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I am currently reading City of Lies by RJ Ellroy author of "a quiet belief in angels" (which is a fantastic, if not a little harrowing)...seems to be good so far. I am reading it, because i enjoyed "angels" enormously and I wonder if he is able to replecate the awesome readibility of "angels". He is doing well so far. I'm impressed.
Just gave up reading One Shot by Lee Child. It started well, but there was never any real sense of Reacher being in any great danger. He's accused of murdering someone in a small town but he is able to walk about unnoticed by everyone! The baddies aren't scary either! Very disappointing.
I was warned that John Buchan's biography of Oliver Cromwell would be hard going. Chapter 1 was, now he is bringing the man alive with his own inimitable style. Wonderful stuff.
I'm up to approx. page 70 of "Journey to the End of the Room" by Tibor Fischer. There's a surprising insight into the narrator's character every few pages.
I finished reading The Mercy Seat by Martyn Waites. Good book, if a little too graphic for my tastes. It kept me gripped until the end.
Stirling asked me what I thought of the presentation of Newcastle in the book (the Joe Donovan series is set in Newcastle). The descriptions remind me of Liverpool in the eighties when I was a student. There were some really dire, no go areas, but at the same time there was a lot of regeneration going on, and there were some really good areas. The books no doubt depict only one side of Newcastle, to set the atmosphere for the stories and characters.
Dictionary. I love dictionaries. Look up one word, eye finds another to look at, suddenly you're chasing through looking up all sorts of connections and words and ...
(ramble, ramble) I love dictionaries
Just read The Church of Dead Girls by Stephen Dobyns.
Unusual. Thriller, yes, with murders, but more exploring the psychology of the small town in which it takes place, how the events affect each and every person, how the relatives and friends of the missing girls turn on anyone who is 'different', shows the pack thing at work and in all was the most absorbing and page turning thriller I've read in ages.
Now back to Ray Bradbury ... reading my way through my collection after a break of many years.
[quote=Chippy13]I have finished Groucho Marx's autobiography[/quote]
What did you think? I'm a great fan of Groucho's.
I'm reading Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith, I was going to give it to a friend as it mentions a place we've both visited in Russia but I picked it up this morning just to read the first page and can't put it down. I'm also reading, Your Writing Coach by Jurgen Wolff, which I'm enjoying.
I have just finished Peter Hitchens "Abolition of Britain" which the library bought in new for me , and husband's Christmas pressie "Private Eye" annual.
Didn't get ANY books for Christmas this year - lovely diaries of different styles, notebooks, a beautiful silver bookmark...
Anyway, am reading "Miss Garnett's Angel", Saly Vickers. It's been discussed on here before, that's why I bought it and it's fascinating - I should have it finished by now but I keep getting sidetracked into googling things about the history of Venice, and various apocryphal texts (yeah yeah, saddo, I know !) But it is really MY KINDA thing ! :)
HUH ! And now I have just read a review of this book I am reading and it says it's very disappointing at the end as nothing happens ! hehe (must be why I am enjoying it !)
The Jericho Sanction by Oliver North and Joe Muessler, who is reputed to have written 40 books and 20 screenplays and yet let a major error slip in. The heroine is using an assumed name, the friend uses the assumed name and then, before revelation of Real Name, uses Real Name ... and no one noticed it? Don't like it much. Good job it was a charity shop buy! It will go back there shortly.
I've just finished Bill Bryson's "Shakespeare". It isn't a very thick book because, as he admits, there isn't all that much confirmed information about William S, but it's very entertaining, like all BB's books.
I've gone back to reading Edith Sitwell's "English Eccentrics" (paperback from a charity shop). The chapter on "Some Amateurs of Fashion" is very funny, especially the section about Robert Coates. He was very wealthy and starred himself in various plays, which frequently involved him in slanging matches with his audiences! (This was in the early 19th century.)
Who's the Worst Actor? - could be an idea for a new TV show!!
Just finished The Partisan's Daughter by Louis de Bernieres. I wasn't going to read it until I read the first line 'I'm not the sort of man who goes to prostitutes' Shows you how important that first line can be. It was unusual and an enjoyable read.
read King Arthur's Avalon, non fiction book on the history of Glastonbury, fascinating stuff. About to go sideways, or even back, to read Dombey & Son.
Re-reading Artemis Fowl, the Opal Deception, then I'll read AF, the Lost Colony, then the new one, Time Paradox. I seriously need to start "Chunk" reading again, but then I need to find the time.
Re-reading the Dark Tower Series; so, almost finished 'The Gunslinger' at the moment. That is the book I'm reading downstairs.
Upstairs, I'm reading 'Hunt for Atlantis' by Andy McDermott. Liking it so far, I think if you're a fan of the adventure genres and particularly if you like Indiana Jones you should get on well with this book. And, since I have the sequel 'Tomb of Hercules' sitting on the shelf, I'll be moving onto that afterwards.
[quote= Probie]You read two books at a time? [/quote]
Hehe, I've been known to read more than that at a time. When I was in sixth form, I was regularly reading five books at a time. Two at home (like I said, one when I'm downstairs, one when I'm upstairs), I tend to read LOTR almost every year - so I was reading that at the time - then I was reading another book in my breaks and free lessons (my six form had college status, so it was more free than school ones) and then there would be the book or books we were reading in lessons.
I'm an insomniac, I rarely get more than two hours sleep a night so I do a lot of reading and/or writing while regular people sleep.
Just finished reading the anthology Best Gay Romance 2009. I think I get a one-off payment - the money order's in the post :-) - so I might receive public lending right (I've put in for one-eighteenth), but probably no royalties. So, if you're thinking of reading it, borrow it from your library!
As my internet went down at 10:50pm last night *grumbles and growls at virgin media* I managed to finished 'The Gunslinger' and have gotten 47 pages through 'The Drawing of the Three' - second book in the 'Dark Tower Series'. So, I didn't go upstairs until 1am.
I haven't read them in a while and I forgot how different the writing style was in the first book...the flow is a lot better but given when King wrote the first book, it's understandable.
And update on 'Hunt for Atlantis' by Andy McDermott (the book I'm reading upstairs), half way through now and we've got to three challenges in an old temple, that they must pass to be worthy. I love adventure stuff like this and the continued references to Indiana Jones keep me easily entertained :D I love the character Eddie (not Dean that's the Dark Tower...*thinks*) Chase! And the other lead Nina Wilde's (an american) calling him cockney when he's from Yorkshire *snickers*
If this is McDermott's first book, I hope the sequels are as good. So far it's really promising and the characters are well rounded.
I started reading Hunt for Atlantis, but I have to say that I didn't like it very much. I know it's supposed to be a fun book but I didn't like any of the characters. I thought Chase was awful. Can you imagine a hero farting to put women off him? Anyway, that's just my opinion. Maybe I'll have a look at his second book, it might be better.
I'm reading 'Edward I. A great and terrible king' by Marc Morris. I love historical biographies and this is fascinating, particularly his love for his Queen, Eleanor of Castile - she of the Eleanor Crosses fame.
Just finished reading The Trojan Project by Eileen Thornton. A fast-paced thriller involving a nasty chemical weapon, government cover up, innocent people trying to escape the military... I was hooked after reading a few pages. It was unputdownable!
Still reading Angel and Demons, but only because I friend insisted. Not exactly my cup of tea. Got distracted with How to Write and Sell Short Stories byt Della Galton which is much more enjoyable.
Comments
Stirling asked me what I thought of the presentation of Newcastle in the book (the Joe Donovan series is set in Newcastle). The descriptions remind me of Liverpool in the eighties when I was a student. There were some really dire, no go areas, but at the same time there was a lot of regeneration going on, and there were some really good areas. The books no doubt depict only one side of Newcastle, to set the atmosphere for the stories and characters.
(ramble, ramble) I love dictionaries
Unusual. Thriller, yes, with murders, but more exploring the psychology of the small town in which it takes place, how the events affect each and every person, how the relatives and friends of the missing girls turn on anyone who is 'different', shows the pack thing at work and in all was the most absorbing and page turning thriller I've read in ages.
Now back to Ray Bradbury ... reading my way through my collection after a break of many years.
What did you think? I'm a great fan of Groucho's.
I'm reading Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith, I was going to give it to a friend as it mentions a place we've both visited in Russia but I picked it up this morning just to read the first page and can't put it down. I'm also reading, Your Writing Coach by Jurgen Wolff, which I'm enjoying.
Didn't get ANY books for Christmas this year - lovely diaries of different styles, notebooks, a beautiful silver bookmark...
Anyway, am reading "Miss Garnett's Angel", Saly Vickers. It's been discussed on here before, that's why I bought it and it's fascinating - I should have it finished by now but I keep getting sidetracked into googling things about the history of Venice, and various apocryphal texts (yeah yeah, saddo, I know !) But it is really MY KINDA thing ! :)
Wonderful read. How do some people do so much and remember so much. Inspirational.
Some of you kindly recommended it to me and I've saved it for my holiday read.
It's hilarious - I might even have a go at writing some fiction at the end of it.
I've gone back to reading Edith Sitwell's "English Eccentrics" (paperback from a charity shop). The chapter on "Some Amateurs of Fashion" is very funny, especially the section about Robert Coates. He was very wealthy and starred himself in various plays, which frequently involved him in slanging matches with his audiences! (This was in the early 19th century.)
Who's the Worst Actor? - could be an idea for a new TV show!!
'The Supper Club' by Sophie king
'The Graveyard Book' by Neil Gaiman
'At my Mother's Knee...and other low joints' by Paul O'Grady
I am now reading 'Heart shaped box' by Joe Hill
I've now changed genre for my next choice - 'The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic' by Sophie Kinsella.
I am very eclectic when it comes to book...films...music...everything...
Upstairs, I'm reading 'Hunt for Atlantis' by Andy McDermott. Liking it so far, I think if you're a fan of the adventure genres and particularly if you like Indiana Jones you should get on well with this book. And, since I have the sequel 'Tomb of Hercules' sitting on the shelf, I'll be moving onto that afterwards.
Hehe, I've been known to read more than that at a time. When I was in sixth form, I was regularly reading five books at a time. Two at home (like I said, one when I'm downstairs, one when I'm upstairs), I tend to read LOTR almost every year - so I was reading that at the time - then I was reading another book in my breaks and free lessons (my six form had college status, so it was more free than school ones) and then there would be the book or books we were reading in lessons.
I'm an insomniac, I rarely get more than two hours sleep a night so I do a lot of reading and/or writing while regular people sleep.
There's a review of it here:
http://www.edgenewengland.com/index.php?ch=entertainment&sc=books&sc2=&sc3=fiction&id=85374
My story is mentioned in the "Similarly" paragraph.
I haven't read them in a while and I forgot how different the writing style was in the first book...the flow is a lot better but given when King wrote the first book, it's understandable.
And update on 'Hunt for Atlantis' by Andy McDermott (the book I'm reading upstairs), half way through now and we've got to three challenges in an old temple, that they must pass to be worthy. I love adventure stuff like this and the continued references to Indiana Jones keep me easily entertained :D I love the character Eddie (not Dean that's the Dark Tower...*thinks*) Chase! And the other lead Nina Wilde's (an american) calling him cockney when he's from Yorkshire *snickers*
If this is McDermott's first book, I hope the sequels are as good. So far it's really promising and the characters are well rounded.
Just about to start Velocity by Dean Koontz.