[appledrop]

Originally Posted by 1huge1

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]

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]

Odyssey - Homer

Reminds me of trying to get home from nightclubs years ago

[storker]

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]

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]

Originally Posted by Lisha

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]

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.

[mustang shelly]

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]

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

[mikhail]

Originally Posted by ngunners

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]

Originally Posted by mikhail

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]

Reefer Madness.

Excellent read.

[jazz_jazz]

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]

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]

Originally Posted by appledrop

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.