151 replies to this topic

[Leeds Wire]

I have finally given up on on Harry Mount's How England made the English. I feel like I gave it a good go, reaching nearly half way, but there's only so much I can take when faced with fact after fact after fact about the geology of Norfolk or Wiltshire.

The book was a fine concept but it just doesn't flow.

Anyway, moving on... I like a bit of historical fiction (e.g Robert Harris) so can anyone offer me a recommendation?

What are you all reading at the mo?

Ta
Mark

Edited by Leeds Wire, 28 September 2012 - 10:12 AM.

[l'angelo mysterioso]

I have finally given up on on Harry Mount's England for the English. I feel like I gave it a good go, reaching nearly half way, but there's only so much I can take when faced with fact after fact after fact about the geology of Norfolk or Wiltshire.

The book was a fine concept but it just doesn't flow.

Anyway, moving on... I like a bit of historical fiction (e.g Robert Harris) so can anyone offer me a recommendation?

What are you all reading at the mo?

Ta
Mark

just started brighton rock: greene captures the seediness and tackiness of seaside towns really well. I love these places. Thew plot hasn't got going although the protagonist tells us he's going to get killed in the first couple of pages. I do like Harris. Currently got Winter in Berlin by CJ Sansome on the back burner. The background is the Spanish Civil War,

[Charlie Parker]

The Blinding Knife by Brent Weeks.

I will be calling into Waterstones in Manchester this evening to get it signed by the author.

[Leeds Wire]

just started brighton rock: greene captures the seediness and tackiness of seaside towns really well. I love these places. Thew plot hasn't got going although the protagonist tells us he's going to get killed in the first couple of pages. I do like Harris. Currently got Winter in Berlin by CJ Sansome on the back burner. The background is the Spanish Civil War,

Ace, I'll get onto that. I'd forgotten about Sansom, despite reading his brilliant Shardlake series.

The Blinding Knife by Brent Weeks.

I will be calling into Waterstones in Manchester this evening to get it signed by the author.

The Weeks book also gets superb reviews, so I'll give that a go despite its apparent downbeat tone...

Cheers both.

[Futtocks]

<p>

just started brighton rock: greene captures the seediness and tackiness of seaside towns really well. I love these places. Thew plot hasn't got going although the protagonist tells us he's going to get killed in the first couple of pages.

Talking of Graham Greene, I've just re-read 'The Ministry of Fear', which isn't for anyone with even the slightest tendency towards paranoia.Other recent reads:

• The Innocents at Home, by Lord Kinross. Travels in the USA in the Fifties. Mostly just okay, but with some highlights.
• Mother Tongue, by Bill Bryson. The history of language, with the main attention of English. Very readable and enjoyable, despite the mountain of information coming at you of every page.
• Diary of a Rock'n'Roll Star, by Ian Hunter (of Mott the Hoople). A great (if short) read. Although it is a bit naive and dated to the modern-day reader, it is a great insight into the life of a touring band.

[D9000]

Ploughing through 'Citizens', a history of the French Revolution, by Simon Schama, and two weeks in we may actually be getting to the revolution. In theory also reading Quicksilver, Neal Stephenson, but I can't really be doing with two mindbenders on the go at once, so I'm re-reading Scoop, Evelyn Waugh, for light relief.

[Charlie Parker]

Ace, I'll get onto that. I'd forgotten about Sansom, despite reading his brilliant Shardlake series.



The Weeks book also gets superb reviews, so I'll give that a go despite its apparent downbeat tone...

Cheers both.

You need to read them in order. The Black Prism is the first in this series, and is also a brilliant read.

The Night Angel books which he wrote prior to this series, are also excellent.

[Futtocks]

I'm re-reading Scoop, Evelyn Waugh, for light relief.

Good pick - excellent book.

[longboard]

Good pick - excellent book.

Up to a point?

[Bleep1673]

Just re-read Indecent Exposure by Tom Sharpe, incredibly funny if you know your South African Politics

[Wolford6]

I have finally given up on on Harry Mount's How England made the English. I feel like I gave it a good go, reaching nearly half way, but there's only so much I can take when faced with fact after fact after fact about the geology of Norfolk or Wiltshire.


Mark

You could try this:

http://en.wikipedia....sles._A_History

[hindle xiii]

Zombie: An Anthology of the Undead - Christopher Golden
Patient Zero - Jonathan Maberry
Dead City - Joe McKinney
and there's another, which I've forgotten the name of, and a couple more on order at the library.

I'm also recording the past two series of The Walking Dead early each morning on FX.

You could say I'm looking forward to series 3 in a few weeks!

[gingerjon]

I've got Bad Pharma by Ben Goldacre on order.

I may be very cross by the end of it.

[Futtocks]

Just re-read Indecent Exposure by Tom Sharpe, incredibly funny if you know your South African Politics

The first Tom Sharpe book I ever read was 'Riotous Assembly', the sequel to 'Indecent Exposure'. Even more outrageous.

I'm currently 57 pages into Roberto Bolano's '2666'. Only 836 pages to go...

Edited by Futtocks, 03 October 2012 - 08:40 AM.

[Futtocks]

I reckon this book may be right up the street of several TRL members. Preston Lauterbach - The Chitlin' Circuit and the Road to Rock 'n' Roll.

[Leeds Wire]

I'm reading Robert Harris's Imperium, the first in a trilogy about the Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero. I'm totally gripped and staying up far too late at night to see what develops.

Also, this seems like a useful link: What Should I Read Next - simple and self-explanatory but seems to work well.

Edited by Leeds Wire, 11 October 2012 - 02:40 PM.

[Steve May]

About half way through the The Man in the High Castle by Philip K Dick.

It's a bit dull TBH, though I like the conceit of the counterfactual book being popular inside a counterfactual book.

[tim2]

Just reading both Keef Richards' and Sean Long's autobiogs on Kindle.

Precis:

Keef: "me and Mick spent hours listening to Bo Diddley, blues stuff. We were really a blues band but then we saw we could get loads of money, drugs and women by diluting it into pop music. Then we did loads of drugs. That is all"

Sean: "Me, Wello, Wilko, Glees and Scully and some of the boys went on a bender, drank about 20 pints each and I did something stupid."

[D9000]

I'm reading Robert Harris's Imperium, the first in a trilogy about the Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero. I'm totally gripped and staying up far too late at night to see what develops.

Also, this seems like a useful link: What Should I Read Next - simple and self-explanatory but seems to work well.

Second that. Been waiting impatiently for the third in the Cicero series. Meanwhile Harris has been churning out all manner of boring stuff. Finger out, Robert!

[Jeff Stein]

I really enjoyed Imperium, but found Lustrum a bit stodgy. I'm not sure I will bother with the third when it comes out because of that (and the fact that I know what happened to Cicero too).

About to go on holiday and have got The Way of the Traitor by Laura Joh Rowland, Curse of the Pogo Stick by Colin Cotterill, Inspector Singh Investigates A Curious Indian Cadaver by Shamini Flint, The Ambassador's Wife by Jake Needham and Breathing Water by timothy Hallinan for pool side reading. There are links between all five if anyone can spot them.