WhiteRoseKillie Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 (edited) I appear to be stuck in Florida at the moment, subject-wise. Carl Hiaasen just doesn't write fast enough, so I was making do with the poor substitute of Tim Dorsey until someone recommended Randy Wayne White to me. I'm currently working my way through his Doc Ford stories, and quite enjoying them. Edit for sausage fingers. Edited March 11, 2015 by WhiteRoseKillie 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I've been reading the same book, well title, not exactly the same physical book, all bloody year. On to the last volume of 'The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire', a week tops and I can read something different! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JogaBonito Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 He has written some interesting stuff: Also this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Being-Mortal-Medicine-What-Matters/dp/0805095152 He has given a Reith Lecture which is also very good. http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/reith Will check out the reith lectures, thanks. Bought that book for my sister (who's down in London studying medicine) and she thoroughly enjoyed it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellboy1991 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Just finished the last book in Joe Abercrombie's first law trilogy. Was a decent enough read and similar to games of thrones. Just like games of thrones most characters have both good and bad characteristics. The politics isn't quiet as in depth as games of thrones but the battles are written much better. Decent trilogy I thought. If that's your genre of choice then you have too if you haven't already pick up John Gwynnes books Malice & Valour. Absolutely brilliant both of them, excellant reads. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Nooka Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I appear to be stuck in Florida at the moment, subject-wise. Carl Hiaasen just doesn't write fast enough, so I was making do with the poor substitute of Tim Dorsey until someone recommended Randy Wayne White to me. I'm currently working my way through his Doc Ford stories, and quite enjoying them. Edit for sausage fingers. I'm a bit of a Carl Hiaasen fan too, I assume you already know about Christopher Brookmyre who is basically Carl Hiaasen from Scotland. The best book I've read in the 'farce' style of those two guys though is Tom Sharpes Riotous Assembly, very possibly the funniest book I've ever read. There's no way Hiaasen and Brookmyre haven't read his books. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteRoseKillie Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) I'm a bit of a Carl Hiaasen fan too, I assume you already know about Christopher Brookmyre who is basically Carl Hiaasen from Scotland. The best book I've read in the 'farce' style of those two guys though is Tom Sharpes Riotous Assembly, very possibly the funniest book I've ever read. There's no way Hiaasen and Brookmyre haven't read his books. I'd read a shopping list if Brookmyre had written it! Have to be honest, I think Sharpe's stuff is good but not great - read him a lot when I was younger. I think what sets Hiaasen apart is that, as well as being exceptionally funny, all his books are coloured by righteous anger at what's being done to his home state - especially his collections of newspaper columns, and Team Rodent - his wee rant against Disney. Edited March 12, 2015 by WhiteRoseKillie 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Nooka Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I'd read a shopping list if Brookmyre had written it! Have to be honest, I think Sharpe's stuff is good but not great - read him a lot when I was younger. I think what sets Hiaasen apart is that, as well as being exceptionally funny, all his books are coloured by righteous anger at what's being done to his home state - especially his collections of newspaper columns, and Team Rodent - his wee rant against Disney. I thought you would probably have checked them out already, there's not many that write the way Hiaasen and Brookmyre do. Christopher Moore is the only other one that springs to mind, really enjoyed 'A Dirty Job' and 'Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove' has some great moments. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Nooka Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Really saddened by the Terry Pratchett news, need to make a point of getting back to the Discworld books now! He's irreplaceable 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludo*1 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Never read a Pratchett novel. What's a good one to start off with? The darker the content the better. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Nooka Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 (edited) Never read a Pratchett novel. What's a good one to start off with? The darker the content the better. I started at the beginning which is The Colour of Magic but Mort is probably a good starting place, it's about Deaths new apprentice! He doesn't really do 'dark' though, his novels are satirical. Edited March 12, 2015 by Tommy Nooka 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteRoseKillie Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Terry's death leaves the world a poorer place, without a doubt. I can't imagine how many millions have become regular readers through discovering the antics of Vimes, Vetenari et al. I am genuinely saddened by the news. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLip69 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Currently nearly finished "A short history of nearly everything" by Bill Bryson. Read "walk in the woods" by BB and wanted more from him and this was recommended by a few people. Apparently BB gets quite a few wrong in this book, but the informal, comedic style and sheer volume of interesting tid-bits more than make up for its flaws. You'll learn many things from astronomy, geology, chemistry, biology.. it's great. Bill Bryson's 'One Summer America 1927' is excellent. Babe Ruth, Prohibition, Al Capone, Lindbergh those are just a few of the characters included in this terrific book. It's educational and vividly entertaining. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteRoseKillie Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Bill Bryson's 'One Summer America 1927' is excellent. Babe Ruth, Prohibition, Al Capone, Lindbergh those are just a few of the characters included in this terrific book. It's educational and vividly entertaining. One of his best, IMHO. I always feel better about myself when I finish a book knowing more than I did beforehand. Bryson is reliable for inducing this. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weirdcal Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Terry's death leaves the world a poorer place, without a doubt. I can't imagine how many millions have become regular readers through discovering the antics of Vimes, Vetenari et al. I am genuinely saddened by the news. TerryS Death made the world a better place, where ironically Terrys death makes it a poorer place.. May just start the nome trilogy again 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John MacLean Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Currently reading Pinkoes and Traitors a history of the BBC between 1974 and 1987. Spodratically entertaining but not especially well written and full of pretty basic errors. Will be glad to get it finished and move onto something else. Probably read Stuart Cosgrove's book about Detroit in 1967. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgecutter Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Hidden Aberdeen by Fiona-Jane Brown. Really interesting just how much of the old Aberdeen is left to see in hidden away areas after the Georgians / Victorians decided to build bridges over everything. Also simple things like highlighting gravestones in the cemetery beside Pittodrie which were hit by German machine gun fire during the blitz and still show the holes. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tongue_tied_danny Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Bill Bryson's 'One Summer America 1927' is excellent. Babe Ruth, Prohibition, Al Capone, Lindbergh those are just a few of the characters included in this terrific book. It's educational and vividly entertaining. I read that last year. He's a terrific writer. The Thunderbolt Kid is probably my favourite book of his. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBairn Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 (edited) Gutted at the Pratchett news. Edited March 15, 2015 by MattBairn 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBairn Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 (edited) Havent posted on here in a while but Ive read a fair few books since. Shift - Hugh Howey (sequel to Wool and 2nd book in the Silo trilogy) I thought the mystery element would be gone after the revelations of the first book but the questions (and answers) keep on coming. Loved it. The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss. Fantasy book where the main character is telling a scribe about his previous adventures. Difficult to explain but a fantasic fantasy book and I enjoyed it as much as any book I can remember in the last few years. Wise Mans Fear - Patrick Rothfuss. Second book in the Kingkiller Chronicles and whilst not as good as the first it was still an excellent read. If you like fantasy I would recommend trying the them. The wait for the 3rd book to be released is going to be a pain. The Stone Man - Luke Smitherd. I believe this was a self funded book. Its a strange concept. A stone statue appears in Coventry and after a while begins to walk. Its path is perfectly straight and it seemingly can't be stopped. Where its going is unknown and the attempts to stop it are futile. Its a strange premise but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Martin - Andy Weir - Mission to Mars goes wrong and our protagonist is left stranded in a man made habitat. Not much water or food. The account of his attempt at survival mainly through journal readings, intermixed with chapters on Earth of NASAs attempts to find out what happened. Another great sci-fi read. Had me gripped. Enders Game - Orson Scott Card - Humanity tries to regroup after an attack by aliens. Training up children to become battle specialists. Loved it, better than the movie. 1984 - George Orwell. There is nothing I can say about this that hasnt been said before. A huge influence on popular culture and still an absolutely fantastic read despite being written so long ago. There have been others but I cant remember them all. Currenly started reading Neuromancer - William Gibson. Just started it so I have no idea where its going Edited March 16, 2015 by MattBairn 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geronimo Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Just finished Roots by Alex Haley. A truly epic piece of text. If you haven't already, seriously consider reading this book. Wonderfully written and exceedingly thought-provoking. I was genuinely speechless at the end, not so much due to the conclusion of the narrative itself, I was just in awe of the novel's vast scale and incredible significance. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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