The GF book thread

[Paul]

I’ve started reading Dune and it’s ace. Don’t know why it’s taken me so long to get to it. Think I may have tried it in my early teens and it was too much. Really enjoying it now though. 

[YorkshireRed]

Anxious People by Frederick Backman.

By the same Author who gave us A Man Called Ove, a gazillion seller from a few years back. I actually preferred this. Full of quirky characters and dark humour, it focuses on a failed bank robber and the hostages who find themselves part of the drama.

 

Without overwhelming the reader, the story also has themes around mental illness, relationship challenges and post traumatic stress that run throughout. You can tell that Backman really understands this stuff, some of the scenes he describes are very touching.

 

7.5/10

 

[Numero Veinticinco]

5 hours ago, Paul said:

I’ve started reading Dune and it’s ace. Don’t know it’s taken me so long to get to it. Think I may have tried it in my early teens and it was too much. Really enjoying it now though. 

After watching the film that came out recently, and thinking it was absolutely incredible, I've been thinking about doing the same. It's between that and the Foundation series. 

[Paul]

8 hours ago, Numero Veinticinco said:

After watching the film that came out recently, and thinking it was absolutely incredible, I've been thinking about doing the same. It's between that and the Foundation series. 

I thought the first Foundation book was a bit dull. 

[Numero Veinticinco]

30 minutes ago, Paul said:

I thought the first Foundation book was a bit dull. 

I've heard it can be pretty heavy in places. The overall world seems interesting though. Did you watch the recent series on Apple's streaming service? It was pretty excellent, in my view. 

[Captain Willard]

On 08/01/2022 at 03:12, polymerpunkah said:

The Fate of Africa: A History of Fifty Years of Independence

by 

Martin Meredith

 

A good over-view of a very broad subject.

 

It struck me, listening to it, that, even though it's one of the worst atrocities committed during my lifetime, I didn't know a single name of those responsible for the Rwandan genocide.

 

Good book, anyway, though not a particularly enjoyable read.

 

 

I’ve been to Rwanda for work, very tidy and clean. Like Singapore in the middle of Africa.
 

I read a good story that after the genocide the perpetrators and their families fled the country to the Congo. They then set up a camp in the jungle and predictably lots of them caught cholera from the dirty conditions. The world’s white western media descended and did short pieces to camera about how awful the conditions in the refuge camps were without realising that these people were the murderers not the victims. A bit like doing a piece about the SS suffering after the war. Says a lot about how Africa gets reported over here. 

[polymerpunkah]

52 minutes ago, Captain Willard said:

I’ve been to Rwanda for work, very tidy and clean. Like Singapore in the middle of Africa.
 

I read a good story that after the genocide the perpetrators and their families fled the country to the Congo. They then set up a camp in the jungle and predictably lots of them caught cholera from the dirty conditions. The world’s white western media descended and did short pieces to camera about how awful the conditions in the refuge camps were without realising that these people were the murderers not the victims. A bit like doing a piece about the SS suffering after the war. Says a lot about how Africa gets reported over here. 

That's what I read as well.

 

But keep in mind that most of the refugees were Hutus who weren't directly involved with the genocide. The genocidaires took their weapons into Zaire and took control of the refugee camps, piling more misery on their own people (in part by manipulating the aid being provided by the west).

 

 

 

 

[Sugar Ape]

Just read Rovers by Richard Lange, very good. Kind of like a hard-boiled crime story but with creatures similar to vampires called Rovers, set in the 70s in America. 7.8/10. 

[Paul]

11 hours ago, Numero Veinticinco said:

I've heard it can be pretty heavy in places. The overall world seems interesting though. Did you watch the recent series on Apple's streaming service? It was pretty excellent, in my view. 

I gave up. Thought it was ok but no more than that, despite good production values. To be honest though, I'm like that with an awful lot of telly these days. For all the choice and the hyperbole about quality, there’s not an awful lot that’s truly great. 

[Numero Veinticinco]

1 hour ago, Paul said:

I gave up. Thought it was ok but no more than that, despite good production values. To be honest though, I'm like that with an awful lot of telly these days. For all the choice and the hyperbole about quality, there’s not an awful lot that’s truly great. 

I’d agree with that, but I thought Foundation was one of the few things I’ve seen recently that actually gave it a fair crack. 

[Rico1304]

On 29/01/2022 at 01:49, Sugar Ape said:

Just read Rovers by Richard Lange, very good. Kind of like a hard-boiled crime story but with creatures similar to vampires called Rovers, set in the 70s in America. 7.8/10. 

Giving this a go. 

[Rico1304]

10 hours ago, Rico1304 said:

Giving this a go. 

It’s very good.  Nearly half way through. Thanks. 

[Em City]

The Human Stain by Philip Roth

 

An elderly college professor resigns his post after becoming embroiled in a race scandal but unbeknownst to everyone, he has a secret. It takes place right around the time of Clinton scandal and has particular relevance to modern days ongoing cancel culture debate. 

 

Same as with other Roth books I've read, it's excellent.

[Rico1304]

On 31/01/2022 at 08:28, Rico1304 said:

It’s very good.  Nearly half way through. Thanks. 

Good book - worth a read. 
 

Im now reading Terra by Mitch Benn, anyone had a go?  

[polymerpunkah]

The World Beneath Their Feet: Mountaineering, Madness, and the Deadly Race to Summit the Himalayas

 

Scott Ellsworth

 

History of climbing in the Himalayas between the fall of Mallory and the rise of Hillary, focussing on the Brits on Everest, the Yanks on K2, and the Germans on Nanga Parbat.

 

A good book, but nothing that hasn't been covered in other books.

 

Audiobook, read by the author, which was a mistake as his delivery was poor and distracted from the content.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

 

[Rico1304]

12 hours ago, Rico1304 said:

Good book - worth a read. 
 

Im now reading Terra by Mitch Benn, anyone had a go?  

Don’t bother with Mitch Benn, the stupid way of spelling the aliens names, planet etc means the flow is awful.  Even I had to stop.  

[Total Longo]

On 02/02/2022 at 09:49, Rico1304 said:

Good book - worth a read. 
 

Im now reading Terra by Mitch Benn, anyone had a go?  

No, but he is a mate of my brothers and was the year above me in school. He was "odd" in school. I doubt this helps.  

[Paul]

On 28/01/2022 at 06:59, Paul said:

I’ve started reading Dune and it’s ace. Don’t know why it’s taken me so long to get to it. Think I may have tried it in my early teens and it was too much. Really enjoying it now though. 

Finished Dune now and really enjoyed it. Any views on the sequels please?

[Rico1304]

1 minute ago, Paul said:

Finished Dune now and really enjoyed it. Any views on the sequels please?

They aren’t as good but not terrible.   Although I last read them 25 yrs ago.  
 

I started that Philip Roth one yesterday, it’s good, but took me a while to get into it.  Don’t think I’ve read any of his before. 

[polymerpunkah]

Doris L. Bergen - War and Genocide A Concise History of the Holocaust

 

As the title indicates, a book about the Holocaust in the context of WWII and the years leading up to it.

 

An excellent book, perfect for someone unfamiliar with the subject, or looking to refresh their knowledge of it.

 

If you get Whoopi Goldberg in the Secret Santa, job done.

[SasaS]

17 minutes ago, polymerpunkah said:

Doris L. Bergen - War and Genocide A Concise History of the Holocaust

 

As the title indicates, a book about the Holocaust in the context of WWII and the years leading up to it.

 

An excellent book, perfect for someone unfamiliar with the subject, or looking to refresh their knowledge of it.

 

If you get Whoopi Goldberg in the Secret Santa, job done.

Does it talk about the positives?

[Jose Jones]

On 05/02/2022 at 20:13, Paul said:

Finished Dune now and really enjoyed it. Any views on the sequels please?

Second one I didn't enjoy so much, but it's only short (Messiah of Dune).

Third one is better (Children of Dune).

 

That's as far as I got, was enough Dune for me after that.

[polymerpunkah]

25 minutes ago, SasaS said:

Does it talk about the positives?

She actually discusses the fate of the Romani and Sinti in quite a bit of detail. 

 

 

[polymerpunkah]

Born in Africa: The Quest for the Origins of Human Life

by 

Martin Meredith

 

One for the archaeology thread, as it discusses the history of discoveries leading to the conclusion that humans arose in Africa.

 

Too short, and it runs out of steam at the end, but an interesting account of some of the personalities involved in early discoveries.