This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

Callan57 · 22-06-2015 11:56pm

Finished The Lost Child by Caryl Phillips - an intriguing & satisfying read.

Next is Ravelstein by Saul Bellow

Censorsh!t · 24-06-2015 12:51pm

About two weeks ago I read The Martian by Andy Weir. Haven't disliked a book so much in so long!

The protagonist had zero personality, and mostly made teenage jokes. The rest of it was boring technical information that bored the absolute hell out of me. The rest of the characters also had the same personality (that is, zero personality) and they all began to blur into one and the same by the end.

Finishing it was the greatest relief I've had.

And now I'm reading To the Lighthouse!

Swiper the fox · 24-06-2015 12:56pm

Finished my long overdue re-read of Sebastian Barry's 'A Long Long Way' last night. To those who haven't read it I urge you to do so, it has particular resonance now with the upcoming 1916 celebrations. It is surely right up there with the best books written about any war, absolutely powerful, the description of the western front is superb.

Will probably delve into my collection of sports books tonight for something a bit lighter.

Aenaes · 24-06-2015 1:20pm

I finished A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin. It was an improvement on the previous book, A Feast For Crows.

Now I'm halfway through Charlie And The Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl.

Callan57 · 24-06-2015 7:41pm

Censorsh!t wrote: »

About two weeks ago I read The Martian by Andy Weir. Haven't disliked a book so much in so long!

The protagonist had zero personality, and mostly made teenage jokes. The rest of it was boring technical information that bored the absolute hell out of me. The rest of the characters also had the same personality (that is, zero personality) and they all began to blur into one and the same by the end.

Finishing it was the greatest relief I've had.

You didn't like it then??

ivytwine · 25-06-2015 12:09am

Reading the Finkler Question. Enjoying it so far, there have been a few snort out loud moments!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 25-06-2015 12:26am

Reading "The Other Side of the Bridge" by Mary Lawson. It's about two boys growing up in rural Canada, one, Arthur, in the 30's and one, Ian, in the 60's. Their stories overlap when Ian comes to wor on a grown up Arthur's farm.

I usually hate stories that jump between characters POVs or jump around through time, or both, but occasionally it works really well and I have to say I'm loving it so far.

minnow · 25-06-2015 4:33am

I just finished The Yiddish Policemen's Union. Great read, very funny and clever, although it could have been 50 pages shorter.

Censorsh!t · 25-06-2015 12:28pm

Callan57 wrote: »

You didn't like it then??

Bloody loved it :pac:

eire4 · 25-06-2015 5:05pm

Finished a re read of Morgan Llywelyn's 1972 which chronicles the growth of Ireland through to the beginings of the troubles seen through the eyes of Barry Halloran whom we were introduced to in 1949.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 25-06-2015 5:36pm

eire4 wrote: »

Finished a re read of Morgan Llywelyn's 1972 which chronicles the growth of Ireland through to the beginings of the troubles seen through the eyes of Barry Halloran whom we were introduced to in 1949.

Practically every single one of your posts in this thread has been a reread of the same author. Do you not read anything else?

eire4 · 25-06-2015 7:25pm

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Practically every single one of your posts in this thread has been a reread of the same author. Do you not read anything else?

I think if you go back far enough you will see that is not indeed the case. But certainly yes I have been on a Morgan Llywelyn run. She is a great writer of historical fiction and one of my favourite authors.

SarahBM · 25-06-2015 8:08pm

There are so many books I would love to re read but there just isn't enough time and I have so many books to read!!!
I am still not finished the Talented Mr Ripley. Just haven't had the time :-(

Swiper the fox · 25-06-2015 8:21pm

I think the internet didn't exist the last time eire4 read a book for the first time, some day I'm gonna open this thread to see he's read a new book and I'll have a huge smile on my face:P

I've only ever re-read my very favourite books and have never enjoyed a book nearly as much the second time around.

I'm tempted to read the girl on the train but my wife read it first when I got it and she wasn't at all impressed. Should I go for it??

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 25-06-2015 9:11pm

Swiper the fox wrote: »

I've only ever re-read my very favourite books and have never enjoyed a book nearly as much the second time around.

The only books I've re-read are Great Expectations, Emma, Catcher in the Rye and How Many Miles to Babylon.

I enjoyed GE and Emma much more the second time round but I think maybe I was a bit too young when I read them the first time, all that wordy language was too much for me.

HMMTB I read first at school so the second time I read it I was able to just enjoy it and not be thinking about it in terms of how to answer exam questions.

Catcher in the Rye was a funny one, and I think this issue may have come up before, the first time I read it I was in my early teens and thought Holden was super cool. The second time I read it, early 20's, I thought he was a massive tool and it was a completely different experience.

All of my re-reads have had a pretty hefty chunk of time between 1st and 2nd readings.

Callan57 · 25-06-2015 10:15pm

The Virgin Blue by Tracy Chevalier

eire4 · 26-06-2015 12:54am

Swiper the fox wrote: »

I think the internet didn't exist the last time eire4 read a book for the first time, some day I'm gonna open this thread to see he's read a new book and I'll have a huge smile on my face:P

I've only ever re-read my very favourite books and have never enjoyed a book nearly as much the second time around.

I'm tempted to read the girl on the train but my wife read it first when I got it and she wasn't at all impressed. Should I go for it??

Hang in there Swiper I will get there. I hand a whole shelf full of new books I have bought over the last couple of years but haven't read at all yet:)

ivytwine · 26-06-2015 1:52pm

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Catcher in the Rye was a funny one, and I think this issue may have come up before, the first time I read it I was in my early teens and thought Holden was super cool. The second time I read it, early 20's, I thought he was a massive tool and it was a completely different experience.

All of my re-reads have had a pretty hefty chunk of time between 1st and 2nd readings.

I was the exact same with Catcher, hated Holden the second time round. Was the same age as you were for both readings too.

I reread a lot of children's books fairly regularly, stuff like Roald Dahl and Joan Aiken and Alice in Wonderland, as well as Terry Pratchett and Harry Potter, mainly because I fly through them. But there are so many more books I haven't read before so I don't do much rereading.

Leocolceathrar · 27-06-2015 12:04am

Making Minds and Madness - from hysteria to depression- by Mikkel Borch-Jacobsen

minnow · 28-06-2015 12:11pm

"The Book of Evidence", John Banville. I'm re reading after 15 years.

SarahBM · 28-06-2015 5:18pm

minnow wrote: »

"The Book of Evidence", John Banville. I'm re reading after 15 years.

I couldn't finish it. I hated it. I cannot tell you why exactly, but I just did. I may go back and read it in the future.

IvyTheTerrible · 28-06-2015 6:12pm

I'm reading I am Pilgrim and to be honest, I'm not getting what all the fuss is about. It's badly-written, clichéd, slightly racist US propaganda.

eire4 · 28-06-2015 7:06pm

SarahBM wrote: »

I couldn't finish it. I hated it. I cannot tell you why exactly, but I just did. I may go back and read it in the future.[/QUOTE

I wasn't a fan of that one either. So swiper will be very happy to know I won't be re reading that one:)

syklops · 30-06-2015 5:57pm

Went to the cinema on Sunday night to see Jurassic World. There was a trailer for a new movie called "The Martian", which looked pretty cool. I googled it when I got home and found out it was originally a book. Bought it and downloaded it on my kindle last night.

I read 51% of it in one sitting. I could not put it down. Was fairly knackered today but it was totally worth it. The last time I binge read a book like that it was Sphere or maybe the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I can not recommend it enough.

Censorsh!t wrote: »

About two weeks ago I read The Martian by Andy Weir. Haven't disliked a book so much in so long!

The protagonist had zero personality, and mostly made teenage jokes. The rest of it was boring technical information that bored the absolute hell out of me. The rest of the characters also had the same personality (that is, zero personality) and they all began to blur into one and the same by the end.

Finishing it was the greatest relief I've had.

And now I'm reading To the Lighthouse!

:eek:

Mr.Nice Guy · 01-07-2015 9:30pm

I've been reading The Count of Monte Cristo and have been enjoying it a lot - until I reached the point in the story where the focus of the narrative shifts to Franz. Now I'm very bored with this story and struggling to stick with it.

GLaDOS · 01-07-2015 9:33pm

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

I've been reading The Count of Monte Cristo and have been enjoying it a lot - until I reached the point in the story where the focus of the narrative shifts to Franz. Now I'm very bored with this story and struggling to stick with it.

I really enjoyed the beginning and end of Monte Cristo. The middle drags on a bit.

SarahBM · 02-07-2015 7:22am

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

I've been reading The Count of Monte Cristo and have been enjoying it a lot - until I reached the point in the story where the focus of the narrative shifts to Franz. Now I'm very bored with this story and struggling to stick with it.

I agree but stick with it!!!

I finally finished the Talented Mr Ripley and I have to say I really enjoyed it. I thought it was very different from the film.
I'm not sure what to read next. Maybe the Silkworm or Wool.

Wyldwood · 02-07-2015 7:09pm

SarahBM wrote: »

I'm not sure what to read next. Maybe the Silkworm or Wool.

I'm just finished The Silkworm and while I liked it I thought The Cuckoo's Calling was better. I don't know whether it was just that I wasn't in the right frame of mind or whether it was the writing but I kept getting the characters confused towards the end.

Leocolceathrar · 02-07-2015 8:23pm

Just finished:

Madness explained by Richard P. Bentall. Very good and informative read!

Callan57 · 02-07-2015 10:35pm

Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum ...... 25% into it & really loving it.

eire4 · 03-07-2015 5:36am

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

I've been reading The Count of Monte Cristo and have been enjoying it a lot - until I reached the point in the story where the focus of the narrative shifts to Franz. Now I'm very bored with this story and struggling to stick with it.

I agree with the others who say hang in there. I just love that book.

eire4 · 03-07-2015 5:37am

Finished a re read of Morgan Llywelyn's The Greener Shore which is the sequal to her earlier classic Druids.

The Princess Bride · 03-07-2015 7:01pm

In the past week, have finished The Reader, Harlan Coben's Stay Close (which I forgot to finish a few years ago), Coben's recent book The Stranger.
Today, have started Iain Bank's The Quarry- which I'm enjoying so far.

Has been ages since I've given myself the time to read so many books, back to back.

LionelNashe · 03-07-2015 7:06pm

The Sun also Rises, Hemingway, because I'm going to northern Spain next month. I don't get it. There is no plot, just boring dialogue.

Aenaes · 03-07-2015 7:24pm

Clear And Present Danger by Tom Clancy.

NOS3 · 03-07-2015 8:22pm

Just started Along Came a Spider by James Patterson.

Leocolceathrar · 06-07-2015 5:14pm

A short history of sociological thought - Alan Swingewood.

Swiper the fox · 06-07-2015 5:37pm

I finished Joseph O'Connor's first novel last night, 'Cowboys and Indians'. Very enjoyable book and particularly interesting for those who like me were into music in the early 90s. I've now read all of his novels and while this one is probably down the list of his best it is still well worth reading if you can get your hands on it.
I'm pretty sure I'm gonna start on Girl in a Train tonight but I might change my mind and pick up something else instead.

heathledgerlove · 06-07-2015 10:23pm

Oh dear. Catcher in the Rye is my well-thumbed favourite book of all time... I'm well aware it's out of fashion atm tho!

In other news, just finished The Sea, John Banville. Brilliantly written, poetry, no, even better than a lot of poetry because it had such an incredible flow; merely the storyline itself was a little inconsistent, consisted of very richly detailed and evocative mundane minutiae of adolescent summer rocked (incongruously) by sudden overblown events. Can't get over the writing though, just aces.

Am reading Beaches now; the only similarity it has so far with Banville's novel is the setting :P

Callan57 · 07-07-2015 7:32pm

The Statement by Brian Moore

Belle E. Flops · 08-07-2015 7:26pm

At the moment I'm rereading a Harry Potter book every second or third book. Just finished the Goblet of Fire. I had forgotten how so much better the books are than the films. JK Rowling's imagination always astounds me.

I've now moved onto To Kill a Mockingbird. I'm about 20% according to my kindle and I am loving it. I love how it's written and it has had me chuckling away to myself at times too.

Jijsaw · 09-07-2015 2:11pm

^ I'm going to do that this summer with the Harry Potter books too once I finish my few library books. I also need to reread To Kill A Mockingbird before Lee's new book comes out.

I'm current halfway through The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, it's alright, not amazing yet.

SarahBM · 09-07-2015 5:06pm

Jijsaw wrote: »

^ I'm going to do that this summer with the Harry Potter books too once I finish my few library books. I also need to reread To Kill A Mockingbird before Lee's new book comes out.

I'm current halfway through The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, it's alright, not amazing yet.

I think the light house are doing to kill a mockingbird in Sept for cinema book club.
I'd love to 're read Harry Potter I just have no time at the mo. And about 50 books in the pile behind my bedroom door to be read.

I didn't like Harry August. Let us know what you think at the end.

I'm about 80 pages into the Silkworm. Its good, but at the moment I just have no time so it will probably take me a month to read it!!!

Jijsaw · 09-07-2015 8:04pm

SarahBM wrote: »

I'd love to 're read Harry Potter I just have no time at the mo. And about 50 books in the pile behind my bedroom door to be read.

That's the exact same with me,I have about 40 books in a pile in the sitting room and then I get 6 more out of the library

And will do with Harry August!

Swiper the fox · 09-07-2015 8:41pm

Jijsaw wrote: »

That's the exact same with me,I have about 40 books in a pile in the sitting room and then I get 6 more out of the library

And will do with Harry August!

Harry August divides opinion certainly. I loved it so much that I went out and spent 18e on her new book ' Touch' which was rubbish.
I'm moving through the girl on the train quickly enough but can't decide whether or not I like it. It's an easy read though so that's no bad thing.
Bought Harvest today and will move onto that next.

Belle E. Flops · 10-07-2015 3:08pm

Swiper the fox wrote: »

I'm moving through the girl on the train quickly enough but can't decide whether or not I like it. It's an easy read though so that's no bad.

I read this last week and I still don't know if I liked it or not.

eire4 · 10-07-2015 6:43pm

Finished a re read of Morgan Llywelyn's 1999 the final book in her excellent Irish century series.

Callan57 · 11-07-2015 2:24pm

Finished The Statement by Brian Moore ... brilliant!

Now it's on to Wanting by Richard Flanagan

Belle E. Flops · 11-07-2015 9:20pm

Finished To Kill a Mockingbird. Absolutely loved it, I couldn't put it down.

Straight after, I moved onto Viktor Frankl's 'Man's Search for Meaning'. He was a psychiatrist who survived Auschwitz and this is his look at the 3stages a person went through in the concentration camp and what gave some of them the will to survive. It was a very interesting book, the first section in particular, especially because I visited Auschwitz and Birkenau the day before yesterday so that visit is very fresh in my mind and will stay with me for a long time.

Now Moving onto A History of the World by Andrew Marr.

Jijsaw · 12-07-2015 8:10pm

SarahBM wrote: »

.

I didn't like Harry August. Let us know what you think at the end.

I finished it this morning- very anti-climatic ending I thought, I just read the last couple of pages and thought "that's it?". However it did improve in the last 100 pages which bumped it up from 2 stars to 3 stars but I wouldn't read it again.

Now I'm onto 'Jack Kerouac: A Biography' by Tom Clark, I'm a big Kerouac fan (and fan of 'Beat' writers in general) so this should be enjoyable.

This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

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