Santa_Rosa Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Ernest Hemingway: "For Whom The Bell Tolls" My favourite book of all time. Im reading this at the moment, not really 'caught me' yet, though i am only a hundred or so pages in. I was going to give it up for one of a dozen books i have waiting, but might give it a bit more time now! No pressure then Nigel. For me, it Hemingway's use of language as much as the story that makes it. Every single word is perfect and necessary. All killer, no filler. The fact that it's a right Boys Own Adventure romp with guns and horses and sultry Spanish maidens and that helps too mind And boyangel - if you like Brookmyre, I'd recommend both Colin Bateman and Carl Hiaasen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenjos Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 "what you reading for" "looks like we got us a reader" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted April 23, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted April 23, 2009 Finished the James Stewart biography my favourite actor ..Is it a good read , or a bit dull ? ..don't know if it's covered in the book but Stewart was a General in the army and had to chair a court martial resulting from when a group of B-17 pilots dropped bombs on Switzerland instead of Germany .. think the story was that if you missed your primary target it was felt a waste of a mission to return with your load so you dropped them elsewhere ..sadly for this crew the elsewhere was the wrong countryIt's good, but could have been so much better. The guy (Marc Eliot) can write a good sentence and clearly likes his subject, but I still got the feeling it was a bit of a "rush job". There are quite a few sloppy errors here and there (dates don't match up, etc.), and he obviously knows nothing about WWII, which is rather rushed through, where I would have liked a lot more detail. He also has an odd prediliction for lapsing into pseudo-Freudian psychoanalysis every so often, which just jars. But I did find out a lot about JS, who - despite his right wing politics - I still have a great affection for. For example, "It's a Wonderful Life", "Harvey" and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" were all critical and commercial flops atthe time of release (what the hell were the American critics and moviegoers THINKING?) There's a very in-depth chapter on "Vertigo" (which I skipped, as I've never seen it and plan to shortly), and a great passage about JS testifying before Congress objecting to the colourising of old black and white films, which is incredibly reminiscent of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington". It seems that he WAS very much like the characters he played in films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted April 23, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted April 23, 2009 Anyone into Bernard Cornwell? I absolutely love his grail quest series and I'm just about to embark upon 'Azincourt'. Looks to be another fantastic historical novel. I've read most of his books. Very good reads and it's interesting to read the 'historical' section after where he tells you what bits he 'messed about' with.I'm a big history buff, but I was very disappointed with Bernard Cornwell. I made the mistake of trying Sharpe after reading Patrick O'Brian (not remotely in the same league) and then heard that the Arthur books were his best so I tried "The Winter King" and had to give up on it about halfway through. In the same way as Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth" (which I also abandoned), it's what I think of as "He said, she said" writing - all plot , but no atmosphere or depth of character. I didn't get the feeling that I "was there", which is what I want in a novel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted April 23, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted April 23, 2009 Ernest Hemingway: "For Whom The Bell Tolls" My favourite book of all time. Im reading this at the moment, not really 'caught me' yet, though i am only a hundred or so pages in. I was going to give it up for one of a dozen books i have waiting, but might give it a bit more time now! No pressure then Nigel. For me, it Hemingway's use of language as much as the story that makes it. Every single word is perfect and necessary. All killer, no filler. The fact that it's a right Boys Own Adventure romp with guns and horses and sultry Spanish maidens and that helps too mind This is the problem with reading when you're exhausted at night, you tend to miss subtleties and scan through for any action. Ill start it again me thinks! Talking about books that are word perfect, Ive just finished 'The Grapes of Wrath'. Its a fantastic book that (quite appart from the excellent story) totally immerses you in the setting and ambience of the era. Highly recomended for anyone who hasn't read this classic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_of_Pongo_Waring Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 I'm a big history buff, but I was very disappointed with Bernard Cornwell. I made the mistake of trying Sharpe after reading Patrick O'Brian (not remotely in the same league) and then heard that the Arthur books were his best so I tried "The Winter King" and had to give up on it about halfway through. In the same way as Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth" (which I also abandoned), it's what I think of as "He said, she said" writing - all plot , but no atmosphere or depth of character. I didn't get the feeling that I "was there", which is what I want in a novel. I haven't read any Patrick O'Brian. Which would you recommend first? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted April 23, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted April 23, 2009 I wanted to get into his sci fi, picked up the Algebraist and while I found it a slog at times it didn't put me off too much, so I'm hoping for good things from Excession. Not sure if it'll grab me or not, but we'll see. I love Iain Banks and have everything he's ever published on my bookshelf. Only Tove Jansson and Graham Greene have a similar status on my shelves. I enjoyed Excession but it's quite difficult to work out what's going on as most of the action/dialogue is between ships and I found that I lost track of who was who very often. I'd suggest starting with Consider Phlebas, the Player of Games or the Use of Weapons; much easier to get into and follow, and they'll give you an awful lot of backstory which will help when you get to Excession. Think I've read the Player of Games 5 times now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimandson Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 "what you reading for" "looks like we got us a reader" My post surely? Anyone read Bukowski? Particularly Ham On Rye? I don't read anything other then biographys, and I'm struggling with this book. I want to like it, but I've been reading it for nearly two months now. Any half decent biography recommendations? Read McGrath, couple of Cloughies, Ollie Read, Maradona, Bronson... Suggestions anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Santa_Rosa Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 Tony Cascarino's Full Time is good Trim. Not sure if this is included in your 'couple of Cloughies' but Provided You Don't Kiss Me: 20 Years With Brian Clough by Duncan Hamilton is excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leviramsey Posted July 26, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted July 26, 2009 I've just ordered a few books off of Amazon... unfortunately they won't get to me in time for my staycation this week. Among the purchases: E.T. Smith's Playing Hard Ball: A Kent County Cricketer's Journey Into Big League Baseball Raymond Benson's The Union Trilogy Lawrence Weinstein & John Adam's Guesstimation: Solving the World's Problems on the Back of a Cocktail Napkin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Designer1 Posted July 26, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted July 26, 2009 Recently finished this... Incredible book. Wiki page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted July 26, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted July 26, 2009 I'm a big history buff, but I was very disappointed with Bernard Cornwell. I made the mistake of trying Sharpe after reading Patrick O'Brian (not remotely in the same league) and then heard that the Arthur books were his best so I tried "The Winter King" and had to give up on it about halfway through. In the same way as Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth" (which I also abandoned), it's what I think of as "He said, she said" writing - all plot , but no atmosphere or depth of character. I didn't get the feeling that I "was there", which is what I want in a novel. I haven't read any Patrick O'Brian. Which would you recommend first?"Master and Commander", the first of the Aubrey-Maturin series. Note that it is NOT the same as the film, which is actually based on "The Far Side of the World", a later book in the series. "M & C" is probably not the best one, but sets the scene. Things start to take of with the second one "Post Captain". Bear in mind that the series is really one long book - some of the later ones almost stop mid-scene, to be taken up in the next one. The dialogue is the thing - it's closer to Jane Austen than Bernard Cornwell, which gives it a much more authentic 18th Century flavour. Since the thread's been bumped, my current reads: Glen David Gold - Sunnyside Andrew Chaikin - A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts (recommended reading for followers of the "Moon hoax" thread). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM3000 Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I read poker books, does that count? Cant read much else, it has to really interest me and most story type books dont. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Recently finished this... Incredible book. Wiki page ha. I've picked that book up in shops so often, wondering if it's worth it - sounds like quite a read - but I also have a long long list of already bought books that need reading. Definitely worth adding to the list then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeyVillan Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Started reading World War Z yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Designer1 Posted July 26, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted July 26, 2009 Definitely worth adding to the list then? I thought it was a fabulous read mate. Well worth the effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soprano Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Finished Tom Sharp's The Midden last night. Not a patch on the Wilt escapades or blot on the landscape but would probably make a half decent TV comedy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rendelc Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 D-Day by Anthony Beevor. Fascinating book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troglodyte Posted July 26, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted July 26, 2009 Recently finished this... Incredible book. Wiki page I intend to read this one some time soon. It's been recommended to me several times. Also, Johnny Depp (who I think is fantastic) is starring in the film adaption, so I'd like to read the book before the film comes out (same applies to The Rum Diaries). Read 'Library of the Dead' by Glenn Cooper earlier this week, thought it was quite good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted July 26, 2009 VT Supporter Share Posted July 26, 2009 I love this thread, but I'm always staggered by the "I don't read" people. My life revolves around reading books. Life wouldn't worth living without them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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