I am currently reading Watched by kerry Wilkinson I have read all his books he does a crime series d.i Jessica. His next 1 ia out in feb I cant wait already pre ordered for the kindle.
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I am currently reading Watched by kerry Wilkinson I have read all his books he does a crime series d.i Jessica. His next 1 ia out in feb I cant wait already pre ordered for the kindle.
Down Under by Bill Bryson, do love a good travel book!
Love Bill Bryson - Tales from a Small Island was my first and favourite :)
I've got that one in my big pile to read too Paula! I buy them cheap at car boot sales often faster than I can read them :)
Can't wait to be able to see to read properly again. Got a few on my 'to read' list starting with my Xmas pressie from K a big book about monster movies :8)
Have just finished (twice) London under by Peter Ackroyd. Although Im into underground stuff, it is dull to most but he writes really well.
I can't read not that I can't read it no concentration to need to be doing something while doing something else if makes sence lol
I want to read the latest cookery book by Nigel Slater too
I like historical novels - the Viking era at the moment with Bernard Cornwell's "Arthur" series. I spin off into none fiction stuff of the same times, antiquarian books, specially of my local area - so I'm also reading "The History and Antiquities of Cleveland" published in 1846 --
DEATH SONG OF RAGNAR LODBROK
(verse 7)
We fought with our swords on Northumbria's craggy mountains,
Where revengeful fate prevailing, haughty Ella drove us back;
Yet though hemm'd by countless thousands, we crimson'd Cleveland's fountains,
While shriek'd the hungry vulture along our gory track, --
Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah! how we clave their helms in twain,
And the blood-drops fell that day thick and fast as thunder-rain.
We fought with our swords :- O joy my soul is burning,
Enwrapt in dazzling vision, I behold Valhalla's hall!
To god Odin endless glory, for my spirit is returning
To dwell in pomp for ever with them who bravely fall:
Be accursed the craven coward who would shun the shock of war,
He shall drink no mead of Odin, nor ascend the heavenly car.
etc etc...
And that's only the true stuff. Ragnar was eventually seized by his enemy King Ella of Northumbria, and killed by being thrown into a pit of snakes. His sons - Ivar the Boneless, Bjorn Ironside, Halfdan Ragnarsson, Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, and Ubba, avenged him by invading England with the Great Heathen Army.
Cornwell weaves these historical facts, characters and myths into his novels, but the truth is even more blood-thirsty than his fiction...
Nice- I saw his London on tv ages ago, like his style.
I have several of his books and my father knew him. I think he is a terrific historian.
You should get his book on the Thames and clerkenwell.
I am currently reading Stephen King's latest novel, 'Doctor Sleep' which is the sequel to 'The Shining' and while I don't think it is as good as the first novel it isn't bad and I hope they make a movie of it.
I haven't read that one, I've been a huge SKing fan for years, but have been a bit disappointed with his later ones...
Currently reading 'Command and Control' by Eric Schlosser (I think that's right) which is about all the mishaps th U.S. A has had with it's nuclear weapons! Sobering reading.
I have signed up to Free Digital Reads. For my kindle app on my iPad. A few days a week they post/email links to free digital books available on amazon. Can totally recommend it - I have hundreds of books from this. Some good, some bad but the good outweighs the bad IMO
My current book is called The Old House at Railles
Going to start reading Enduring Love by Ian McEwan.
I've just downloaded 'Return to Poughkeepsie' by Debra Anastasia. I read the first book and loved it, so I'm looking forward to this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Return-Pough...o+poughkeepsie
Michael Connolly is my favourite author, but I have been reading a lot of James Patterson. I like detective crime stories, both in books & on TV, real stories & CSI type stories. I have gone to Patterson because his chapters are only 3-4 pages & my attention span & concentration is poor. I also like sports autobiographies, & photography tutorials.
Finally finished reading Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe on Thursday, I'd been reading it since February. It's a really good book but it was a relief to finish it. It's focused mainly around slavery and although the story is fictional,the events depicted are the kinds of things that actually occurred. I found it affected me quite a lot and I really felt for the characters in it. It does depict some absolutely remarkable feats of human endurance though.
On Friday I started The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson. I came by the book by chance in the hospital book shop, the title immediately leaped out at me.
Have been reading The Great Gatsby. I watched the new film first and quite enjoyed that but, and given I'm an avid reader and always prefer books over films, I found the book boring. I've got about a third left and haven't picked it up in weeks - I usually devour books in a day. IMHO, it's dull
I can relate to that Paula - I remember reading it years ago and finding it a shallow empty little book much like its lead character. It does make a good movie though ;)
I preferred his 'Tender is the Night' - it has a lot more substance. It's semi-autobiograhpical and deals in fictionalised form with his battles with his own alcoholism ad his wife's schizophrenia.
I bought 'The Railway Man' yesterday - It too was made into a film recently - though I didn't get to see it. It's Eric Lomax's account of his time as a Japanese POW working o the Burma Railway (Bridge on the River Kwai and all that) and his coming to terms with what happened to him and later meeting up, forgiving and reconciling with one of his Japanese tormentors.
I haven't started it yet. But will soon
I am reading Clarissa Dickson-Wrights autobiography. I was reading it on the ferry when we came back form Holland. It does not make comfortable reading especially as she was a recovering alcoholic and went into Promis rehab. She talks about many things including the fact that Jennifer was a recovering alcoholic too but still drank. She mentions Beechy Colcough who has disappeared off the radar (was struck off) She also talks about setting up Books for Cooks and becoming the first female barrister. A sad book but an excellent read.
I'm reading The hunt for Red October right now
I'm currently reading Patricia Cornwell Scarpetta series..
Finished The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson today. A very entertaining book but also very interesting too, touching on various mental health issues alongside psychopathy and the various different attempts made to treat them.
Think I'll start Shutter Island tomorrow. Only discovered it was a book recently after Googling the film which is also good (despite having Leonardo DiCaprio in it) so having liked the film decided to get the book and give it a go.
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/...ps374c3961.jpg
This week ah have been mostly reading The historian by Elizabeth Kostova
(its a non sparkly vampire book- about The original, Vlad Dracula ;))
Finished reading The Men Who Stare At Goats by Jon Ronson last week, if you liked the film try the book, I liked it.
Have now started reading The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham.
Was the Ronson book any good Zepp? - I remember seeing it when it was first published but never read it.
Ronson has a very amusing writing style. I've read two of his books now, The Psychopath test and The Men Who Stare at Goats and I thought they were both really good. If you've seen the Men Who Stare At Goats film (which you can watch on YouTube for free by the way), it's only very loosely based on the book and there is so much more covered in the book than in the film.
Just this minute finished reading The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham. It's the third of his books I've read, I've also read The Day of The Triffids and The Crysalids. They are all very good.
Next will be I am Legend by Richard Matheson.
Red Dwarf audiobooks, read by Rimmer :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f793imHbjk4
:8):8)
Just started rereading the Hornblower books by C.S. Forester. This will be about the forth or fifth time I have read them, I can't seem to concentrate on anything new at the moment. I just love them. I think I relate to them as Hornblower is a character who is struggling with his feelings of worthlessness all the time, yet is actually capable of and does great things in the face of all the odds. I love that afterwards he never accepts that actually he was the hero but is convinced that it was luck or bad judgement by the enemy that led to his successes. He struggles with feeling depressed a lot but yet manages to carry on. He is a character who is always fair to his men and they love him for it although again he can never understand why anyone should love him or want to serve with him.
Finished reading I Am Legend by Richard Matheson yesterday, a really good book. The film of the same name which was based on it is almost a completely different story altogether though.
Have now started reading Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, I actually don't know the story at all I think the only film adaptation of it I've seen is the Muppet one.
I tried to read Treasure Island but got bored - and I'll read the back of a cereal box. I have read a lot of classics but went through a period of wanting to read more. I wish I'd never read Lord of the Flies though .....