Books and good reads [Merged]

[cassady]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

hi Gers

make sure you get a james lee burke novel in the dave robicheaux series. he's like this cool ex drunk detective.

what do u think of shane maloney?

Cass
(Red and well read)

 

[gers]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

Hi Cass,

I really like the humourous thread in his work and of course his Australian "voice".

Knowing the places an author writes about gives a great feeling of connection.

The positive comment about Dave Warner's books has made me put him on my list as well.

Is Burke like Michael Connolly?

 

[tiggytam]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

Gould's Book of Fish (a novel in 12 fish) - Richard Flanagan

 

[Anduril]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

Hi Cass,

I really like the humourous thread in his work and of course his Australian "voice".

Knowing the places an author writes about gives a great feeling of connection.

The positive comment about Dave Warner's books has made me put him on my list as well.

Is Burke like Michael Connolly?

And when you read Maloney now you can "see" his characters more clearly, especially Faramir - oops- Murray.

 

[QueenC]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

Currently reading Trace, the latest by Patricia Cornwell.
Its not as good as her earlier work, but it is still a pretty good read!!!

 

[Anduril]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

Great, something to look forward too, I just bought "Blowfly".
Am reading Bill Bryson's "Mother Tongue"- history/story of the English language, sounds dry but is absolutely fascinating.

 

[QueenC]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

I enjoyed Blowfly, it was very different from her earlier work, so after ten or so books, it takes a little getting used to!!!

 

[Michael]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

hi Gers

make sure you get a james lee burke novel in the dave robicheaux series.  he's like this cool ex drunk detective.

what do u think of shane maloney?

Cass
(Red and well read)

Cass, agree with you on dave robicheaux, have you read any Robert Crais?
He has a character, Elvis Cole - witty, tough, clever and his offsider Jim ? is brilliant. Crais went on to write a couple of other books where he dumped Elvis for a bomb demolition expert who got blown up and then went back to being a cop. In my opinion, not as good as the elivs cole series.

On the subject of Crime - Janet Evanovich?

 

[Curtiger]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

About to read A Lesson Beofre Dying. A novel about the oppression Afro-Americans suffered after the civil war mixed with the capital punishment theme.

Judging by the reviews, a powerful read, but two chapters in it hasen't really taken off.

Curtis :blah

 

[newyorktiger]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

Arundill,

A while ago I finished a brief history of everything... Well written and very interesting.. Written in Bryson's unique style.

 

[Anduril]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

Arundill,

A while ago I finished a brief history of everything... Well written and very interesting.. Written in Bryson's unique style.

Have read it NYT, it's a fantastic, easy read isn't it? Recommended for every parent with inquistive kids too.

 

[evo]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

Arundill,

A while ago I finished a brief history of everything... Well written and very interesting.. Written in Bryson's unique style.

Well done NYT.I've found my next book.Chicken Korma for you.

 

[Wishiwazzaclohesy]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

Arundill,

A while ago I finished a brief history of everything... Well written and very interesting.. Written in Bryson's unique style.

I've really gotten into Bryson recently. He has a great way of showing perspective. For example, in order to explain how long the world has been round, he tells the reader to stretch out their arms to the side (like they are on a cross). The finger tip on the right hand is when the universe was created. The entire history of man could be erased by taking a nail file, and rubbing it once against the nails on your LEFT hand.

Mother Tongue, Anduril, is very good. I've read a few books on the English language recently. "Eats Shoots and Leaves' was OK, but over-rated. Bryson's 'Made in America' tells us about American English, with a great pocket history of America thrown in for the mix, and Don Watson's 'Death Sentence: The Decay of Public Language' is one of the most boring books I've ever attempted to read. (I'm still ploughing through it).

Back to Bryson, I thought "Down Under" was excellent. He looks at us with genuine admiration, and is neither patronising, nor dismissive of us. He does point out some interesting characteristics about Australians, and spends some time wondering how a nation of people could just lose their leader, as we lost Harold Holt.

For anyone who enjoys Bryson, I'd be interested to know which one to buy next....

Discuss

CB
olice:

 

[Anduril]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

Am enjoying "Mother Tongue CB. You might like Watson's "Weasel Words" a little better.
Have you been watching Melvyn Bragg's "History of English" on SBS?

 

[Wishiwazzaclohesy]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

Am enjoying "Mother Tongue CB. You might like Watson's "Weasel Words" a little better.
Have you been watching Melvyn Bragg's "History of English" on SBS?

I've not seen that programme, Andy. Is it good? Out of ten?

What is Weasel words like? I think, after reading the ones I mentioned earlier, I may be sick of the subject! By the end of 'Made in America' I was fatigued slightly. Bryson is great, but in that one he tended to put in long lists of examples, when he could have made his point with just one or two. Mother Tongue is similiar to Eats Shoots and Leaves, but it is not as self-gratifying or pompous.

Inspired by my own thread, I just rushed out and purchased 'The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town USA', which I am eager to begin reading.

olice:

 

[newyorktiger]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

CB,

Not willing to dismiss youe recent purchase, but I find his writings on Europe the best. Especially if you have been there.

I am also a fan of Nick Hornby - I recommend every Tiger supporter reads Fever Pitch as it relates to what it is like to be a football supporter, and have football dominate your life.. I know it is about English Football, but the parallels are similar.

 

[evo]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

Yes I enjoyed Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch.Even if he was an Arsenal supporter.there are many parallels to Aussie rules though as you say.

They adapted if for a movie NYT.Wasn't bad.

 

[Anduril]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

CB.
Melvyn's series on SBS (Sun 7.30) is similar to "Mother Tongue", I'd rate it 8 out of 10, but I love that sort of history doco where I learn lots of stuff and useless information

 

[Tigers of Old]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

Reading Jason McCartney's book - After Bali.
Picked it up in the post Xmas sales only $5! for a hardcover and all. Not bad so far, gets a bit heavy though in parts.

 

[Ready]

Re: What Is Everyone Reading At the Moment?

Yes I enjoyed Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch.Even if he was an Arsenal supporter.there are many parallels to Aussie rules though as you say.

They adapted if for a movie NYT.Wasn't bad.

The crowd scenes were filmed at Craven Cottage. Struggs may have been an extra. :hihi

The book (published 1992) is much better, though. By about 1994/95 there was a huge backlash against Hornby, basically blaming him for the gentrification of the game and alleging he made it trendy to like football again. I've got the 200th-issue retrospective of When Saturday Comes which reprints his defence of himself. At that stage he wasn't a world-famous author but just some bloke who wrote a book, and I think the bile directed at him perplexed him.