What book are you reading right now?

Superlative history of literary obscenity trials (Lady Chatterley, Last Exit to Brooklyn, Ulysses, Madame Bovary etc) - all the way back to Fanny Hill in 1749! What's really interesting is just how misguided and ill-informed would-be censors and those who wish to impose their version of morality on others almost always are. Flaubert's Bovary was accused of "glorifying adultery" but most sentient beings who've read the book will think - given Emma's death and before it, boredom - the exact opposite.

A rather splendid history of both the game of Monopoly and our great capital:

Have fun!

I've read it a few times and there's always more to enjoy.

steve

Winky

Neal Stephenson's books can enthral and irritate me often within several pages. I never stop admiring their sheer scope and scale though.

I adored his (huge) Baroque Cycle trilogy of books though, fun, entertaining and hugely informative-I learnt a great amount about all sorts of history and ideas etc. Highly recommended; but be prepared to devote a chunk of your life to them!

Bruce

The third and last in the series about Scottisch history - Robert Bruce, recommended read...

For those by the way who can't read Dutch, it's called Kingdom...

Agree. Dazzling ambition that sometimes gets bogged down. But highly recommended nonetheless. I'm going to read Anathem next.

I'm rereading the brilliant Broken Empire trilogy by Mark Lawrence.  If you are a fan of fantasy fiction ou really need to give this, and Mark, a try because its a breath of fresh air and full of creativity and brilliantly dark characters.

Bernard Cornwell- Azincourt

Another history based book...

So moved to the second book in this series. Very interesting read and the writer has a great talent in filling up the historic gaps or bending the history a bit to make an entertaining reading experience.... Highly recommended...

Great book, about a very depressing life...

One of his early books (from 1972 IIRC) - surprisingly accessible and nowhere near as dense as a lot of his stuff:

I was a bit skeptical at first, how can a book about a life of a loser be interesting, but so masterfully written that I definitely want to read another book of this writer.

Just read the below book. Was not thrilled - it was ok, perhaps I also expected too much from it...

With that subtitle and those blurbs, I'm surprised you expected anything at all. It sounds and looks absolutely ghastly!

Poor. Just a cut and paste job, with nothing to add to a familiar story.

From the NPG's wonderful exhibition of portraits of one of the 20th Century's most beautiful and, along with Brooks and Monroe, most photographed/photogenic women. The photography, by the likes of Cardiff, Beaton, Parkinson, O'Neill, Meisel, Karsh, Halsman and others is stunning.

One of the best music books I have read. Well researched, it covers the formation, rise and eventual demise of this iconic band. Very entertaining.

David Mitchell's fabulous 2010 novel 'the Thousand Autumns of Jacob deZoet'.