This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

Mr.Nice Guy · 12-08-2022 06:30PM

I read 'Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania' by Erik Larson. This is one of the best books I've read in a good few years.

It tells you about the passengers that were on the ship, using their own accounts; it also describes the U-boat commander, Schwieger, who sunk the ship, and how life was like on his sub; and it talks about the British Admiralty who had managed to crack the German code, and discusses whether they could have done more to save the vessel from the threats they knew she faced.

Larson does a good job of painting a picture of events, and building the anticipation to the moment when the torpedo hits. If I had to make a small criticism it's that the book tends to focus on American passengers more than other nationalities, but I'd still recommend it.

13-08-2022 07:17PM

Eh ...the bible.

Started on the old testament as I thought that would be fairly dramatic, but it's huge and has a sizeable portion all about genealogy.

Went over to new testament and am on the first gospel of Matthew and it is kinda comforting to be honest. All the stories you'd be familiar with told through parable and, for the most part, some pretty good and very philosophical advice.

If you talk about great books it is clearly one of the greatest, considering its impact, which is why I'll read the Koran and book of the dead next.

You wouldn't be reading every word mind. It's also amazing how many every day sayings came from it e.g' "not an iota, not one dot", "last shall be first , first shall be last" and many other more obvious and better examples that I am too tipsy to recall.

eire4 · 17-08-2022 04:40PM

Finished Jo Nesbo's The Leopard. Another excellent crime thriller in his Harry Hole series.

Xofpod · 17-08-2022 05:19PM

Anthem, Noah Hawley. Fairly depressing stuff tbh, with a plot that revolves around mass teen suicide, environmental catastrophe and civil war in the US. I think he was trying to address the nihilism of modern America and offer some hope, but I don't think he quite pulled it off...

I'll read more of his stuff, I really liked Before the Fall, but just wanted to put the Downersville flag on this for anyone thinking about picking it up.

Xofpod · 05-09-2022 11:59AM

Reading and loving Punters: How Paddy Power bet billions and changed gambling forever, by Aaron Rogan, as recommended on here earlier this year (I think). Fascinating book on the intersection in Ireland between gambling, politics, technology, criminality, business, and probably loads more. Would definitely recommend.

05-09-2022 12:45PM

Fintan O'Toole's "We don't know ourselves".

He waited a few pages before referencing Beckett which is quite restrained for him.

eire4 · 05-09-2022 06:14PM

Finished George RR Martin's Tuff Voyaging. Really enjoyed it. A fun sci fi adventure stand alone book written well before his Game of Thrones series.

Mr.Nice Guy · 13-09-2022 01:23AM

I read Replay by Ken Grimwood. It's set in 1988 and follows a 43-year-old man called Jeff Winston who dies of a heart attack, only to awaken 25 years earlier in the past as his 18-year-old self, but with all his knowledge and memories of the future to come still intact.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It takes some fun twists and turns along the way and reminded me of 11/22/63 by Stephen King, which is another book I liked. I think Replay would work pretty well as a film or TV series.

20-09-2022 04:40PM

Amsterdam, Ian McEwan.

Feels like a lot of books were influenced by it.

Mr.Nice Guy · 20-09-2022 11:35PM

I read Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. I was a bit disappointed with this. I've read and liked works by Vonnegut in the past and this was the first time I was left pretty underwhelmed.

baconsarnie · 21-09-2022 01:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119398212#Comment_119398212

Station Eleven is a superb book. I had it in my pile for ages (bought pre-Covid) and because of that it took me a while to get to it, but it's an absolutely wonderful read. I would also recommend Serverance by Ling Ma in a similar-ish vein.

eire4 · 21-09-2022 04:11PM

Finished Irving Welsh's Dead Man's Trousers and loved it. Likely the last installment in his Trainspotting series its another classic ride of chaos and hilarity. Highly entertaining and a great way to close out the series.

Xofpod · 22-09-2022 03:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119645943#Comment_119645943

This reminded me to pick up her new one, Sea of Tranquility. Another addition to the looming TBR pile of doom. Thanks, poster.....

Xofpod · 22-09-2022 03:30PM

Small Things like These, Claire Keegan. Small but perfectly formed. I wonder is it too short (slightly over 100 pages) to go ahead and win the Booker?

baconsarnie · 23-09-2022 11:36AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119651120#Comment_119651120

Ha! I hadn't even seen that, okay- that goes on the "list" and I might even get a copy of it this weekend to add to the "pile". 🙂

26-09-2022 06:49PM

Found a lovely old Frank O'Connor collection at the weekend.

Went straight for Guests of the Nation, the Majesty of the Law, and My Oedipus Complex.

Absolutely lovely to read them again. I've never read short stories I've enjoyed as much as his. They're set a long time ago but they feel close such is the quality of the writing.

Xofpod · 27-09-2022 11:56AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119668036#Comment_119668036

He's just a fantastic writer.

eire4 · 10-10-2022 06:34PM

Finished Michael Connolly's The Fifth Witness a courtroom crime novel which I enjoyed.

10-10-2022 07:08PM

Cloud Atlas

Xofpod · 18-10-2022 03:05PM

Beautiful World, where are you? Sally Rooney. If you liked her previous books you'll like this. If not, best to avoid.

Personally I think she's a great writer and this is very much her thing, but I'd still like to see her move outside her (dis)comfort zone for her next book.

18-10-2022 03:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119760908#Comment_119760908

I didn't love that one so much I have to say, though I loved Normal People.

Normal People felt more real to me, BW felt more like it was from her own social bubble world. Which it probably was and is fine, I just didn't love it.

She has said she is only interested in writing about relationships and their dynamics and discussions so not sure we'll see a move anytime soon.

New Home · 18-10-2022 06:48PM

The History of Rain by Niall Williams.

An absolute gem of a book. I've read a few of his books, so far - some I liked a lot, some I thought were just ok but if I had stopped reading it wouldn't have been the end of the world. This, on the other hand, is excellent.

eire4 · 22-10-2022 01:03AM

Finished Isaac Asimov's The Gods Themselves. I am a big Asimov fan but must admit this was not up to his usual brilliance. Although given it is a sci fi novel set around finding a too good to be true but nonetheless seemingly limitless source of energy to power earth it is topical.

Mr.Nice Guy · 27-10-2022 12:24AM

I read The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this but I liked it a lot. It's an interesting concept and it's developed well, with some lovely passages. I was a bit concerned I'd hate the ending because it seemed to be heading a direction I wouldn't like, but I thought it ended well enough.

Xofpod · 04-11-2022 04:33PM

Read and loved The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, Becky Chambers. Pure sci-fi but also a really lovely book.

Staying vaguely sci-fi-ish, next up is Sea of Tranquility, Emily St.John Mandel. I've heard some Cloud Atlas comparisons, which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

eire4 · 08-11-2022 07:49PM

Finished Isaac Asimov's The Gods Themselves. I am a big Asimov fan but must admit this was not up to his usual brilliance. Although given it is a sci fi novel set around finding a too good to be true but nonetheless seemingly limitless source of energy to power earth it is topical.

eire4 · 10-11-2022 11:58PM

Finished Morgan Llywelyn's After Rome. She is one of my favourite historical fiction writers and this one is set in the years after the Romans left Britain and the Britons were faced with the invasions from Saxon's, Angles and Jutes. It is a decent read but not up to her usually brilliant standards as I felt it was a bit underdeveloped story line wise.

eire4 · 15-11-2022 07:26PM

Finished Ken Bruen's Headstone. Another classic dark noir crime novel set in Galway. Loved every minute of it brilliant.

Daisy78 · 19-11-2022 11:45PM

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. Been on my list for a while.

Xofpod · 29-11-2022 11:13AM

Read Sea of Tranquility, Emily St. John Mandel, which had jumped to the top of my list after loving Station 11.

It was.... good, but not brilliant. Certainly not up to the standard of her previous book. It's a bit Cloud Atlas, a bit Gods Without Men, a bit La Jetée/12 Monkeys, but not up to the standard of any of them.

So anyway, liked it, and will read more of her stuff but didn't love it.

This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

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