Book thread: what are you reading?

[Oxford]

On 6/4/2018 at 5:12 AM, Oxford said:

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

by

Heather Morris

Finished this good book, great story and as sad as it gets and today's echos are a reminder too.

Back to The Ascent of Man and on to What's Wrong With The World by GK Chesterton.

If Bronowski had been a social scientist I do wonder if the title and gist of his book would have been different or indeed if he had been a witness to these times?

[Futtocks]

Just finished a re-read of 'Zappa the Hard Way' by Andrew Greenaway. It is an account of Frank's last ever tour and how it fell apart due to inter-personal animosity in his band, costing him several hundred thousand dollars.

A fascinating read, with contributions from most of the band members (only two declined to contribute) and an insight into the work required to learn about 120 different and complex songs, but also the extra demands of live performance in a Zappa gig, like improvisation or changing the style of a song instantly if FZ made a particular hand gesture.

Nobody comes out of it either 100% blameless, or being at fault. You do get an understanding about why these things happen, though, and also how the set-lists were created, then changed as new material was written or different countries were visited. An education, even if you are not a fan of Zappa's music.

[Bleep1673]

Gone back to The Norman Conquest by Marc Morris.

[jacksy]

Arnhem: The Battle for the Bridges-Antony Beevor

[Futtocks]

Currently enjoying this.

[Bleep1673]

On 6/18/2018 at 3:12 PM, jacksy said:

Arnhem: The Battle for the Bridges-Antony Beevor

Been to Arnhem, nice town. Stayed in the Youth Hostel all to myself. No other guests for both nights.

[DavidM]

7 minutes ago, Bleep1673 said:

Been to Arnhem, nice town. Stayed in the Youth Hostel all to myself. No other guests for both nights.

Wasnt when the battle was going on was it !! WW2 battlefield holidays though are totally fascinating 

[jacksy]

1 hour ago, Bleep1673 said:

Been to Arnhem, nice town. Stayed in the Youth Hostel all to myself. No other guests for both nights.

Was it a Market Garden battlefield tour? 

Edited June 20, 2018 by jacksy

[jacksy]

1 hour ago, DavidM said:

Wasnt when the battle was going on was it !! WW2 battlefield holidays though are totally fascinating 

You done the Market Garden tour DavidM?

[DavidM]

Just now, jacksy said:

You done the Market Garden tour DavidM?

I haven’t . Last one was Moscow and St Petersburg . Really hits you when you go to these places 

[Futtocks]

Kenneth Grahame - The Headswoman. A short story by the author of 'The Wind in the Willows', set in the 16th Century. Beautifully-written and funny, but the free Kindle edition is the worst-formatted and edited eBook I've yet come across. Still, well worth a read.

Edited June 20, 2018 by Futtocks

[jacksy]

31 minutes ago, DavidM said:

I haven’t . Last one was Moscow and St Petersburg . Really hits you when you go to these places 

The war on the eastern front was on unbelievable in vastness, manpower and brutality.

[DavidM]

10 minutes ago, jacksy said:

The war on the eastern front was on unbelievable in vastness, manpower and brutality.

Decisive , as they rightly want to emphasise 

[Bleep1673]

2 hours ago, DavidM said:

Wasnt when the battle was going on was it !! 

No, I'm not quite that old. A friend of my Dad was there though for the Battle. He used to tell me stories about the disaster, and how he was treated as a P.O.W.

[Bleep1673]

1 hour ago, jacksy said:

Was it a Market Garden battlefield tour? 

Not an official one. I was in Netherlands and I found myself in Appledorn, next train was Deventer, then it turned into a self exploratory tour. Like when I visited my Great Uncles grave at Tyne Cot at Passendale. That was chilling.

Edited June 20, 2018 by Bleep1673
Accuracy

[DavidM]

8 minutes ago, Bleep1673 said:

No, I'm not quite that old. A friend of my Dad was there though for the Battle. He used to tell me stories about the disaster, and how he was treated as a P.O.W.

Pretty well was it with an eye to the future and possible war trials with the way things were going ? Although the SS units were a law unto themselves , even the army often wanted little to do with them 

[Moose]

Police by Joe Nesbo, book ten in the Harry Hole series. It's unusual in that I'm on page 120 and as yet Harry although mentioned occasionally has yet to become part of the story, non the less it's gripping stuff

[Bleep1673]

21 hours ago, DavidM said:

Pretty well was it with an eye to the future and possible war trials with the way things were going ? Although the SS units were a law unto themselves , even the army often wanted little to do with them 

They nearly starved to death. The Germans had very little food, and we're stealing from the Dutch once they became cut off from their own supply lines, and had very little for POW's

[Yorkie44]

Just found this thread as I seldom visit this section of the forum.

 

I am a fairly big historical fiction fan, so waiting in anticipation for Bernard Cornwell's new Saxon Chronicles book to see what Uhtred is up to now he has finally reclaimed Bebbanburg (Bamburgh), I have a feeling that he will play a pivotal role in Aethelstan's battle at Brunanburh where he becomes Englaland's first king.

 

Pretty miffed I've had to wait an extra year while he released a vanity project in Fools & Mortals, which was the only book of his I couldn't finish.

 

While I wait though I'm reading Giles Kristian's (fastly becoming as good as Bernard) new one Lancelot. It's certainly one of those books you can't put down, and an interesting interpretation of the Arthurian legend, again up there with The Warlord Chronicles. If you're into this genre I'd certainly recommend his Raven saga and the Rise of Sigurd too, which way round you read them will give you a different perspective of the characters.

 

Another fantastic series is Angus Donald's Outlaw series, very sad at the end though.

 

Something completely different (still fiction) is Frank Tayell's, Surviving the Evacuation series. It is set after a zombie apocalypse but it is not farfetched and written in a very real way, of how things would actually happen (within reason) it's more about how the human race would survive a disaster like this, with some political thriller in the back ground, tis very good.

 

Also the wonderful Sir Terry Pratchett, nothing else to add there.

 

[Futtocks]

Historical fiction? Ever read any of Mary Renault's books? I'd definitely recommend the two Theseus books, 'The King must die' and 'The Bull from the Sea'.

[DavidM]

James McGee Hawkwood series . Bit like Sharpe only as a bow street runner

[Futtocks]

This is an excellent read, and just packed with anecdote and information.

[Yorkie44]

17 hours ago, Futtocks said:

Historical fiction? Ever read any of Mary Renault's books? I'd definitely recommend the two Theseus books, 'The King must die' and 'The Bull from the Sea'.

I've not no, not read much Greek / Roman stuff to be fair. Although I've just read Geraint Jones' debut novel Blood Forest (Based on Rome's ill-fated war against the Germanic tribes) which I enjoyed so I'll probably give it  a go.

11 hours ago, DavidM said:

James McGee Hawkwood series . Bit like Sharpe only as a bow street runner

Anything that is Sharpe / Hornblower esq. will definitely interest me, so I may give it a go. The early Police Force could be an entertaining setting.

[DavidM]

15 minutes ago, Yorkie44 said:

I've not no, not read much Greek / Roman stuff to be fair. Although I've just read Geraint Jones' debut novel Blood Forest (Based on Rome's ill-fated war against the Germanic tribes) which I enjoyed so I'll probably give it  a go.

 

Anything that is Sharpe / Hornblower esq. will definitely interest me, so I may give it a go. The early Police Force could be an entertaining setting.

 

Very good . First book RATCATCHER is the best in my opinion . Cheap now on Amazon , real swashbuckling mystery adventure in the midst of the Napoleonic wars

[Yorkie44]

David I'll have a look into it, my favourite Bernard Cornwell standalone book is Gallows Thief (fantastic book) which is set just after the Napoleonic Wars about a sort of Private Detective so much in the same vein. I'll probably jump on to them when I've finished Lancelot.