What are you reading?

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  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    I'm reading a Stephen King book called "Dome" (reading in my mothertongue) and it's a messy writing after a few chapters... Good God, I hope it's getting better in some pages...

    I assume this is the novel that the TV show about a town encompassed by a massive dome is based upon?
  • MrcogginsMrcoggins Following in the footsteps of Quentin Quigley.
    Posts: 3,144
    It's not Springfield by any chance is it ?
  • Posts: 6,396
    Mrcoggins wrote:
    It's not Springfield by any chance is it ?

    Surely that would be D'ome
  • MrcogginsMrcoggins Following in the footsteps of Quentin Quigley.
    Posts: 3,144
    Ha Ha"
  • SandySandy Somewhere in Europe
    Posts: 4,012
    In my Kobo (bus reading) - The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
    At home:
    - A Clash of Kings (George R. R. Martin), taking this slow to make it last
    - The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole 1999-2001, one of my favourite fictional characters, one of my favourite literary series. This one and The Prostate Years are the only ones I'm missing but I'm working on it ;)
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Sandy wrote:
    In my Kobo (bus reading) - The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
    At home:
    - A Clash of Kings (George R. R. Martin), taking this slow to make it last
    - The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole 1999-2001, one of my favourite fictional characters, one of my favourite literary series. This one and The Prostate Years are the only ones I'm missing but I'm working on it ;)

    I read that a few years ago, and while I was a little ignorant of some of the content, I loved it. I will have to revisit it sometime in the future and read the unabridged version this time. I love me some Dumas.
  • SandySandy Somewhere in Europe
    Posts: 4,012
    Sandy wrote:
    In my Kobo (bus reading) - The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
    At home:
    - A Clash of Kings (George R. R. Martin), taking this slow to make it last
    - The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole 1999-2001, one of my favourite fictional characters, one of my favourite literary series. This one and The Prostate Years are the only ones I'm missing but I'm working on it ;)

    I read that a few years ago, and while I was a little ignorant of some of the content, I loved it. I will have to revisit it sometime in the future and read the unabridged version this time. I love me some Dumas.

    Same thing here, I read it many years ago but I couldn't fully comprehend it. It's truly amazing, I have been finding parallels between Edmond Dantes and Silva and I wonder if the inspiration was conscious.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited October 2013 Posts: 28,694
    Sandy wrote:
    Sandy wrote:
    In my Kobo (bus reading) - The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
    At home:
    - A Clash of Kings (George R. R. Martin), taking this slow to make it last
    - The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole 1999-2001, one of my favourite fictional characters, one of my favourite literary series. This one and The Prostate Years are the only ones I'm missing but I'm working on it ;)

    I read that a few years ago, and while I was a little ignorant of some of the content, I loved it. I will have to revisit it sometime in the future and read the unabridged version this time. I love me some Dumas.

    Same thing here, I read it many years ago but I couldn't fully comprehend it. It's truly amazing, I have been finding parallels between Edmond Dantes and Silva and I wonder if the inspiration was conscious.

    Oh, good point. But to be honest I don't connect much between them except for the whole revenge plot thing. Edmond Dantes is framed, Silva screws himself over. Edmond has something to live for (Mercedes I think was his lover's name), while Silva's only purpose is to kill M. Edmond isn't cruel at heart, yet Silva is. Edmond helps many along the way to accomplish his mission, while Silva is quite heartless and in it for himself. Maybe you can find a few connections for me between them beyond the whole revenge plotting scheme that I may have overlooked.
  • Posts: 1,405
    I'm currently reading "The Last Lion", Winston Churchill's life between 1940-1945.
    AWESOME WORK. Britain's problems with France before and during France's surrender to Germany explained like never before. I'm near page 300 of a 1200 pages book and I coudn't recommend it enough.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    I'm currently reading "The Last Lion", Winston Churchill's life between 1940-1945.
    AWESOME WORK. Britain's problems with France before and during France's surrender to Germany explained like never before. I'm near page 300 of a 1200 pages book and I coudn't recommend it enough.

    Sounds like a fascinating read. I have always liked Churchill for both his strength and wit in times of despair. His ability to stand strong with his country during the Battle of Britain is one of the crowning moments of any of the world wars, and shows just how determined he was to never lay down and die.
  • Posts: 1,817
    I want to read Churchill's history of the Second World War. I just will be needing two or three months of free time. Perhaps when I become teacher on sabbatical I'll give it a shot.
  • LicencedToKilt69007LicencedToKilt69007 Belgium, Wallonia
    Posts: 523
    @Brady : Yes, it is. I don't really know what to expect from such a book, I'd like to put it in a fantasy case. What I read until now is part stories in the main story, so I guess that's why it confuses me. Have you read it or watched the TV film ?
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited October 2013 Posts: 12,459
    Oh, I have to say all of William Manchester's biography of Churchill (now 3 volumes; all start with The Last Lion ...) is masterful, without a doubt my favorite work about Churchill! Manchester was a brilliant writer, and I use that word specifically. Lovely writing, please do read it! The 3rd and final volume was finally, about 25 years later, published last Nov. and I ordered it immediately. It was published after Manchester's death, and about the first 100 pages of it are Manchester's own writing, but he gave the assignment to a writer friend of his to fiinish it (Paul Reid) and he did do an outstanding job with the rest of the book, using all of Manchester's many volumes of notes and based on their many personal discussions. It takes Churchill thru WWII and unto his death. A fantastic read!
    Vol. 1 is also incredibly interesting (Churchill's childhood), but Vol. 2, showing the least up until WWII explodes, is so beautifully interesting, really riveting, and paints a vivid picture of Churchill and England during this time.

    Vol. 1: The Last Lion - Visions of Glory
    Vol. 2 - The Last Lion - Alone
    Vol. 3 - The Last Lion - Defender of the Realm

    I cannot recommend these highly enough.
    ***

    I have not read Churchill's own books about WWII, but I do want to.



  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    @Brady : Yes, it is. I don't really know what to expect from such a book, I'd like to put it in a fantasy case. What I read until now is part stories in the main story, so I guess that's why it confuses me. Have you read it or watched the TV film ?
    No. I'm not big into King or science fiction/fantasy.
  • Posts: 169
    I'm reading <i>In the Best Familes</I>, a Nero Wolfe mystery by Rex Stout.
  • Posts: 7,653
    Dr_Yes wrote:
    I'm reading <i>In the Best Familes</I>, a Nero Wolfe mystery by Rex Stout.

    Ah, the good stuff!
  • Just finished Sax Rohmer's 7th Fu Manchu novel, The Trail of Fu Manchu (good stuff!), and have started on a quickie "Walmart Western" entitled Flintlock.
  • Posts: 7,653
    Just got an advance reading copy from a English publishing house, the book is somewhat out of my comfort zone. But I am very curious about it.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,459
    title, genre, any hints, @SaintMark? :)
  • Posts: 169
    CraterGuns wrote:
    Just finished Sax Rohmer's 7th Fu Manchu novel, The Trail of Fu Manchu (good stuff!), and have started on a quickie "Walmart Western" entitled Flintlock.

    I just read The Return of Fu Manchu - how many times does Sax Rohmer use the word "uncanny"? It's fun stuff despite the outrageous racism from the period. I found out that President Fu Manchu is going to be coming out as an iBook soon. That one looks pretty wild.
  • Posts: 7,653
    title, genre, any hints, @SaintMark? :)

    Michel Déon - The foundling Boy (1975 Le Jeune Homme vert)

    Michel Déon (born 4 August 1919) is a French writer.

    With Antoine Blondin, Jacques Laurent and Roger Nimier, he belonged to the literary group of the Hussards. He is a novelist as well as a literary columnist.

    Over the course of his admirable career, Déon has published over 50 works. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Prix Interallié for his 1970 novel, Les Poneys Sauvages (The Wild Ponies). Déon’s 1973 masterpiece, Un Taxi Mauve garnered him international renown when it received the esteemed title of the Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française. His novels have been translated into numerous languages, delivering his unique voice across cultural and continental boundaries. He is considered one of the most innovative French writers of the 21st century.


  • Posts: 169
    SaintMark wrote:
    Dr_Yes wrote:
    I'm reading <i>In the Best Familes</I>, a Nero Wolfe mystery by Rex Stout.

    Ah, the good stuff!

    Apparently Fleming though so, too. I love that reference to the Nero Wolfe series in the novel OHMSS in which M speaks of reading Stout's works.
  • Posts: 7,653
    Dr_Yes wrote:
    SaintMark wrote:
    Dr_Yes wrote:
    I'm reading <i>In the Best Familes</I>, a Nero Wolfe mystery by Rex Stout.

    Ah, the good stuff!

    Apparently Fleming though so, too. I love that reference to the Nero Wolfe series in the novel OHMSS in which M speaks of reading Stout's works.

    I have read a few Nero Wolfe books and found them agreeable to read.

  • Posts: 14,800
    In the two months leading to Halloween, I read horror stories. Right now I am reading Halloween: Magic, Mystery and the Macabre and The Penguin Book of Vampire Stories.
  • On The Map by Simon Garfield

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/On-The-Map-world-looks/dp/1846685109/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383222465&sr=8-1&keywords=on+the+map

    Highly readable account of the history of maps, from BC to the present day, in terms of how little was known about the world and how new knowledge had to be pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle. That said, it was known as early as BC that the world was round.

    Sometimes explorers would just make stuff up to brag about their 'finds'. It goes into whether America was discovered centuries before Columbus, or whether that was an eleborate hoax done in WW2 to annoy Hitler. The great explorers of Africa and the Arctic (the last great unexplored area) are covered of course.

    There are also short chapters that talk about side issues, such as a murder map used to exonorate an alleged killer in Victorian times, Google Maps, the London A-Z, the London Underground. Garfield always likes to introduce the human angle to get you interested. Only drawback is that the maps aren't reproduced in colour which becomes tiresome after a while.

    It really is a great book to read a few chapters in bed to before turning in.
  • Lee Child - Worth Dying For.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Ludovico wrote:
    In the two months leading to Halloween, I read horror stories. Right now I am reading Halloween: Magic, Mystery and the Macabre and The Penguin Book of Vampire Stories.
    That's cool. My favorite author is Arthur Conan Doyle, and I hope to one day get a copy of all the scary stories he wrote to read around Halloween.
  • Posts: 14,800
    Ludovico wrote:
    In the two months leading to Halloween, I read horror stories. Right now I am reading Halloween: Magic, Mystery and the Macabre and The Penguin Book of Vampire Stories.
    That's cool. My favorite author is Arthur Conan Doyle, and I hope to one day get a copy of all the scary stories he wrote to read around Halloween.

    I didn't know Doyle wrote horror stories. It makes sense, since he had an interest in the occult and some of his detective fiction, such as The Hound of the Baskerville had elements of gothic horror, albeit rationalized.
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 12,837
    Silencer. Latest in Andy Mcnab's Nick Stone series. Really can't recommend these books enough. There's some cracking action and a plot that keeps you interested throughout, plus Nick Stone is a great character. Another good book in a great series.

    Shame there's still not much word on the film adaptation of Firewall. Heard Jason Statham was meant to be play Stone but he dropped out which is probably for the best imo. Big fan of the bloke and he'd fit the part brilliantly but he's too big a star. I'd like these books to made into a film series and chances are Statham would be too busy to make sequels.
  • Posts: 14,800
    I'm reading The Nibelungenlied and Montreal's Irish Mafia.
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