What Book Are You Currently Reading?

quote:

Originally posted by Traveling Dan:
Charles Mackay's "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds" - written in the 19th Century but still amazingly relevant to modern life.

Dan,

'We find that whole communities suddenly fix their minds upon one object, and go mad in its pursuit; that millions of people become simultaneously impressed with one delusion, and run after it, till their attention is caught by some new folly more captivating than the first. We see one nation suddenly seized, from its highest to its lowest members, with a fierce desire of military glory; another as suddenly becoming crazed upon a religious scruple, and neither of them recovering its senses until it has shed rivers of blood and sowed a harvest of groans and tears, to be reaped by its posterity'.

Amazingly relevant to modern life indeed. It seems the whole book is available here
Though sady without the Introduction you refer to.

Erik

Came home from Borders with another bunch of 3 for 2 paperbacks. Just so many good books to read and not enough time. So what am I doing here then!!!

First Light

Triumph in the Sun

I've just finished 'Six Famous Advocates' by Lord Birkett and am halfway through 'Party-Going' by Henry Green. I bought the former in Tewkesbury, which coincidentally is where Henry Green was born.

If you grew uplistening to the sex pistols and Stranglers at the age of say 16-17 yo then you will really appreciate this book. a music appreciaters read.

Currently revisiting

Herodotus The Histories

I read Master and Commander and enjoyed it thoroughly. I managed to score the entire Aubrey/Marturin series by Patrick O'Brien on ebay, and I have just started Post Captain.

I was taken not only by the good story telling, but the accuracy of the descriptions and use of naval teminology in the first book.

It is sad the O'Brien died before he could complete the final book in the series. I understand that the chapters he did complete have been released, but it is very much a work in progress. Never mind, I still have 19 books to enjoy.

Brad

It's good, so far.

Well if I ever do go on Mastermind then this could help, as I can only answer questions on the Tractor Boys, Half Man, Half Buscuit, Shirley Collins and Applescript -- how will I survive the general knowledge.

Barchester Towers.

A friend of mine recommended the Paliser novels. Although I like Trollope's style I found the couple I have read a bit soap-operaish. Thought I'd re-read BT to remind myself of his wit in a lighter milieu.

Good wit.

M

any book by - Stephen Leather.
any book by - James Patterson.

The Storm - by Boris Starling.

cheers.

Not generally a book person, but this is an amusing read:

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:

Is that Howard Marks on the front cover?

quote:

Originally posted by JoeH:
[QUOTE]Is that Howard Marks on the front cover?

Nope, Bobby Robson.

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:

quote:

Originally posted by JoeH:
[QUOTE]Is that Howard Marks on the front cover?

Nope, Bobby Robson.

I suspect he meant Paul Mariner, who could possibly mistake wor Bobby for anybody else!

Nic

Half term allowed a little light reading, started with:

"A Short History Of Tractors In Ukranian" by Marina Lewycka.

Followed by Kurt Vonnegut " A Man Without A Country"

Currently finishing off "The Motorcycle Diaries" By Ernesto "Che" Guevara.

Found that after a slow start "Tractors" was difficult to put down, Kurt was an old friend doing what he is good at, and that "Diaries" was starngely reminiscent of my own travels around Central and South America 30 years later.

Nic

quote:

Originally posted by nicnaim:

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:

quote:

Originally posted by JoeH:
[QUOTE]Is that Howard Marks on the front cover?

Nope, Bobby Robson.

I suspect he meant Paul Mariner, who could possibly mistake wor Bobby for anybody else!

Nic

You're right Mr Nice doesn't look like Sir Bobby



Sir Bobby Robson

For completeness here is a picture of the best centre forward since Ray Crawford



Paul Mariner

Anyway somebody gave me this to read

Howard Marks and Paul Mariner are clearly identical twins separated at birth.

This weekend I was mostly reading 'The Moonstone' by Wilkie Collins and The Dictionary of National Biography, edited by Sir Leslie Stephen.

conceptual physics - 7th edition.

'Feet In The Clouds: A Fell Running Obsession' Richard Askwith.

A rich and amusing story of one man's attempts to complete a fell-running classic challenge, and a great book about this crazy sport. Full of hard-as-nails characters who run 27 miles in a pair of clogs (with two broken ankles) and then spend the rest of the day tending the sheep. On one boiled egg and a pot of tea.

Also just read Le Carre's 'The Constant Gardener', which I thought I'd read because the everybody except me seemed to like the film. The book was mostly worse.

Bruce

Past Mortem Ben Elton. Murder meets friends united.

Howard

quote:

Originally posted by Reginald Halliday:

I have to admit it looks very Kamphy