Book thread: what are you reading?

[The Future is League]

I have just finished reading  the George Orwell  book, Homage to Catalonia. 

Another great book by him, but i think they all are of the one's i have read.

[Bleep1673]

On 05/12/2020 at 15:47, Futtocks said:

What's the author's name?

Gideon Defoe

[The Future is League]

2 hours ago, Saint 1 said:

His less popular stuff is all brilliant. Down and Out in Paris and London, and Keep the Aspidistra Flying are both well worth a read if you haven't already! 

I have certainly read Down and out in Paris and London, but not Keep the aspidistra flying. Now you have recommended it i will keep a watch out for it. and hopefully get it soon

[Clogiron]

Currently reading: Rugby League Grounds Gone But Not Forgotten by Henry Skrzypecki, it's a fascinating book, one of the best RL books I have read. If you are a long standing RL geek who has a interest in the grounds you may have visited over the years it's the ultimate read full of details about those grounds that have gone and those that survive in some shape or form still.

Any collection of RL books would be incomplete without this excellent book.

[doc]

Sea of Rust by C.Robert Cargill.

Post extinction robots. Actually made me worry about the future...

[CanaBull]

They Call Me George by Cecil Foster.

https://www.cbc.ca/books/they-call-me-george-1.5014735

A side of the history of Canada not often taught.  Interesting with its ties to the mother country and what shaped what people who ran things thought Canada should be.

[MattSantos]

My reading habits have massively changed since the arrival of the big lad, I just cant be bothered with anything remotely intelligent.

I'm on my last Gray Man book at the minute. Its been a fun ride.

[Route66]

Just about to start Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart 

[Futtocks]

Ryszard Kapuscinski - Nobody leaves. Better known for his wonderful travel writing, this is about the opposite, about life in Soviet Poland. The link takes you to a review.

[Maximus Decimus]

On 07/12/2020 at 15:40, Saint 1 said:

His less popular stuff is all brilliant. Down and Out in Paris and London, and Keep the Aspidistra Flying are both well worth a read if you haven't already! 

Burmese Days is probably my favourite. Really highlights the absurdity of colonialism from someone who witnessed it. 

[The Future is League]

I have just finished reading  "End Game" by David Baldacci another excellent book by him

I bought 3 books 6 days ago and i think I'm going to have plenty of time to read them now and all by modern British authors just to give me a change in my reading habits

[Jeff Stein]

In recent years I have not read a lot of non-fiction but I have just completed Simon Winder's trilogy "Germania", "Danubia" and "Lotharingia". They are idiosyncratic histories of the Holy Roman Empire and Germany, Hapsburg lands and the Austro-Hungarian Empire and finally a buffer state between France and the Holy Roman Empire covering Burgundy, Flanders and Southern Netherlands, the Rhineland and north west Switzerland. However, some book shops place the books in the travel section as regularly the author describes wandering round a town, building or museum relevant to the history. While all the books strictly follow their own chronologies, the author regularly wanders off into discussing art, music, architecture and scientific changes. 

The author is a not a professional historian, but rather works in publishing. As such his histories can be idiosyncratic. Germania is probably the most accessible geographically. I found trying to work out which areas were being discussed at times difficult in the second and third books. For instance it took me quite a while to work out the Ruthenes came from what is now western Ukraine. Strangely Bismark is only mentioned once in Germania and Mozart not at all in Danubia and the author is not unafraid of giving his personal opinion on individuals. Germania ends in 1933 as he writes that he does not want to waste time on the nazis. Personally I don't mind that as any bookshop is full of tomes on the racist psychopath and there really is nothing to add to the topic. Germany has a much more interesting history than that 12 year period which is regularly overlooked and is the birthplace of a vibrant and important culture.  Danubia unsurprisingly ends in 1918 but Lotharingia goes up to the modern day. The author's distaste of nationalists is found throughout the books and the pointed comments that the EU has seen the first lengthy period since the Roman Empire without war or preparations for the next war for Flanders and the border between France and Germany are pointed given it was written during the Brexit period.

It should be said that the style of writing is very self-deprecating, which might get wearing. Personally I found the books to be very entertaining and laugh out loud funny in places. A dictionary is occasionally helpful, however, as he does like the odd obscure word. In all they are highly recommended if you want to reawaken knowledge of areas which is now often overlooked through the carnage of the last century.

[MattSantos]

On 21/12/2020 at 05:51, The Future is League said:

I have just finished reading  "End Game" by David Baldacci another excellent book by him

I bought 3 books 6 days ago and i think I'm going to have plenty of time to read them now and all by modern British authors just to give me a change in my reading habits

Will Robie Forever

[Bleep1673]

On 10/12/2020 at 00:55, CanaBull said:

They Call Me George by Cecil Foster.

https://www.cbc.ca/books/they-call-me-george-1.5014735

A side of the history of Canada not often taught.  Interesting with its ties to the mother country and what shaped what people who ran things thought Canada should be.

A big wide open space full of Bears & Moose, & Ice Hockey Champions, without Americans & French. Seems the right idea.

[Bleep1673]

OOPS! Next ban coming up. 

[Futtocks]

A couple of Edward Gorey anthologies. Here's a taste of his macabre sense of humour: https://www.brainpickings.org/2011/01/19/edward-gorey-the-gashlycrumb-tinies/ 

[Bleep1673]

I am writing two stories, but I have seemed to have stalled, I haven't written a word on either of them for 2 years. I let my daughter read the Sword and fantasy one, she has passed it on to her friend at school, what I didn't know is HER Mum is a literary agent, she likes it, so far.

[corvusxiii]

Just finished Underdogs by Tony Hannan and it's by far my favourite rugby book though Sean Long's effort was a hoot. Any recommendations for similar subject matter? Either 1895 and all that or  ex Pistol Steve Jones biography next. The Kindle has really opened things up for me.

[Jeff Stein]

Mongkut Station by Jake Needham. I am a big fan of this thriller writer and have read all of his books, this being the latest. All of his books are set in south east Asia, this one being in Hong Kong and featuring his two main characters Inspector Samuel Tay of Singapore CID and Jack Shepherd, an American lawyer. There are the usual hallmarks of his books: snappy dialogue, real life settings (in this case the pro-democracy demonstrations) and atmospheric and accurate locations. You feel like you are in Hong Kong. The one failing I have found in some of his previous books has been a rushed ending, but this one was satisfying and felt right.

[DavidM]

Just started The Time Traveller’s Guide to Regency Britain , the latest in Ian Mortimer’s series . Theyre all great reads if you’re a fellow history nut

[The Hallucinating Goose]

50 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Just started The Time Traveller’s Guide to Regency Britain , the latest in Ian Mortimer’s series . Theyre all great reads if you’re a fellow history nut

I've only read the Medieval one, I am planning on reading the rest, totally agree the one I read was fantastic, very interesting!

It's nice to read a history book that, at least for the most part, focuses on ordinary people and everyday life. Too many history books, and documentaries, focus on royalty, governments and the elite of a certain time period despite the ordinary people being those that drove any particular period.

At the start of the first lockdown I bought all the BBC living history documentaries on DVD. I've always liked those precisely for the reason that they are about everyday life. 

[corvusxiii]

16 hours ago, Saint 1 said:

1895 and All That is a great read, as is Rugby League - A People's History (the former is better IMO).

The Forbidden Game is brilliant. The two Wayne Bennett books are really good, John Kear's book was decent enough. Malcolm Alker's was worth a read (easy read and equal measures funny and shocking). Matty John's book was also a fun, light-hearted read. 

Excellent. Thought Forbidden Game was worthy if a little heavy. Would like to reread it but loaned it out and that was that. I've plenty to go at anyway. Plumped for Steve Jones in the end. Hell Fire! Don't know we're born....! Just need to note your recommendations, I'll have forgot them by tomorrow! 

[Oxford]

[Futtocks]

City by Clifford Simak, which may well have been recommended on this thread. It was on one forum I belong to, anyway.

Whoever it was, thanks!

[The Hallucinating Goose]

2 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

City by Clifford Simak, which may well have been recommended on this thread. It was on one forum I belong to, anyway.

Whoever it was, thanks!

Thanks for the thanks!