This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

pavb2 · 07-12-2015 07:53PM

Shogun by James Clavell - 200 odd pages in and the story really holds the interest.

Paddy Samurai · 07-12-2015 08:49PM

pavb2 wrote: »

Shogun by James Clavell - 200 odd pages in and the story really holds the interest.

Great read IMO,and still one of my favourite's.
I watched the TV series a couple of years back for the 3rd time and that still holds its own as well.

pavb2 · 07-12-2015 09:22PM

I read King rat many years ago but what are the rest of Clavells books like? Are they a continuation of Shogun.

Hrududu · 08-12-2015 01:32PM

Callan57 wrote: »

Little Friend is superb, I loved it & have no hesitation in recommending it.
I was also somewhat disappointed in Goldfinch but I did finish it so I wouldn't reject it totally & I happen to know a few readers who absolutely loved it.

I loved The Secret History. I thought The Little Friend started off really strong but the rest of the book didn't live up to the opening. Still really liked it. Loved The Goldfinch but know its flawed.

Paddy Samurai · 08-12-2015 05:43PM

pavb2 wrote: »

I read King rat many years ago but what are the rest of Clavells books like? Are they a continuation of Shogun.

No , Shogun is a stand alone Novel.

He wrote six books ,all top notch IMO,at the time I read them .Not sure how well they have dated now.All were epic novels apart from King Rat (WW2 Japanese POW camp) which was made into a film.

The other 4 books revolve around the Struan family ,bur cover different countries and generations.

Gai-jin 1800's Japan

Tai-Pan and Nobel House set in China.

Whirlwind Shah's downfall in Iran.

Callan57 · 09-12-2015 10:18AM

Under Major Domo Minor by Patrick DeWitt

IvyTheTerrible · 09-12-2015 10:23AM

I'm reading The Martian at the moment and loving it so far! As a science nerd, I love all the technical detail.

SarahBM · 09-12-2015 07:14PM

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I'm reading The Martian at the moment and loving it so far! As a science nerd, I love all the technical detail.

Dying to read that!!! I loved the film!!

GLaDOS · 09-12-2015 07:20PM

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I'm reading The Martian at the moment and loving it so far! As a science nerd, I love all the technical detail.

Naturally, I enjoyed it too :pac:

fruvai · 09-12-2015 09:56PM

Finished Brighton Rock (was decent) and am now reading A Confederacy of Dunces

kirk buttercup · 09-12-2015 10:39PM

IvyTheTerrible wrote:

I'm reading The Martian at the moment and loving it so far! As a science nerd, I love all the technical detail.

Its a very good book you should listen to the audiobook too its brilliant

Belle E. Flops · 10-12-2015 09:10AM

Finished Star of the Sea last night. Really enjoyed it. It's a great story and loved his writing style. Also completed my good reads challenge!

Onto the Deathly Hallows now. I love reading HP at anytime but I always think it's especially nice around winter time. I'm glad that I spread the books out over the year rather than powering through them one after the other.

eire4 · 10-12-2015 06:18PM

Belle E. Flops wrote: »

Finished Star of the Sea last night. Really enjoyed it. It's a great story and loved his writing style. Also completed my good reads challenge!
Onto the Deathly Hallows now. I love reading HP at anytime but I always think it's especially nice around winter time. I'm glad that I spread the books out over the year rather than powering through them one after the other.

It is a good read isn't it. I enjoyed it a lot and an interesting context for a novel based around the great hunger.

Wyldwood · 10-12-2015 09:44PM

Was lent a copy of A Song for Issy Bradley and was not enthused about reading it as it features the death of 4 year old Issy but I really liked it.

It's the story of a Mormon family who lose their youngest child suddenly to meningitis and the way each of them reacts. I was totally invested in each character as they are well developed by Carys Bray. While the central theme of the child's death is devastating there is actually a lot of humour in the book and it's quite a quick, easy read.

Am way behind in my Goodreads challenge thanks to Follett and Mantel so won't make it this year, will lower my sights next year.

Callan57 · 13-12-2015 11:18PM

Finished off Undermajordomo Minor by Patrick DeWitt .... beyone weird but loved it!

ivytwine · 15-12-2015 09:03AM

I'm struggling with Us. I do get sucked into the writing when I do pick it up but I don't want to pick it up. I get that Douglas is a bit stuffy and pompous but it does warrant how his wife and son treating him with the contempt they do. It all feels a bit nasty.

I dunno, maybe because I've been through a few romantic trials of late, I'm just over sensitive!

EoghanIRL · 15-12-2015 09:18AM

Ordered 4 books off Amazon which are arriving on Thursday. Christmas will probably be the only time I will get a chance to read so I am really looking forward to them.

The psychopath test - Edit-- Jon Ronson.
God delusion - Dawkins
Do no harm - Henry Marsh
The man who mistook his wife for a hat - Oliver Sacs

Also I am planning on making my way through some of the books in my collection and maybe some of my national geographics seeing as I have 12 months worth to read :P Damn you bargains!

I was also tempted to buy Neurotribes but will wait for a while. Even though it has good reviews..

ivytwine · 15-12-2015 09:56AM

EoghanIRL wrote: »

Ordered 4 books off Amazon which are arriving on Thursday. Christmas will probably be the only time I will get a chance to read so I am really looking forward to them.

The psychopath test - Ron Jonson
God delusion - Dawkins
Do no harm - Henry Marsh
The man who mistook his wife for a hat - Oliver Sacs

Also I am planning on making my way through some of the books in my collection and maybe some of my national geographics seeing as I have 12 months worth to read :P Damn you bargains!

I was also tempted to buy Neurotribes but will wait for a while. Even though it has good reviews..

Psychopath Test and The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat are definitely two of the most interesting books I've ever read. Enjoy

ahlookit · 15-12-2015 10:48AM

EoghanIRL wrote: »

The psychopath test - Ron Jonson
God delusion - Dawkins
Do no harm - Henry Marsh
The man who mistook his wife for a hat - Oliver Sacs

I've read the first two, the other two are on the list to get round to.

BTW, its Jon Ronson, and his other books are excellent too. Really enjoyed this year's one "so you've been publicly shamed". He's a very interesting and humorous writer.

Kurtosis · 15-12-2015 11:04AM

EoghanIRL wrote: »

Ordered 4 books off Amazon which are arriving on Thursday. Christmas will probably be the only time I will get a chance to read so I am really looking forward to them.

The psychopath test - Ron Jonson
God delusion - Dawkins
Do no harm - Henry Marsh
The man who mistook his wife for a hat - Oliver Sacs

Also I am planning on making my way through some of the books in my collection and maybe some of my national geographics seeing as I have 12 months worth to read :P Damn you bargains!

I was also tempted to buy Neurotribes but will wait for a while. Even though it has good reviews..

I can vouch for Do No Harm, the best book I've read this year. Enjoyed it so much that I'm giving several copies of it as Christmas presents.

EoghanIRL · 15-12-2015 11:22AM

ahlookit wrote: »

I've read the first two, the other two are on the list to get round to.

BTW, its Jon Ronson, and his other books are excellent too. Really enjoyed this year's one "so you've been publicly shamed". He's a very interesting and humorous writer.

Oops. The perils of posting in the morning.
Lol, thanks for the correction!

Also glad to hear the books received a good reception from the readers around here! Can't wait for Thursday now

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 16-12-2015 01:12PM

I'm happily making my way through We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler, wondering what the mystery is, slowly getting sucked in and then BAM!

Fern is a f**king chimp!

. It's kind of killed the entire mood for me. I shall read on because I'm guessing it's an entirely different story than I thought it was.

Fathom · 16-12-2015 10:02PM

Notes from the Underground, by Fyodor Dostoevsky

alex.middleton · 16-12-2015 10:36PM

Once again American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

heathledgerlove · 17-12-2015 02:35AM

alex.middleton wrote: »

Once again American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

Was reading away happily (!) enough at that; but at some point or other it started to make me feel ill - think there's a threshold for withstanding the level of eugh!! But made it through heroically to the end, Which was worth it. Some bits were hilarious, like the name- cards, and in the loos

eire4 · 17-12-2015 06:15PM

alex.middleton wrote: »

Once again American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

Loved that book. You should true Glamorama by Ellis if you liked it.

eire4 · 17-12-2015 06:16PM

Finished a re read of Anne Rice's The Body Thief. Following on brilliantly her Vampire series focusing on the ultimate anti hero Lestat.

Manach · 17-12-2015 06:28PM

Masters of command by Barry Strauss. Classical military campaigns.

Callan57 · 18-12-2015 12:01AM

The Lemon Table by Julian Barnes

Dibble · 18-12-2015 02:10PM

Just started The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman last night.

This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

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