The GF book thread

[polymerpunkah]

"The Can Live in the Desert and Nowhere Else"

 

Ronald Grigor Suny

 

2015 history of the Armenian genocide.

 

If you want to know about the subject, this is the book to read.

 

 

 

 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

6 hours ago, Paulie Dangerously said:

 

Can't remember the last time a book made me cry. 

I once dropped a hardback copy of War and Peace on my foot.

[polymerpunkah]

"Grant"

 

Ron Chernow (the same fellow who wrote the book on Hamilton)

 

A panegyric to the general who helped the North win the US civil war.

 

 

It's an inspiring story of a man who went from nothing to President, but it's an awfully uncritical presentation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Paul]

On 23/10/2023 at 07:00, Paul said:

Bernard Cornwell has a new Sharpe book out which I’ve just finished. If you like Sharpe you’ll like this.
 

Now on the new First Contact novel by Peter Cawdon, Ghosts. 

I’m surprised how long it’s taken me to finish Ghosts. I really enjoyed it. It’s a hard SF story really that tries to look at the political implications of first contact. However the final pay off is superb - really imaginative and also very insightful about human nature, as with all the best SF. Recommended. 
 

I’ve got the new Micky Haller novel next that features Bosch. I’m surprised, as the last book to feature him seemed like it might’ve been his final appearance. However, it seems there’s life left in the old dog yet. 

[polymerpunkah]

"Killers of the Flower Moon"

 

David Grann

 

A fairly straight-forward (and too short) account of a series of murders in early 20th C Oklahoma.

 

Despite the incredible nature of the story, my lack of shock is the thing I'll take away from reading it.

[SasaS]

Jon Fosse: Septology (the Norwegian guy who won the Nobel Prize for literature this year). It’s not unlike Knausgaard, so more minimalist intimism from Norwegians, this time more philosophical, and without K’s observations on culture, society or human nature. Swedes seem to have got the crime stuff and Norwegians, apart from Nesbo, the navel gazing in the Scandinavian division of literary labour. If you like Knausgaard, you will probably not be disappointed.

 

Now back to the latest Knausgaard, and then on in Paul's footsteps to Micky the shyster.

[Elite]

Halfway through 'Swan Song' by Robert R. McCammon and it's one of the best things I've ever read. Post-apocalyptic story following the aftermath of nuclear war. If you like The Stand, you'll love this. Same type of vibe.

[SasaS]

1 hour ago, Elite said:

Halfway through 'Swan Song' by Robert R. McCammon and it's one of the best things I've ever read. Post-apocalyptic story following the aftermath of nuclear war. If you like The Stand, you'll love this. Same type of vibe.

 

You had me at post-apocalyptic. Will check this out. 

[Paul]

Finished the new Mickey Haller book and it was really good. Safe to say rumours of Bosch’s imminent demise have been exaggerated. Connelly continues to age him, but he’s still got plenty of cases left in him, in my view. 
 

Now on the new Miriam Margolyes book. 

[Em City]

Cities of the Plain by Cormac McCarthy.

 

Beautiful prose set against the austere backdrop of ranch life in New Mexico and the danger of Juarez. Great read and has made me enthusiastic to pick up Blood Meridian.

[skend04]

Empireland by Sathnam Sanghera.

 

I honestly think that these kind of texts should be essential reading, especially in schools, as the consequences of Imperialism are felt as much now as any other time in our history. I believe there's a shorter version of this book for kids aged 9+ which I'm going to buy for our kids as it will help them understand a bit more of our history and why we are here*.

 

(*Answer: because you were there)

[polymerpunkah]

More colonialism:

 

The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn 

by Nathaniel Philbrick 

 

A detailed account of events leading up to and during TLS. 

 

More a military history, but makes the point that this was the last stand not  only for Custer, but for the Sioux and the wider native populations of the US.

 

Made me think about how differently things developed in the US vs Canada (not that we didn't ultimately end up in much the same place).

 

Good book.

 

 

 

[Em City]

5 hours ago, polymerpunkah said:

More colonialism:

 

The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn 

by Nathaniel Philbrick 

 

A detailed account of events leading up to and during TLS. 

 

More a military history, but makes the point that this was the last stand not  only for Custer, but for the Sioux and the wider native populations of the US.

 

Made me think about how differently things developed in the US vs Canada (not that we didn't ultimately end up in much the same place).

 

Good book.

 

 

 

 

This is an excellent account on the same topic

 

 

[polymerpunkah]

On 13/11/2023 at 06:16, Elite said:

Halfway through 'Swan Song' by Robert R. McCammon and it's one of the best things I've ever read. Post-apocalyptic story following the aftermath of nuclear war. If you like The Stand, you'll love this. Same type of vibe.

Thanks for the reminder.

 

It'd been so long since I read it all I recalled was that it was right up there with "The Stand".

 

And it is.

 

cheers

 

 

[Elite]

3 minutes ago, polymerpunkah said:

Thanks for the reminder.

 

It'd been so long since I read it all I recalled was that it was right up there with "The Stand".

 

And it is.

 

cheers

 

 

I finished it last week and it's truly a great book. Definite 9.5/10.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

On 22/11/2023 at 10:00, skend04 said:

Empireland by Sathnam Sanghera.

 

I honestly think that these kind of texts should be essential reading, especially in schools, as the consequences of Imperialism are felt as much now as any other time in our history. I believe there's a shorter version of this book for kids aged 9+ which I'm going to buy for our kids as it will help them understand a bit more of our history and why we are here*.

 

(*Answer: because you were there)

The chapter on loot is timely, given the kerfuffle over the Parthenon marbles.

[Mudface]

2 hours ago, polymerpunkah said:

Thanks for the reminder.

 

It'd been so long since I read it all I recalled was that it was right up there with "The Stand".

 

And it is.

 

cheers

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Elite said:

I finished it last week and it's truly a great book. Definite 9.5/10.

 

Interesting... I'm really bogged down in the Dark Tower, so this looks a good palate cleanser- cheers.

[Elite]

5 minutes ago, Mudface said:

 

 

Interesting... I'm really bogged down in the Dark Tower, so this looks a good palate cleanser- cheers.

It's a long book but it's far better than the first 2 Dark Tower books I've read.

[Mudface]

19 minutes ago, Elite said:

It's a long book but it's far better than the first 2 Dark Tower books I've read.

 

I quite enjoyed the second one, it's a massive improvement on the first, but I'm finding the third really hard work.

[Elite]

2 hours ago, Mudface said:

 

I quite enjoyed the second one, it's a massive improvement on the first, but I'm finding the third really hard work.

I don't think I'll bother with the rest now. I'll just watch the TV show that Mike Flanagan is making, I've high hopes for it.

 

Robert McCammon has loads of highly rated books, I'm going to make my way through them. Already bought his 'Boys Life' audiobook.

 

I'm currently reading 'Dirty' by Robert White, about corrupt cops in the 80s set in Preston. Really enjoying it so far, he wrote 'Breaking Bones' as well which is fairly similar. Great gritty, northern crime fiction.

[Mudface]

2 hours ago, Elite said:

I don't think I'll bother with the rest now. I'll just watch the TV show that Mike Flanagan is making, I've high hopes for it.

 

Robert McCammon has loads of highly rated books, I'm going to make my way through them. Already bought his 'Boys Life' audiobook.

 

I'm currently reading 'Dirty' by Robert White, about corrupt cops in the 80s set in Preston. Really enjoying it so far, he wrote 'Breaking Bones' as well which is fairly similar. Great gritty, northern crime fiction.

 

Whoa- is that really happening?

[Elite]

8 hours ago, Mudface said:

 

Whoa- is that really happening?

Yeah. Perfect guy to make it.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

1 hour ago, Elite said:

Yeah. Perfect guy to make it.

 

[Elite]

Dark Ride (Lou Berney) - 6.8/10

 

Disappointing given Lou Berney's previous stuff. It's not a bad book but I couldn't really get invested in the characters and found the story a bit meandering.

 

Dirty (Robert White) - 8/10

 

This is the second audiobook I've listened to of his and it's equally as good as 'Breaking Bones'. Gritty story with plenty of turns to keep you engaged but it's his dialogue that really propels the book as it flows incredibly well and builds his characters. The narrator Jonathan Keeble is top notch as well.

[Lee909]

4 minutes ago, Elite said:

The narrator Jonathan Keeble is top notch as well.

 

 

I used to listen to the Warhammer Sci fi stuff and he is one of there go to narrators. He is superb

 

Sean Barrett is another who covers so many different genres. Seen him do Sci fi/fantasy and he does most of Anthony Beevors history books. 

 

I can't stand most American narrators. Mostly tuneless, no inflection on anything they read, it turns into a monotonous drone usually