What book are you reading atm?? CHAPTER TWO

Joe_ Public · 24-04-2020 10:32am

JustAThought wrote: »

Re-reading one of my favourite books:
The Boys of Everest by Clint Willis.

All true Tales of climbing & feats of madness and daring over the past century - amazingly written and now with the internet you can google the places they talk about and see them and look them up on youtube documentaries - great way to kill a covid 19 week or two and a really un-put-downable read that keeps you clenched on the edge of the couch.

Nice one. Love the Everest books. Into the Silence and Into Thin Air two other excellent sources on the subject.

Lisha · 24-04-2020 7:14pm

Just finished Normal people by Sally Rooney, saw loads of praise in twitter. It just made me sad to be honest. Too many self destructive people. But I’m very sad today so many I’m
Judging it wrong/harshly.

Tauriel · 28-04-2020 11:03am

I finished The Devil's Elixir by Raymond Khoury, which was book three in the Sean Reilly series.

I didn't particularly enjoy this offering due to it a). being fiction written in the first person and b). it wasn't a great story and didn't really have that historical aspect that the first two novels had.

I'm not looking forward to the fourth book as that is also written in the first person.

Joe_ Public · 28-04-2020 12:05pm

Lisha wrote: »

Just finished Normal people by Sally Rooney, saw loads of praise in twitter. It just made me sad to be honest. Too many self destructive people. But I’m very sad today so many I’m
Judging it wrong/harshly.

Incredible unfathomable hype. Just dont get it at all with this novel.

appledrop · 28-04-2020 10:46pm

gutenberg wrote: »

Getting through Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel in anticipation of the new one. Read Wolf Hall last week. I'd forgotten how good they are, and I recall liking Bring Up the Bodies even more than Wolf Hall when I read it first, so let's see if it stands up to that...

Just finished the new book by Hilary 'The Mirror & The Light'.

I have to say I'm disappointed compared to other two books. Very good at times but at other times I felt it was just repeating same old council meetings etc over + over again.

Anyway, let me know what you think when you get around to it.

LeYouth · 29-04-2020 9:45pm

Dune Messiah.

It's book 2 in the Dune series by Frank Herbert

What is it about? It's got to do with worms.

Would I recommend it. Absolutely!

mikhail · 30-04-2020 11:55am

LeYouth wrote: »

Dune Messiah.

It's book 2 in the Dune series by Frank Herbert

What is it about? It's got to do with worms.

Would I recommend it. Absolutely!

I think I actually like it slightly better than Dune. Where Dune is a hero's journey, Dune Messiah is a tragedy. There's more meat to it.

The Tetrarch · 30-04-2020 1:16pm

Baffert, Dirt Road to the Derby (1999)
Bob Baffert is an American horse trainer.

Kentucky Derby 1996
Coming to the three-eights pole, I see that he is moving well. and we're all starting to get excited. Turning for home, I say to myself, "He's gonna hit the board." Now I'm really getting excited. He's gonna run third or fourth. This is great. Then, Unbridled's Song begins to drift out to the middle of the track, and Cavonnier starts moving - fourth, third, second. All of a sudden, he takes the lead at the eight pole. I was not prepared mentally for that. You think you are, but when it really happens, you realize you're not. Again I'm going, "Oh my God! I can't believe this." And we just explode in the box. My whole life is now flashing before my eyes. I'm pleading with God to give it to me. I'm promising to go to church every day. You just can't describe the feeling. It's like an out of body experience.
I look back to see what's happening, and there's one horse coming at us. I check where the wire is. I'm thinking, "Come on, get there already." When I look back, I see that it's the Overbrook colors, so I know it's a good one. He's coming and coming, and I can tell that Chris doesn't see him. But he never stops riding Cavonnier, When they hit the wire together, I was at a bad angle, and Grindstone was so far out in the middle of the track.
[Grindstone beat Cavonnier a nose].

1huge1 · 30-04-2020 1:26pm

1:Title of Book
American Dirt

2:Author
Jeanine Cummins

3:whats its about
Journey of two Mexican migrants (A mother and Son) as they travel across Mexico to try and illegally enter the United States after their whole family was murdered by the cartel in their home city.

4:Would ya recommend it.
Just onto the second last chapter, I would absolutely recommend it, the characters are gripping.

The only reason I heard about this book in the first place was due to the controversy it caused after it was released.
Essentially, because the author had never experienced what she was writing about, nor was she from a Latin American background, made her a target from the twitter mob. Absolutely ridiculous in my opinion, which made me want to support the writer and read the book all the more. I'm glad that I did.

appledrop · 30-04-2020 11:18pm

1huge1 wrote: »

1:Title of Book
American Dirt

2:Author
Jeanine Cummins

3:whats its about
Journey of two Mexican migrants (A mother and Son) as they travel across Mexico to try and illegally enter the United States after their whole family was murdered by the cartel in their home city.

4:Would ya recommend it.
Just onto the second last chapter, I would absolutely recommend it, the characters are gripping.

The only reason I heard about this book in the first place was due to the controversy it caused after it was released.
Essentially, because the author had never experienced what she was writing about, nor was she from a Latin American background, made her a target from the twitter mob. Absolutely ridiculous in my opinion, which made me want to support the writer and read the book all the more. I'm glad that I did.

This is one of the best books I have read this year. Outstandingly well written. Who cares what naysayers say.

appledrop · 30-04-2020 11:23pm

Just started Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo about black woman in Britain through different decades.

Already on page 100 because after 'The Mirror & The Light' this is a doddle to read!

When I first started + saw no full stops thought it was going to be another pretentious booker prize pile of cr&p like Milkman but it's not.

There may be no full stops but still paragraphs + chapters so easy to read.

I hope I continue to enjoy it.

ArchXStanton · 02-05-2020 8:38pm

Odyssey - Homer

Reminds me of trying to get home from nightclubs years ago

storker · 02-05-2020 8:48pm

Just finished "Gettysburg: The Last Invasion" by Allen Guelzo. Currently reading an old book that I rediscovered: "The Sharp End of War" by John Ellis, examining the WW2 Allied infantryman's experience of warfare. Not just the fighting and fear, but the discomfort, hunger, fatigue, disease, squalor etc. It would make you wonder at what people are capable of enduring.

mikemac2 · 02-05-2020 8:49pm

A generation of Irish school children know Marita Conlon McKenna as teachers read to them Under the Hawthorn Tree. Such a well known book even though its quite short

She has a new book called The Hungry Road. Set in Famine times in Skibbereen.

I have the audiobook and the narrator doing the reading is pure Cork ha. I am halfway through and its very well written.

farmerval · 03-05-2020 12:12am

Lisha wrote: »

Just finished Normal people by Sally Rooney, saw loads of praise in twitter. It just made me sad to be honest. Too many self destructive people. But I’m very sad today so many I’m
Judging it wrong/harshly.

I thought it started well, liked the early school part, but thought it got quite twisted as it went on. Read it a while ago, was surprised later at all the praise. Maybe it strikes a chord with a young audience?? Young people are way more into self absorption than anyone I ever knew.Possibly??

EmmetSpiceland · 03-05-2020 12:56pm

Finished that ‘American Gods’ by Neil Gaiman, a decent fantasy yarn. Or do you people call it “magical realism”?

Been alternating between Mari Akasaka’s ‘Vibrator’ and a beautiful collection of Arabic Poetry by Ghazi Algosaibi called ‘Dusting the Colour from Roses’ since.

Will start into ‘Mockingbird’ by Walter Tevis soon.

Tauriel · 03-05-2020 1:32pm

Finished Playing With Fire by Tess Gerritsen. The book jumped between the present day and 1944 but it did tie together at the end.

ngunners · 03-05-2020 7:31pm

Started reading The Big Bang Burger Bar, an unofficial sequel to the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. It’s surprisingly good so far.

mikhail · 04-05-2020 1:21am

ngunners wrote: »

Started reading The Big Bang Burger Bar, an unofficial sequel to the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. It’s surprisingly good so far.

It has 1 rating on goodreads, and appears to be some kind of copyright law honeypot. Do you personally know the person who wrote it?

On second thought, don't answer that. Anonymity is probably his or her best defence against a lawsuit from Adams' widow.

ngunners · 04-05-2020 10:31am

mikhail wrote: »

It has 1 rating on goodreads, and appears to be some kind of copyright law honeypot. Do you personally know the person who wrote it?

On second thought, don't answer that. Anonymity is probably his or her best defence against a lawsuit from Adams' widow.

I’m aware of that. No, I don’t personally know the person who wrote it, I found it through a recommendation on reddit.

It’s free to download- basically fan-fiction. But I think the author does a much better job of capturing Douglas Adams’ voice than Eoin Colfer managed in his version.

There are some issues (poor formatting, and a lack of editing) and it does feel fan service-y at times.

seligehgit · 04-05-2020 10:32am

Reefer Madness.

Excellent read.

jazz_jazz · 06-05-2020 12:20pm

I just finished 'This is Going to Hurt' by Adam Kay after being told it was brilliant and a must read.

I absolutely hated it. I just can't understand how people consider it to be hilarious. I found him to be extremely unlikable, and his humour very forced.

I'm in the minority though as there are thousands of 5 star reviews on Amazon.

mikhail · 06-05-2020 1:48pm

Humour is very subjective. I found it very funny, in that pitch black way a lot of doctors use as a coping mechanism. It's interesting to get a sense of their lifestyle too - intellectually, you know a junior doctor works long hours, but this puts a human face on it.

gutenberg · 10-05-2020 2:28pm

appledrop wrote: »

Just finished the new book by Hilary 'The Mirror & The Light'.

I have to say I'm disappointed compared to other two books. Very good at times but at other times I felt it was just repeating same old council meetings etc over + over again.

Anyway, let me know what you think when you get around to it.

I finished it last week. I also don't think it is as accomplished as either Wolf Hall or Bring Up the Bodies: the middle sections rather dragged, while I wanted the end parts to be much longer, unfolding the plots and the ultimate denouement. Having said that, I still think it's one of the best books I've read in a long while and will likely win prizes etc. It's just that in comparison to the other (superlative) two, it pales a little. Some of that may also be the nature of the story: it's easier I suspect to write a convincing, interesting, suspenseful account of someone's improbable rise to power, including how they protect themselves, versus where someone is at the height of their powers for the great majority of the book and so conspiracies etc. seem less threatening. Hence why I felt more was needed to cover the last, say, six months or so, to really explore the nature of power and how it can unravel.

Bring Up the Bodies was/is my favourite and has remained so now that I've read the full trilogy.

LeYouth · 10-05-2020 9:44pm

Book: Hyperion

Author: Dan Simons

What's it about: A Sci fi.....I just started but I think it's about a yoke called a Shrike. No idea what that is.

Would ya recommend it: i'll check back in later with this..... but so far it's wild, so yes.

TheRepentent · 10-05-2020 9:48pm

LeYouth wrote: »

Book: Hyperion

Author: Dan Simons

What's it about: A Sci fi.....I just started but I think it's about a yoke called a Shrike. No idea what that is.

Would ya recommend it: i'll check back in later with this..... but so far it's wild, so yes.

Yeah I liked it...been a few years since I read it.

Immortal Starlight · 10-05-2020 10:03pm

Just started the 3rd book in a trilogy from Justin Cronin. It’s called The City Of Mirrors.

Autosport · 10-05-2020 11:04pm

The notebook by Nicholas Sparks re reading it again

4Ad · 10-05-2020 11:34pm

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins.
I thought it was brilliant. (I never realised there was alot of controversy about it)

The story of a mother and her son escaping Mexico heading to a new life in the USA..
9/10

Foweva Awone · 13-05-2020 7:31pm

Just finished Between Breaths by Elizabeth Vargas. Well-written memoir about anxiety, addiction, relapse and recovery. I enjoyed it.

Autosport · 13-05-2020 8:09pm

The nanny by Gillian Macmilliam

Ipso · 13-05-2020 8:27pm

LeYouth wrote: »

Book: Hyperion

Author: Dan Simons

What's it about: A Sci fi.....I just started but I think it's about a yoke called a Shrike. No idea what that is.

Would ya recommend it: i'll check back in later with this..... but so far it's wild, so yes.

Did you read The Terror? By the same author, great book.

Foweva Awone · 13-05-2020 8:35pm

I've just started "Somebody I Used To Know", a memoir by Wendy Mitchell about living with dementia ... I'm not far in but it's a fascinating read, a really unique perspective.

magick · 13-05-2020 9:10pm

Graveyard clay, its about corpses in the graveyard in Mayo talking to each other

New Home · 13-05-2020 9:15pm

magick wrote: »

Graveyard clay, its about corpses in the graveyard in Mayo talking to each other

Wasn't there an old play like that? By Yeats, perhaps? That ^^^ does ring a bell, for some reason...

Galadriel · 13-05-2020 9:21pm

Immortal Starlight wrote: »

Just started the 3rd book in a trilogy from Justin Cronin. It’s called The City Of Mirrors.

I loved that trilogy, amazing.

EmmetSpiceland · 13-05-2020 9:33pm

New Home wrote: »

Wasn't there an old play like that? By Yeats, perhaps? That ^^^ does ring a bell, for some reason...

Are you thinking of Beckett’s ‘Play’? The three characters are just heads in separate urns.

LeYouth · 13-05-2020 10:02pm

Ipso wrote: »

Did you read The Terror? By the same author, great book.

Not yet, but I will check it out. Ty.

4Ad · 13-05-2020 10:08pm

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins.
A woman and sons journey to enter USA illegally.
I thought it was great, didn't realise it was so controversial.

LeYouth · 13-05-2020 10:14pm

I'm trying to find a book ( or it could have been a short story I'm not really sure). I read it years ago. Like 20 or more years ago.

It's set in rural Northern Ireland and its about a prolonged engagement/ battle of wits/ between an IRA unit and an SAS team. One of the SAS characters is called Striker, I think.

Would anyone on here have read something similar? Or know the title.

magick · 13-05-2020 10:15pm

New Home wrote: »

Wasn't there an old play like that? By Yeats, perhaps? That ^^^ does ring a bell, for some reason...

tbh im not sure, im really enjoying it!

Also to shamelessly promote myself, i published my first book last year!

New Home · 13-05-2020 10:16pm

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Are you thinking of Beckett’s ‘Play’? The three characters are just heads in separate urns.

Could've been Beckett, but no urns, it was a woman buried in a graveyard who meets her neighbour who'd recently died and had been buried beside her; the first woman was asking the second one for news from "upstairs".

magick · 13-05-2020 10:24pm

New Home wrote: »

Could've been Beckett, but no urns, it was a woman buried in a graveyard who meets her neighbour who's recently died and had been buried beside her; the first woman was asking the second one for news from "upstairs".

The author is Máirtín Ó Cadhain

Danger781 · 13-05-2020 10:37pm

Currently listening to:
The Mayor of Noobtown by Ryan Rimmel
After dying and being reborn into a world that's built like a video game, Jim has found himself stuck in a very old world style new player zone for low level adventurers. Unfortunately, the zone fell out of use centuries ago, and no one told the monsters they were supposed to take it easy on the Noobs. Even worse, the only new player around is Jim.

This is my first time listening to an audiobook, and honestly it may not have been the best choice to start with. My inner nerd caved after stumbling across it from the title and description. It feels so long at a little over 9 hours of audio, and I'm not really enjoying it all that much, not for lack of trying.. I'm 7 hours in at this point so I guess LitRPG adventures just aren't for me.

Currently reading:
Nemesis Games (The Expanse #5) - James S.A. Corey
A thousand worlds have opened, and the greatest land rush in human history has begun. As wave after wave of colonists leave, the power structures of the the old solar system begin to buckle.

New Home · 13-05-2020 11:14pm

magick wrote: »

The author is Máirtín Ó Cadhain

Thank you.

mikhail · 13-05-2020 11:25pm

LeYouth wrote: »

Not yet, but I will check it out. Ty.

I didn't enjoy The Terror as much - the true story is fascinating, but the fantasy he layers on top doesn't add to it for me. Hyperion is great though. Apparently it's inspired by Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, but I haven't studied that to make the comparison.

TheRepentent · 13-05-2020 11:40pm

mikhail wrote: »

I didn't enjoy The Terror as much

Couldn't finish the book myself

EmmetSpiceland · 13-05-2020 11:42pm

mikhail wrote: »

Hyperion is great though. Apparently it's inspired by Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, but I haven't studied that to make the comparison.

Must check that out. Is it full of bawdy goings on, wind breaking and someone getting a “red hot” poker up the backside or does it just stick to the boring ones?

I did enjoy Simmons’ ‘Summer of Night”, that’s a horror one. Haven’t read any of his space stuff.

Foweva Awone · 19-05-2020 8:59am

I'm reading Kate Holden's memoir "In My Skin". She's a normal intelligent educated woman from a perfectly lovely family, who experiments with heroin and ends up completely addicted, and works as a prostitute to fund her addiction. She doesn't hold back on the details, it's a fascinating read. Incredibly well written.

LeYouth · 19-05-2020 9:33am

Foweva Awone wrote: »

I'm reading Kate Holden's memoir "In My Skin". She's a normal intelligent educated woman from a perfectly lovely family, who experiments with heroin and ends up completely addicted, and works as a prostitute to fund her addiction. She doesn't hold back on the details, it's a fascinating read. Incredibly well written.

Does she take "three" pages to describe 'one' thought....like most bleeding heart literary fiction. Lol

What book are you reading atm?? CHAPTER TWO

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