Rugster Posted November 5, 2006 Share Posted November 5, 2006 FFS! He can't do that! He's admitted he will. He says the only way the series will end, will be with his death. Not for a good few years yet though 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilo Posted November 5, 2006 Share Posted November 5, 2006 The Lovely Bones, last Christmas. I bought it as a present for my mum but found myself reading it on the bus home and then finished it over the next couple of days. It is probably a bit of a woman's book but, hell, I enjoyed it! Recommended. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristov Posted November 5, 2006 Share Posted November 5, 2006 Currently working my way through Winston Churchill's 2nd World War diaries. Heavy going, and a lot of it is probably only of interest to tacticians and economists, but the man was truly fascinating. Probably better than a biography, since you have to get the picture of a man not writing self consciously about what he was, more what happened and how he influenced it. A couple of classic quotes: "I was criticised for the diplomatic nature of my declaration of war [on the Japanese Empire]. ...It costs nothing be be plite when you are going to kill a man..." "[Vichy France] ...[britain] would have her neck wrung like a chicken within three weeks. Some chicken. Some neck." Another quote: "..every bomb that falls on Scotland is one less for London"* The guy was witty but a poor politician- he finished FOURTH in local elections in Dundee. In first place was Edwyn Scrymgeour- a prohibitionist and at that time Dundee had more pubs per person than anywhere in Britain! He also lost the general election after leading Britain to its finest hour. *Not strictly what he said...replace "Scotland" with "Dundee"..but I figured using Scotland would sway more people to my way of thinking 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Freud Posted November 5, 2006 Share Posted November 5, 2006 Another quote: "..every bomb that falls on Scotland is one less for London"* The guy was witty but a poor politician- he finished FOURTH in local elections in Dundee. In first place was Edwyn Scrymgeour- a prohibitionist and at that time Dundee had more pubs per person than anywhere in Britain! He also lost the general election after leading Britain to its finest hour. *Not strictly what he said...replace "Scotland" with "Dundee"..but I figured using Scotland would sway more people to my way of thinking Oh absolutely! He was a brilliant war leader and a brilliant man of his time. Most of his politics did not appeal at all. TO be fair on him though, I think you're taking your quote without context-I believe that at one point he was deliberately trying to stretch Lufwaffe reserves with a lot of dummy steelworks etc., not necessarliy in heavily populated areas, so that might have been the reference? I don't know the context either mind you. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Capital Lion Posted November 5, 2006 Share Posted November 5, 2006 Last book I read was Peter Kay's autobiography, "The Sound of Laughter". An extremely funny book which gave a great insight into where his comedy was born. Some of his life experiences were quite hilarious! Great read, well worth the (ever-decreasing) price - 9.5 outta 10. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristov Posted November 5, 2006 Share Posted November 5, 2006 Oh absolutely! He was a brilliant war leader and a brilliant man of his time. Most of his politics did not appeal at all. TO be fair on him though, I think you're taking your quote without context-I believe that at one point he was deliberately trying to stretch Lufwaffe reserves with a lot of dummy steelworks etc., not necessarliy in heavily populated areas, so that might have been the reference? I don't know the context either mind you. I think it was upon hearing Dundee has been bombed. To be fair, I think Dundonains exaggerate his hatred for the city after his election defeat. He and his wife apparently enjoyed their time in the city, however, he refused freedom of the city! It's still a sore point and that's why, when ideas were being put forward for a person to build a statue in honour of, we have Desperate fkn Dan in the city centre! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie_1888 Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 i'm half way through the 2nd book of a trilogy by Stephen Lawhead set during the crusades, the 1st book was called The Iron Lance - 7/10 - plot - young guy follows dad on the pilgrim trail and finds the iron lance (the one they chibbed the big yin with) and returns to scotland to 2nd book is called the black rood - 6/10 so far(update to follow) - plot - the son of the guy from the previous book makes a pilgrimage to the holy land to recover the black rood (the cross the big yin was on) and return it to scotland 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buttocks Brown Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I gave James Kelman another chance and picked up his 'You Have To Be Careful In The Land Of The Free' for £3. I've chucked it after 150 pages. Now onto John Fante; Wait Until Spring, Bandini 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggio Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Reading a strange book called 'The Unconsoled' It's very much like being in someone elses dream....... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICTChris Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 My parents gave me Gary Imlach's book 'My Father and other Working Class Heroes' for my birthday, it's excellent. I didn't realise he was from Lossiemouth, three members of his youth side became professional footballers. No pro's have come out of Lossie since then. I just finished the chapter on the 1958 world cup, what an absolute shambles it sounds. They make today's SFA 'beaks' look the epitome of good organisation and competence The whole book shows how different things were for playersw then - they were basically serfs. They could be frozen out by their club with no pay and not allowed to leave and have their houses taken from them, they had a maximum wage which clubs skimmed off at every opportunity. Basically they were treated like shite. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buttocks Brown Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 My parents gave me Gary Imlach's book 'My Father and other Working Class Heroes' for my birthday, it's excellent. I didn't realise he was from Lossiemouth, three members of his youth side became professional footballers. No pro's have come out of Lossie since then. I just finished the chapter on the 1958 world cup, what an absolute shambles it sounds. They make today's SFA 'beaks' look the epitome of good organisation and competence The whole book shows how different things were for playersw then - they were basically serfs. They could be frozen out by their club with no pay and not allowed to leave and have their houses taken from them, they had a maximum wage which clubs skimmed off at every opportunity. Basically they were treated like shite. I read that a few months ago and really enjoyed it. I thought that Imlach actually did pretty well for himself after he finished. He managed to stay in the game whereas a lot of others would have gone back to a trade. You're right, 1958 was a shambles and so was awarding caps only if you'd played in home internationals. The SFA reversed that this year and I think that the book played a large part in that. I may have just spoiled the ending for you. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundermonkey Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I've recently finished Watchmen by Alan Moore, utterly superb. The movie has been resurrected but it's un-filmable (???). If other Alan Moore movies (V for vandetta, From Hell) are a guide then maybe they shouldn't bother. Unless someone is about to spent £1 billion making a 5 hour movie then it won't do the multi-layered story any justice. I'm currently wading through The Origin of Species by Darwin. It's pretty tremendous and very readable. Despite covering this at university I'm enjoying the re-read as we were previously taught the facts and not Darwin's turn of phrase and language. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Freud Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I've recently finished Watchmen by Alan Moore, utterly superb. The first graphic novel I could take seriously, closely followed by Maus 1 and 2 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundermonkey Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 The first graphic novel I could take seriously, closely followed by Maus 1 and 2 Maus is great. I love From Hell and enjoyed the Dark Knight Batman ones by Frank Miller. Have you read Black Hole? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Freud Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Maus is great. I love From Hell and enjoyed the Dark Knight Batman ones by Frank Miller. Have you read Black Hole? Nope. I'll give it a go though, had a look on Amazon. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
An Sionnach Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 The Albannach by Fionn MacColla. A 'growing up in the Highlands' sort of story. SJ, that's got to be Kazuo Ishiguru's most difficult book to get on with. The wierd wanderings through the faceless European city, it's hotel and that wierd block of concrete flats on the outskirts of the town were really freaky. I continually expected something nasty to happen to the hero, who seems to have no control over his life or events, all through the book. Which at over 500 odd pages became rather wearing. Good luck in finishing it! I'm reading Rankin's latest The Naming of the Dead at the moment! It's ace! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggio Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 SJ, that's got to be Kazuo Ishiguru's most difficult book to get on with. The wierd wanderings through the faceless European city, it's hotel and that wierd block of concrete flats on the outskirts of the town were really freaky. I continually expected something nasty to happen to the hero, who seems to have no control over his life or events, all through the book. Which at over 500 odd pages became rather wearing. Good luck in finishing it! I like a challenge 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
An Sionnach Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I like a challenge You'ver certainly got one there! His latest... ..is very good indeed and not the intellectual work out of The Unconsoled! I'd recommend it highly. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundermonkey Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Nope. I'll give it a go though, had a look on Amazon. Think of a very warped Dazed and Confused and you'll be halfway there. It takes the hassles of puberty and akwardness of growing up to extremes. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowden til i die Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Will have already been said but Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons" is a great read, more so if you have read "Da Vinci Code". 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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