Last Book You Read....

[Detournement]

Cowboy Graves by Roberto Bolano. A book with three short novellas which obviously were unfinished before he died but are very good reads. He has such a distinctive style and mood it's a pleasure to read even though there isn't much plot. 

The Woman In The Dunes by Kobo Abe - A Japanese Kafkaesque novel about school teacher who gets trapped in a village inside huge sand dunes. Between Abe, Murakami and Mishima it's beyond question that the weird sexual hang ups of Japanese men make for great literature. 

[Ross.]

52 minutes ago, Florentine_Pogen said:

If you get onto the Smiley v Karla trilogy, make sure to read in order.

'A Perfect Spy' is his best book in my humble opinion, semi-autobiographical stand-alone masterpiece.

I’ll probably ask my missus to order them through her work. I don’t think it will be too long before I am back in the office 5 days a week, will be back on the train as soon as that happens and that will give me my reading time back.

[Detournement]

7 minutes ago, Richey Edwards said:

Have you ever seen the film The Lives of Others?

Christopher Hein who was the source for a lot of information in the film disowned it. It's a good film but it sets up a false impression of East Germany to excuse existing post 9/11 surveillance society. 

[Richey Edwards]

57 minutes ago, Florentine_Pogen said:

If you get onto the Smiley v Karla trilogy, make sure to read in order.

'A Perfect Spy' is his best book in my humble opinion, semi-autobiographical stand-alone masterpiece.

I have read Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy but not the other two. I have them on my bookshelf as well. I will need to read them.

[WhiteRoseKillie]

On 05/04/2022 at 14:44, Wee Bully said:

Just re-read “A Gift from Nessus” by William McIllvanney.  Based in the late 60’s about a salesman whose life is falling apart.

I love all of his work, especially Docherty, but for some reason this is the one that never seems to be written about, and I think it some of his most compelling writing.  The man was a genius.

 

On 05/04/2022 at 15:09, RH33 said:

Never heard of this one, I'll need to get it.

My copy just arrived today - jeebus, but that's a small typeface! Thankfully light nights are on the way, so reading by natural light is an option.

[Wardy]

39 minutes ago, Richey Edwards said:

Have you ever seen the film The Lives of Others?

Yeah few years ago. It’s excellent. 

[scottsdad]

Quick question. 

My dad's eyesight is awful. He loves reading but now can only do it using large print books and a magnifying glass he got from the RNIB. 

Is there a bookshop/site that specialises in large print? And also, is there such a thing as extra large print? 

[Dawson Park Boy]

Just finished Crossroads by Jonathan Frantzen.

A bit long but a good account of life in 70’s America centred around the lives of a minister , his wife and 4 kids.

Very well written.

[welshbairn]

3 hours ago, scottsdad said:

Quick question. 

My dad's eyesight is awful. He loves reading but now can only do it using large print books and a magnifying glass he got from the RNIB. 

Is there a bookshop/site that specialises in large print? And also, is there such a thing as extra large print? 

Libraries usually have a collection and you can buy them second hand online with a google search, usually ex-library copies, but I haven't found a specific shop or site. Best solution is if you can get him used to using a Kindle, he'll probably hate it at first but try to get him to persevere. Any text size he wants then.

Edited April 22, 2022 by welshbairn

[Craig fae the Vale]

Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami. 

A bit off beat and slightly waffley in places (could be the translation to be honest) but generally an interesting and enjoyable read. Will be interested in seeking out some of the author's other work.

[scottsdad]

14 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

Libraries usually have a collection and you can buy them second hand online with a google search, usually ex-library copies, but I haven't found a specific shop or site. Best solution is if you can get him used to using a Kindle, he'll probably hate it at first but try to get him to persevere. Any text size he wants then.

I have suggested the kindle but he just isn't keen. Likes a book to be a book!

The selection in the Alloa library for large print is poor, so just looking around for him. 

Cheers

[welshbairn]

Just now, scottsdad said:

I have suggested the kindle but he just isn't keen. Likes a book to be a book!

The selection in the Alloa library for large print is poor, so just looking around for him. 

Cheers

My Mum was the same, she's 94, but got the hang of it very quickly. Still prefers books mind.

[welshbairn]

5 hours ago, scottsdad said:

Quick question. 

My dad's eyesight is awful. He loves reading but now can only do it using large print books and a magnifying glass he got from the RNIB. 

Is there a bookshop/site that specialises in large print? And also, is there such a thing as extra large print? 

P.S. https://thereadinghouse.co.uk/

[Sliced Bread]

‘The Beach’ by Alex Garland, read the book and watched the film about 20 years ago but couldn’t remember much about it. Really loved it, difficult to put down and I tore through it. Really nicely written too although I felt that by the end it got a bit carried away with itself and got a bit too fanciful. I watched the film the day I finished the book and although 90% of the plot and one main character was missing I did prefer the ending of the film. 

[saint dave]

Starship Troopers by Robert A Heinlein. 

Very different from the movie. Gone is the annoying high school characters and more of a Full Metal Jacket vibe. 

It follows the journey of Juan "Johnny" Rico from recruit training to war and promotions to N.C.O to officer. 

Can't make up my mind if the book is a anti-war novel or straight up piece of American conservative writing. According to Wikipedia he started out as a liberal but became progressively more conservative and founded a society that was in favour of more above ground nuclear testing. 

[picklemaster]

Selling 'em by the sack: White Castle and the creation of American food by David Gerard Hogan

It's an old book. Published in 1997.

7/10

 

[Detournement]

On 25/04/2022 at 00:14, saint dave said:

Starship Troopers by Robert A Heinlein. 

Very different from the movie. Gone is the annoying high school characters and more of a Full Metal Jacket vibe. 

It follows the journey of Juan "Johnny" Rico from recruit training to war and promotions to N.C.O to officer. 

Can't make up my mind if the book is a anti-war novel or straight up piece of American conservative writing. According to Wikipedia he started out as a liberal but became progressively more conservative and founded a society that was in favour of more above ground nuclear testing. 

Heinlein was right wing lunatic.

Cosmopolis by Don DeLillo. The first DeLillo I didn't really enjoy. It's half postmodern mystification of hi tech financial speculation and half a sight seeing trip across Manhattan. The main character didn't really work, he's supposed to be 28, one of the richest people in the world and completely jaded but it didn't work. I'll probably still check out the Cronenberg adaptation of it.

[Richey Edwards]

Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart

[Craig fae the Vale]

The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen (Aged 83 1/4) by Hendrik Groen (pseudonym for Peter de Smet).

Really funny and really sad in equal measures. It's the fictional diary of a Dutch care home resident and it's just a lovely, warm little book. I've just found out there's sequels as well, so I'll get to them in due course.

Edited April 29, 2022 by Craig the Hunter

[Cosmic Joe]

Recently completed John Cooper Clarke's autobiography, halfway through Brian Cox's. Would recommend both.