WullieBroonIsGod Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Just finished a Jack Reacher I picked up recently. Night School. It's a flashback to 1996 (but written last year) and set mainly in Hamburg. Reacher is back in the Army as military police. It's not great, all Nazi bars and Lee Child makes Reacher incredibly unlikeable as he taunts a few Germans about losing the war. A bizarre read. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Nooka Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 4 hours ago, WullieBroonIsGod said: Just finished a Jack Reacher I picked up recently. Night School. It's a flashback to 1996 (but written last year) and set mainly in Hamburg. Reacher is back in the Army as military police. It's not great, all Nazi bars and Lee Child makes Reacher incredibly unlikeable as he taunts a few Germans about losing the war. A bizarre read. You can take the boy out of England but... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugster Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 4 hours ago, WullieBroonIsGod said: Just finished a Jack Reacher I picked up recently. Night School. It's a flashback to 1996 (but written last year) and set mainly in Hamburg. Reacher is back in the Army as military police. It's not great, all Nazi bars and Lee Child makes Reacher incredibly unlikeable as he taunts a few Germans about losing the war. A bizarre read. I thought it was all right, but the last few have definitely dropped in quality. The Midnight Line (the latest one) was one I almost didn't bother finishing and I've never felt like that with a Lee Child book. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
senorsoupe Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Was on holidays last week and with the weather being a bit shit I managed to read a couple of Ian Rankin's I hadn't read yet, Resurrection Men and Even Dogs in the Wild. Both were quite good, not exactly intellectual stuff but good holiday relaxed reading if you are into crime/detective novels 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevieKTID Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Currently two thirds of the way through Crime and Punishment - enjoying it more and more as it goes on. Got a few to choose from when that's done. My brother lent me The Brothers Karamazov if I want to continue with Dostoevsky or I've got Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas or American Psycho to move on to something American.Fear and Loathing can be read in a few hours, its one of my favourites, i'm a bit of a HST fan.Parts of American Psycho can be a tough read, probably the most gruesome book i've read 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antlion Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 On 26/07/2018 at 11:35, paul-r-cfc said: 'Crown of Thistles: The Fatal Inheritance of Mary Queen of Scots' by Linda Porter. Took me a while to get through this as is usually the case with history books and I but got there eventually. Very good read, spending most of the book looking at the series of events that led to Mary eventually becoming Queen, starting with the rise of the Tudors and the overthrown of James III. Also looks in more detail at aspects of Mary's life that are often skipped over quite quickly, namely her time in France and her actual time as personal ruler in Scotland. Most narrations of her tend to focus mostly on her death, which only really appears as a footnote herenad it's a story that has been told many times. Overall, a good, sympathetic, reevaluation of Mary and her predecessors who have not always been viewed fairly in contrast to their English counterparts at the time. If you're into this kind of thing, then it would be a good book to read in anticipation of the upcoming film about Mary's life. Always good to know the true story before Hollywood murders it! My pal has written a book about Lord Darnley. I haven’t read it yet but believe I’m right in saying Darnley married her when she was ruling in Scotland rather than when she was in France or England (I know definitely he was blown up in Edinburgh!). Anyway it’s called The Queen’s Consort by Steven Veerapen. He teaches history at Strathclyde, so I’m assuming he’s not Hollywoodised the story. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul-r-cfc Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 My pal has written a book about Lord Darnley. I haven’t read it yet but believe I’m right in saying Darnley married her when she was ruling in Scotland rather than when she was in France or England (I know definitely he was blown up in Edinburgh!). Anyway it’s called The Queen’s Consort by Steven Veerapen. He teaches history at Strathclyde, so I’m assuming he’s not Hollywoodised the story.Yeah that's correct because she left France after becoming widowed the first time.Will look that up. Another character who is never given as much attention as his story deserves! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBo10 Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 I thought it was all right, but the last few have definitely dropped in quality. The Midnight Line (the latest one) was one I almost didn't bother finishing and I've never felt like that with a Lee Child book.Got to agree with this. The last few are written as if to a deadline to publish is near and the stories have been affected by it. I do like them but recently they’re not so good. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richey Edwards Posted August 4, 2018 Share Posted August 4, 2018 On 02/08/2018 at 16:23, stevieKTID said: Parts of American Psycho can be a tough read, probably the most gruesome book i've read I actually thought it was the worst book I've ever read. Full of vacuous characters, needless violence and endless lists of stupid shite such as whatever people are wearing. It's the work of a mentally disturbed individual trying too hard to be "shocking". On 01/08/2018 at 23:17, ThatBoyRonaldo said: Currently two thirds of the way through Crime and Punishment - enjoying it more and more as it goes on. Got a few to choose from when that's done. My brother lent me The Brothers Karamazov if I want to continue with Dostoevsky or I've got Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas or American Psycho to move on to something American. I'm about 3/4 of the way through Crime and Punishment. Enjoying it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peppino Impastato Posted August 4, 2018 Share Posted August 4, 2018 8 hours ago, Edmond Dantès said: I actually thought it was the worst book I've ever read. Full of vacuous characters, needless violence and endless lists of stupid shite such as whatever people are wearing. It's the work of a mentally disturbed individual trying too hard to be "shocking". I'm about 3/4 of the way through Crime and Punishment. Enjoying it. American psycho the book is waaaaaaaay better than the film. Try the diceman if you like it. I just took delivery today of a book called the short and tragic life of Robert peace. There is also a documentary. Read quite a lot today, it's going to be brilliant just one where you know straight away. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richey Edwards Posted August 6, 2018 Share Posted August 6, 2018 Finished Crime & Punishment and started Alone In Berlin. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverton End Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 The Gray & Guilty Sea by Scott William Carter, a kindle freebie, generic murder mystery guff set in Barnacle Bluffs (lol), Oregon. Just like Murder She Wrote. Now starting The Snack Thief by Andrea Camilleri, quite like a bit of Insp Montalbano on TV & seen 6 of Camilleri's books for £3 in a charity shop. Easy reading & you get a feel for all things Sicily/Italia 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguel Sanchez Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Death on Credit by Louis-Ferdinand Celine Just stick to the book which preceded it and you'll be fine. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richey Edwards Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Does anyone reccomend another Dostoevsky book for when I finish Alone In Berlin? I enjoyed Crime and Punishment. I was thinking Brothers Karamazov or Demons. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richey Edwards Posted August 18, 2018 Share Posted August 18, 2018 On 17/08/2018 at 13:30, Edmond Dantès said: Does anyone reccomend another Dostoevsky book for when I finish Alone In Berlin? I enjoyed Crime and Punishment. I was thinking Brothers Karamazov or Demons. I started House of the Dead. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguel Sanchez Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 The Crack-Up by F. Scott Fitzgerald Simultaneously as melancholic, insightful and endearing as any of his fiction. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shandon Par Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 Been listening to Alexei Sayle’s autobigraphy, “Stalin Ate My Homework”. Funny stories about childhood trips to the Eastern Bloc but also interesting social history of Liverpool in the 60s. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coprolite Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 Recently finished Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy. Some pretty funny bits and some horrific bits. Gritty and naturalistic. Great characters but assumes too much understanding of very different social norms to be easily appreciated today. Interesting insight into victorian rural pleb life. Enjoyed about 2/3 of it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteRoseKillie Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 Currently about 2/3 through "as I Please" by Jimmy Reid. A collection of articles and associated pieces from the well-known Socialist activist and journalist. Most of the writing comes from that period (1982-84) when not only were we under the cosh of a morally bankrupt Tory party led by a vile woman (providing much material for lamentation over the decline of our Society), but I had recently relocated to England, so had not come across many of these pieces before. Obviously partisan in tone, it is amazing how so many of the issues he bemoans are mirrored in today's pre-Brexit Dystopia. Also plain to see is that intelligent, well-argued writing can emanate from the ordinary working man, without the benefit of some Establishment-approved degree. Those who are familiar with my posts will be unsurprised to hear that I am in agreement with most (but not all) of the sentiments expressed, but I would recommend this collection to any who savour well-argued social and political essays. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellaboz Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 The Man who broke into Auchwitz. Denis Avery.Absolutely fascinating tale of his journey throughout the war and the things he witnessed. Harrowing but couldn't put it down. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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