[Misc] What Book are you Currently Reading?

[Blatter]

If you like legal thrillers I’d recommend Michael Connolly’s Lincoln Lawyer series.

I've read all of Michael Connelly's books (Bosch/Mickey Haller/Renee Ballard) and they are a great read. In fact, I've just started again at the beginning with The Black Echo and The Black Ice

 

[Beach Hut]

Pilgrim - Carolyn Gillespie

 

[Flounce]

I thought I’d look for a more recent book than Tombstone by CJ Sansom as I have loved all the Shardlake books and wondered if there was a new one. Sadly it seems he was writing the 8th book in the series when he died in a hospice near Brighton in April, aged just 71

So I’ve just downloaded Lion by Conn Iggulden

 

[Swimboy64]

A New Earth

 

[Beach Hut]

The Nanny State Made Me - Stuart Maconie

 

[5Ways Gull]

Just finishing Cadillac Jukebox by James Lee Burke. Found in a freecycle pile outside a house locally. Hadn't read one if his Dave Robicheaux books for a while, forgotten how well written and atmospheric they are.

 

[Beach Hut]

Bonne Chance! - Richard Wiles

 

[Beanstalk]

I should be tucking into the new Sally Rooney, Intermezzo but Rough Trade haven’t even dispatched it yet… (I know don’t pre-order books from a record store but they were the last place to have signed limited edition copies available).

 

[Surf's Up]

Prophet Song by Paul Lynch
One of the seemingly endless stream of Irish authors currently bombarding our bookshelves - initially a difficult read because his writing style (solid unending blocks of breathless descriptive narrative text) requires the reader to re calibrate their normal reading pattern. Once that adjustment has been made it’s ok, not sure I understand why it won the Booker prize though.

 

[dolphins]

Julia by Sandra Newman. It relates to Orwell's 1984, and tells the story from Julia's perspective of her relationship with Winston Smith. It's approved by Orwell's estate and whilst I'm not that far into it yet, is very good. Language is a bit more up to date than the original (but that was written in 1948 - he swapped over the last two digits to get the year it was set in) and just got to a bit with some VERY fruity language!

Just finished re-reading 1984 (which I first read around then as one of the set texts at school - can't remember the exact year it was that we were set it though) which I occasionally re-read and it reminds me what a good book it is.

The book above, Julia, is really well done, and a nice counterpoint to 1984. If you've read neither, read Orwell's original first, then Newman's recent alternate take. It gives a much different view on things and I am not surprised that Orwell's estate approved it.

Just about to read the new Peter James, One Of Us Is Dead, which I bought from his book launch party last night on the Palace Pier.

 

[dolphins]

I should be tucking into the new Sally Rooney, Intermezzo but Rough Trade haven’t even dispatched it yet… (I know don’t pre-order books from a record store but they were the last place to have signed limited edition copies available).

I just got the Moon Unit Zappa signed book with an exclusive illustration by her from them. There was a delay from publication in them getting it but it was well packed AND their customer service proved excellent.

 

[Beanstalk]

Prophet Song by Paul Lynch
One of the seemingly endless stream of Irish authors currently bombarding our bookshelves - initially a difficult read because his writing style (solid unending blocks of breathless descriptive narrative text) requires the reader to re calibrate their normal reading pattern. Once that adjustment has been made it’s ok, not sure I understand why it won the Booker prize though.

I found it to be an absolutely deserving winner of the Booker last year. Harrowing, intelligent, urgent, and somehow it never veers into the hysterical pretentiousness that its overdramatic narrative implies. Always a story about a family and the woman trying to keep it together whilst the world around her burns.

James by Percival Everett is the clear favourite this year, a re-imagining from Huckleberry Finn, though I wouldn't be shocked if Rachel Kushner's Creation Lake won it. People also seem to be quite excited about Orbital by Samantha Harvey which follows six astronauts on the International Space Station, but it is short and meditative, which would almost be very un-Booker as a winner.

 

[Braggfan]

Pilgrim - Carolyn Gillespie

How are you finding it? It looks interesting and the sort of thing I've been reading lately. I might give it a go.

 

[Beach Hut]

How are you finding it? It looks interesting and the sort of thing I've been reading lately. I might give it a go.

Enjoyed it but perhaps a tad Mumsnet so to speak it is around the 5th or so book I've read about the Camino and all have been good.

Spanish Steps is well worth a read by Tim Moore who walked a donkey on the pilgrimage

 

[Braggfan]

Enjoyed it but perhaps a tad Mumsnet so to speak it is around the 5th or so book I've read about the Camino and all have been good.

Spanish Steps is well worth a read by Tim Moore who walked a donkey on the pilgrimage

Cheers, that's good to know. and thanks for the Tom Moore recommendation as well.

 

[Beach Hut]

Abroad in Japan - Chris Broad

 

[feller]

The Snake Head by Patrick Radden Keefe

 

[Pevenseagull]

'Let's Do It, The Birth Of Pop' - Bob Stanley.

 

[Beach Hut]

Cheers, that's good to know. and thanks for the Tom Moore recommendation as well.

It's Tim Moore

 

[Nigella's Cream Pie]

Just finished Billy Connolly's 'Windswept and Interesting' autobiography. A lot I knew already from recent TV programmes but still a great read.
What a life, admire him for recovering from the abuse he suffered as a wee boy to becoming famous but still down to earth.