Reading Challenge 2022

[RobMCFC]

I find once I start a series that I have to complete it rather than reading other books in between…the reading equivalent of binge watching I suppose.

It’s funny, I’m the opposite. Even with a series I absolutely love, I’d rather leave gaps and read other stuff in between.

There may be only a few of us, but it’s definitely worth having a 2023 thread. You get the odd good tip and it’s interesting to see what others are reading.

 

[JRockBlues]

I've got behind again in my reviews. Currently standing at 4 owed and hopefully finish another before the year is out. Busy over next couple of days though so might not be able to catch up until after Xmas.

 

[RobMCFC]

1. The Spirit Engineer - A.J.West - 7/10
2. The Lost Man - Jane Harper - 8/10
3. The Fall of Babel – Josiah Bancroft - 5/10
4. The Forest – Michaelbrent Collings – 3/10
5. Black River – Will Dean – 7/10
6. Winter is Coming – Garry Kasparov – 9/10
7. Archangel – Robert Harris – 8/10
8. The Justice of Kings – Richard Swan - 8/10
9. Priest of Bones – Peter McLean – 8/10
10. Watching Skies: Star Wars, Spielberg and us – Mark O’Connell – 7/10
11. Björn Borg and the Super-Swedes – Mats Holm and Ulf Roosvald – 8/10
12. We Men of Ash and Shadow – HL Tinsley 6/10
13. Paul Kelly: The man, the music and the life in between – Stuart Coupe – 7/10
14. Steven Spielberg: A Biography - Joseph McBride – 8/10
15. Scrublands – Chris Hammer – 8/10
16. Thunderstruck – Erik Larson – 9/10
17. Billy Summers – Stephen King – 9/10
18. Priest of Lies – Peter McLean – 8/10
19. Big City Cat: My Life in Folk-Rock - Steve Forbert 6/10



Does what it says on the tin really. I saw this cheap, and although I only own one Steve Forbert album, I thought it might be worth a read.

I was aware that Forbert was an artist who, because of some issues with his record company, was not able to release an album for a number of years in the 1980s. That is covered here, but it’s not really anything earth-shattering. More than half the book covers his early years on the New York scene, hanging around clubs like the famous CBGBs. He certainly seems like a singer who put a lot of work into his shows and meeting the right people before he got his break in the late 70s.

It was an OK read – not the best music bio I have read, but pretty straightfoward and enjoyable enough.

 

[mackenzie]

The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard.

It's fictional, about the lone survivor (a 12 year old girl) of the slaying of a family by a serial killer. Set in Cork, Ireland.

What's great about it is the survivor (20 years later) writes a book about the killings. In the meantime the killer (still free) reads it. So you get both her account and the killer's reaction many years after the killings have ceased.

I loved it, 10/10.

 

[stoneblue]

19. Big City Cat: My Life in Folk-Rock - Steve Forbert 6/10

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Does what it says on the tin really. I saw this cheap, and although I only own one Steve Forbert album, I thought it might be worth a read.

I was aware that Forbert was an artist who, because of some issues with his record company, was not able to release an album for a number of years in the 1980s. That is covered here, but it’s not really anything earth-shattering. More than half the book covers his early years on the New York scene, hanging around clubs like the famous CBGBs. He certainly seems like a singer who put a lot of work into his shows and meeting the right people before he got his break in the late 70s.

It was an OK read – not the best music bio I have read, but pretty straightfoward and enjoyable enough.

Wow, that name is a blast from the past. I seem to remember that he was another artist who was dubbed ‘the new Dylan’

I too have an album of his though haven’t played it for ages! He does a good cover of the old Searchers song…”When you walk in the room”

 

[RobMCFC]

Wow, that name is a blast from the past. I seem to remember that he was another artist who was dubbed ‘the new Dylan’

I too have an album of his though haven’t played it for ages! He does a good cover of the old Searchers song…”When you walk in the room”

Yes, the new Dylan thing is something he makes fun of in the book.

Streets of this Town is the album I have.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

@RobMCFC Hey assuming we are doing a 2023 thread I’d love to participate. I’m trying to do a book every three weeks which isn’t too many but I spend so much time on periodicals for my job I find my reading time crimped often. I read a lot of history (especially 1800s US and British history), a fair amount of social/business analysis, and the occasional novel. My 1st book for 2023 is “River of the Gods” by Candice Millard, about the race between Burton and Speke to find the source of the Nile.

 

[RobMCFC]

@RobMCFC Hey assuming we are doing a 2023 thread I’d love to participate. I’m trying to do a book every three weeks which isn’t too many but I spend so much time on periodicals for my job I find my reading time crimped often. I read a lot of history (especially 1800s US and British history), a fair amount of social/business analysis, and the occasional novel. My 1st book for 2023 is “River of the Gods” by Candice Millard, about the race between Burton and Speke to find the source of the Nile.

No worries, Foggy. It’s a bit less regimented than the Album Review club - people just post when they’ve read something, some of us track our growing list of reads in each post and rate it out of 10, but however you want to contribute is fine.

A book every three weeks sounds about what I read.

That novel sounds interesting. I read a book about 15 years ago that covered similar subjects. Can’t remember the name but it was more focused on Livingstone and Stanley but the names Burton and Speke sound familiar so maybe they were in it as well. I’ve seen a film called Mountains of the Moon that I think covers the same subject.

Anyway, welcome to the reading thread. I’ll probably start the new 2023 version in the next day or two.

 

[mackenzie]

I've also recently read 1984 by Orwell.
Mind blowing how correct he was.

 

[RobMCFC]

I've also recently read 1984 by Orwell.
Mind blowing how correct he was.

I read it a couple of years ago, and whilst you are correct about how prophetic Orwell was, I was a bit bored and disappointed by the story.