Book thread: what are you reading?

[Futtocks]

Harpo Marx - Harpo speaks!

An autobiography that's already luridly colourful, and I haven't even got as far as the showbiz part yet. Highly recommended. I've just fiished the bit where he's playing the only two piano pieces he knows in a whorehouse run by what sounds like a female Jason Taumalolo with a vicious gin habit, when he gets measles, collapses after an attempted murder and is bought his train ticket home by the <ahem> ladies of the establishment.

[dribbles]

3rd Book in Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight archive series, Oathbringer.

and godamn

[Futtocks]

On 05/02/2020 at 22:57, Futtocks said:

Harpo Marx - Harpo speaks!

An autobiography that's already luridly colourful, and I haven't even got as far as the showbiz part yet. Highly recommended. I've just fiished the bit where he's playing the only two piano pieces he knows in a whorehouse run by what sounds like a female Jason Taumalolo with a vicious gin habit, when he gets measles, collapses after an attempted murder and is bought his train ticket home by the <ahem> ladies of the establishment.

This book just gets more bizarre and entertaining. He unwillingly joins the rest of the brothers as they (accidentally) switch from music to comedy, four of them get their now-famous stage names in a card game, he discovers the harp, the Brothers lose almost everything in the Wall Street Crash, he tours Russia and gets one of his own slapstick gags played on him, on stage, by Stalin's right hand man. Then he gets in with the Algonquin crowd, meets the likes of Somerset Maugham, Sergei Prokofiev, George Bernard Shaw and many other luminaries. Then the future king of England plays one of his own gags on him too.

And that's just scratching the surface. What a book!

[aj1908]

[aj1908]

11 hours ago, dribbles said:

3rd Book in Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight archive series, Oathbringer.

and godamn

Thank you I'm going to.get those 

[Oxford]

     Absolutely fascinating two labels in the first chapter and them ascribing characteristics of the label

"A Nowhere, who might also be described as a Hilary voter or a Remain voter, largely does not share that sense of specialness of a place as something to be cherished and protected, Nowheres do not have these feelings and do not understand them in others."

So if you're a Nowhere I hope you're making all your nowhere plans for nobody! Can't wait for the rest of the book.

 

Edited February 19, 2020 by Oxford

[Trojan]

Things Can Only Get Worse - John O'Farrell

Whatever your politics, worth a read. 

HIs description of Theresa May as "someone who rose without trace" is not only funny, but exactly the nail on the head.

His description of his adventures when standing for Labour at Maidenhead in the 2001 General Election is really funny.  Driving along the main street of Maidenhead in a rusty old Sierra with a tannoy on the roof with his parents. His father put the microphone to his ear and said "hello" his mother then said "no darling it's not a telephone, you speak into it - tell them to vote for John"  which provoked "Don't fooking tell me what to do!"

As he sardonically says, it's hard to see why he lost.

[BJW]

'An utterly impartial history of Britain' is also a good read

[Futtocks]

My Lunches with Orson, by Henry Jaglom. Some tremendously ripe and opinionated chat about many legends of the silver screen. Here's a review that gives you a taste: https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/king-orson 

As far as settling scores goes, it makes Mark E.Smith's autobiography look like the work of a beginner.

[Oxford]

There are some books that I tend to read over a long time. it's sort of like books you dib in and out of but fortunately I can remember where I'm up to even after quite a long time. 

          

 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

3 hours ago, Oxford said:

         

 

I've been looking to get a book on the history of the Arabic world, I'd be interested to know what this is like.

Also, how much is there about the Moors in it? I presume quite a bit, that is the society I'm most intrigued to read about. 

Edited March 15, 2020 by The Hallucinating Goose

[Futtocks]

4 hours ago, Oxford said:

There are some books that I tend to read over a long time. it's sort of like books you dib in and out of but fortunately I can remember where I'm up to even after quite a long time. 

           

I preferred Pete Wylie's version...

[Oxford]

2 hours ago, Futtocks said:

I preferred Pete Wylie's version...

Then I'll try that next.

 

3 hours ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

I've been looking to get a book on the history of the Arabic world, I'd be interested to know what this is like.

One of the reasons I'm taking so long with both these is I find them both a bit turgid as writers and based on that I wouldn't say yeah get this one.

The Moors and Spain is a fascinating subject and I've read some decent books on this but can I recall the titles or authors since downsizing .... ? Good job I've never gone in for Mastermind! I don't think they'd accept "You know the one with that man who also had a television programme and wrote in the Guardian." as answers.

[The Future is League]

I have just finished reading The Camel Club by David Baldacci, which is the first book in the Camel club series, which is rather odd on my part as i have read all the Camel club books.

Anyway like all the Camel club books this was a excellent read and David Baldacci in my opinion is a fantastic author.

[Oxford]

A friend of mine long gone now was always Don Camillo to My Pepone. He was French and from a protestant bachground. This did seem odd to me and I thought how amazing to think of Italian writer connecting two such different cultural product as me and him.

Then I saw this on french TV and realised we were linked but more by Fernandel than Guareschi

 

[Bleep1673]

100 years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez seems appropriate. 

[Futtocks]

8 minutes ago, Bleep1673 said:

100 years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez seems appropriate. 

What about one of his other books, Love in the Time of Corona (sic)?

[Bleep1673]

1 hour ago, Bleep1673 said:

100 years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez seems appropriate. 

Everybody criticised me for having a kindle, now during isolation I can download loads to read.

[Spike]

Bowl, sleep, repeat. Jimmy Anderson England cricket players autobiography great insight into pro sportsman life

[Oxford]

                                  

 

I know reading more than one is strange but I find with almost any book I need a rest from it, a bit like people's conversation at a party, (remember them?) going for a drink or food gives you a breather before round two.

[Bleep1673]

Jean de Florette by Marcel Pagnol

[The Future is League]

Just finished reading " The catcher in the rye" for the 2nd time.

I first read it many many years ago and for me it's terrific read

[Futtocks]

5 hours ago, The Future is League said:

Just finished reading " The catcher in the rye" for the 2nd time.

I first read it many many years ago and for me it's terrific read

I read it for the very first time a couple of months ago. One of those books I'd always meant to get round to reading.

Worth waiting for. 

[Mumby Magic]

Zlatan's autobiography. Worth a read.

[Futtocks]

On 04/04/2020 at 15:34, Mumby Magic said:

Zlatan's autobiography. Worth a read.

Is it as deranged and narcissistic as I'd dearly love it to be?