What book are you currently reading?

[Fiona N]

Just finished The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell (great first half let down by a ludicrous second half). Now reading Postwar by the late, great Tony Judt, and have just started The Siege by Ismail Kadare, one of my absolute favourite writers.

I started reading the Siege on a business trip to Stockholm last week. Now my luggage has gone missing so I'm frustrated at not being able to continue - I'll may have to start again at the beginning, although that wouldn't be a hardship, it's really beautiful.

I've got a few books on the go at home - almost finished Iain Banks' Transition. I'm not usually a sci-fi fan (unless it's William Gibson or Neil Stephenson, especially his fiction of science history) but this has been very entertaining and thought-provoking. Northern Clemency is for when I want to read about 'real people' (although it's fiction, it's so recognisable, set in middle-class Sheffield in the 70's, it could also be describing where I grew up) and Ian Rankin's Doors Open, which is somehow less readable than most of his stuff, it's sort of squirm-makingly predictable and full of cliches and stereotypes. I was expecting a bit of light escapism but I'm bored.

 

[Glow worm]

Halfway through Josie Dew's 'Ride in the Neon Sun' as she cycles around Japan. I like her books - and admire her fortitude and determination to get on her bike come what may. Japan sounds like a right shithole though.

 

[GlasgowGaryH]

McCarthy's Bar by Pete McCarthy, bought from charity shop for 25p. Actually not a bad book.

 

[vikingcyclist]

Working my way through a handful of books, but the main two are Wheels of Chance by H. G. Wells and Little Brother from Cory Doctorow.

I have to say Little Brother has given me a real feeling of paranoia. I'll be glad to have finished it, but would recommend everyone have a read.

 

[Liveaxle]

'Nemesis Circle' by Emesson Cole, not a bad thriller. Just finished 'Push Yourself Just A Little Bit More' by Johnny Green an offbeat take on the TDF ...... quite enjoyed it

 

[Paulus]

Retromancer by Robert Rankin. Up to his usual standard, humorous, a bit weird, but good.

 

[Stephenite]

[QUOTE 1172345"]
Re-reading, for the third time, Fermat's Last Theorem by Simon Singh. Figure I can actually understand the maths now, third time around

[/quote]


I'm reading Simon Singh's Big Bang. Half way through and i find it fairly unputdownable so far.

The book covers the history and development of cosmology in a highly readable style. I get a feeling of being led along on a journey of discovery. But don't ask me what i've learned because i've forgotten everything by morning.

Recommended if you like popular science books.

(The thing about popular science books and me is that i can read the same kind of stuff again and again. It just doesn't sink in )

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Now reading The Plot Against America by Philip Roth. For all that he is characterised as a 'literary' author, there are no stylistic tricks in this novel. It's just a fantastically well-imagined, characterised and described account of a Jewish family in an alternative 1940s USA where the famous aviator (and US isolationist and anti-semite), Charles Lindbergh becomes president.

 

[jonesy]

I'm reading Simon Singh's Big Bang. Half way through and i find it fairly unputdownable so far.

The book covers the history and development of cosmology in a highly readable style. I get a feeling of being led along on a journey of discovery. But don't ask me what i've learned because i've forgotten everything by morning.

Recommended if you like popular science books.

(The thing about popular science books and me is that i can read the same kind of stuff again and again. It just doesn't sink in )

Simon Singh is also a hero in the battle against irrationalism and pseudo-science:

http://www.badscience.net/2010/04/l...-they-deserve-and-so-do-the-public/#more-1598

 

[pepecat]

Reading Biography of Janet Frame (NZ writer) and a book called 'Universities and British Industry'.....feel free to yawn at this point.....

 

[goo_mason]

Reading three at the moment:

'A Fraction of the Whole' - Steve Tolz
'Unseen Academicals' - Terry Pratchett
'Austerity Britain' - David Kynaston

 

[cyberknight]

Reading the entire dune series by frank herbet for the umpteenth time .

 

[classic33]

Up shoot Creek, the follow-on/companion to How to shoot In The Woods.
Glad to see that I'm not the ony one reading How Bad Are Bananas.

 

[swee'pea99]

Pride & Prejudice. Excellent!

 

[tuffty]

The Crossing by Cormac Mcarthy - unbelievably bleak but compelling reading