What are you reading

[Mrs M]

Waiting patiently for the arrival of Junior

 

[stephec]

I really liked it, and have now read all four.



Am now reading Dominic Sandbrook's first volume "Never Had it so good", which covers similar ground but more a general narrative, in themed chapters, rather than Kynaston's social history. Sandbrook is good , but maybe Kynaston is better, but I'm conscious that it's a similar kind of book covering similar ground, so maybe it seems less exciting as it is a repeat. After buying it noticed Sandbrook had been Daily Heil writter but his book doesn't show undue bias, hey he's clearly on the side of anti-racism, rather than with Enoch, so that needn't out anyonenoff View attachment 555081

Cheers Prof, I might seek those out, I do like a bit of social history.

 

[clid61]

Rob Halford , Confess

 

[cookiemonster]

 

[stephec]

As I'm waiting for a delivery of six books from The Works I dipped into my library, and came up with Notes from a Small Island.

I'm not sure if it's my third or fourth time that I've read it, but it's still as good as the first.

 

[swee'pea99]

Close Range - a collection of short stories by Annie Proulx. Having only recently completed 'the greatest ever work of fiction', according to many - Anna Karenina - I'd rate Proulx the better writer, caveated only (and I will say massively) by the fact that I can read Tolstoy only in translation.

If there's a better opening para than this in the language, it's passed me by:

 

[Eziemnaik]

Very interesting in the light of recent election

Finished The Honoured Society - N.Lewis is still relevant, sad but gripping book

 

[cisamcgu]

Close Range - a collection of short stories by Annie Proulx. Having only recently completed 'the greatest ever work of fiction', according to many - Anna Karenina - I'd rate Proulx the better writer, caveated only (and I will say massively) by the fact that I can read Tolstoy only in translation.

If there's a better opening para than this in the language, it's passed me by:

View attachment 557608

Yeah, yeah, very classy ... but don't discount "Red Sister" by Mark Lawrence

“It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size. For Sister Thorn of the Sweet Mercy convent, Lano Tacsis brought two hundred men.”

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I'm reading Paul Theroux's "The Great Railway Bazaar". I read a few of his in my 30s and liked them, (if not quite loved them), but I'm very much enjoying rediscovering his work a decade on from then. It's funny how you enjoy different writers at different ages in your life, and yet some writers appeal at all stages of your life.

 

[stephec]

I'm reading Paul Theroux's "The Great Railway Bazaar". I read a few of his in my 30s and liked them, (if not quite loved them), but I'm very much enjoying rediscovering his work a decade on from then. It's funny how you enjoy different writers at different ages in your life, and yet some writers appeal at all stages of your life.

View attachment 557636

He gets a mention in Notes from a Small Island a few times, might have to seek it out.

 

[Eziemnaik]

He gets a mention in Notes from a Small Island a few times, might have to seek it out.

If you like Notes I think you will enjoy Kingdom by the Sea.
A different book, maybe more perceptive on the Britain?

 

[Eziemnaik]

Theroux in the deep South.
Good book, didn't really like the chapters on Southern writers, but the rest is fine.
Favourite bits are on Clinton and Indians

 

[VelvetUnderpants]

I am reading Gun Germs and Steel: A short history of everybody for the last 13,000 years by Jared Diamond. A fascinating book where he explains why some civilisations progressed faster than others and why some perished.

 

[slowmotion]

A bootleg download pdf of this.....

 

[Eziemnaik]

Church, Black activism, Lost War,Racism, Religion, Baptists, Rednecks, Tobacco, Cotton, more Religion, Civil Rights Movement, more Church
These are some of the subjects Naipaul writes about in this travelogue - some fantastic interviews in there, he can portrait the bigoted redneck (but is he really bigoted?) as well as civil rights movement leader.