What book are you reading right now?
Posted by: Chillkram on 23 May 2010
I thought I'd revive this classic old thread as I couldn't find the original.
I am currently reading Suetonius, 'The Twelve Caesars'.
How about you?
Posted on: 02 June 2010 by Bruce Woodhouse
On my recent holiday Charles Dickens: David Copperfield. Magnificent.
I'm steadily working my way through all his books these last couple of years. My youthful impression of Dickens was dreadful Sunday teatime BBC2 adaptations with lots of ugly people and funny names but I find his books rich, funny, warm and full of soical compassion. A friend told me that everyone should read Dickens-could not agree more. Start with Great Expectations if you want a place to begin.
Bruce
Posted on: 03 June 2010 by nicnaim
Recently finished:
The Places In Between - Rory Stewart about his walk across Afghanistan. Interesting character, recently elected as the Conservative MP for Penrith.
Regards
Nic
Posted on: 03 June 2010 by lutyens
nicnaim
I read this a little while ago on a recommendation from my father. It is fascinating. I was astonished how tribal/fuedal areas he passed through were and how desolate they were. And that maybe, is part of the reason that they remain so fuedal. There is so little there to eke out any living nevermind society on, it seems to have resulted in such a rigid and authoritarian social structure.
a very worthwhile read.
atb
james
Posted on: 03 June 2010 by Manni
Nigel Hinton:
The Heart of the Valley
( German translation, my English is not good enough to read it in the original version )
This great book, full of poetry, describes the dramatic life of a small bird.
Best wishes
Manfred
Posted on: 03 June 2010 by mongo
quote:
Originally posted by Chillkram:
Just trying to keep this thread on the radar. Reading is good!
I bet I wouldn't have to bump it if it was, "what breasts are you looking at right now"!!!
LOL
Posted on: 03 June 2010 by mongo
Just finished this penultimate of 24.
If you are afer the best written, wittiest and simply superb books of their kind , Reginald Hill and Dalziel and Pascoe are your men.
All 23 in 4 weeks; unemployment eh?
Posted on: 03 June 2010 by mongo
quote:
Originally posted by Bruce Woodhouse:
On my recent holiday Charles Dickens: David Copperfield. Magnificent.
I'm steadily working my way through all his books these last couple of years. My youthful impression of Dickens was dreadful Sunday teatime BBC2 adaptations with lots of ugly people and funny names but I find his books rich, funny, warm and full of soical compassion. A friend told me that everyone should read Dickens-could not agree more. Start with Great Expectations if you want a place to begin.
Bruce
Hi Bruce.
I always meant to read Dickens, like you last time was at school.
Your post has forced my hand at last, I'll get one to start at random on Saturday.
Cheers, Paul.
Posted on: 03 June 2010 by Bruce Woodhouse
Great!
Avoid Little Dorritt or Bleak House-both rather heavy as a 'first time'. Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist all simply very good stories but with depth. I'm always surprised that they can at times feel so contemporary.
Bruce
Posted on: 03 June 2010 by JamieWednesday
A very interesting book on a subject I had only limited knowledge of.
I had no idea how much in the way of Allied resources Vichy took up on so many fronts. Gotta say, The French do not come out of it very well and it does not endear The Nation to the reader at all. However, I'm left with the impression that 'we' learned an awful lot about modern warfare in our engagements with them, particularly over decision making, which helped enormously in later battles with the stronger axis forces.
Posted on: 04 June 2010 by markah
I read these two whilst on holiday. Most of my reading tends to be thrillers - Lee Child, Harlan Coben, Stephen Leather, Jeffery Deaver & Michael Connelly to name a few of my favourite authors.
Posted on: 04 June 2010 by Paper Plane
steve
Posted on: 04 June 2010 by Sniper
Possibly the work of genius. Not exactly bedtime reading. Enormously thoughtful and well researched.
Posted on: 05 June 2010 by Huwge
Am giving the poems of Ezra Pound another go, otherwise next on the pile is Roughing It by Mark Twain.
Posted on: 05 June 2010 by Mike Dudley
Starring sniper...
Posted on: 05 June 2010 by Clay Bingham
"Winston's War, Churchill 1940-1945" by Max Hastings
Aside from the fact that Max Hastings is a wonderful writer and historian you'd think there wasn't much new to cover here. You'd be wrong. Yes, the ground has been covered before, but the insights here make it a hard book to put down.
Posted on: 05 June 2010 by Haim Ronen
quote:
Originally posted by Clay Bingham:
"Winston's War, Churchill 1940-1945" by Max Hastings
Aside from the fact that Max Hastings is a wonderful writer and historian you'd think there wasn't much new to cover here. You'd be wrong. Yes, the ground has been covered before, but the insights here make it a hard book to put down.
Clay,
I heard last month Max Hastings in Chicago give a very good talk about his newest Churchill book. I read five of his books this year: Warriors, The Korean War, The Battle for the Falklands, Armageddon and Bomber Command.
Haim
Posted on: 05 June 2010 by Clay Bingham
Haim
I would have enjoyed hearing that interview. CSPAN used to do such interviews on a program called Booknotes which was superb. Emphasis was on authors of history and politics. You've got me on numbers of books. I've read Armageddon, Retribution, and now working on Churchill. Don't miss Retribution. Its portrayal of the end of the Pacific war is haunting and disturbing. Agree with the decision or not, you will understand in stark terms the logic behind the use of those two atom bombs.
Posted on: 05 June 2010 by Haim Ronen
Thanks for the recommendation, Clay. I will try to get Retribution down the road. I read too many Hastings in a row and I need a break from history books. I try to alternate between fictions and non-fictions.I am enjoying a lot now the short stories collection of T. C. Boyle.
By the way, Hastings talk was taped at the Pritzker Military Library. Perhaps you can obtain a DVD from them:
http://www.pritzkermilitarylib...bout/board-tracy.jspPosted on: 06 June 2010 by Dungassin
Continuing my habit of reading children's books ...
"The Ratastrophe Catastrophe" by David Lee Stone.
Bought it on recommendation from an ex-colleague who said "if you like Terry Pratchett you'll love this". BORING. Half-way through it and now speedreading just to see how it ends. Tries very hard to be funny, but the humour is puerile and very obvious. Won't be buying any more of his books.
Posted on: 07 June 2010 by Clay Bingham
Haim
Thanks for the link. Interesting site. The last three fiction books have been "The Double Comfort Safari Club", Wolf Hall, and The Man from Beijing, all enjoyable.
Clay
Posted on: 07 June 2010 by Haim Ronen
quote:
Originally posted by Clay Bingham:
Haim
Thanks for the link. Interesting site. The last three fiction books have been "The Double Comfort Safari Club", Wolf Hall, and The Man from Beijing, all enjoyable.
Clay
Clay,
My friend who came with me to hear Hastings and is reading his Churchill book now says that the introduction in the book is almost identical to his speech so perhaps you shouldn't bother with the DVD.
If you enjoy Hastings you should read Rick Atkinson whom I heard at the same library:
http://www.liberationtrilogy.com/He won the Pulitzer Prize for Army At Dawn.
Posted on: 08 June 2010 by Clay Bingham
Haim
Re: Rick Atkinson trilogy
Have read the first two and am anxiously awaiting the third! With both Hastings and Atkinson you get first rate research plus writing that is hard to put down.
Posted on: 10 June 2010 by mudwolf
The Weeping Goldsmith :discoveries in the secret land of Myanmar
John Kress, he is curator at Smithsonian Botanist and specializes in wild gingers,tho also heliconias and bananas . I heard him talk and bought the book. great pictures of Burma and had 5 trips. All about the environment, politics of gov't forestry, collecting, and the people. A travelog I could never do and the country is now closed off. A short talk with him was great fun during the signing.
Posted on: 16 June 2010 by Voltaire
Nice to see this thread back and some good recommendations...Thank you Chillkram.
I am currently reading...
Posted on: 16 June 2010 by Voltaire
quote:
Originally posted by Paper Plane:
steve
A thoroughly enjoyable book imho. Have you read 'A city of falling angels' by the same author...excellent!
