This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

Dibble

Paddy Samurai wrote: »

If you end up liking The Stand ,give Swan Song by Robert McCammon a read.

Cool, thanks for the recommendation.

Teyla Emmagan

Paddy Samurai wrote: »

If you end up liking The Stand ,give Swan Song by Robert McCammon a read.

They're basically the same book! When I read Swan Song first I thought it was some sort of deliberate parody of The Stand.

I just finished 'In our mad and furious city' by Guy Gunaratne. Really liked it in the end. It's set in an tower block estate in London and initially the argot really put me off, but it's a pretty cool and haunting book.

batgoat

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

They're basically the same book! When I read Swan Song first I thought it was some sort of deliberate parody of The Stand.

I just finished 'In our mad and furious city' by Guy Gunaratne. Really liked it in the end. It's set in an tower block estate in London and initially the argot really put me off, but it's a pretty cool and haunting book.

I always found Swan Song to be a more visceral version of The Stand. Great book though.

Foweva Awone

Just finished Snap by Belinda Bauer, first good crime novel I've read in a while, will be reading more of hers!

IvyTheTerrific

batgoat wrote: »

I always found Swan Song to be a more visceral version of The Stand. Great book though.

Better ending than The Stand, that's for sure.

LionelNashe

Recently read:
"The Thousand and One Autumns of Jacob de Zoet" (very good) by David Mitchell
"Mystery Man" & "The Day of the Jack Russell" (very good) by Bateman (formerly known as Colin Bateman)

Currently reading "The Horse with my Name" by Colin Bateman

Callan57

The Detour by Gerbrand Bakker

otnomart

otnomart wrote: »

Started "Take Six Girls" by Laura Thompson, about the Mitford sisters

Nearly finished, so interesting !
Just picked up, and next in line is: "Love in a cold climate" by Nancy Mitford.

neris

Not a big reader of biographies but ended up buying one on John D Rockefeller by Ron Chernow a while back and finished it last week. Took a while to get into. Was dipping in and out of it as got a bit boring at times but an enjoyable read over a few weeks



Started on a book called Shadow state this week about private companies running state contracts in the UK but feel its going to be more of a social justice warriors book about how immigration and deportations have been given to the private sector

Callan57

Shift by Mia Gallagher

KJ

John Muir - Wilderness Essays

Foweva Awone

I'm a bit fascinated with medical memoirs. Particularly books about brain surgery. At the moment I'm reading "Another Day in the Frontal Lobe", by Katrina Firlik, it's absolutely riveting. "Do No Harm" by Henry Marsh is another excellent one.

batgoat

Foweva Awone wrote: »

I'm a bit fascinated with medical memoirs. Particularly books about brain surgery. At the moment I'm reading "Another Day in the Frontal Lobe", by Katrina Firlik, it's absolutely riveting.

Should definitely check out the podcast Dr Death, it's about a dodgy neurologist....

Callan57

The Snack Thief by Andrea Camilleri .. and still working my way through Swann's Way by Marcel Proust

otnomart

Foweva Awone wrote: »

I'm a bit fascinated with medical memoirs. Particularly books about brain surgery. At the moment I'm reading "Another Day in the Frontal Lobe", by Katrina Firlik, it's absolutely riveting. "Do No Harm" by Henry Marsh is another excellent one.

Years ago I red The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales by neurologist Oliver Sacks, very good

Xofpod

Little Green, by Walter Mosley. Usually I would be very wary about picking up a series (Easy Rawlins detective/noir stories) in the middle of its run, but I've been meaning to try one for ages, and there it was in the library....

Enjoying it so far.

LionelNashe

Recently read David Mitchell's first novel, 'Ghostwritten'. Have now started the latest Cormoran Strike instalment, 'Lethal White', on Audible.

Foweva Awone

Foweva Awone wrote: »

Just finished Snap by Belinda Bauer, first good crime novel I've read in a while, will be reading more of hers!

Just read The Facts Of Life And Death by the same author, it's also excellent. Very funny in parts too.

Xofpod

Xofpod wrote: »

Little Green, by Walter Mosley. Usually I would be very wary about picking up a series (Easy Rawlins detective/noir stories) in the middle of its run, but I've been meaning to try one for ages, and there it was in the library....

Enjoying it so far.

Loved it. Will definitely be picking up more in the series.

Mr.Nice Guy

Finished Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to those who like sci-fi with an air of mystery surrounding it. I haven't seen the movie with Natalie Portman so I was coming to this fresh. I noticed in the blurb portion of the book some reviewers describing it as scary but I didn't get that vibe off it. It reminded me a bit of Lost except I found the ending of this story much more satisfying. Apparently this is part of a trilogy so I'll have to get round to reading the other two.

Xofpod

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Finished Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to those who like sci-fi with an air of mystery surrounding it. I haven't seen the movie with Natalie Portman so I was coming to this fresh. I noticed in the blurb portion of the book some reviewers describing it as scary but I didn't get that vibe off it. It reminded me a bit of Lost except I found the ending of this story much more satisfying. Apparently this is part of a trilogy so I'll have to get round to reading the other two.

I loved Annihilation but thought that the sequel (Authority) was appalling. The third one is supposed to be decent again but I'm not sure I can summon up the enthusiasm...

Teyla Emmagan

"The Long Take" by Robin Robertson. It's half poem, half prose. Very beautiful, incredibly evocative. It's sort of about renewal and destruction, hope and despair. If I were more up on my golden age movies it may have meant more to me, but the themes of economic depression, trauma and homelessness are very immediate. It's set in 3 time periods, with the immediate being the most continually sad. Depressing really, the treatment of GIs in America etc.

Also nearly finished 'Rotherweird' which I love, love, love. I don't know what it is though, children's, YA, fantasy?!. All of the above, not that it matters?! Anyway, it's one of those towns you can see in your head. Nearly Ankh-Morpork-esque. Big host of characters though, the sort of book that is easier to read with an index at the front.

LionelNashe

Just finished 'Mangle Street Murders' by MRC Kasasian. A Victorian detective story with plenty of dry humour. Short chapters so the story flies along.

Callan57

The Burning Chambers by Kate Mosse

neris

neris wrote: »

Started on a book called Shadow state this week about private companies running state contracts in the UK but feel its going to be more of a social justice warriors book about how immigration and deportations have been given to the private sector

Had to give up on this read shortly after starting, it was like reading a civil service report. Painfully boring and dull as books go. Onto this now The Secret Club That Runs the World : Inside the Fraternity of Commodity Traders by kate kelly. Far more interesting and barely just started

Foweva Awone

Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann. Hadn't heard of it before but apparently it's a bit of a cult classic. I'm almost finished it now, I kinda love it. I've a personal interest in all things addiction-related, and it's fascinating to see how, even in a very different time and culture, similar themes are evident to any more recent novels/movies centred around addiction and celebrity.

Teyla Emmagan

'Snap' by Belinda Bauer and 'Normal People' by Sally Rooney.

Now I'm reading some mad yoke with a bunch of half orcs riding around on battle hogs.

Callan57

Finished Give Me Your Hand by Megan Abbott last night, terrific read.

Next Warlight by Michael Ondaatje

otnomart

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance
A family memoir/analysis of recent economic and social history
Find it quite touching.

otnomart

Callan57 wrote: »

Next Warlight by Michael Ondaatje

Saw it in a bookshop yesterday, was tempted, might pick it up next time !