robby b Posted July 20, 2023 Share Posted July 20, 2023 19 minutes ago, Mandy Lifeboats said: For reading my book. Let's say £9.99. You might be interested in my new book written under a new pseudonym.... "Being a Birmingham City Supporter" by Issac Hunt. £9.99 ok. It was a great read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakemineVanilla Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 Buddenbrooks - the decline of a family. I've not read that much Thomas Mann, but from what I have, I can't help but conclude that he doesn't do happy endings; however, despite the total lack of sentiment and cheeriness, I think Buddenbrooks is a very fine book. It is said to be autobiographical and if it is, I presume Mann must have suffered badly with his teeth. The characters are a dysfunctional lot, and include the self-doubting Thomas, the hyperchondriacal wastrel Christian, and the lovely Antonie, who keeps marrying awful men, out of duty, in the hope of improving the fortune of the family business. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders Posted August 4, 2023 Share Posted August 4, 2023 (edited) I do really like Buddenbrooks. He wrote it when he was only about 25 if I remember rightly. Freak. Struggled with the Magic Mountain, but prepared to go back again at some point now I know what I'm in for. Reviewing my book reading this year, I've read quite a books I've enjoyed quite a bit. Will plonk some of them down here: Fiction Javier Marias - Berta Isla. Love the prose, but will annoy some people: he has a very languid quality about him, and he's never in any rush to finish a sentence but this was a compelling take on the espionage story, mostly seen through the eyes of the wife, waiting and wondering. It's more a reflection on how well one can know someone. Really loved it. Elena Ferrante - The Story of a New Name - part 2 in the Neapolitan saga. Trying not to rush through the series. John Le Carre - Smiley's People - belatedly finished off the trilogy. The most accessible of the three, certainly much improved over The Honourable Schoolboy which I didn't really care much for. Shenan Karunatilaka - The Seven Moons of Maali Almedia - the booker winner from last year I think, or nominated anyway, set in Sri Lanka during the bloody civil war of the late 80s early 90s, deploys a quirky supernatural conceit - main protagonist is a dead spirit trying to work out how he was killed, among other discoveries, entertaining and I always enjoy books that shine a light on historical and geographical areas that I knew very little about before. Bonnie Garmus - Lessons in Chemistry - a wonderfully funny book featuring a protagnist pushing back against sexist attitudes of 1950s, 60s America. And non fiction: Ian Mortimer's Time Travellers Guide to the Medieval England is excellent fun, succeeds in being witty and entertaining as well really colouring in the picture of the 14th century so vibrantly. Chris van Tulleken - Ultra Processed People: 'Why do we all eat stuff that isn't food, and why can't we stop?' again, very well written and depressing. Feel like I need to have it visibly around the kitchen or near the front door to stop me going to the shops and buying shit. Ben Mcintyre' - Colditz. I love his books, this is not his best, but for a history fan who had managed to know more or less nothing about Colditz until reading this, it was great fun. Operation Mincemeat - ditto. Christopher Clark - Sleepwalkers - seems like a fairly magisterial work on the causes of the first world war, to bring together so many strands of late 19th century, turn ofg 20th century european political history so effectively is remarkable really. What is History Now? an updated collection of essays co-edited by EH Carr's granddaughter and Suzanna Liscomb. 20 essays from historians asking questions about the role of history today, the challenges it's facing and so on. Well worth it. Edited August 4, 2023 by Rodders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted August 4, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted August 4, 2023 2 hours ago, Rodders said: John Le Carre - Smiley's People - belatedly finished off the trilogy. The most accessible of the three, certainly much improved over The Honourable Schoolboy which I didn't really care much for. Interesting. I thought Schoolboy was far and away the best part of the trilogy. It was a real shame that limited budget prevented it from making the TV version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted August 4, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted August 4, 2023 2 hours ago, Rodders said: Christopher Clark - Sleepwalkers - seems like a fairly magisterial work on the causes of the first world war, to bring together so many strands of late 19th century, turn ofg 20th century european political history so effectively is remarkable really. I've just read Barbara Tuchman's 'The Guns of August', which has led me into a re-read of Solzhenitsyn's 'August 1914' (I have 'November 1916' lined up to follow). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakemineVanilla Posted August 15, 2023 Share Posted August 15, 2023 On 04/08/2023 at 10:16, Rodders said: John Le Carre - Smiley's People - belatedly finished off the trilogy. The most accessible of the three, certainly much improved over The Honourable Schoolboy which I didn't really care much for. I've had the book for decades but never got around to reading it. I am very familiar with the various locations in the book, which added to the pleasure. I do like the Smiley character, who is as dysfunctional as the genre demands but in rather different ways than is the usual. The book was a great reminder of how much was left out of the various adaptations I've watched or listened to. You are right, it is definitely better than The Honourable Schoolboy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboyangel Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 Recently finished Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. Really easy, interesting fictional read set around the relationship between two game designers in the 90s onwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjw63 Posted September 16, 2023 Share Posted September 16, 2023 Heads up for any Black Sabbath fans yes you @Rugeley Villa…Sound of Vinyl have got a second batch of Geezer Butler’s “Into the Void” book signed by the man himself. Just grabbed myself a copy, first lot sold out fast. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders Posted September 16, 2023 Share Posted September 16, 2023 On 04/08/2023 at 12:35, mjmooney said: Interesting. I thought Schoolboy was far and away the best part of the trilogy. It was a real shame that limited budget prevented it from making the TV version. I might have preferred a TV version of it to be honest might have drawn me in a bit more in a way the book for whatever reason didn't. But in a few years I'll probably re read them again so maybe I'll re assess. A few more reading lately: Pachinko - Korean family saga following Sunji as she follows a man to Japan who is saving her from disgrace. Book begins in 1911 and ends in 1990. Intergenerational exploration of identity, alienation and belonging as historical changes flow along very much in thr background. Really enjoyable, generational element reminded me of Buddenbrooks, but it is a very different saga focus so often about fitting in or struggling to, down to the grandsons and great grandson. There is a TV adaptation on Apple I believe which I'm curious to see. Really enjoyed the book, suffers a bit from an inherent bias towards the initial characters as when it time jumps towards the latter quarter of the book I lost a bit of connection with the newer generation but nevertheless would definitely recommend it. 537 pages, so I guess the risk of going into 800 page territory explains judicious editing. Alternatively also read Clare Keegan's Small Things Like These a short 120 odd page novella which does such a terrific job of drawing you in to a period in Irish history in such a brief spell over a a few winter weeks in 1985. Finished in one sitting, but more memorable than your typical 3-400 page work. Non fiction wise 1983 by Taylor Downing is a terrifically readable year in the life of the cold War covering build up and tensions to some spectacular close calls when the Soviets got very paranoid over US wargaming. Author writes so effectively condensing a lot of events and characters in to a digestible fashion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted September 19, 2023 Share Posted September 19, 2023 Just finished these two: yeah, I’ve read other stuff by Tim Marshall and it was more of the same quite interesting a decent light read full of ‘facts’ you hope you’ll retain but never will fascinating the story and evolution of some flags and how much those various flags mean to the people they are supposed to represent Excelllent. A bit brutal in places and absolutely spared nothing in descriptions of some evil atrocities carried out in the name of and against empire. Countered by some quite funny observations. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted September 28, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted September 28, 2023 (edited) FAO @MakemineVanilla. Kindle/hardback version available now, paperback not until next May. Edited September 28, 2023 by mjmooney 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakemineVanilla Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 3 minutes ago, mjmooney said: FAO @MakemineVanilla. Kindle version available now, printed book not until next May. I look forward to that, although my pals and family might not, as my enthusiasm is known to get the better of me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted September 28, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted September 28, 2023 Just now, MakemineVanilla said: I look forward to that, although my pals and family might not, as my enthusiasm is known to get the better of me. I amended my post - the hardback is out now, if you can't wait. I'm waiting for the paperback, for shelf uniformity reasons. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakemineVanilla Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 59 minutes ago, mjmooney said: I amended my post - the hardback is out now, if you can't wait. I'm waiting for the paperback, for shelf uniformity reasons. I'm definitely anal enough to want that too! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 David Mitchell has a new book out called Unruly and its a basic romp through the history of english kings and queens. The price on the inside of the cover suggests £25. I’ve just picked up a hardback signed first edition in Waterstones and been charged £6.25 (admittedly this includes some staff discount). I’m guessing sales haven’t been as expected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted September 28, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted September 28, 2023 Have just finished the Pratchett biography, written by Rob Wilkins. Just a lovely read. Considering Wilkins was only his personal assistant, he's a bloody good writer. Definite recommend, whether you've read any Pratchett books or not. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A'Villan Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 Just finished 'Mastery' by George Leonard. Highly recommended to anyone who sees practical and spiritual perspective as a sound pastime. Just starting after years of avoiding it, 'The 48 Laws of Power' by Robert Greene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugeley Villa Posted September 30, 2023 Share Posted September 30, 2023 Starting this tonight as I try and venture back into Italian football Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugeley Villa Posted September 30, 2023 Share Posted September 30, 2023 Few pages in and I think I’m going to enjoy it. The author who is an Arsenal fan and moved to Italy in the 80s was irritated when he first went there because not many people had heard of his team Arsenal but Aston Villa was a name over in Italy. How times change eh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted October 1, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted October 1, 2023 12 hours ago, Rugeley Villa said: Few pages in and I think I’m going to enjoy it. If you haven't already read it, I highly recommend 'A Season With Verona' by Tim Parks. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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