|
|
Post by The Doctor on Dec 2, 2007 22:08:51 GMT
Currently got three on the go. Two-thirds through Making Money by Terry Pratchett I have on loan. Like his books since Going Postal, it lacks that certain something, probably because the main issue being written about (banking) has been parodied heavily over the years. However, I don't think Pratchett could write a bad book if he tried, so never less than readable though I'm glad I did not pay money for it.
About a third of the way into an obscure Doctor Who novel, Christmas on a Rational Planet, picked up off ebay as I'm a big fan of the writer Lawrence Miles. It's obviously a first novel, but with interesting ideas as to the state of America in 1799 and I'm intrigued where it's going.
Lastly for now, I'm looking at The Handbook of Person-Centred Psychotherapy and Counselling by various folk. This was a tome I grabbed from the library purely for some essay work, but found unexpectedly interesting. It's something to dip in and out of, and I doubt I'll read the whole thing before it goes back to the library but there's some interesting stuff in there.
-Ralph
|
|
panderson
Protoform
Kiss Me? Hardly!!!
Posts: 548
|
Post by panderson on Dec 3, 2007 12:49:08 GMT
most of my stuff is on audio due to eye issues so sorry if a bit behind on some books
Just finished Making Money and echoe the sentiments here. Plus feel that some of the charatcers are becoming carbon copied. Mostly this is the De Worde character from the Truth and Lipwig here. Not identical, but many simlar character traits and motivations. Moreover, similar rough sketches around their love interests, though Lipwigs is more S&M than de Word's stern
Pratchett has a good hand on writing strong, well rounded women in general that is refreshing to see in a male writer - Susan is a great example
Now on Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison - prefer the Anita Blake series but cannot seem to get these on Audio so have to take ages squinting over hardcopies
Musing whther to look at scary eyed hypnotherpist book on Confidence soon - has a disc with it so meh
Also have complete Dune waiting in wings for xmas - joy
|
|
|
|
Post by legios on Dec 3, 2007 21:16:01 GMT
Currently reading "Pushing Ice" by Alistair Reynolds. A superb example of the Big Dumb Object genre (for those who don't know, BDO's are things like Niven's Ringworld, Clarke's Monolith and Rama and the like). Nice plausible near future setting with fairly credible technology and a cracking premise. One of Saturns moons turns out to be something other than what we thought - when it ups and decides to leave the solar system, dumping its icy crust behind it. The boom focuses on the crew of a comet-mining ship who are the only people close enough to catch up to the only non-human artefact ever seen by humans before it heads of in the direction of Spica. Cracking stuff so far.
I have recently been reading "Cold Service", one of Robert B Parker's novels about his gumshoe character, Spencer. Not perhaps one of his stronger books - has a premise slightly different from the norm and I don't think it played to the strengths of most of his characters. On the plus side it had perhaps the strongest use of Hawk, one of the supporting cast, for several books. So swings and roundabouts really.
And, to really mix things up I have been reading a book called "A mercenary's tale" - pretty much what is says on the tin, a memoir by a British mercenary who fought in the civil war in Surinam. Quite mind-boggling stuff, and would be an eye-opener for anyone who thought that the average mercenary was a)well-paid, b)someone who spent most of their time shooting guns at folk or c) particularly competent at their trade. (Suffice it to say that the keystone cops quality of the mercenaries that Mark Thatcher got himself involved with a few years back would appear to be par for the course in that line of work).
Karl
|
|
|
|
Post by gloriana on Dec 9, 2007 18:46:00 GMT
Currently rererererereading Gloriana (coz I love it). I generally read detective fiction and usually make it some historical genre. I have a love of Lindsey Davies and Stephen Saylor, although I've dabbled in a lot of stuff of that ilk. I'm nowhere near as prolific a reader as I was before I took up teaching. Truly that profession saps the life out of you.
|
|
|
|
Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Dec 9, 2007 19:05:06 GMT
Hmmm, must remember to check this part of the forum from time to time, given that it's not just about comics.
Just finished a "Legends of the Grail" compilation, containing various medieval versions of the Grail legend (Joseph of Arimathea, Perceval, Parlesvaus, Parzival and Galahad).
Currently re-reading Don Quixote (a different translation from the one I read previously), and for the first time Mark Twain's Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.
Next on the waiting list are an introduction to the Welsh language, two collections of Raymond Chandler short stories, and three volumes of Tolstoy stories.
So as to make a bit more of my 100th post, I'm also going to broaden this thread's scope and post my top 10 books of all time, and invite others to do the same.
Top 10 books of all time, in alphabetical order by author:
- The Arabian Nights (aka Arabian Nights' Entertainments) (either the Sir Richard Burton or the Antoine Galland version)
- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking Glass (Lewis Carroll)
- Don Quixote (Miguel de Cervantes)
- Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Short Stories (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
- The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
- Winnie-the-Pooh (AA Milne)
- The House at Pooh Corner (AA Milne)
- Gulliver's Travels (Jonathan Swift)
- The Lord of the Rings (JRR Tolkien)
- War and Peace (Leo Tolstoy)
(My rule for this list is that I own each as a single volume. I have the two Lewis Carroll stories in a single book, likewise Sherlock Holmes and LotR, but the Milne are two separate books on my bookshelf.)
Martin
|
|
|
|
Post by gloriana on Dec 9, 2007 19:14:01 GMT
In no particular order whatsoever
- The Name of the Rose (Umberto Eco)
- Les Liaisons Dangereuse (de Laclos)
- Gloriana (Michael Moorcock)
- The Persian Boy (Mary Renault)
- As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning / A Rose for Winter (Laurie Lee)
- The Time Traveller's Wife (forget the author, had me weeping)
- The Art of Cooking (something like that) (Joscelyn Dimbleby)
- Greek Myths 1 (Robert Graves)
- The Mists of Avalon (Marian Zimmer Bradley).
All of the above I have read until the books shredded in my hands. I'm hoping St. Nick will bring me a new copy of The Name of the Rose as I really want to read it again and it's fallen apart.
Rowan
|
|
|
|
Post by Bogatan on Dec 9, 2007 20:37:06 GMT
A top 10 will take some thinking about.
As for what I'm reading now. I have a couple on the go. I've rereading (and in some cases reading for the first time) the whole discworld series in order. Right now I'm just finishing up Reaper Man and have to go back and complete Eric.
I also just read Northern Lights before watching the movie. First time for 3 years or so. Still good.
At work I'm listening to lots of audio books as they help me work. Gone through Harry Potter for the second or third time this year. Stephen Fry is a god. He would have made a fantastic Dumbledore in the movies. Order of the Phoenix is much better when performed than read. Also listened to some BBC version of some of the Narnia books to help me understand my work a bit more. Didn't help, but they were quite good. As we're in to December I'll be digging out A Christmas Carol performed by Patrick Stewart Its essentially his one man show with a few extra effects that weren't in the version I saw. It is brilliant.
Andy
|
|
|
|
Post by Andy Turnbull on Dec 10, 2007 12:49:22 GMT
I couldn't give you a top ten but the books I've reread the most over the years are:
Hawkmoon by Michael Moorcock, Lord of the Rings, The Prince by Macchiavelli, Interesting Times by Terry Pratchett and Alien Bodies by Lawrence Miles.
Andy
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Feb 9, 2008 22:22:22 GMT
Looking for some light reading, I picked up the Joe Haldeman Peace and ar Omnibus for some light relief as I felt the only prose I had ben reading of late was course related. About a 100 pages into The Forever War and it's stonking stuff so far. -Ralph |
|
|
|
Post by legios on Feb 9, 2008 23:36:42 GMT
Looking for some light reading, I picked up the Joe Haldeman Peace and ar Omnibus for some light relief as I felt the only prose I had ben reading of late was course related. About a 100 pages into The Forever War and it's stonking stuff so far. -Ralph "Forever War" is absolutely superb. Very much carries the hallmarks of Haldeman's military service - one of the creme de la creme of military SF by my lights. "Forever Peace" I have yet to read. Keep meaning to but haven't had the chance. Must get myself a copy at some point. Karl |
|
|
|
Post by Mark_Stevenson on Feb 10, 2008 18:10:54 GMT
I am currently reading "What is the What" by Dave Eggers. It's a slightly fictionalised (in that it's told in the first person) biography of one of the so-called 'Lost Boys' of the Sudanese civil war. It's brilliant. But it's by Dave Eggers, so that's a given, really...
Mx
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Feb 11, 2008 10:11:42 GMT
Looking for some light reading, I picked up the Joe Haldeman Peace and ar Omnibus for some light relief as I felt the only prose I had ben reading of late was course related. About a 100 pages into The Forever War and it's stonking stuff so far. -Ralph "Forever War" is absolutely superb. Very much carries the hallmarks of Haldeman's military service - one of the creme de la creme of military SF by my lights. "Forever Peace" I have yet to read. Keep meaning to but haven't had the chance. Must get myself a copy at some point. Karl Currently half-way through Forever Free and finding it much more absorbing than The Forever War. More low-key but with better characterisation. -Ralph |
|
|
|
Post by legios on Feb 11, 2008 12:57:54 GMT
Currently half-way through Forever Free and finding it much more absorbing than The Forever War. More low-key but with better characterisation. -Ralph "Forever Free" is interesting, but I will refrain from commenting further until you' finished it. I'm currently working through a lot of Alistair Reynolds stuff - just finished "Revelation Space" and am reading "Diamond Dogs and Turqouise Days". Interesting setting, combined themes of extended lifespans and transhumanism gone somewhat... awry makes for interesting reading. Karl |
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Feb 12, 2008 9:36:19 GMT
Finished 'Forever Free' last night. Pretty good. Clever ending.
-Ralph
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2008 20:21:06 GMT
A few years ago I picked up four Readers Digest Condensed Books from, er, Readers Digest. Some of the stories in them were actually quite good and I look forward to reading them again some time in the future. Some of the ones I enjoyed were:
The Sands of Sakkara by Glenn Meade - a story mainly set during World War 2 where three friends - one British bloke, one German bloke and a girl find themselves fighting on opposite sides when war breaks out. The twist at the end will surprise you.
The Bombmaker by Stephen Leather - an Irish modern-day story about a female ex-bombmaker who is held captive by some criminals until she makes a bomb for them. The Sky One TV adaptation of this a few years ago starring Dervla Kirwen wasn't too bad but not as good as the book.
The Devils Teardrop by Jeffrey Deaver - a thriller about the FBI trying to stop a terrorist blowing several places up. The terrorist always seems to be several steps ahead of the FBI. Good story but the 24-hour period in which the whole book is set ruins it.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Jul 8, 2008 19:15:32 GMT
Currently enjoying Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne. A bright and witty read. And only £2, hurrah.
-Ralph
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2008 19:23:44 GMT
I'm currently getting through both the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galzxy novels and also the original James Bond novels. Weren't too impressed with the fourth Hitchhikers book so now I'm on James Bond: Goldfinger which is so far shaping up to be a good read.
|
|
Rich
Protoform
Posts: 880
|
Post by Rich on Jul 8, 2008 20:42:57 GMT
I've not been reading much lately. Been spending too much time watching DVDs and drinking, or something. The last thing I finished was 'Coraline' by Neil Gaiman, which has that little touch of magic and darkness that a book for children just on the cusp of secondary school should have - if you want to read a fantastic book of this type, read 'Skellig' - it'd make a fantastic Ghibli animation imo.
I'm halfway through 'Decline and Fall' by Evelyn Waugh - it's readable, but the doings, even when satirised, of the wealthy upper classes aren't really that interesting to me. It says something (about the writer, the class being satirised, or the enduring irrelevance of stereotype, depending on your point of view) that the story could very easily be transported to the present day. To give Waugh his dues, although the characters have been predominantly upper class (and the classes within upper class - part of his point, I guess), the lower classes have been treated with an equally mocking tongue. Although mocking isn't quite the right word as Waugh is plainly aware that we all have our faults.
Hmm, I think I like the book more now that I've written something about it!
I also bought 'bit of a blur' by Alex James, 'the golden notebook ' (I keep wanting to type compass) by Doris Lessing and 'Knife of Dreams' (why do I read Jordan's books - they're so bad!) in Waterstone's 3 for 2 offer yesterday, so it'll be interesting to see how many months it takes me to get around to reading them.
|
|
|
|
Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Jul 10, 2008 6:32:04 GMT
A fine choice there with Jules Verne, Ralph. I've read 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth', '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea', 'Around the World in 80 Days' and 'Five Weeks in a Balloon'. All most enjoyable. One day I'd like to read 'From Earth to the Moon', the story in which he prophesies how the Moon landings will take place a century early.
Currently working my way through Darwin's 'Descent of Man', simultaneous with books of short stories by Buchan and Tolstoy. I have some Fleming Bond paperbacks lined up for a break in the Lake District.
Martin
|
|
|
|
Post by Mark_Stevenson on Jul 10, 2008 7:50:23 GMT
I'm re-reading 'Colour of Magic' for the first time in many a long year, the first step in my casual plan to-re-read the whole Discworld cycle over the next year or two. Next up will be jPod by the marvellous Douglas Coupland, which I got signed by the author at the Cheltenham Lit Fest last year but haven't actually read yet...
Mx
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Jul 10, 2008 9:30:00 GMT
A fine choice there with Jules Verne, Ralph. I've read 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth', '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea', 'Around the World in 80 Days' and 'Five Weeks in a Balloon'. All most enjoyable. One day I'd like to read 'From Earth to the Moon', the story in which he prophesies how the Moon landings will take place a century early. Martin Picked up 'Leagues' and '80 Days as well'. At £2 a pop I could not refuse. Alas, unable to find a copy of 'From Earth to the Moon' as yet. For some reason, most bookshops round here don't stock the budget version of Classics (Penguin Popular Classics). Buggered if I can find them on Penguin's website either. Still, enough to occupy me for now. -Ralph |
|
|
|
Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Jul 10, 2008 15:33:34 GMT
Picked up 'Leagues' and '80 Days as well'. At £2 a pop I could not refuse. Alas, unable to find a copy of 'From Earth to the Moon' as yet. For some reason, most bookshops round here don't stock the budget version of Classics (Penguin Popular Classics). Buggered if I can find them on Penguin's website either. Yeah, those are the editions of Journey/Leagues/80 Days that I've got (the beige ones with pictures on the cover as opposed to the boring green print run they are being replaced with). I think those are the only three Verne books in Penguin Popular Classics. My 'Five Weeks in a Balloon' is from Pocket Classics, which is here on Amazon Marketplace for £1.50: www.amazon.co.uk/Five-Weeks-Balloon-Pocket-Classics/dp/0750910445/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215703666&sr=1-3However, 'From Earth to the Moon' in the same set is only on Amazon Marketplace starting at £10.95! www.amazon.co.uk/Earth-Moon-Round-Pocket-Classics/dp/0750908246/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215703666&sr=1-10There are cheaper editions on Amazon, but I'm not short of books to read at the moment so I'll leave it till I'm in the mood. Penguin Popular Classics are great. Just stick those three words into the Amazon search engine and you'll be set for years to come. Martin |
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Jul 10, 2008 17:28:30 GMT
I have the boring green print run, alas.
-Ralph
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2008 18:07:21 GMT
I'm quite fond of the Ray Harryhausen film Mysterious Island which is based on a Jules Verne novel. I'll have to try and pick up a copy of that book one day.
There was something about authors that lived around that time like Jules Verne and H.G Wells that interests me. They seemed to have a good grasp on futuristic events and the kind of stuff that they wrote is still fresh today so, in their day I wonder how exciting the books were then?
|
|
|
|
Post by legios on Jul 10, 2008 19:42:46 GMT
I must admit to never having read "From the Earth to the Moon". I've read "Around the Moon", the sequel many years ago now. I quite enjoyed that and have always meant to give the preceeding book a whirl.
I must consider investing in some of these editions - there are a few books I could do with having on my shelves (once I make a bit of space on them mind you....)
Karl
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Jul 10, 2008 19:50:39 GMT
There was something about authors that lived around that time like Jules Verne and H.G Wells that interests me. They seemed to have a good grasp on futuristic events and the kind of stuff that they wrote is still fresh today so True, though when reading it's worth remembering they are also very much of their time and some views now appear somewhat less than progressive. Journey to the Centre of the Earth briefly heavily implies that non-white folk are less intelligent at one point using a then popular theory in certain places that facial structure indicates intelligence. It sticks out like a sore thumb amongst all the fun stuff, but then 1864 (when it was written) is not 2008 so certain allowances need to be made. -Ralph |
|
|
|
Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Jul 11, 2008 5:14:37 GMT
True, though when reading it's worth remembering they are also very much of their time and some views now appear somewhat less than progressive. As I'm sure will the views of you and me a few centuries from now. You should see some of the stuff in 'The Descent of Man' regarding the relative merits of different races. And indeed the use of the word 'nigger' throughout Mark Twain's 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer', a book for children (which goes on into the sequel, 'Huckleberry Finn', to explore a child's perspective on slavery starting from the premise that theft of a slave in order to free him is an unspeakable crime against a poor old white lady). It doesn't mean Darwin wasn't a more intelligent, wiser man and better scientist than many professors of today who don't hold such views, or that Jules Verne wasn't more open-minded and visionary than authors of today who don't hold such views, or that Twain's novels weren't brilliant tales of moral awakening. Relative to their contemporaries, most great authors of the past whose works have survived to today were radicals rather than conservatives, and we still read them because we recognise how they changed our view of the world. They should be judged against their starting point, not ours. (Which is I believe what your sentence which I quoted is saying.) Martin |
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Jul 11, 2008 9:39:43 GMT
It is indeed.
-Ralph
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2008 17:12:38 GMT
Ian Fleming used the word 'nigger' a few times in the James Bond book Live and Let Die. Up until about ten or twenty years ago the word wasn't considered offensive it was only when this whole political correctness came in that these kind of words were considered offensive hence which is why you don't really see 70's comedies like Alf Garnett and Love Thy Neighbour on TV today.
|
|
Rich
Protoform
Posts: 880
|
Post by Rich on Jul 11, 2008 18:25:22 GMT
I disagree; 'nigger' has been used pejoratively for a long time and was certainly offensive to black people in the 50s and 60s and, I suspect, a very long time before. It might be argued that it was only in the last twenty odd years that the majority realised the offence they were causing, often unintentionally perhaps, and stopped.
Not that I'm saying anything about the writers mentioned above. However, it is also not enough to simply say it was a long time ago: serious questions have to be asked about 'Heart of Darkness' and Conrad's views on race for example, but that doesn't stop it being one of my favourite books.
edit for punctuation.
|
|
