. not the type of book I could find myself getting stuck into, though. I went back to Pride and Prejudice though when I went to bed with my vicks and lemsips last night.

Gamayun

I've just finished Good Omens by by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Great stuff. I've read lots of Gaiman's stuff but this was my first time reading Pratchett. The story zips along at a fair pace, great characters, tonnes of references and some very funny parts. I'll have to check out more of Pratchett's work in the future.

Moving on to The Joy of X: A Guided Tour of Math, from One to Infinity by Steven Strogatz. I re-read Alex's Adventures in Numberland by Alex Bellos a while back and wanted something similar. I'm only a chapter in but it seems to fit the bill nicely. I briefly considered editing the ebook via Calibre to Find and Replace every instance of "Math " with "Maths ". There's probably loads of other Americanisms in it though so I may as well get used to it!

IvyTheTerrible

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela. I thought if I don't read it now, I never will. Very interesting so far. Learning a lot.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

About 1/3 of the way through Serena by Ron Rash.

I read The Cove, also by Rash, last year and while I really liked his style of writing the story was quite simple. Serena on the other hand, so far, seems a much heavier story. Pemberton owns a large lumber company in North Carolina with several partners. He returns from a trip to Boston with a new wife in tow, the eponymous Serena, to find a girl who worked in the kitchens at the lumber yard is carrying his baby. Serena comes from a lumber background and wastes no time showing the workers she's not one to be underestimated. There's a side plot too where the government are trying to buy up all the land to make a national park and Serena doesn't take too kindly to their interference.

As I said, I'm only about 1/3 of the way through but it's ticking along nicely and I'm getting some serious Lady MacBeth vibes off Serena, which is never a bad thing.

Callan57

Still working my way through Watership Down but it's a bit too heavy for carrying on the train so I started one I've been intending to read for ages A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith & almost half way into it already, a lovely read and a quick read.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Callan57 wrote: »

Still working my way through Watership Down but it's a bit too heavy for carrying on the train so I started one I've been intending to read for ages A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith & almost half way into it already, a lovely read and a quick read.

I read A Tree Grows In Brooklyn a few years ago and loved it. I was expecting it to be a bit Angela's Ashes but it was actually quite an uplifting read.

Censorsh!t

Been getting through Crime and Punishment for the last 2 months, which is a looong time for me. Granted, a month of that was spent volunteering in South Africa, so I guess I didn't get much read then.

Anyway, I do like it quite a lot when I get into it - he had a way of describing emotions!

Next on the list is The Dark Tower # 4: Wizard and Glass by Stephen King

syngindub

Just started Fatherland by Robert Harris
Heard a few good things about it, aiming to get through a book every week

Busi_Girl08

Reading The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan. Not bad so far. Very true to life. I like the multi-narrative style of writing. Gives you a number of different perspectives. There's some good humour in some parts as well.

Next on the list is Doctor Sleep by Stephen King. Have heard mixed reviews, looking forward to giving it a go.

Wyldwood

Just finished The One Hundred Year Old Man and I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. It started off well and the present day story was an enjoyable bit of nonsense but the parallel description of Allan's past life, as a problem solver for the world's political leaders, was overly long and became quite tedious. It would have worked well as a novelette with the historical bits cut out.

Would probably make a good mindless read for a long journey.

eire4

Finished a re read of John Davies A History of Wales over the holidays.

AnnyHallsal

MARTYRYAN wrote: »

You should read "Junkie", if you haven't already. I

On my list and on my shelf!

Still loving Revolution in the Head, great insights into the period and MacDonald was a wonderful writer.

Aenaes

I finished The Girl Who Played With Fire and I think that will be where my interaction with Stieg Larsson's Millenium trilogy ends. It's not the worst book I've read by any means but it just seemed to fall a little flat on it's face.

Currently just over half-way through Soldier No More by Anthony Price. It's a spy thriller in the middle of a series which I didn't realise when I picked it up. Intelligently written and set just after the Suez Crisis, a period that usually doesn't have much significance in most stories.

Saorenza

I haven't posted in a few weeks so I hope I remember all I have read since!

I am about half-way through The Plantagenets by Dan Jones. I put aside for a while over Christmas, when the kings began to blend into one. I am still enjoying it but I think maybe someone who knows more about the history of the 13th century might find it too basic.

I read The Testament of Mary by Colm Toibín. It was a Christmas present. I loved it. In one way I wished it was longer, but I think it was the perfect length for the narrative really.

I bought the first in the Department Q series on a whim. They are by Jussi Adler-Olsen, the first one is Mercy and I had avoided it because of the hype. It was a fast read, well-paced and though I guessed the why, I enjoyed it. I'll probably read the next in the series.

I also read Farthing by Jo Walton, which I have wanted to read for ages, since I like alt-history stuff and I loved her Tooth and Claw (Victorian dragons). Farthing is the first in a trilogy and mixes a country house murder with an alt-history setting in which Britain made peace with Hitler in 1941 and stayed out of the European war. I really enjoyed this nd will definitely read the next in the series.

I also read What Matters in Jane Austen: Twenty Crucial Puzzles Solved by John Mullen. I enjoyed this a lot, much more than the Daniel Pool book (What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist--the Facts of Daily Life in 19th-Century England) I was reading before Christmas and didn't finish.

I also read two stories from Legends II ed by Robert Silverberg, a collection of fantasy novellas and some stories in Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman. And I started Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier - was not really impressed. It is narrated by different narrators but none of them have believable voices. Shame because it has an interesting setting.

I have really enjoyed my Christmas reading. I am getting lots of college related reading lists now though, back to reality.

Slattsy

syngindub wrote: »

Just started Fatherland by Robert Harris
Heard a few good things about it, aiming to get through a book every week

This disappointed me tbh after all the good reviews i'd heard.

biZrb

Finished The Thing About December, brilliant read. There was an interview with Donal Ryan on the radio this evening, he mentioned his other book got rejected by 47 publishers :eek:

Currently reading The Railway Man by Eric Lomax.