Book thread: what are you reading?

[Robin Evans]

I had a shifty through "when push comes to shove" again today.

It's like looking back at ancient history now. I was in my early 30's when I bought that

[The Hallucinating Goose]

3 hours ago, marklaspalmas said:

Nice one.

Just wrapping up the Ionian Mission. 8 down, 12 to go. It's absolutely belting stuff.

I bought this too:

 

Great to hear, keep it up mate! I'll have finished The Reverse of the Medal in the next couple of days. 

I've seen about the unfinished one but I'm not gonna read it myself. I want to finish the series with some sort of conclusion, at least as much of a conclusion as you get from these considering they literally follow on from one another. If I read just half of one I'll be tearing my hair out for the rest of my life needing to know what was gonna happen!

Was in a local charity shop yesterday and saw a book called something like 'The Seafaring Lexicon of Patrick O'Brian' which is basically a 400 page reference book/dictionary that explains all the nautical phrases and terminology throughout the series. I didn't get it, not understanding the odd term here and there really hasn't bothered me at all. 

Edited January 22, 2022 by The Hallucinating Goose

[marklaspalmas]

47 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

Great to hear, keep it up mate! I'll have finished The Reverse of the Medal in the next couple of days. 

I've seen about the unfinished one but I'm not gonna read it myself. I want to finish the series with some sort of conclusion, at least as much of a conclusion as you get from these considering they literally follow on from one another. If I read just half of one I'll be tearing my hair out for the rest of my life needing to know what was gonna happen!

Was in a local charity shop yesterday and saw a book called something like 'The Seafaring Lexicon of Patrick O'Brian' which is basically a 400 page reference book/dictionary that explains all the nautical phrases and terminology throughout the series. I didn't get it, not understanding the odd term here and there really hasn't bothered me at all. 

This one? I'd thought about this too, but as you say, it's hardly the point of the books to understand all the technical terms. In some ways, it's better for the reader to be like Maturin: involved, but allowing the jargon to wash over him without fully understanding.

The unfinished voyage includes some text and loads of photocopied pages of O'Brian's hand-written notes. Odd little thing it is.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

3 hours ago, marklaspalmas said:

This one? I'd thought about this too, but as you say, it's hardly the point of the books to understand all the technical terms. In some ways, it's better for the reader to be like Maturin: involved, but allowing the jargon to wash over him without fully understanding.

The unfinished voyage includes some text and loads of photocopied pages of O'Brian's hand-written notes. Odd little thing it is.

Yeah that looks like the one. Your Maturin analogy is a good one cos I suppose as the reader you're like Maturin, an outsider looking into this world and you're not gonna understand it all, you just really enjoy being taken along for the ride.

For example when it says a certain sail is being hoisted or a certain rank of sailer is doing something to another piece of the ship I don't feel the need to know exactly what each thing means, I just imagine a sail going up on one of the masts and a sailer hauling on a rope or something and that's satisfies my imagination. 

I saw another comparison which I liked where someone said think of it as if you're watching Star Trek or one of those shows. There is loads of random terms and phrases used by the crews of spaceships in those things which you obviously aren't going to understand because it's made up sci-fi jargon but it doesn't detract from your viewing experience just like not knowing exactly which sail the mizzen or studding is doesn't detract from my fantastic reading experience. 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

On 22/01/2022 at 15:20, marklaspalmas said:

Nice one.

Just wrapping up the Ionian Mission. 8 down, 12 to go. It's absolutely belting stuff.

Right so finished The Reverse of the Medal, ended on a right cliffhanger but luckily I'll be straight on with The Letter of Marque tomorrow. 

As I was digging the latter out of the pile I noticed I actually have two copies of The Thirteen Gun Salute, one from about 25 years ago and a newer edition, both very good condition and unread. Can't for the life of me think how ive ended up with two copies.

All I can think is when I bought a job lot of about a dozen I found in Oxfam Books in York they were all older editions and it must have been in with them and somehow I must have not ticked it off my list when I was searching for the rest. Either that or I saw a newer edition later on and decided I wanted that version but I can't think I would have done that when I'd bought a really good condition one already. Very curious.

[marklaspalmas]

11 hours ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

Right so finished The Reverse of the Medal, ended on a right cliffhanger but luckily I'll be straight on with The Letter of Marque tomorrow. 

As I was digging the latter out of the pile I noticed I actually have two copies of The Thirteen Gun Salute, one from about 25 years ago and a newer edition, both very good condition and unread. Can't for the life of me think how ive ended up with two copies.

All I can think is when I bought a job lot of about a dozen I found in Oxfam Books in York they were all older editions and it must have been in with them and somehow I must have not ticked it off my list when I was searching for the rest. Either that or I saw a newer edition later on and decided I wanted that version but I can't think I would have done that when I'd bought a really good condition one already. Very curious.

My collection started very piecemeal too. I got six of the first nine books, including the first four. I had to stop reading (about five years ago) because I didn't have book 5. I know I could have just gone on Amazon no problem but I left it. Last year I got the opportunity to buy a full set of 20 for 45 quid. This got me back into reading them again from the start. So I have spare copies of six volumes kicking around. 

I'm alternating o'Brien with other books, so after the Ionian Mission I've got The Uses of Literacy, which may be a little ambitious for me. 

[Moose]

3 hours ago, marklaspalmas said:

My collection started very piecemeal too. I got six of the first nine books, including the first four. I had to stop reading (about five years ago) because I didn't have book 5. I know I could have just gone on Amazon no problem but I left it. Last year I got the opportunity to buy a full set of 20 for 45 quid. This got me back into reading them again from the start. So I have spare copies of six volumes kicking around. 

I'm alternating o'Brien with other books, so after the Ionian Mission I've got The Uses of Literacy, which may be a little ambitious for me. 

I was in the same situation. I’d read the first twelve but for a long time couldn’t find the thirteenth in the series ( fittingly titled The Thirteen Gun Salute).

If only the goose had started collecting and reading them earlier I could have blagged his spare copy.

I’m now on my second read of the series but only into book two, like yourself I alternate other books, at the moment it’s a repeat reading of Ian Rankin’s Rebus series.

One good thing about getting older is the ability to reread a book without remembering how it ends.

[Guest]

The Rob Burrow book 'Too Many Reasons to Live' Obviously it's a sad affair but there is a lot of humour in there. More than I would get from such a situation anyway . 

[Moose]

8 minutes ago, Johnoco said:

The Rob Burrow book 'Too Many Reasons to Live' Obviously it's a sad affair but there is a lot of humour in there. More than I would get from such a situation anyway . 

I was bought this at Christmas.

I’ve been unwilling to even open it. His disease and it’s inevitable conclusion makes it, for me, unreadable at this time.

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, Moose said:

I was bought this at Christmas.

I’ve been unwilling to even open it. His disease and it’s inevitable conclusion makes it, for me, unreadable at this time.

Fair enough. But when you do, it's a great read. And I aren't just saying that, it really is. I think he would want you to read it actually. 

[Moose]

It’s not a criticism of yourself nor of the publication of the book itself. Having recently lost a very good friend, not much older than Rob to this terrible disease it’s just not for me at this time.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

2 hours ago, Moose said:

I was in the same situation. I’d read the first twelve but for a long time couldn’t find the thirteenth in the series ( fittingly titled The Thirteen Gun Salute).

If only the goose had started collecting and reading them earlier I could have blagged his spare copy.

I’m now on my second read of the series but only into book two, like yourself I alternate other books, at the moment it’s a repeat reading of Ian Rankin’s Rebus series.

One good thing about getting older is the ability to reread a book without remembering how it ends.

Well the spare copy of number 13 has gone to the charity shop now, I had a couple of bags of books to go anyway so just chucked it in this morning.

Had a look through town this afternoon and found myself 4 of the Sharpe novels in a charity shop so I've got 6 of those now, hoping to have them all by the time I've finished Aubrey-Maturin so I can get straight on with them. 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

43 minutes ago, Johnoco said:

Fair enough. But when you do, it's a great read. And I aren't just saying that, it really is. I think he would want you to read it actually. 

I read it in one sitting, just couldn't put it down. Absolutely brilliant book. 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

On 24/01/2022 at 15:50, The Hallucinating Goose said:

Had a look through town this afternoon and found myself 4 of the Sharpe novels in a charity shop so I've got 6 of those now, hoping to have them all by the time I've finished Aubrey-Maturin so I can get straight on with them. 

Making good progress with collecting the Sharpes. I've now got 16 out of 22 of them and 11 of the first 12 so I won't have a problem getting straight into these after my current reads. Even if the first one is a hardback, the only hardback out of all of them, and another is absolutely wrecked. I'll just buy better copies if I see them but they'll do for now.

I'm a few chapters into Aubrey number 13, The Thirteen Gun Salute. I'm gonna be sad when they're finished. I can categorically say they are my favourite series of novels ever.

[Cw25]

A Leeds Rhinos best players book that I have borrowed from the Library.

[Futtocks]

On 01/01/2022 at 18:05, Futtocks said:

Susanna Clarke - Piranesi. A strange fantasy, set in an other-worldly, Borges-influenced labyrinth.

This currently being serialised, in abridged form, on Radio 4.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

The Nutmeg of Consellation finished, on with Clarissa Oakes. Just 6 to go, I'm starting to feel like I'm on the last leg now, might still be a good few left but they're all pretty short so shouldn't take too long to get through them. Starting to feel sad that these books will be finished soon. 

[Mumby Magic]

Rob Burrow's book. 

Got some good ones lined up eventually

Dave Grohl 

Paul McCartney

James Patterson Kennedy Curse and John Lennon Last Days.

Amongst others. 

 

 

[Futtocks]

Trying to get my head around Dichronauts by Greg Egan.

Set in a universe where light (and the novel's characters) can only move in two dimensions, it... oh, here's a better explanation: https://www.gregegan.net/DICHRONAUTS/DICHRONAUTS.html 

Edited March 6, 2022 by Futtocks

[Charlie RL]

The Ascent of Rum Doodle. 

This book made be laugh aloud.  Short. A bit dated.  Runs out of steam a little but really glad I read it.  The author seems interesting for his apparent ordinariness (an accountant at Kendal Urban Council or similar).  Apparently a cult following sufficient for Rum Doodle to be named as a part of Antarctica!

[Charlie RL]

On 23/01/2014 at 14:06, Futtocks said:

Having lost or damaged various of the volumes over the years, I bought the complete set of 'Flashman' books on Kindle*.

First up, 'Flashman and the Mountain of Light', which concerns the first Anglo-Sikh war (1845-6).
 

I've read them all about 4 times in my 50 years.  I still have about half the set.  Maybe i'll give them another go soon.  Royal Flash, Charge and Great Game were favourites.  I am a little biased as home was once Ashby de la Zouch where it all began.   

[Futtocks]

54 minutes ago, Charlie RL said:

I've read them all about 4 times in my 50 years.  I still have about half the set.  Maybe i'll give them another go soon.  Royal Flash, Charge and Great Game were favourites.  I am a little biased as home was once Ashby de la Zouch where it all began.   

The Kindle package of all the volumes is good, because (as well as the job-lot price) you can use the links to jump from text to appendix/footnote and back again easily.

Edited March 23, 2022 by Futtocks

[Adelaide Tiger]

Currently half way through Kolyma Tales by Varlam Shalamov that are a collection of short stories about life in the Russian Gulags.

On the bookshelf is Rob Burrows book but I still haven’t got the guts to read it so next it will be All The President’s Men.

[Route66]

Just back from a weeks holiday in the sun and managed to polish off Robert Harris' V2 and Erebus by Michael Palin ,both worth a read. Word of warning for book reading travellers,Newcastle airport WH Smith has a terrible book department and post covid there is very few novels lying around in the hotel lobby 

[Route66]

Mayflies by Andrew O'hagan, best book I've read for ages ,nostalgic and thought provoking, would recommend to anyone