What book are you reading atm?? CHAPTER TWO

JeffreyEpspeen · 29-11-2020 4:18am

JustAThought wrote: »

Because I’m locked into the house & a bit bored I finally got around to reading the Michael Connelly book someone had given me 6 months ago. ‘The Night Fire. I read it in two days & did enjoy it thou thats normally not my type of book. Entertained me well & a satisfying read.

I noticed that Connolly also wrote THE FIFTH WITNESS which I read a while back - an UNPUTDOWNABLE whodunnit/whathappened read that had me on the edge of the bed all night reading it. I’d really recommend that one. Especially in a lockdown!!

( easy read usa crime fiction with a few regular detective characters you can get into and follow if you like -not overly sadistic or vindictive towards victims which is nice for a chamge in crime)

Can’t believe he has sold SEVENTY FOUR MILLION copies of his books :0

also - e16 for his latest in my local
bookshop but e23 & delivery on the internet...

Used to horse into the Michael Connelly books myself. They're good, very slickly written, but they're lacking a bit of grit and authenticity. Trying to expand my horizons, I moved on to Dennis Lehane, George Pelecanos and James Ellroy and I prefer their oeuvre. Pelecanos is very good at writing street characters and I get engrossed in their stories; it helps that the characters are funny and relatable, whereas the characterisation in Connelly books is very dry and formulaic. James Ellroy is in a world of his own as well. His stuff is so dark and you can tell he's drawing from profoundly deep personal experience (his mother was murdered). I always feel like I need a cleansing after reading one of his books - The Big Nowhere is probably my favourite book.

kowloonkev · 29-11-2020 4:54am

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Tells the story as the title suggests of just one day in his life in a Soviet labour camp. Goes into fine detail about the fight for survival, for food and for warmth in the middle of a Russian winter. They are marched to work on a construction job. The main character is a very shrewd operator having been in the camp eight years and knows the best way to survive down to small details like knowing the optimum time to line up to get the thickest soup with the most bits of food in it.

Absolutely brilliant storyteller and the characters are vividly portrayed as is the grim reality, although it does show that people can adapt to any circumstances.

I liked it so much I've moved onto reading 'The Cancer Ward' by the same author.

nigeldaniel · 29-11-2020 12:40pm

From Dryden to Johnson by Boris Ford.
'A Pelican Guide' book from years passed. Found it in a second-hand shop a year ago and it's only now I am getting around to reading it.

ClydeTallyBump · 29-11-2020 9:59pm

The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

Grim.

gmisk · 30-11-2020 12:23am

The midnight library by Matt Haig.
I blooming love it.
Best to go in not knowing the plot.

The only other book I read of his was the humans which is really heartwarming too.

breezy1985 · 30-11-2020 12:28am

gmisk wrote: »

The midnight library by Matt Haig.
I blooming love it.
Best to go in not knowing the plot.

The only other book I read of his was the humans which is really heartwarming too.

Sounds like it could be my kinda thing

fixXxer · 30-11-2020 10:03am

ClydeTallyBump wrote: »

The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

Grim.

I had a long sit down after reading that. Intended to watch the movie adaption once the book was done but I couldn't.

Re-Reading two books at the moment

The End is Always Near by Dan Carlin. He does the Hardcore History podcast so if you like that, this is worth a read. It actually feels like reading the podcast in a way, there's asides and footnotes all over the place.

Ghost Written by David Mitchell. I love all of his books and re-read them now and then as a comfort.

mariaalice · 30-11-2020 10:48am

fixXxer wrote: »

I had a long sit down after reading that. Intended to watch the movie adaption once the book was done but I couldn't.

Re-Reading two books at the moment

The End is Always Near by Dan Carlin. He does the Hardcore History podcast so if you like that, this is worth a read. It actually feels like reading the podcast in a way, there's asides and footnotes all over the place.

Ghost Written by David Mitchell. I love all of his books and re-read them now and then as a comfort.

David Mitchell is a very underrated writer Cloud Atlas is one of my favorite books the film was dreadfully though.

fixXxer · 30-11-2020 12:25pm

mariaalice wrote: »

David Mitchell is a very underrated writer Cloud Atlas is one of my favorite books the film was dreadfully though.

I have no idea how you would understand the movie without having read the book first! Absolute monster of a story, it would be much more suited to a netflix series or something.

Joe_ Public · 30-11-2020 12:36pm

Is David Mitchell underrated? Twice booker nominated, frequently tops best seller lists, routinely acknowledged as one of the uks foremost writers. I wouldn't have thought so anyway. Amazed to see he's still only 50, feels like he's been around decades. Not a massive fan but will definitely be reading his latest offering.

Doctor Roast · 30-11-2020 8:42pm

The Tain translated by Thomas Kinsella

the purple tin · 30-11-2020 9:00pm

Cujo by Stephen King.

ClydeTallyBump · 30-11-2020 10:34pm

The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter.

JustAThought · 02-12-2020 10:49pm

the purple tin wrote: »

Cujo by Stephen King.

That book gave me a long standing fear of dogs - as well as nightmares. I’d be afraid to read it again. Even the front cover was frightening.

Just finished reading one of those 3 for a tenner new books - Andy McNab ‘Liberation Day’. If you like maps and lots and lots and lots of (road) directions in your plots you will enjoy it.

EmmetSpiceland · 03-12-2020 12:07am

mariaalice wrote: »

David Mitchell is a very underrated writer Cloud Atlas is one of my favorite books the film was dreadfully though.

That’s one I’d always mention if someone asks me for a “recommendation”.

Haven’t read it myself, of course, have far better books to be reading but it is something the average would reader enjoy.

silliussoddius · 03-12-2020 12:09am

JeffreyEpspeen wrote: »

Used to horse into the Michael Connelly books myself. They're good, very slickly written, but they're lacking a bit of grit and authenticity. Trying to expand my horizons, I moved on to Dennis Lehane, George Pelecanos and James Ellroy and I prefer their oeuvre. Pelecanos is very good at writing street characters and I get engrossed in their stories; it helps that the characters are funny and relatable, whereas the characterisation in Connelly books is very dry and formulaic. James Ellroy is in a world of his own as well. His stuff is so dark and you can tell he's drawing from profoundly deep personal experience (his mother was murdered). I always feel like I need a cleansing after reading one of his books - The Big Nowhere is probably my favourite book.

Ellroy's American Tabloid is great, I felt the follow ups veered too much into his short sharp sentence style. His stuff is dark, but not too grim. if you want grim, tru David Peace's Red Riding series. You'll need a bath with a bottle of Dettol afterwards.

JustAThought · 03-12-2020 4:10am

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

That’s one I’d always mention if someone asks me for a “recommendation”.

Haven’t read it myself, of course, have far better books to be reading but it is something the average would reader enjoy.

what are you doing recommending books you havn’t read and then thumbing down your nose at them? Far more honest and less unpleasant to have the courage of your convictions and recommend a book you actually have read and then be able to discuss and stand up for it.

Regis779 · 03-12-2020 7:24am

Bought Lord of the Rings trilogy (never watched the films or read the books before) so gonna have a very fantasy-themed Christmas seasom

EmmetSpiceland · 03-12-2020 12:05pm

JustAThought wrote: »

what are you doing recommending books you havn’t read and then thumbing down your nose at them? Far more honest and less unpleasant to have the courage of your convictions and recommend a book you actually have read and then be able to discuss and stand up for it.

They ask. Look, some people aren’t going to “enjoy” Unberto Eco so you give them Dan Brown.

It’s the same with music, there are some people you’d tell to listen to the Tool but others you’d “recommend” Opeth.

And then they’re are some who are just ‘Best Of...’ types. You’d be doing them a disservice recommend any “serious” works.

breezy1985 · 03-12-2020 12:12pm

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

They ask. Look, some people aren’t going to “enjoy” Unberto Eco so you give them Dan Brown.

It’s the same with music, there are some people you’d tell to listen to the Tool but others you’d “recommend” Opeth.

And then they’re are some who are just ‘Best Of...’ types. You’d be doing them a disservice recommend any “serious” works.

Your use of the term "better books" coupled with "average reader" makes you sound like a snob though. As this is about the only thread I have ever seen on boards that remains friendly and civil please leave that kind of talk out

EmmetSpiceland · 03-12-2020 12:17pm

breezy1985 wrote: »

Your use of the term "better books" coupled with "average reader" makes you sound like a snob though. As this is about the only thread I have ever seen on boards that remains friendly and civil please leave that kind of talk out

Apologies, let’s get back to talking about books with “Auschwitz” in the title.

bladespin · 04-12-2020 10:44am

Regis779 wrote: »

Bought Lord of the Rings trilogy (never watched the films or read the books before) so gonna have a very fantasy-themed Christmas seasom

Was the same, amazing, will add to the films if/when you do see them.

GS11 · 04-12-2020 11:08am

Just finished reading David Copperfield, read it b4 a couple of times.

Slow start but it's beautifully written and much more complex than I remembered.

Lisha · 04-12-2020 11:27am

I’m currently listening to Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart on audible. It’s absolutely fantastic. The story Is weaved so expertly you nearly feel part of it.

Doctor Roast · 04-12-2020 1:26pm

Just finished the epic of Gilgamesh, will probably start Homers The Iliad next

Alejandro68 · 04-12-2020 10:00pm

Discovered a Readers Digest book in the attic with short stories from 1986.Currently reading a story called the Great Circle, about a sea faring race and the tragedy that happens. Love it.

Foweva Awone · 06-12-2020 3:07pm

Columbine, by Dave Cullen. Basically a very detailed account of the school shooting and all of the background to it. Very interesting from a criminal psychology point of view. The book is very well written, it's a good read.

the purple tin · 06-12-2020 3:11pm

Four Past Midnight by Stephen King.
Just finished The Langoliers and it was very enjoyable except for

the devestating and scary entity turns out to be a load of beach balls

Barna77 · 06-12-2020 4:35pm

Finished Philip K Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.
Ending felt very anti climatic.

Reading now Bradbury's Farenheit 451

gmisk · 09-12-2020 11:47pm

Futebol: The Brazilian Way of Life by Alec Bello's

Really love this so far!
Stories related to brazilian players footballs history in brazil and how it is basically a religion and way of life.
The first story with the players in the Faroes is a cracking read.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 10-12-2020 2:13am

Nostromo by Joseph Conrad.

silliussoddius · 10-12-2020 3:09am

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

Nostromo by Joseph Conrad.

Have they reached LV-426 yet?

JeffreyEpspeen · 11-12-2020 9:30pm

Foweva Awone wrote: »

Columbine, by Dave Cullen. Basically a very detailed account of the school shooting and all of the background to it. Very interesting from a criminal psychology point of view. The book is very well written, it's a good read.

Read that quite a while ago. IIRC the book gets a bit of criticism for the author portraying Eric Harris as more outgoing (good with women etc) than he was in reality while portraying Dylan Klebold in a less flattering light. He clearly had preconceived ideas about the two going into the book and the stuff he writes about Harris almost makes it look like he developed some kind of infatuation with him.

the purple tin · 11-12-2020 9:42pm

Stephen King: Secret Window, Secret Garden: Quite good but I saw the film so it spoiled it a bit for me.
The Library Policeman: Classic King. Reminded me of Something Wicked This Way Comes. Some very creepy characters.
Sun Dog: Best of the three. Very ominous feel to it, someone being drawn into something evil and losing their self control. King has done this type of story several times he and is very good at it.
Pop Merrill, Ace's uncle is an excellent character. He really makes the story come alive is what I mean to say :pac:

JeffreyEpspeen · 11-12-2020 9:55pm

Stephen King is a great storyteller but he writes dialogue like he's never heard real human beings interact before.

“I know what you mean, jellybean.”

He writes characters saying **** like this in every book.

the purple tin · 12-12-2020 11:53am

JeffreyEpspeen wrote: »

Stephen King is a great storyteller but he writes dialogue like he's never heard real human beings interact before.

“I know what you mean, jellybean.”

He writes characters saying **** like this in every book.

Talk is cheap: I want ACTION!

Bit of escapism is always welcome.

breezy1985 · 12-12-2020 12:23pm

the purple tin wrote: »

Talk is cheap: I want ACTION!

Bit of escapism is always welcome.

Not the kind of action from the end of IT though.

py2006 · 12-12-2020 3:07pm

JeffreyEpspeen wrote: »

Stephen King is a great storyteller but he writes dialogue like he's never heard real human beings interact before.

“I know what you mean, jellybean.”

He writes characters saying **** like this in every book.

Thats a reflection of 50s small town America where he grew up.

EmmetSpiceland · 12-12-2020 3:11pm

JeffreyEpspeen wrote: »

“I know what you mean, jellybean.”

He writes characters saying **** like this in every book.

I know someone who says something like that, but he says ‘What's the scene, jellybean?’. Been saying it for years.

appledrop · 12-12-2020 11:41pm

Enjoyed the Ratline although it was a bit heavy going at the end.

I needed an easier read after that so got the new Graham Norton book.

Its his best one yet, much better than I thought it would be.

Next up is Where the Crawdads sing.

Hope its not overrated.

Tauriel · 13-12-2020 7:05pm

Just finished reading Patricia Cornwell's Postmortem.

Given that it was released in 1990 and the significant advances that have been made between then and now with forensic science, quite a bit is outdated. It took a while for me to get into it but all in all, it was quite enjoyable.

The plot centers around chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta who is thrown into the midst of a serial killer that breaks into the houses of single women and proceeds to rape and torture them before murdering them. Not only does Dr. Scarpetta have to deal with the pressure of trying to catch this guy as the body count rises, she most also try to protect herself as someone with a personal vendetta against her is trying to end her career.

Foweva Awone · 13-12-2020 7:14pm

Absolutely LOVE the early Kay Scarpetta books! I still dig them out every few years.

Personally I think they start deteriorating from around The Last Precinct onwards, the last couple I tried I found practically unreadable. But the earlier ones are just great!

Ted58 · 13-12-2020 7:17pm

Foweva Awone wrote: »

Absolutely LOVE the early Kay Scarpetta books! I still dig them out every few years.

Personally I think they start deteriorating from around The Last Precinct onwards, the last couple I tried I found practically unreadable. But the earlier ones are just great!

Couldn’t agree more. Was great fan in early days but later books are poor. In contrast James Lee Burke’s work has improved over time in my opinion.

McGinniesta · 13-12-2020 8:01pm

Just finished champagne football and have started a book on the GCHQ

TheRepentent · 13-12-2020 8:13pm

Ted58 wrote: »

Couldn’t agree more. Was great fan in early days but later books are poor. In contrast James Lee Burke’s work has improved over time in my opinion.

I always loved his writing...anyone asks me about american detectives series I'd recommend him.Captures the place perfectly.

The cornwells books are stories by numbers. Her's and her husbands.

the purple tin · 13-12-2020 8:36pm

The Dark Half by Stephen King

Foweva Awone · 13-12-2020 8:56pm

TheRepentent wrote: »

The cornwells books are stories by numbers. Her's and her husbands.

I thought she was a lesbian?

Foweva Awone · 13-12-2020 8:57pm

Ted58 wrote: »

Couldn’t agree more. Was great fan in early days but later books are poor. In contrast James Lee Burke’s work has improved over time in my opinion.

Never read any of his, which series would you recommend?

bonzodog2 · 13-12-2020 9:38pm

Foweva Awone wrote: »

Never read any of his, which series would you recommend?

Try the Dave Robicheaux series. JLB is possibly my favourite author

razorblunt · 13-12-2020 9:56pm

Foweva Awone wrote: »

I thought she was a lesbian?

I’m not sure if she tags herself as gay or bi but she was married to a man.

What book are you reading atm?? CHAPTER TWO

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