The GF book thread

[Elite]

Last two books I've read (listened) are both by Lou Berney. November Road and The Far and Away gone. Props to @NoelM once more, great recommendation.

[NoelM]

26 minutes ago, Elite said:

Last two books I've read (listened) are both by Lou Berney. November Road and The Far and Away gone. Props to @NoelM once more, great recommendation.

Glad you enjoyed, he's really great, I'm about to start Berney's latest "Dark Ride".

 

[Elite]

4 minutes ago, NoelM said:

Glad you enjoyed, he's really great, I'm about to start Berney's latest "Dark Ride".

 

I've got the Dark Tower book 1 and Razorblade Tears to get through then I'm getting that with my next credit.

[NoelM]

1 minute ago, Elite said:

I've got the Dark Tower book 1 and Razorblade Tears to get through then I'm getting that with my next credit.

Razorblade Tears is great, all SA Cosby books are outstanding. I love the style, it's so refreshing and different.

[Em City]

The Picture of Dorian Gray.

 

Despite being aware of the premise, I found it lives up to the hype. A cutting, eloquent satire on amoral sophistry, dilettantism and vanity. It's a masterpiece.

 

9.5/10

[Paul]

On 21/09/2023 at 17:02, Paul said:

Finished the latest Steig Larsson Millennium book written by a new author. It’s fine, but a bit difficult to follow in places. Not sure if it’s her or the translation. 
 

Now on the new Stephen King. 

Finished Holly and really enjoyed it. It’s fascinating the way King has taken a very minor character in one novel and made her the centre of many more stories. 
 

Now reading Politics On The Edge by Rory Stewart. Politically, I rarely agree with him, but his values are clear even if he admits he’s had times where the pressure of party politics has forced him to compromise them. 
 

The book is less about him though than about how fucked our political system is and, as a former insider, he gives an insight few every offer. 

[SasaS]

New Cormoran Strike is again 1000 pages, 34 hours. Halfway through and I find it less compelling than the Ink Black Heart and not as ambitious as the 1000-pager before that one. So far, do not see  much reason for making it so long yet again.

[Bobby Hundreds]

I'm reading The Apothecary at the minute,I've got to be honest I'm bored shitless. I need a good horror or something. I feel a bit lethargic with most media at the minute, films, books, music everything seems to be leaving me cold its only games that can hold my attention.

[Paul]

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. 

[Red74]

Just finished Big Life, autobiography of jazz summers. Manager of Wham and other artists back in the day.

 

Very funny and very honest.

 

Defo recommend. 

[Elite]

Dark Tower Book 2 is a massive improvement on the first, Eddie Dean and Roland have great chemistry.

[YorkshireRed]

I’m enjoying Lessons In Chemistry. Now a TV series on Apple starring Brie Larson apparently. 

 

I especially like the dog, named six-thirty. 

7/10. 

[SasaS]

Take it to the chemistry thread, people.

[Paulie Dangerously]

Anyone who has a kid in, or approaching, Year 6 should be required to read The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow. 

 

Written entirely in verse it's an amazing POV account of the life and struggles of a council estate lad in his transformative years.

 

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

[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)