It's well written, but The Little Friend left me cold I have to say.
As for the others: you'll enjoy both so it doesn't really matter which one you start with.
Books The BOOK thread
- Thread starter Livvie
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As for the others: you'll enjoy both so it doesn't really matter which one you start with.
Thanks!
Has anyone read Karl Ove Knausgaard's autobiographies?
I've really started getting into Graham Greene more recently.
I read The Comedians which is a fine novel a while ago and today I finished Our Man in Havana which was also an exceptional read.
A very under-rated author. Really digs away at the soul of his characters.
I read The Comedians which is a fine novel a while ago and today I finished Our Man in Havana which was also an exceptional read.
A very under-rated author. Really digs away at the soul of his characters.
Greene's very good but very unfashionable these days. Brighton Rock is still brilliant (watch the 1947 movie not the recent one).
Does anyone have a recommendation for a relatively modern book on the Israel-Palestine conflict?
We did a couple of his books at school, which ruined him for me. He's a terrific writer, in an understated way.
It is rather understated. I just find his characters to be very human/flawed, which even for the best writers seems unachievable sometimes.
Why is he unfashionable, do you think? And I have to confess to having neglected Brighton Rock as of yet. It'll be read in good time.
Maybe Robert Fisk's The Great War for Civilisation? It examines the Middle East in general though, not just Israel & Palestine.
The Fateful Triangle is very good, but it was published in the early 80s. I think there was an update a few years' back but I don't know exactly how recent.
I'm a bit tired, so I can't think of any others off the top of my head. Twilight, maybe?
Cheers. Will give that a look.
Aye, had The Fateful Triangle recommended to me but I'm interested in a lot of the stuff that happened just after the turn of the century so I'll rule it out for the moment.
Read all the Twilight books already. Looking for something a bit lighter now.
Not quite as good as Simmons' The Terror but fascinating nonetheless (if, like me, you're interested in mountaineering, polar exploration etc etc). I once read a nonfiction book, in which the author hinted that men like the semi-fictional & real-life heroes of this novel have a death wish; at the time, I thought that was nonsense but, lately, I do wonder...the things they put themselves through, the things they attempt are so frightening and reckless it almost defies belief.
7/10
Not quite as good as Simmons' The Terror but fascinating nonetheless (if, like me, you're interested in mountaineering, polar exploration etc etc). I once read a nonfiction book, in which the author hinted that men like the semi-fictional & real-life heroes of this novel have a death wish; at the time, I thought that was nonsense but, lately, I do wonder...the things they put themselves through, the things they attempt are so frightening and reckless it almost defies belief.
7/10
SteveJ, have you ever read Samuel Hearne's book? Found it to be a great read, very interesting.
Ashamed to write that I had to look him up, mate. 
Only read about him, in passing, in Sarah Moss' Scott's Last Biscuit; an interesting but controversial book.
Only read about him, in passing, in Sarah Moss' Scott's Last Biscuit; an interesting but controversial book.
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That one does sound rather interesting indeed!Ashamed to write that I had to look him up, mate.
It's a really good overview of the history of polar exploration, and is one of very few books to give women who ventured to those regions their due.
She must have been one brave lady. Personally, a 3 night camp for the DofE in the Cairngorms in April is quite enough adventure for me!
Popped into the library last night, for some new reading material. Picked up a bit of an eclectic mix:- Russian history book, another about life between the wars in Britain, travel one about a childhood visiting Norway in the 70's, Kate Morton love/family saga and Ibrahimovic's book (don't really like him but has good reviews and won't be dull!). Started on Russia, liking so far- very well written and a fascinating subject. History section so impressive for a small library. Seen a collection of love letters from WW1, don't think that I could read that. As-well as being so very sad, it is quite intrusive.
Popped into the library last night, for some new reading material. Picked up a bit of an eclectic mix:- Russian history book, another about life between the wars in Britain, travel one about a childhood visiting Norway in the 70's, Kate Morton love/family saga and Ibrahimovic's book (don't really like him but has good reviews and won't be dull!). Started on Russia, liking so far- very well written and a fascinating subject. History section so impressive for a small library. Seen a collection of love letters from WW1, don't think that I could read that. As-well as being so very sad, it is quite intrusive.
Anyone know of any good Postmodern British authors?
I'm working my way through John Le Carre's works at the moment, currently on Smiley's People. Damn good stuff.
Have you read any Agatha Christie books? If so, how we they compare? I'm guessing Agatha's books are more simple as they are a lot shorter, but that's why I haven't brought any Le Carre books at the moment - still working my way up to longer books as I lose interest very easily.
I read And Then There Was One, quite a long time ago. Was good, but never felt compelled to return to any of her work. Le Carre's books are slow; if you want spy thrillers with action you'll be disappointed. If you can stick with them they're worth it.
If any of you have not read it, please read "The Lost Horizon" by James Hilton.
Not a big book, but one of the best. Of all the books I've read, it simply is the one I'm most fond of!
Not a big book, but one of the best. Of all the books I've read, it simply is the one I'm most fond of!
Looks like I may need to steer away then! Thanks for that!
Pretty sure Pillow face just reads the first and last chapters of books and forms an opinion. You get through far too many!
Currently enjoying The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith. Loved the first book and so far the sequel is quite good.
Reading the thirteenth tale, it felt like another book that lacks believability. Mostly because the main character that used to meet more books than characters but she makes lot of statements about other characters, more like she is a detective character (even if I was really puzzled by one of her statements), and also because another character is supposed to tell about her story but she begins it in a really romanced way with lot of parts she probably shouldn't have known.
Reading too Ancillary Justice because it seems like it was the 2013 SF book to read.
Reading too Ancillary Justice because it seems like it was the 2013 SF book to read.
I found the tv adaptation (linked below) of The Thirteenth Tale to be much better than the novel...which rather says it all.
Well the thirteenth tale wasn't that bad though it's hard to think people were out of character since most of them are either not really right in their heads or so young... Really melodrama and I am not sure I can accept this twin trauma and the weird way of the mother of the heroin to keep a secret.
I finished The turn of the screw. I didn't like it much because it's hard to have a long time the same emotion except confusion if I can accept many different theories at the same time. It become more like "what's the more likely theory ?", not oh "this is scary or strange".
I read too the short story of Harry Potter, the article of Rita Skeeter. I found it unsatisfying, probably because it was more a "what do they do now ?" (and part of it was already told before), not a story with any action.
I finished The turn of the screw. I didn't like it much because it's hard to have a long time the same emotion except confusion if I can accept many different theories at the same time. It become more like "what's the more likely theory ?", not oh "this is scary or strange".
I read too the short story of Harry Potter, the article of Rita Skeeter. I found it unsatisfying, probably because it was more a "what do they do now ?" (and part of it was already told before), not a story with any action.
Funnily enough, The Turn of the Screw is another book which I think works better as a film.
Thanks to H.P Lovecraft, I've been having some proper weird dreams recently.
The Outsider, The Colour Out Of Space, and The Call of Cthulhu in particularly have been great.
The Outsider, The Colour Out Of Space, and The Call of Cthulhu in particularly have been great.
Pray tell.
The one I had a few nights ago was strange. Went on a night out with friends and got spiked. The drug made me hallucinate quite badly and I couldn't leave the house. Eventually I started acting really weird and my family moved out, leaving me on my own, until a random group of squatters moved in and joined me. They seemed ok for a while but then the drug wore off and they were all terrifying freaks and then I woke up.
Currently reading - and nearly finished - News From Gardenia by Robert Llewellyn and have to say it's impressed me. Such a breath of fresh air to read a utopian rather than dysotopian novel.
Is this at all? I've heard some pretty mixed things, I'm interested to find out her ideas and see how she puts them into a story (even though after reading about them, they sound pretty stupid, but never-the-less). Apparently her writing style kinda sucks too. Was going to start with The Fountainhead (mainly because its 400 pages shorter, and i'd rather not read a 1000 page book i'm not enjoying).
Know of any interesting history books to read?
Just decided that I can't keep reading fiction and ignore non-fiction books.
Just decided that I can't keep reading fiction and ignore non-fiction books.
In Cold Blood is both fiction and history.
Otherwise Antony Beevor is a decent read, and Sebastien Junger. Hunter S Thompsons Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail and Hells Angels have their moments too, although they amble a bit.
Otherwise Antony Beevor is a decent read, and Sebastien Junger. Hunter S Thompsons Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail and Hells Angels have their moments too, although they amble a bit.
I have finished An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. What a painful book to read. Completely annoying main character. And really baffling plot. A gifted teenager try to find mathematic formula to describe how long a relationship lasts and how it ends while he spends time in a new place and meet other people. I don't know if it's a kind of "gifted" thing to obstinately try to deny what common sense is saying like life is unpredictable and you won't get a mathematical formula to tell you if a relationship will last or not. You may have a probability though.
Just started 'Hack Attack' By Nick Davies, a Guardian investigative journalist. All about the phone hacking scandal, really interesting read so far; and I'm not usually one for non-fiction
Finished The Road.. I didn't want to do anything else after finishing it, I just wanted to lie there for hours.
It was brilliant. A little repetitive here and there but for the most part, incredibly gripping.
Cheers for the recommendation @Rooney in Dublin and @Cina .
Checked his other work and have decided to read No Country for Old Men or Blood Meridian next, any recommendations as to which? I love the No Country for Old Men film but know nothing about Blood Meridian.
It was brilliant. A little repetitive here and there but for the most part, incredibly gripping.
Cheers for the recommendation @Rooney in Dublin and @Cina .
Checked his other work and have decided to read No Country for Old Men or Blood Meridian next, any recommendations as to which? I love the No Country for Old Men film but know nothing about Blood Meridian.
Blood Meridian's genius.
Nice try. Clearly real life.The one I had a few nights ago was strange. Went on a night out with friends and got spiked. The drug made me hallucinate quite badly and I couldn't leave the house. Eventually I started acting really weird and my family moved out, leaving me on my own, until a random group of squatters moved in and joined me. They seemed ok for a while but then the drug wore off and they were all terrifying freaks and then I woke up.
Blood Meridian is relentlessly brutal. But it's probably my favourite book, I absolutely loved it. Judge Holden is a fantastic character.