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Dwight - Try The Shining, Dolores Claiborne or Misery. Collection of short stories Everything's Eventual is pretty good too. Don't read The Tommyknockers or Rose Madder -bad, bad books!
Duma Key, I read it in about 3 days, Dwight. Once I got started I could not leave it.
This Richard Montanaria book ... full of holes where we are expected to suspend belief. The detective walks in on a crime scene, picks up a (dusted for fingerprints) photo cube and hey presto, something rattles inside, although padded to prevent anyone finding it ... turns out to be a pen drive... now really ... All that needed was for his editor to say 'any chance of making that slightly less obvious for the discerning reader?' and with a couple of sentences it could have been done. Instead we are left with that highly improbable scenario. Disappointing in the extreme.
At the moment I am reading The Shack by Paul Young. It's described as a kind of modern Pilgrim's Progress. Will let you know if I agree when I've finished it. (I'll have to read Pilgrim's Progress aswell though!)
I used to know an Adriana once, Chippy. on summer school in Grenoble. She looked like Sophia Loren and was smouldering, but had nothing like the sex appeal of her friend, Gigliola (who looked like Claudia Cardinale). That was a Summer, that was. 1971 :)
I've just finished 'Brooklyn' by Colm Toibin. What a wonderful novel. Colm proves that you don't need pace, action and constant hustle and bustle to produce a great read. This was a simple tale, beautifully written. Magnificent and truly moving.
Next stop, Mrs Dalloway, one that's been on my tbr pile for ages.
Picked up quite a heap of books from charity shops and the library when we were in England a couple of weeks ago. I've got two Colm Toibin's: The Heather Blazing and The Master to look forward to.
Betsie, is it any good? 3 books down the line I am doing my own book on Mary Q of S, but completely and totally different from Ms Gregory (who still hasn't answered my email on why she dislikes HM so much...)
Currently the fiction is on hold (namely Anna Burns STILL) and I'm reading 'So you wanna be a writer'. Anyone read this? It is good for ideas but I find her difficult to relate to. I do not drink wine while writing.
after watching Phantom Of The Opera last night and seeing that its actually based on a book (i really can't believe i didn't know this before!) but no i want to read the book...
anyone read it before?
Quarter way through Mark Billingham's In the Dark. Couple of chapters in to Sol Stein's Solutions for Writers, ordered this after reading Solutions for Novelists. Half way through USA by Rail, just for the fun of it.
You're right, Dorothy; I am still a dyed-in-the-blood romantic and my reminiscences of Summer 1971 should yield something worthwhile. I quite fancy writing romance, but have zilch experience. As luck would have it, I kept a daily journal while at university. Yes, I am the male student who did that, folks. Once every five years or so I remind myself of the wonderful girls I knew back then. This is not to say my OH doesn't knock them all into a cocked hat, but for story germs it could come in useful.
Meanwhile my recent reading is limited to tons of non-fiction bits and bobs in the way of serious research. And Duma Key at the rate of 20 pages a day (= another 28 days).
read some of Walking Ollie by Stephen Foster but found it hard to enjoy someone else's experiences with a dog. I gave up but won't tell the person who loaned it to me, as the dog he has is the dog she has, she enjoyed it because she could empathise with it. I found it tedious.
So, back to RF Delderfield and the third part of the God Is An Englishman trilogy. I'm part way through Mark Billingham's Death Message, I take it when I go to lunch, the Delderfield book is too big to carry about
Just bought a book on Leonardo Da Vinci.
Just about finished 'Mrs Dalloway' (Stirling - if you want to read a good example of multiple POV's and how to switch, this one's a cracker). Halfway through 'Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi' by Geoff Dyer. Both very enjoyable in their own ways and very well written.
I'm now just over halfway through 'Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi' by Geoff Dyer, which is wonderfully descriptive of both locations, superbly written. I'm also reading Borges' 'Collected Fictions' which brings together all his short stories, essays, parables, etc and is quite simply magnificent. It's the first time I've read any of his work and I can see how his influence has affected many other writers that I've read in the past.
I've finished Borges though I'll be returning soon, no doubt. His writing is some of the best I've ever read and I'll be dipping in for quite a while to get my fix.
To replace it, I've started reading China Mieville's new novel, 'The City and the City'. I've not read any of his before so I'm looking forward to this.
ordered a Kate Atkinson after the discussion on her thread but it hasn't arrived yet. I am reading Lonely Road by Nevil Shute, and again finding it strange, the cigarettes all the time, sharing, lighting, smoking, it's a lost world.
Ooh, just catching up. Red - I wholeheartedly recommend Sarah Waters' Fingersmith.
Dwight - Stephen King's The Dark Half is a goodie.
Jenny - I'm just finishing Sandi Toksvig's Gladys Reunited too. You can really hear her distinctive voice as she narrates it. Very funny, but tender too. I swapped it with a book at our holiday apartments in Crete.
I've read Katie Fforde's Wedding Season and just loved it. I occasionally have to dispense with the horror and thrillers for a bit of pure, predictable chick lit. Just to give me a sugar rush.
Also finished Stephen King's On Writing. Excellent.
Gave up on Barbara Erskine's Daughter's Of Fire, I'm afraid. It was taking too long to go anywhere.
Robin1, the audiobook has just been put up on Audible and I might download it as my next read/listen. I like Shadow of the Wind and if it's as good as that then he'll be onto a winner.
Comments
This Richard Montanaria book ... full of holes where we are expected to suspend belief. The detective walks in on a crime scene, picks up a (dusted for fingerprints) photo cube and hey presto, something rattles inside, although padded to prevent anyone finding it ... turns out to be a pen drive... now really ... All that needed was for his editor to say 'any chance of making that slightly less obvious for the discerning reader?' and with a couple of sentences it could have been done. Instead we are left with that highly improbable scenario. Disappointing in the extreme.
I can get through Sophie Kinsella novels really quickly [a couple of days!] which is how this is the 3rd book I've started in about a week!
Definatly a must if you have read the last eleven, but if you've never heard of it, start with CHERUB: The Recruit first of all.
Not entirely sure what it's about yet, but boy is it good.
Next stop, Mrs Dalloway, one that's been on my tbr pile for ages.
anyone read it before?
Written for use in the workplace, it's also relevant to any change.
Meanwhile my recent reading is limited to tons of non-fiction bits and bobs in the way of serious research. And Duma Key at the rate of 20 pages a day (= another 28 days).
So, back to RF Delderfield and the third part of the God Is An Englishman trilogy. I'm part way through Mark Billingham's Death Message, I take it when I go to lunch, the Delderfield book is too big to carry about
Just bought a book on Leonardo Da Vinci.
The book is very entertaining. The advice is rather dubious and includes ...
"People really need help but may attack you if you help them.
HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY."
"Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU'VE GOT ANYWAY."
:rolleyes:
GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU'VE GOT ANYWAY."[/quote]
And face the future with dentures?
To replace it, I've started reading China Mieville's new novel, 'The City and the City'. I've not read any of his before so I'm looking forward to this.
So far pretty good.
Dwight - Stephen King's The Dark Half is a goodie.
Jenny - I'm just finishing Sandi Toksvig's Gladys Reunited too. You can really hear her distinctive voice as she narrates it. Very funny, but tender too. I swapped it with a book at our holiday apartments in Crete.
I've read Katie Fforde's Wedding Season and just loved it. I occasionally have to dispense with the horror and thrillers for a bit of pure, predictable chick lit. Just to give me a sugar rush.
Also finished Stephen King's On Writing. Excellent.
Gave up on Barbara Erskine's Daughter's Of Fire, I'm afraid. It was taking too long to go anywhere.
Is anyone reading it?