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Books read 2017
Books read 2017
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A day in your life, 24 hours inside the human body - Dr Hilary Jones
I enjoyed this book, it was informative and entertaining. |
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The Master and Margarita By Bulgakov.
Rather oddball which I would describe as a cross between Kafka and Lewis Carroll without achieving the brilliance of either. Easy read though, which can't be said for Kafka, and one can see why it was banned in The Stalinist Soviet Union. The multiple Russian names were confusing at times and I had to occasionally refer back, a minor grumble. I second Bodil's views on this book posted on here last month. |
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Straight and Crooked Thinking by Robert Henry Thouless
This is an update of a book originally written by his grandfather in 1930. I can think of a number of people who would benefit from reading this. I downloaded this as I wanted a copy on my Kindle. A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle The sign of Four by the same author I had watched adaptations of Sherlock Holmes stories on TV many years ago but never got around to reading the novels. I downloaded the complete collection of Sherlock Holmes stories for 99p which is a bargain as the stories are still fresh and exciting today. |
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rommel
07 Feb 17 12:59 Joined: 30 Jul 02 | Topic/replies: 18,846 | Blogger: rommel's blog The Faber Book of Reportage What was it like to be caught in the firestorm that destroyed Pompeii? To have dinner with Attila the Hun? To watch the charge of the Light Brigade? To see the Titanic slide beneath the waves? John Carey's best-selling Faber Book of Reportage draws its eyewitness account from memoirs, travel books and newspapers. This is history with the varnish removed. Thank you Rommel for flagging this book up. Every chapter is eye opening and jaw dropping. Got it for 1p plus postage |
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The Pale Criminal - Philip Kerr 6/10
Bestie - Joe Lovejoy 8/10 George VI - Sarah Bradford 7/10 Time For Heroes - Ted Brack 7/10 March Violets - Philip Kerr 7/10 Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut 6/10 Park Drive Book Of Football 1968/9 10/10 A German Requiem - Philip Kerr 7/10 Hunt Vs Lauda - Paul Fearnley 9/10 The Dikler and His Circle - Mary Comyns Carr 10/10 3.59.4 The Quest For The 4 Minute Mile - Bob Philips 8/10 The People vs O J Simpson - Jeffrey Toobin 10/10 The Devil's Star - Jo Nesbo 8/10 The Program - David Walsh 9/10 After Auschwitz - Eva Schloss 10/10 |
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Crime by Irvine Welsh
Quite different from the well-known Trainspotting trilogy. A well-written crime thriller set in Florida where the underlying tension and menace is maintained to keep you enthralled. It tackles the difficult subject of paedophilia and seems very well researched to me. Excellent book. |
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The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli
Thought this would be worth reading, so I did. It was. |
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The Heavenly Table - Donald Ray Pollock
This is a brilliant book populated by some of the best characters in modern literature. It's a 1916 cowboy story set in the hillbilly parts of the US. Full of "winder lickers" and inbreds, it's a story telling joy. Read it. You wont be sorry. The same author has a couple of similar tales... one a group of short stories... but both a reflection of scary life in the American badlands. |
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River out of Eden - Richard Dawkins.
This is the second time I have read this wonderfully accessible book on Darwinian evolution. The river in question is the flow of a torrent of information through time carried in our genes. The various themes are clearly explained in a non-technical way and the narrative holds your attention and curiosity throughout. Dawkins also takes the time to answer his critics in a clear logical way that is easily understood. Although short and concise, this is one of his best books. |
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The Pale Criminal - Philip Kerr 6/10
Bestie - Joe Lovejoy 8/10 George VI - Sarah Bradford 7/10 Time For Heroes - Ted Brack 7/10 March Violets - Philip Kerr 7/10 Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut 6/10 Park Drive Book Of Football 1968/9 10/10 A German Requiem - Philip Kerr 7/10 Hunt Vs Lauda - Paul Fearnley 9/10 The Dikler and His Circle - Mary Comyns Carr 10/10 3.59.4 The Quest For The 4 Minute Mile - Bob Philips 8/10 The People vs O J Simpson - Jeffrey Toobin 10/10 The Devil's Star - Jo Nesbo 8/10 The Program - David Walsh 9/10 After Auschwitz - Eva Schloss 10/10 Leonard - William Shatner 8/10 In Pursuit the Nazi Hunters - Andrew Nagorski 8/10 |
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Last month,I downloaded a collection of 60+ works by H Rider Haggard for 49p.
So far I've read a couple of short stories, one I rate as poor (Smith and the Pharoahs) the other excellent (The blue Curtains). I'm looking for help from the Chit Chat bibliophiles to help me choose the best of this collection to read first. If you are familiar with this author's work I would be interested to know your recommendations. Thanks in advance. |
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Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (Swedish translation).
Fantasy book of more than 700 pages, and I finished it in three days, i.e. I liked it. 9/10 maybe. I've just borrowed the next book in the series. |
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The Art of Thinking Clearly - Rolf Dobelli
99 cognitive errors each with its own chapter, 3 pages long. A fun read with some amusing anecdotes even though the author can come across as patronising at times. It doesn't actually teach you anything positive,just shows you what to avoid which is OK in itself. Good book. |
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The Dawn of World Redemption by Erich Sauer.
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The Magic Mountain, Thomas Mann, a great read any year, also Victory, Joseph Conrad. His best imo.
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I am Axel Heyst (Spartacus supporter voice).
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I had a German girlfriend who gave me Der ZAUBERBERG
to read. She used to read it to me and then translate...she identified totally with Claudia Chauchat, who used to bang the dining room doors with no heed for the other sick people... If you are not sick, this book will make you sick IMO. I came down with a horrendous cold in the middle of summer...this book is steeped in decadence and sickness... |
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Bit upmarket, boxing? I'm impressed. Tbh the kind of books you might find in a hospital library.
Sometime last month my kindle (I'm sick of carting hundred of boxes of books around when I move - which used to be quite often, happy days. Is that OK with you paper-loving bastards?)got an update and erased all indications of what the dam books were. So I stabbed at a random blank square to get my bearings. Well I can't resist 0.99p bargains, and it was one of a trilogy by Joe Abercrombie (The First Law?). Think Brak The Barbarian (they're good), Conan (mighty Conan!) crossed with Tolkien and Game Of Thrones. Well, it was now designated as read. So I had to read it. I have a tidy mind. Really. Lots of slaughter and confusion, people go on quests and nothing much happens except time is wasted, the heroes kill children accidently and run away, true love is trampled on, good people die, bad people die, peasants are slaughtered for no good reason, the sex is brutish and bad, everyone smells and characters disappear randomly. Now I think about it, a bit like chit chat. Or Theresa May's reign Well I read three 600+ page books and then the first of the next series. If you need cheering up or feel suicidal, these are not for you. |
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By the way,there are some cracking French hotties reading classic literature on youtube...literally!
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How, er, how well clothed are they? And do they do French?
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfA5KXrO1iM
CHRISTELLE PICOT READS MAUPASSANT  |
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Oh god! The way she crosses her legs - you wont be disappointed.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW6JA8fcYl8
FLORRIE AUCLERC READS ARSENE LUPIN This must be the French equivalent of Babestation...them classy French... |
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I expect whatever state-sponsored body pumps money into promoting the French language is behind them. Beats A Book At Bedtime hollow.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA3uadMo7hg
JIM CARREY FALLS IN LOVE WITH MATURE FRENCH LADY.... |
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2doZu6kU7mE
MARIE CLEMENT DON'T ACTUALLY CARE WHAT SHE'S READING.....  |
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YOU ARE ALL GETTING BILLED FOR THIS...
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Those calves, those eyebrows - je suis undone!
God you must have been bored to discover them - and then thrilled! |
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As I recall, 'twas a hot evening in May, and I had drank far too much absinthe diluted with corn syrup and soda water...for endless hours, I had searched patiently for a TAME IMPALA concert in Paris, only for the machine to deliver up these scantily clad Gallic hotties chuntering away in the language of lurv...
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXJQv2Vy1YQ
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I fear we have hi-jacked this thread - merely typing that word ensures both of us will be tear-gassed and clubbed to the ground before dawn.
Enjoy! |
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Does anyone know where the love of God goes
When the waves turn the minutes to hours? |
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Voyage au bout de la nuit
Great stuff lads, beats reading about May & DUP into a c0cked hat.  |
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Just finished Gentlemen & Blackguards by Nicholas Foulkes.Or gambling mania and the plot to steal the Derby of 1844.Lord George Bentinck's challange to the owners of Running Rein that years Derby winner. A smashing read.
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Challenge even.
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Conclave by Robert Harris - didn't think 118 old men locked in a room to elect a new pope would be any good - but I enjoyed it - 8/10.
Also, read 2 of the most recent Jack Reachers - can't remember the titles - and Lee Child does like picking footballers names as Characters which I find a bit weird, Greizeman and Klopp amongst others here - OK, but they are all getting a bit samey. And a short story called Willed Accidents Happen by Patricia A. Guthrie which was ok too. |
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Agree about Jack Reacher novels, it is nearly the same formula every time.
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The Pale Criminal - Philip Kerr 6/10
Bestie - Joe Lovejoy 8/10 George VI - Sarah Bradford 7/10 Time For Heroes - Ted Brack 7/10 March Violets - Philip Kerr 7/10 Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut 6/10 Park Drive Book Of Football 1968/9 10/10 A German Requiem - Philip Kerr 7/10 Hunt Vs Lauda - Paul Fearnley 9/10 The Dikler and His Circle - Mary Comyns Carr 10/10 3.59.4 The Quest For The 4 Minute Mile - Bob Philips 8/10 The People vs O J Simpson - Jeffrey Toobin 10/10 The Devil's Star - Jo Nesbo 8/10 The Program - David Walsh 9/10 After Auschwitz - Eva Schloss 10/10 Leonard - William Shatner 8/10 In Pursuit the Nazi Hunters - Andrew Nagorski 8/10 The Time Machine - H G Wells 10/10 War Of The Worlds - H G Wells 9/10 The Invisible Man - H G Wells 6/10 The First Men In The Moon - H G Wells 4/10 The Fifth Head Of Cerberus - Gene Wolf 4/10 Our Zoo - June Mottershead 10/10 Story Of Your Life And Others - Ted Chiang 6/10 1984 - George Orwell 11/10 Five Dead Canaries - George Marston 7/10 |
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1984 is definitely a book for our times, sixtwosix. Did someone flag up 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami?
Apparently, it's a dystopian world based on 1984 (Q sounds like 9 in Japanese). I read 1984 prior to 1984 but haven't yet read 1Q84. I must do it soon. |