Book suggestions

[mike1923]

I'm a bit worried about reading the Book of Dust series because I was so hugely impressed by His Dark Materials that I'm worried that he's cashing in and will mess it up somehow. Although I was jarred, as never before, by the way The Amber Spyglass ends — I didn't cry(!) but I took days to get over it — I was finally reconciled to that ending to the whole trilogy. It has to be that way.
What do you think? Does it feel as though he's exploiting the success of the earlier trilogy, or do the Book of Dust novels stand on their own merits?[/QUOTE

ive just finished the first one and it’s really good. It’s the story of how Lyra ends up at Jordan college. Few crossovers and cameos from characters in the dark materials books but holds up well on its own

 

[asgoodasitgets]

Just blowing the dust off the bookcase looking for “A Bright Shining Lie “ and came across a belter I read and re read a couple of years ago .
It’s called Storming The Wall by Todd Miller . It’s all about global warming , economic migrants and what various governments / countries are doing about it .
There’s a thread throughout the book of domestic migrants in the USA and how they should be feared more than any South American immigrants . There was a fact in there that all major US cities except ( I think) for two can be locked down in hours . All roads in and out can be blocked and the government have the firepower on tap to completely seal them off .
It also mentions Phoenix being the least sustainable city in the world and how many resources it takes to keep the desert at bay .
It sounds dull and long winded but it’s actually fascinating . There are facts in the book that are astounding .
If anybody wants the copy , drop me a PM and Ill post it out . It’s that good , more people deserve to read it .

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

It also mentions Phoenix being the least sustainable city in the world and how many resources it takes to keep the desert at bay .

Re. that. If I were dictator of the U.S., I would require every single American to read Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner. The most astonishing non-fiction book I've read in these last twenty to thirty years. Basically, it explains in irrefutable terms how America west of the western border of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma etc. is possible. That is, how it became inhabitable, or rather was made inhabitable to millions of people in the twentieth century west of that line, thanks to the biggest dam building and water diversion programme the world has ever seen, and billions of Federal dollars. He goes into the politics of it in Washington, the technical aspects, which are jaw-dropping, overseen essentially by the Army Corps of Engineers, the way native Americans were ridden over roughshod, and of course, the building of the biggest cities west of that line: Denver, the Bay Area conglomerate and Los Angeles. Which all exist courtesy of one thing: water. A truly incredible read, very well written.
Every American, whether they live east or west of that line, should read it. And just anyone who is interested in how mightily man can manipulate the environment when he's got the sheer manpower, engineering know-how, ruthlessness about the rights of indigenous populations, and dollar muscle, to back it up.

 

[Saxmundham Blue]

I have just finished.......The Faber Book of Reportage.

All I can say is it is one of the most jaw-dropping books I have ever read. Anyone with any interest in historical events would like this.

I bought a hardback copy from Amazon for 1p plus postage!!

Book Description
The Faber Book of Reportage is John Carey's remarkable collection of eyewitness accounts that draws on the voices and emotions of the people who experienced some of history's most memorable events.

Synopsis
The eye-witness accounts in this book have been chosen from hundreds of memoirs, letters and travel books, as well as newspapers. The time span reaches from ancient Greece - Thucydides' account of Athens stricken by plague - to February 1986 when James Fenton in the Phillipines, joins the crowd rampaging through President Marcos's palace. There are disasters, executions and battles - often seen from unaccustomed angles - such as, a French knight's account of Agincourt, El Alamein from a German armoured car. But peace has its dramas too, as seen from the accounts of the Pilgrim fathers setting foot in the silent forests of America, and Garrick playing Hamlet.

 

[chesterbells]

I Have done the first 9 Robicheaux books and my maud has done the lot, very evocative writing. If you like New Orleans have you tried A Quiet Vendetta by R.J Ellory? highly recommend it

Just by way of an update, finished Vendetta last week, and phew, it’s certainly a bit different to Robicheaux! Looking back, it was gripping, but was on the verge of outstaying it’s welcome. I also found his descriptions of the killing and the violence a bit on the full side for my tastes, and found myself skipping the gory details cos I was so keen to follow the plot. Basically, I’m not sure I’ll read another of his, but I did enjoy it & cheers for the recommendation.

I’m now taters deep in some high quality Scandi Noir.

 

[Fred_Quimby]

Not often now at my age that I find a book I can’t seam to put down but Michael Connolly’s The Poet is one. I think it was his first novel.

 

[JRockBlues]

Not often now at my age that I find a book I can’t seam to put down but Michael Connolly’s The Poet is one. I think it was his first novel.

The Poet was released in 1996 but the first of the Harry Bosch books (The Black Echo) was released four years earlier in 1992 while he was still working as a reporter for the LA Times.

 

[George Hannah]

The Poet was released in 1996 but the first of the Harry Bosch books (The Black Echo) was released four years earlier in 1992 while he was still working as a reporter for the LA Times.

Just finished watching several series of Bosch on Prime starring Titus Welliver. Can't bring myself to recommend it but much better than Goliath, Taken and 21 Bridges anyway.

 

[richardtheref]

Not often now at my age that I find a book I can’t seam to put down but Michael Connolly’s The Poet is one. I think it was his first novel.

The Poet is a classic. It was the 5th book he had out

 

[Double R]

Just finished The Hunger by Alma Katsu. Its a fictional story based on the Donner Party incident of 1845. She added a supernatural twist to an allready horrible story. Nice idea, but reading the true story was far more interesting. 3.5/5.