Craig fae the Vale Posted June 13, 2023 Share Posted June 13, 2023 The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut. Still works as a satire over 60 years later. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanius Mullarkey Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 A Personal Matter - Kenzaburo Oë Semi autobiographical novel about a young father who is coming to terms with the birth of his severely disabled son (amongst other things). Definitely up there and will explore more of this boyos stuff. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Internet Citizen Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 The Lottery - Shirley Jackson Short story set in a small American town which holds an annual lottery - you don’t find out what the lottery is until the end. Themes of blind tradition throughout; it’s a quick read but well worth your time. My Life - Anton Chekov Follows the life of a man in a provincial Russian town who decides to be a labourer despite being born into relative nobility. Pretty interesting themes that’re in part relatable, even growing up in small town/village Scotland. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig fae the Vale Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak. Really enjoyed this. The big twist was perhaps a bit far fetched but was pretty well done overall. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmic Joe Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 (edited) Brother. Do. You. Love. Me. by Manni and Reuben Coe A very moving account of an individual with Downs Syndrome's relationship with his brother during the pandemic. Edited June 21, 2023 by Cosmic Joe 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomCat Posted June 22, 2023 Share Posted June 22, 2023 Giovanni's Room/James Baldwin - Beautifully written short novel of a man too scared to be himself. Quite tragic. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanius Mullarkey Posted June 23, 2023 Share Posted June 23, 2023 They Shoot Horses Dont They? - Horace McCoy. A peek into the brutal dance marathons of the 1920s/30s and the futility of life in general. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanius Mullarkey Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 The Giro Playboy - Michael Smith. Short one, snippets of his life as a bit of a waster then doleite. Well written, lots of plaudits, was ok. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig fae the Vale Posted June 29, 2023 Share Posted June 29, 2023 Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann. Pretty interesting when it stick to the main point but went on too many tangents. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O'Kelly Isley III Posted July 1, 2023 Share Posted July 1, 2023 The Hero's Way by Tim Parks. Parks is an Englishman long resident in Italy and his most famous book is a football one, 'A Season With Verona'. This latest one sees him and his Sicilian wife replicate the 300-odd mile march from Rome to Ravenna undertaken in 1849 by Garibaldi, his pregnant Brazilian wife and around 3000 patriots who fought for a unitary Italian state against the forces of the Pope, the Austro-Hungarians, the French and the Spanish. It's very entertaining and historically interesting in equal measure. Recommended. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Internet Citizen Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 Doctor Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party by Graham Greene Doctor Fischer is a multi-millionaire who toys with his group of ‘friends’ and shows them up as greedy sycophants who’d do anything to be richer still. Told from the point of view of estranged daughter’s husband who he’s started to invite to his infamous parties. Thought it was the weakest of the Greene books I’ve read so far but it’s interesting enough and only about 140 pages. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O'Kelly Isley III Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 21 hours ago, Internet Citizen said: Doctor Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party by Graham Greene Doctor Fischer is a multi-millionaire who toys with his group of ‘friends’ and shows them up as greedy sycophants who’d do anything to be richer still. Told from the point of view of estranged daughter’s husband who he’s started to invite to his infamous parties. Thought it was the weakest of the Greene books I’ve read so far but it’s interesting enough and only about 140 pages. I read this years ago. You should check out the movie The Bomb Party starring James Mason and Alan Bates. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyNameIsClarence Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 (edited) The little drummer girl - John le Carre Very much enjoyed this, even if it was a longer/slower read than most JlCs which I have read. You can tell dealing with this conflict has him out of his comfort zone a little bit, but it's no less fantastically written or typically thoughtful for that; and his treatment of both the Israelis and Palestinians, and the morality of both sides of the conflict, is relatively well observed and humane. As usual, he manages to spend a lot of time with the internal lives of his characters while often leaving their thoughts, motivations and pasts on the edge of mystery. Would definitely recommend giving it a read Edited July 3, 2023 by MyNameIsClarence 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Tennis Posted July 4, 2023 Share Posted July 4, 2023 On 02/06/2023 at 21:07, Oystercatcher said: Just finished this. A brilliant insight on the ruling classes and their boarding schools. I've just read this, having seen it referenced here. I quite enjoyed it, but felt the writer ran out of things to say well before the end, so just kept saying them again. There obviously is something in the case that says it's bonkers that such a tiny, oddly reared segment of society wields such influence and power. For all I agree with his overall argument though, I thought he was reaching at times, especially when prattling on about totalitarian world leaders who often had no such upbringing. I also thought he was working back from a current position, and reaching conclusions easily characterised as wise after the event. It's always interesting to read criticism of a system from within it. However, it would have made a better Long Read, than a book. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oystercatcher Posted July 4, 2023 Share Posted July 4, 2023 3 hours ago, Monkey Tennis said: I've just read this, having seen it referenced here. I quite enjoyed it, but felt the writer ran out of things to say well before the end, so just kept saying them again. There obviously is something in the case that says it's bonkers that such a tiny, oddly reared segment of society wields such influence and power. For all I agree with his overall argument though, I thought he was reaching at times, especially when prattling on about totalitarian world leaders who often had no such upbringing. I also thought he was working back from a current position, and reaching conclusions easily characterised as wise after the event. It's always interesting to read criticism of a system from within it. However, it would have made a better Long Read, than a book. I listened to it but I totally get what you're saying. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
accies1874 Posted July 10, 2023 Share Posted July 10, 2023 After three-and-a-half years, I finally finished Inverting the Pyramid. Main takeaway is that I now want to learn more about the links between football and society/politics in Brazil. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig fae the Vale Posted July 10, 2023 Share Posted July 10, 2023 Mud Ride: A Messy Trip Through the Grunge Explosion by Steve Turner. An interesting and informative look at the grunge boom and the rest of Mudhoney guitarist Turner's career and life. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richey Edwards Posted July 11, 2023 Share Posted July 11, 2023 Death and the Penguin and its sequel Penguin Lost by Andrey Kurkov. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathematics Posted July 11, 2023 Share Posted July 11, 2023 Some plot twist . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig fae the Vale Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. Read this in advance of seeing the stage adaptation next week. Really good story, good characters and a nice, creepy vibe throughout. Enjoyable. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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