The GF book thread

[James]

Things The Grandchildren Should Know - 10//10

[Paul]

My last few reads:

 

1. The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner - Stephanie Meyer

 

This is a short story from the Twilight books and was very dull. Nothing more to say, really.

 

2. Flood - Stephen Baxter

 

This is a great central premise (that the earth is slowly flooding to the point where there is literally no dry land left anywhere at all). However, it falls into the trap of putting the science bit of the SF ahead of the basics of a good novel, such as plot and character. It would make a great film or TV show in the hands of another writer, but as it is, it's hugely unsatisfying. In fact, this is the first time I've ever felt let down by Amazon's star system as this got something like four and half stars from dozens of reviewers. Dull. I won't be reading the sequel.

 

3. Transition - Iain Banks

 

The first book in The GF Book Club, so I'll hold back my review for that.

 

4. The Passage - Justin Cronin

 

A brilliant idea that traces a government plan to create super soldiers that back fires horribly as the soldiers (vampires, basically) escape. The novel then jumps far into the future to show the apocalyptic effects their escape had on humanity. A good read, this.

 

5. Under The Dome - Stephen King

 

One day, an invisible dome falls on a small town in Maine (obviously), sealing it off from the rest of the world. The novel then follows the social break down in the town and the megalomania of a local politician, as well as injecting a dose of King's usual "weird shit". The novel is an epic of nearly 900 pages, but it is a genuine page turner that rattles along at a great pace and has fantastically believeable characters. In fact, it is right up there with his very best books, for me: better than (the overrated) The Stand and Salem's Lot and as good as The Dark Tower novels, The Green Mile and Different Seasons.

 

I'm now on a book called The Twelve by a bloke called Stuart Neville which is about a former IRA hitman who is haunted by the ghosts of the twelve people he murdered and so sets out to (bizarrely, as he's the one who pulled the trigger) avenge their deaths.

[Guido]

Hunger by Knut Hamsun: Can't believe it took me so long to getting round to reading this one. Reminded me of Sartre's Nausea and Kafka's The Trial. Young guy, wandering around town, hungry, getting into adventures. Best thing i've read for ages.

 

A Bit Off The Map by Angus Wilson: Collection of short stories. Seems to crystallise a sort of post-war frame of mind (insecurity, broken ideologies, familial resentment and restructure, the impact of social reform etc.) by showing how it manifests in family relationships/friendships/traditional social fora and occasions. At least that's how i read it. Recommended to me otherwise i would never have done found it. Glad i did though. Funny yet scathing. Well worth a read. 1 or 2 real gems in there.

 

How those italics working out for y'all?

[Paul]

I'm now on a book called The Twelve by a bloke called Stuart Neville which is about a former IRA hitman who is haunted by the ghosts of the twelve people he murdered and so sets out to (bizarrely, as he's the one who pulled the trigger) avenge their deaths.

This was a lot better than I thought it would be. It basically explores the moral legacy of the troubles in Northern Ireland through the medium of a cracking thriller. Well worth a read.

[Faustus]

I'm on Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man at the minute. Really well written, but I'm struggling to get into at the minute. I'm going to stick with it though because there's been some flashes of promise in the opening chapters.

[RedKnight]

Just finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and I've just started The Gril who Played with Fire. Dragon Tattoo was very good, enjoyed it a lot.

[Juniper]

 

5. Under The Dome - Stephen King

 

One day, an invisible dome falls on a small town in Maine (obviously), sealing it off from the rest of the world. The novel then follows the social break down in the town and the megalomania of a local politician, as well as injecting a dose of King's usual "weird shit". The novel is an epic of nearly 900 pages, but it is a genuine page turner that rattles along at a great pace and has fantastically believeable characters. In fact, it is right up there with his very best books, for me: better than (the overrated) The Stand and Salem's Lot and as good as The Dark Tower novels, The Green Mile and Different Seasons.

 

Just finished that myself, Paul.

 

Loved it. I did really enjoy The Stand when read about ten years ago so as a result I was very much looking forward to starting this when I purchased it as reviews I checked out had comparied the two books.

 

It's a monster of a book, but not for one minute did I feel it should have been shorter. Really, really enjoyed it. Was a little sad when I finished it as the towns people were all very readable characters.

 

What I did like is that although there is an element of (without giving it away) weird shit, it really wasn't in the forefront of the story, as with some of King's books. He really did invest time with each of the towns people. The actual reason why the dome was there, for me, less interesting than the schemes of what Big Jim Rennie was up to, or plotting next against Barbie and the townspeople in order to stay in control.

 

Fantastic read.

[Paul]

The actual reason why the dome was there, for me, less interesting than the schemes of what Big Jim Rennie was up to, or plotting next against Barbie and the townspeople in order to stay in control.

 

Agreed. In fact the worst bit of the entire book was the resolution, for me. I'd have preferred no explanation at all.

[Guest James D]

Hunger by Knut Hamsun: Can't believe it took me so long to getting round to reading this one. Reminded me of Sartre's Nausea and Kafka's The Trial. Young guy, wandering around town, hungry, getting into adventures. Best thing i've read for ages.

 

A Bit Off The Map by Angus Wilson: Collection of short stories. Seems to crystallise a sort of post-war frame of mind (insecurity, broken ideologies, familial resentment and restructure, the impact of social reform etc.) by showing how it manifests in family relationships/friendships/traditional social fora and occasions. At least that's how i read it. Recommended to me otherwise i would never have done found it. Glad i did though. Funny yet scathing. Well worth a read. 1 or 2 real gems in there.

 

How those italics working out for y'all?

 

I just couldn't get into that at all, never really happened to me before (besides Wilbur Smith).

[Sut]

Just finished Book 12 of The Walking Dead. Really enjoyable series and highly recommended. Have gotten 5 books into The Boys - so far, so good.

[Stu Monty]

Thought I'd put up my holiday reading.

 

Alistair Campbell's diary - The Blair years

 

I'm struggling terribly to decide what my conclusions are from this book. I can start off my saying that it is a hugely interesting read no matter what you might think of the man, it is packed with interesting bits of info about international meetings, other leaders and the political process from day to day. The bit that I can't make my mind up about is about which side to come down on in his views on how the media and politics interact. At one minute he is saying how it is impossible to govern when the media are so childish and want to do smears instead of covering policy, and then in other parts he's dining with Rupert Murdoch and having Wade over to his house on his holidays. You get the feeling that he defines good and bad by how it impinges on him and his agenda. You come out of the book thinking him a better man than when you go into it, but then that's what you'd expect from possibly the best political communications manipulator in the modern era.

 

One thing you do feel is the depression when things aren't going well and also the feeling of drift from the party that Blair has in the second term. I think this is an interesting book to read within the context of the current goverment being filled with lots of people with obvious differences and how you govern with that. It made me think about the morality of not fighting battles you feel strongly on to keep a goverment going, of collective responsibility and of the struggle for views straying from the centre to find a place in the modern system.

 

If you're interested in politics then I'd definitely say read it, even if you read it through whatever filter you approach it with. NN, I remember you saying you wanted a review, just reply to say you've seen this so I don't have to bother saying it again/pming etc.

 

 

The second book I read on holiday was Tickling the English by Dara O'Briein. It's a very entertaining book but it's also a very interesting look at nationality, nationalism, self-image and how silly it a lot of our misconceptions are. It's written well as his thoughts mesh with a tour around England and lots of lovely stuff that popped up during his shows. Again, a very strong thumps up from me on this one.

[Plewggs]

Just finished the Love Letters of Dylan Thomas.

Highly amusing extracts from one of the UK’s best known womanising drunkards, as in:

 

My Dear Caitlin,

Sorry for not replying to your previous letters, the only thing that gets opened in this house is a bottle!

[Guido]

Jean Rhys' Wide Sargasso Sea: This book is intense and gave me the frickin FEAR from start to finish. Written as a (sort of) prequel to Jane Eyre, which i haven't yet read, exploring the 'mad woman in the attic' theme and keeping me on edge throughout with its allusions to the occult and setting of a post-colonial caribbean with lots of whispering hateful slave-descedents who know something the protagonist(s) don't, and it's a baaaaaaad something. In fact, that's only just scraping the surface of this novel/novella, which explores much more in the way of culture, history, women and power etc. Gotta be read.

[Guido]

Ivan Turgenev's Fathers and Sons: A brilliant piece of storytelling about the conflict between the nihilistic 1860's Russian youth (the sons) and the idealistic liberal 1840's generation (the fathers). If you ever want to know how to write a novel then read this book. The craftsmanship is beautiful and Turgenev creates great poise in the relationships between the 'fathers' and 'sons' (in fact all relationships within the book, however briefly touched upon). The characterisation is achieved with minimal effort and you feel you know a character after just 2 or 3 sentences, something other authors (BANKS!) struggle to do in the space of an entire novel.

 

I started this thinking it some miserable preachy tome (because i'm a prejudgemental idiot) but found it to be one of the most accessible and genuinely funny books i've read in a long time. I will definitely be re-reading it at some point in my life, which I can't say for many books I read. Don't be put off by any preconceptions you may have about Russian and/or 19th century literature, this is a true masterpiece.

[Liverpool lad]

Shit My Dad Says: Amazon.co.uk: Justin Halpern: Books

 

A short read and I swept through it in less than 2 days, very easy to read and broken down into small chapters broken up with quotes from his dad. Hysterical in places, and at the end touched with a simple message from his dad that shows there is a heart inside the old man. Fantastic book.

 

Homicide: A Year On The Killing Streets: Amazon.co.uk: David Simon: Books

 

In the top 3 books I have ever read. As discussed in the David Simon thread (http://www.liverpoolway.co.uk/forum/gf-general-forum/76941-david-simon-stuff-wire-corner-generation-kill-etc.html), it is a big book and some found it hard to get into. Once you do, you will not be disappointed by it. The realism and the detail the author gives you is like nothing else you have read. An epic book from start to finish, I just hope I can find something as good as it, along the same lines. Next stop for me is The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-city Neighbourhood: Amazon.co.uk: David Simon, Edward Burns: Books

[Liverpool lad]

Anybody who wants to lend any of the books I have mentioned, just PM me

[mars]

Hunger by Knut Hamsun: Can't believe it took me so long to getting round to reading this one. Reminded me of Sartre's Nausea and Kafka's The Trial. Young guy, wandering around town, hungry, getting into adventures. Best thing i've read for ages.

 

I read Hunger a very long time ago but it's one of those books that left a lasting impression - I would also thoroughly recommend it.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

The Red Men by Matthew de Abaitua.

 

Now hold your Negs... It's nothing to do with those red men. It's a science fiction novel set in the near future (or a slightly different version of the present). Bizarrely enough, a good chunk of it is set in Maghull!

 

I could try to explain the premise, but I wouldn't do it justice. It's a brilliantly human story with loads of original ideas and written in an engaging style.

 

Just get it bought and get it red.

The Red Men: Amazon.co.uk: Matthew de Abaitua: Books

[23CARRAGOLD]

More of a question than anything this.

 

When I was in school we were doing a class read of a book based in Liverpool city centre, it was about a couple of kids discovering the centre and all the things that go on round there and that. We were reading it about 1991 and it must have been based in the 50s or 60s. I'm sure it was a pretty famous Liverpool life fiction book but cant find any info anywhere.

 

Anyone got any ideas, its burning me head out here.

[Guido]

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

 

Just finished it after about 4 weeks, which says a lot, though i have been heavily preoccupied with my newest trivial pursuit. Touted as the story of a teenage 'kid' setting off across 1849 America (primarily the Texas/Mexico border) and falling in with Indian sclp-hunters, but is much more than that.

 

The prose is largely mesmerising but the atmospheric sparseness and the tangential approach to what is actually a very linear narrative left me struggling to engage with the story and characters - a potential protagonist (kid) effectively disappearing from prominence for 200 pages didn't help! Looking back, it seems i've remembered the novel in terms of separate scenes rather than a whole. These would have worked well as short stories on their own, especially considering McCarthy's poetic tendencies. That said, the novel still works, and impressed me deeply, it was just a big struggle to get through as i couldn't just dip into it for 20 pages at a time without feeling detached.

 

Just realising as i type how deeply this book has affected me and how it will stay with me for a long time, despite the feeling that i've just finished a marathon. Recommended by very very violent and grim and sparse and needs some focus if you want to get through it with your mind intact.

[longballs]

Can anyone recommend a decent book on quantum physics? I read a great one about 15 years ago that was split in to the most popular/famous theories (without being over complicated). I can't remember the name or author but it was a fantastic book that really got me thinking.

[Liverpool lad]

More of a question than anything this.

 

When I was in school we were doing a class read of a book based in Liverpool city centre, it was about a couple of kids discovering the centre and all the things that go on round there and that. We were reading it about 1991 and it must have been based in the 50s or 60s. I'm sure it was a pretty famous Liverpool life fiction book but cant find any info anywhere.

 

Anyone got any ideas, its burning me head out here.

 

Spiders in the Bath

[piscinin]

Can anyone recommend a decent book on quantum physics? I read a great one about 15 years ago that was split in to the most popular/famous theories (without being over complicated). I can't remember the name or author but it was a fantastic book that really got me thinking.

 

Quantum Mechanics - A Very Short Introduction - ISBN 0–19–280252–6

Schrödinger’s Rabbits : the many worlds of quantum

 

Are both very readable.

[VladimirIlyich]

I used to read a few books on Vietnam a few years back,they were mainly soldiers experiences of the war and were very interesting.

 

One that springs to mind was a novel called Chickenhawk by Robert Mason.

He was a Helicopter pilot in the 7th Cavalry,which was General Custer's unit and helicopters were used instead of horses.

 

Fascinating read.

[mars]

Agreed. In fact the worst bit of the entire book was the resolution, for me. I'd have preferred no explanation at all.

 

Finished Under the Dome a few weeks ago - this comment is spot on. The rest of it is a real page turner.