What are you reading?

[pee dubya]

Birdsong is probably in the Top 20 of books I have read this decade. Harrowing, but quality.

A good read this, though generally I don't rate Faulks much at all. Has to be said that certain of the detailed wartime sequences seem to have been lifted right from historian Martin Middlebrook's The First Day on the Somme but Faulks dramatises well and for the uninitiated there's a definite 'Saving Private Ryan' shock factor about the trench and battle scenes.

Dunno quite what the modern day sub-plot was about, seemed a bit underdeveloped and pretty superfluous...what you think, Macca?

I did Birdsong for my higher English thing. I decided the modern bit was to try and provide both a bit of perspective, comparing our lives today with what those who fought in the war went through, how our lives are affected by what went on, even if we never think of it and maybe some respite, like a bit of an escape from the reader getting bogged down in the trench stuff.

Or something like that, i got a B, so it can't have been that bad.

 

[DirtyEddie]

thought birdsong was boring. currently re-reading a confederacy of dunces by john kennedy toole. brilliant book, very funny, and one of the greatest main characters of all time in ignatius j. reilly. i cant imagine ever getting bored of reading it.

 

[Fat Chance]

The Thieves Opera/Lucy Moore.

 

[1894]

Had a clear out last week and took 6 carrier bags full of books to local charity shops.

This OP made me think if we could set up a free book-swap on Bluemoon, just like the 'want ads' or summat ?

I'm sure our 'done with' reads could be passed around ?

Any thoughts ?

 

[johnny on the spot]

Top idea, 1894.

In actual fact, I've still got a signed Peter James book for Mackenzie's mate that's yet to be claimed....

 

[hackneyslim]

I'm in for the swap.

I'll be looking for Birdsong in my stocking...

Agree entirely about Confederacy of Dunces. Oooh, my valve, etc.

Currently reading 'Four Kings' about the Hagler/Hearns/Leonard/Duran fights, and Hardy's Tales from Wessex. Both good, but the violence and corruption is a bit shocking in the Hardy. Yeah, ok.

 

[Newlunar]

Just read the bible.

Shit book, he dies in the end.

 

[Damocles]

Had a clear out last week and took 6 carrier bags full of books to local charity shops.

This OP made me think if we could set up a free book-swap on Bluemoon, just like the 'want ads' or summat ?

I'm sure our 'done with' reads could be passed around ?

Any thoughts ?

A million times yes. This is the first thing I'm mentioning to Ric when I see him.

On topic Edit (ish) - I tend to read technical books now. Just got Pressman's new edition of Software Engineering, which is pretty good.

I haven't long finished the Dictionary. Turns out the Zebra did it.

 

[Pearcey]

Just finished 'Porno' by Irvine Welsh. It's a bit of an epic (about 500 pages) but got through it in 3 days by pretty much reading all day.

Reading Henry Miller's 'Tropic Of Cancer' now. I think this was banned when it 1st came out. very very graphic but a top top read so far (one of those that's chalenging so you ahve to do it in smaller chunks)

I've also got a few that I've not read yet... A biog of Arthur Conan Doyle which is the size of an average dictionary (daunting!) and some Ben Elton books my better half bought me.

 

[Pearcey]

pies & prejudice - stuart marconi , quality

I got that a while back... I read upto the Manchester chapter then didn't read anymore! Seeemed the right thing to do!