What book are you reading right now?

Been doing a fair bit of Banks of late and Lady Bisquitine sure does rock!

She sure does, and amazingly Banks only needs a few pages to set up her persona. 

What troubles me most about the book is the scene with Tem and Mulverhill in the Himalaya castle. If nobody lived in that world, how come they could flit into it?

EJ

Sometimes when reading I try not to think too hard about too many details and often let myself be carried along to the many exotic worlds he and others describe but will often hit the public library for another read when something prods me into action.

I feel a bit dirty by spending time with the first rate The Silver Pigs  on R4 Extra, I know it is not reading but the voice of the late Fritha Goodey playing Helena Justina ticks so, so many of my boxes and as with all radio the pictures are all first rate.

Not reading but listening.

"Unbroken". A very special book about a remarkable man. 

"Boy Racer" by Mark Cavendish. Nothing deep of course, but a little insight into an interesting sportsperson and a lifestyle that is far from normal.

On Kindle.

Clay,

How are you?

I highly recommend Paris 1919 if you are into history. What bothers me about Unbroken is that despite the in depth research Laura Hillenbrand never bothered to meet the man face to face. I know that she is suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, but still she could have arranged a meeting. You get to know a person better when you get a chance to look him in the eye and hear his voice.  

Regards,

Haim

Just finished a re-read of the Night's Dawn Trilogy by Peter F Hamilton.  I read them a few years ago on holiday and thought it was time to revisit.  On the whole I enjoyed them as Hamilton's writing style is far easier to deal with than Stephen Donaldson's in the Thomas Covenant novels.That said, the last book, The Naked God (an even longer read than the first two), ended up leaving me with a feeling of disappointment.

The numerous plot strands were tiedoff well enough so at least there was a conclusion to the story lines, but I did feel that the knot tying of the last few pages was a rushed affair particularly given the amount of pages you have to wade through to get there.  It was as if the author had become bored with the whole thing and chose to do an "and they all lived happily thereafter" number on the conclusion of the last book of the trilogy.

I am also reading The Fry Chronicles. I am not sure whether to sympathise with his honesty or write him off as an inveterate name-dropper.  In any event I feel faintly guilty that I am quite enjoying the read.  Only half way though, I will continue as, vague concerns apart, somethin appeals about his writing style and his love of words.

Brad.

Hi Haim

Having a nice summer thank you. Hope you're doing well. I knew Hillenbrand was ill but I absolutely did not know she had not met Zamperini. Things you learn! I have seen Paris 1919 in the bookstores. I will give it a try. Two for your list of future reads. "The Storm of War" by Andrew Roberts is the best one volume history of WW II I have read. Brilliant. And if, as I did, you thought there was nothing much new to be added about the WWII you'd be wrong. Try "In the Garden of Beasts" by Eric Larson. Its the story of Berlin in 1934 as seen through the family of the American ambassador to Germany. Scary, how could people have not known? The thuggish violence on the streets of Berlin should have left no doubt.

Enjoy!

After reading Tourist Season, Double Whammy & Skin Tight the latest Star Island from Carl Hiaasen was well worth the effort. More of the same but better.

Also ventured in to the fictional world of Stella Rimington via At Risk & Secret Asset, could also be called Spooks - The real stories.

All bought during my vacation in Portland, OR. Great place.

Volume 1 of 8.

Simply fabulous - 

Tog

Thanks, Clay.

I am definitely going to get both books you recommended. I am enjoying the later part of the summer which is much more docile. The first part was filled with violent storms knocking down a lot of trees and long power outages, the worst of them was for five full days. Not much fun then, to put it mildly.

Haim

I haven't read this for years. A wonderful book, an absolute classic. I've read all of his books, Might have to dig out the rest.

Cheers

Flettster

Great Indian crime thriller. Seven years in research and writing, gives an authenticity to the actions of the Indian police, you know doing the rounds on a Friday to collect bribes. filtering money upstairs to senior officers etc...That said it is an epic, worth the time taken to read. A foil to Seths 'A suitable boy'.

Done a whole lot of China Miéville over the past month or so and although sometimes hard going it is well worth staying with it to the end.

Perdido Street Station, The Scar, Iron Council, The City & the City & Kraken.

Some not in the right order but as most if not all available via my local library I'll crack them in the end.

Also Zero History, I had thought rthat Linn & Naim would have paid for some product placement

Just started this.

And, Gordon Bennett, is it slow. In part it's like reading an IKEA catalogue.

steve