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What book are you reading atm?? CHAPTER TWO

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Comments

  • #332
    farmerval
    Registered Users Posts: 643 ✭✭✭farmerval


    Finished Margaret Atwood's The Blind Assassin. Brilliant finish to the book, thought it dragged for a while, disparate threads for well over half the book. In other time might not have finished it.
    Still the last third of the book was really good.
    Off to find something different now.


  • #333
    bnt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,956 ✭✭✭✭bnt


    I’m currently halfway through This Is Going To Hurt, Adam Kay’s description of life as a junior doctor with the NHS in the UK. I know it’s not exactly as bad here in Ireland ... I just hope it’s not worse, since I have some fairly major surgery coming up here in a few months. :eek:

    From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a bitch’.

    — Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut



  • #334
    gmisk
    Registered Users Posts: 31,816 ✭✭✭✭gmisk


    bnt wrote: »
    I’m currently halfway through This Is Going To Hurt, Adam Kay’s description of life as a junior doctor with the NHS in the UK. I know it’s not exactly as bad here in Ireland ... I just hope it’s not worse, since I have some fairly major surgery coming up here in a few months. :eek:
    It's a terrific book and eye opening, he is hugely engaging.
    His small book set at Christmas is also good too.


  • #335
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭[Deleted User]


    I've just finished Thud by Terry Pratchett. I'll start Snuff tomorrow. I've really enjoyed the city watch series, Night Watch was outstanding.


  • #336
    Nexytus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 154 ✭✭Nexytus


    just fin ished Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World mark kurlansky


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  • #337
    mariaalice
    Registered Users Posts: 12,356 ✭✭✭✭mariaalice


    Ann Devine, Ready for Her Close-Up by Colm O'Regan

    Very easy read, enjoyed it a lot.


  • #338
    breezy1985
    Registered Users Posts: 24,302 ✭✭✭✭breezy1985


    Deleted User wrote: »
    I've just finished Thud by Terry Pratchett. I'll start Snuff tomorrow. I've really enjoyed the city watch series, Night Watch was outstanding.

    Night Watch is one of his best. Young Nobby and anything to do with the shades in that book cracked me up


  • #339
    Loafing Oaf
    Registered Users Posts: 15,983 ✭✭✭✭Loafing Oaf


    Global Crisis: War, Climate Change and Catastrophe in the Seventeenth Century by Geoffrey Parker

    Taking a while...


  • #340
    mikhail
    Registered Users Posts: 3,863 ✭✭✭mikhail


    bnt wrote: »
    I’m currently halfway through This Is Going To Hurt, Adam Kay’s description of life as a junior doctor with the NHS in the UK. I know it’s not exactly as bad here in Ireland ... I just hope it’s not worse, since I have some fairly major surgery coming up here in a few months. :eek:
    After I finished it, I looked him up to see if I knew any of his work in his new role as a TV writer, and was surprised to learn that he's gay. He makes numerous references to his partner in the book, but only by the letter H. I wonder was that driven by a desire for privacy, or a fear of homophobia.


  • #341
    Foweva Awone
    Registered Users Posts: 1,740 ✭✭✭Foweva Awone


    mikhail wrote: »
    After I finished it, I looked him up to see if I knew any of his work in his new role as a TV writer, and was surprised to learn that he's gay. He makes numerous references to his partner in the book, but only by the letter H. I wonder was that driven by a desire for privacy, or a fear of homophobia.

    I'm pretty sure he used male pronouns when referring to him a couple of times in the book?


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  • #342
    gmisk
    Registered Users Posts: 31,816 ✭✭✭✭gmisk


    Foweva Awone wrote: »
    I'm pretty sure he used male pronouns when referring to him a couple of times in the book?
    He did I think.

    It's no big deal in the book and rightly so


  • #343
    mikhail
    Registered Users Posts: 3,863 ✭✭✭mikhail


    Foweva Awone wrote: »
    I'm pretty sure he used male pronouns when referring to him a couple of times in the book?
    Oh, fair enough.
    gmisk wrote: »
    He did I think.

    It's no big deal in the book and rightly so
    Did I suggest otherwise?


  • #344
    Loafing Oaf
    Registered Users Posts: 15,983 ✭✭✭✭Loafing Oaf


    bnt wrote: »
    I’m currently halfway through This Is Going To Hurt, Adam Kay’s description of life as a junior doctor with the NHS in the UK. I know it’s not exactly as bad here in Ireland ... I just hope it’s not worse, since I have some fairly major surgery coming up here in a few months. :eek:

    The doctor-turned-comedian/comedy writer seems to be a thing in the UK: Phil Hammond, Paul Sinha, Harry Hill. I wonder is a medical career a different sort of 'ghetto' that these guys are desperate to escape from...


  • #345
    bertiebomber
    Registered Users Posts: 728 ✭✭✭bertiebomber


    King Leopolds Ghost - the story of greed terror and hedonism in colonial Africa.I am trying to understand why so many africans want to leave their own continent & come to western Europe . Some shocking tales to be sure.

    I just finished Tim Butchers ' Blood River' about the Congo. So i am on a roll.. of african history./ They have been treated **** all through the last 2 centuries its no wonder they have such chips on their shoulders.


  • #346
    1990sman
    Registered Users Posts: 468 ✭✭1990sman


    irelands own. class stuff :)


  • #347
    breezy1985
    Registered Users Posts: 24,302 ✭✭✭✭breezy1985


    bertiebomber wrote: »
    King Leopolds Ghost - the story of greed terror and hedonism in colonial Africa.I am trying to understand why so many africans want to leave their own continent & come to western Europe . Some shocking tales to be sure.

    Is that fiction or non. I really want to read more about Leopold as he was considered a brutal evil racist b****** even by his peers in his own time.


  • #348
    pavb2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,879 ✭✭✭pavb2


    bertiebomber wrote: »
    King Leopolds Ghost - the story of greed terror and hedonism in colonial Africa.I am trying to understand why so many africans want to leave their own continent & come to western Europe . Some shocking tales to be sure.

    .

    Yes I read it a few years ago and the atrocities don’t seem to get the same exposure as those carried out by other colonial regimes. The role of Roger Casement was also interesting.


  • #349
    bertiebomber
    Registered Users Posts: 728 ✭✭✭bertiebomber


    breezy1985 wrote: »
    Is that fiction or non. I really want to read more about Leopold as he was considered a brutal evil racist b****** even by his peers in his own time.
    its factual and gives insight to the character, ambition and the duplicity of Leopold . He was worse than hitler and its cloaked over to be honest a hidden secret.


  • #350
    Loafing Oaf
    Registered Users Posts: 15,983 ✭✭✭✭Loafing Oaf


    bertiebomber wrote: »
    He was worse than hitler

    ?s=fatherted&e=S02E09&i=S02E09-NacUZdDG&t1=YOU%20WOULDN%27T%20FIND%20HITLER%20ANNEXING%20VAST&t2=TRACTS%20OF%20JUNGLE%20AT%203%20IN%20THE%20MORNING


  • #351
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 8,647 ✭[Deleted User]


    Finished McMafia. Got a bit samey by the end.

    About 40 pages into the truth about the harry quebert affair. Very good so far.


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  • #352
    EmmetSpiceland
    Registered Users Posts: 10,523 ✭✭✭✭EmmetSpiceland


    Finished ‘Universal Harvester’ by John Darnielle. It’s a good book but the blurb is incredibly misleading.

    Sells the it as a “horror”, and while it’s certainly unnerving and creepy in parts, it’s a really more of a mystery.

    A young lad working in a video shop gets told by a couple of patrons that there’s some weird stuff on the cassettes. He has a look and sees short, strange, homemade “scenes” spliced into the films and it goes from there.

    I enjoyed it, regardless of the possible issue of false advertising. Well, once I got past that long, boring, chunk in the middle. It’s a decent enough story and it’s well written, just could have been very different.

    The tide is turning…



  • #353
    breezy1985
    Registered Users Posts: 24,302 ✭✭✭✭breezy1985


    bertiebomber wrote: »
    its factual and gives insight to the character, ambition and the duplicity of Leopold . He was worse than hitler and its cloaked over to be honest a hidden secret.

    The Belgian wing of BLM are gunning for his legacy big time and rightly so by the sounds of it.

    Im currently reading "A tall man in a low land" by Harry Pearson if you want to follow it up with a less heavy take on Belgian culture


  • #354
    pavb2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,879 ✭✭✭pavb2


    Just finished An Innocent Man by John Grisham a work of non-fiction . Very unsettling how circumstances and incompetent police And DPP can put a man on death row.

    Also watched it on Netflix where it goes into more detail about another two Men charged by The same police and prosecuted by same DPP, chances are They are also innocent but still in prison after 30 years


  • #355
    JasonStatham
    Closed Accounts Posts: 548 ✭✭✭JasonStatham


    I finished Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold. Much better than Shards of Honor, the first book in the Vorkosigan Saga.

    Started the Life of Pi, by Yann Martel. It's going great so far.

    Still can't get back to Echoes of an Alien Sky...It's such tough going.


  • #356
    Foweva Awone
    Registered Users Posts: 1,740 ✭✭✭Foweva Awone


    Just finished "Conversations With Friends" by Sally Rooney, author of "Normal People" (which I have not yet read.)

    Would not recommend. It was unenjoyable, tedious, dissatisfying, and painfully predictable. And not half as intelligent as it's probably supposed to be.


  • #357
    megaten
    Registered Users Posts: 1,885 ✭✭✭megaten


    Foweva Awone wrote: »
    Just finished "Conversations With Friends" by Sally Rooney, author of "Normal People" (which I have not yet read.)

    Would not recommend. It was unenjoyable, tedious, dissatisfying, and painfully predictable. And not half as intelligent as it's probably supposed to be.
    Heard its a mistake to read over normal people because entire characters are essentially a first draft for their normal people version.


  • #358
    appledrop
    Registered Users Posts: 5,779 ✭✭✭appledrop


    Foweva Awone wrote: »
    Just finished "Conversations With Friends" by Sally Rooney, author of "Normal People" (which I have not yet read.)

    Would not recommend. It was unenjoyable, tedious, dissatisfying, and painfully predictable. And not half as intelligent as it's probably supposed to be.


    I started this + thought it was a load of pretentious nonsense + like something a college student would write( no disrespect to students you know what I mean)


    Don't know why I bought it. I will read it as very short but I'd say it will be a bore fest. I didnt even think Normal People was that great as characters were never truly believable until I seen the amazing programme bbc managed to produce.


    Very rare for me that film better than a book but certainly the case in this instance.


  • #359
    growleaves
    Registered Users Posts: 7,685 ✭✭✭growleaves


    'The Renaissance' by Walter Pater. Old book written by a 19th century art critic.

    Recommended. It's only 200 pages, sort of a gloss rather than a comprehensive history. Good insights.


  • #360
    bertiebomber
    Registered Users Posts: 728 ✭✭✭bertiebomber


    appledrop wrote: »
    I started this + thought it was a load of pretentious nonsense + like something a college student would write( no disrespect to students you know what I mean)


    Don't know why I bought it. I will read it as very short but I'd say it will be a bore fest. I didnt even think Normal People was that great as characters were never truly believable until I seen the amazing programme bbc managed to produce.


    Very rare for me that film better than a book but certainly the case in this instance.
    Angst is a very boring subject in a book its best served on a tv programme!


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  • #361
    Mars Bar
    Registered Users Posts: 31,815 ✭✭✭✭Mars Bar


    Turtles All The Way Down - John Green

    Just started it last night so not much to say about it yet

    I finished The Templars: The Rise and Spectacular Fall of God's Holy Warriors by Dan Jones and what I will say is that you need to not be distracted whilst reading it.


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