Last Book Read
Comments
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old man and the sea. very good. now reading a very short introduction to quantum theory. less good.0
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I like a bit of Camus.mrb123 said:The Plague by Albert Camus. Seemed like it was the right time for it...
Our Man In Havana , G Greene. Bought it 2nd hand ages ago and finally got round to it. It's ok , interesting enough story, worth reading. Not sure it's worth its classic status.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
Yeah, The Sympathizer. Damn good stuff.Alain Quay said:A couple of 2016 releases which I liked and which are both Pulitzer prize winners:
The Sympathizer
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/mar/12/the-sympathizer-viet-thanh-nguyen-review-debut
Barbarian Days
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/aug/14/barbarian-days-surfing-life-william-finnegan-review0 -
meursault said:Alain Quay wrote:A couple of 2016 releases which I liked and which are both Pulitzer prize winners:
The Sympathizer
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/mar/12/the-sympathizer-viet-thanh-nguyen-review-debut
Barbarian Days
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/aug/14/barbarian-days-surfing-life-william-finnegan-review
Both of these look good to me tyvm.
Just finished
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40693.The_Last_Opium_Den
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63032.2666?ac=1&from_search=true
Did you like 2666? Great book but hated the ending. Haven't read the sequel yet but the talk is that it doesn't clear up anything.0 -
meursault said:diamonddog wrote:The Great Gatsby, the film portrays it well.
Started it twice now, and hated it. Most overated book of all time?
Definitely overrated. Still can't figure out what all the hype was / is.0 -
Read this during the height of covid. Very interesting insights.DeVlaeminck said:
I like a bit of Camus.mrb123 said:The Plague by Albert Camus. Seemed like it was the right time for it...
Our Man In Havana , G Greene. Bought it 2nd hand ages ago and finally got round to it. It's ok , interesting enough story, worth reading. Not sure it's worth its classic status.0 -
"The Fixer" Bernard Malamud. Pulitzer Prize winner from the 1960's Great book but pretty grim.
"All the Light We Cannot See" Anthony Doerr. One of the best books of this century. IMHO0 -
Currently reading For Your Eyes Only, the Ben McIntyre biog of Ian Fleming. Quite good so far.
I've read a few of McIntyres books and think I prefer his history writing over biogs. Operation Mincemeat was a really interesting.0 -
Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go. Apparently this is a best seller and made the Man Booker shortlist.
It's really nicely written, the writing style seems totally natural and unforced. The world the author creates - a version of England - is believable and you find yourself wanting to know more about the characters and to some extent caring about them.
It's just for me, like a few books I've read recently and a couple of modern American films, I'm left wanting more of a story. Everything is in place - you find you are immersed in the world the author has created, the stage is set, but then when you are ready for them to deliver the story nothing much happens.
It's worth a read, maybe I'm just not the target audience, its just it's a bit like a great pianist playing an average tune - it's not bad but you feel it's almost a waste of their talent.
Still if they are selling lots and being nominated for prizes what do I know.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
I agree it is a beautifully written book. Setting the dystopia in a parallel version of England rather than a futuristic world was very effective.DeVlaeminck said:Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go. Apparently this is a best seller and made the Man Booker shortlist.
It's really nicely written, the writing style seems totally natural and unforced. The world the author creates - a version of England - is believable and you find yourself wanting to know more about the characters and to some extent caring about them.
It's just for me, like a few books I've read recently and a couple of modern American films, I'm left wanting more of a story. Everything is in place - you find you are immersed in the world the author has created, the stage is set, but then when you are ready for them to deliver the story nothing much happens.
It's worth a read, maybe I'm just not the target audience, its just it's a bit like a great pianist playing an average tune - it's not bad but you feel it's almost a waste of their talent.
Still if they are selling lots and being nominated for prizes what do I know.
I just found the ending - the big denouement when they meet Madame - was a little clumsy and let the rest of the book down a bit.
Fun fact - the Judy Bridgewater song wasn't a real record but if you have a look on YouTube there is a version of it (with the album cover as described in the novel) that I think was recorded for the film.1 -
Milkman - Anna Burns. Winner of the Man Booker prize 2028. It's told through the eyes of an 18 year old woman in a Catholic community during Northern Ireland's troubles.
Not sure what to make of this book - the story hooked me in but ultimately for me it's a miss.
It's taken me about a month to read it - not that I'm a slow reader but I just find the writing style impenetrable and I've put it down for extended periods. On the other hand the storyline itself has an element of intrigue and it's only to find out how it works out that has made me pick it up again.
Well I've finished it and without spoilers how it works out is an anti climax - not worth persevering with the author's style.
Another author could take the first half of this book - cut out all the extraneous crap and then write their own second half to make a really good psychological thriller.
Interested to see if others have read it - I've a feeling it's marmite and someone will say they love the way it's written.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
The Idea Of The Brain, by Matthew Cobb: in effect a good round-up of where neuroscience is with trying to understand how brains, and especially human brains work. To cut a long story short, although they know a pile more than they used to, they are still a very long way short of really working it out, and the writer is doubtful that they'll even get close in the next hundred years of research.
A lot of the more technical stuff I skimmed over (it's a good bit of writing aimed at a wide readership, including researchers themselves), but it gives plenty of "wow" moments, but is also very good at charting where thinking about the brain has come from, and where it might be heading.1 -
"What do you care what other people think?" by Richard Feynman. Mainly interesting for the recounting of his first marriage to someone with a terminal illness, and his contribution to the inquiry into the Challenger shuttle disaster.
Given his genius, one early phrase stood out: "I'm really still a one-sided person, and I don't know a great deal. I have a limited intelligence and I use it in a particular direction."0 -
In my mid-teens I became quite obsessed with his books. Big big fan.briantrumpet said:"What do you care what other people think?" by Richard Feynman. Mainly interesting for the recounting of his first marriage to someone with a terminal illness, and his contribution to the inquiry into the Challenger shuttle disaster.
Given his genius, one early phrase stood out: "I'm really still a one-sided person, and I don't know a great deal. I have a limited intelligence and I use it in a particular direction."
Surely you're joking Mr Feynman is probably even better.
I would suggest the false-flattery you quote is a bit of a defense - he's very much a renaissance man and enjoys people telling him so :P
Also, I suspect his attempts to pick women up wouldn't get past publishes nowadays.0 -
The IPCRESS File
Good old fashioned spy novel but does go on a bit. You could easily cut out 20 pages..The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
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Just before that was Dead Air by Iain Banks.
Utter, uttershit. Pointless, goes nowhere, rubbish storyline, tired out of date unbelievable tacky characters with no depth, pseudo rebellious drug taking, massively unbelievable events. .
If you see it at a charity shop, avoid. Totallyshit..The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
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rick_chasey said:
In my mid-teens I became quite obsessed with his books. Big big fan.briantrumpet said:"What do you care what other people think?" by Richard Feynman. Mainly interesting for the recounting of his first marriage to someone with a terminal illness, and his contribution to the inquiry into the Challenger shuttle disaster.
Given his genius, one early phrase stood out: "I'm really still a one-sided person, and I don't know a great deal. I have a limited intelligence and I use it in a particular direction."
Surely you're joking Mr Feynman is probably even better.
I would suggest the false-flattery you quote is a bit of a defense - he's very much a renaissance man and enjoys people telling him so :P
Also, I suspect his attempts to pick women up wouldn't get past publishes nowadays.
Yes, to all of that.
The biography about him, 'Genius' (not hyperbole, I'd argue) is also a really good read too.0 -
I tried reading 6 Easy Pieces and discovered it wasn't so easy!briantrumpet said:"What do you care what other people think?" by Richard Feynman. Mainly interesting for the recounting of his first marriage to someone with a terminal illness, and his contribution to the inquiry into the Challenger shuttle disaster.
Given his genius, one early phrase stood out: "I'm really still a one-sided person, and I don't know a great deal. I have a limited intelligence and I use it in a particular direction."
I found the Challenger Disaster movie with William Hurt as Richard Feynman was actually quite good.0 -
elbowloh said:
I tried reading 6 Easy Pieces and discovered it wasn't so easy!briantrumpet said:"What do you care what other people think?" by Richard Feynman. Mainly interesting for the recounting of his first marriage to someone with a terminal illness, and his contribution to the inquiry into the Challenger shuttle disaster.
Given his genius, one early phrase stood out: "I'm really still a one-sided person, and I don't know a great deal. I have a limited intelligence and I use it in a particular direction."
I found the Challenger Disaster movie with William Hurt as Richard Feynman was actually quite good.
I think Feynman's idea of 'easy' was not necessarily everyone else's...
And yes, a good film, which (if memory serves correctly) cleverly uses film of the actual news conference in which Feynman cleverly ambushed those who were trying to obfuscate.
Quite apart from his scientific stuff, what I really appreciate is his attitude to what stuff is important to learn, and that learning by having fun playing around with stuff is the best way to do it.0 -
Ragazzi
Avoid this at all costs. Utterlyshit.
Badly written by a clubbie who knows nothing desperately seeking attention whilst being incredbly drippy. Devoid of joy, laughter, interest, humanity or anything that makes books, cycling related or not, enjoyable.
He's the sort of bloke you will hear braying at the top of his voice in the pub about his ride in his local club 10 on his shittyRaleigh and when someone punches him in the face repeatedly with one will care and the landlord will just shrug.
I have this masochistic thing where if I start a book I have to finish it but this is too painful.
Utter, utter, uttershyte. You will learn nothing and enjoy it less.
Avoid at all costs.
.The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
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This sums it up. totalshit.
.The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
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Bit of a mixed reviw, should I add it to my Christmas list or not?MattFalle said:Ragazzi
Avoid this at all costs. Utterlyshit.
Badly written by a clubbie who knows nothing desperately seeking attention whilst being incredbly drippy. Devoid of joy, laughter, interest, humanity or anything that makes books, cycling related or not, enjoyable.
He's the sort of bloke you will hear braying at the top of his voice in the pub about his ride in his local club 10 on his shittyRaleigh and when someone punches him in the face repeatedly with one will care and the landlord will just shrug.
I have this masochistic thing where if I start a book I have to finish it but this is too painful.
Utter, utter, uttershyte. You will learn nothing and enjoy it less.
Avoid at all costs.0 -
There are better about, tbh. in fact every other one is better..
The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
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The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
Mrs Goo was given this by our prospective son-in-law and said it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Our tastes are polar opposites in reading terms. However I picked it up to take on our holiday and was hooked.
An unusual style of writing which may be down to the Swedish to English translation. However it's a real ripping yarn that's highly amusing and the right side of easy reading without being insultingly simple.
Give it a go.Always be yourself, unless you can be Aaron Rodgers....Then always be Aaron Rodgers.0 -
he also did Hitman Anders which is utterly mega and deffo deffo worth reading, unlike thatshite abovemr_goo said:The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
Mrs Goo was given this by our prospective son-in-law and said it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Our tastes are polar opposites in reading terms. However I picked it up to take on our holiday and was hooked.
An unusual style of writing which may be down to the Swedish to English translation. However it's a real ripping yarn that's highly amusing and the right side of easy reading without being insultingly simple.
Give it a go..The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
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He could possibly work at making titles a bit more snappy, I'm not sure how they even get that to fit on a cover!mr_goo said:The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
Mrs Goo was given this by our prospective son-in-law and said it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Our tastes are polar opposites in reading terms. However I picked it up to take on our holiday and was hooked.
An unusual style of writing which may be down to the Swedish to English translation. However it's a real ripping yarn that's highly amusing and the right side of easy reading without being insultingly simple.
Give it a go.0 -
John Cooper Clarke's autobiography , self deprecating and very dry wit, really enjoyed it.
Siddharta by Herman Hesse, read it because it is a classic and felt I should give it a try! Having finished it I was most underwhelmed and no idea why it should be regarded as a classic!0 -
End to End by Paul Jones.
Had very high hopes for this one. The reviews across the cycling press have been very enthusiastic and had seen a number of comments to the effect of it being one of the best cycling books ever written.
Sadly, for me at least it was a total non-starter. I found the author's writing style to be very difficult to warm to - his attempts to flower up his prose just came across as pretentious to me. His right-on political views seep out of the text at every opportunity - imagine Owen Jones writing a cycling book. Rick will undoubtedly love it.
The main body of the book consists of interviews and profiles of the individuals who have advanced the end to end record over the years. Credit to the book for championing these largely unsung heroes and shining a particular light on the female trailblazers from days gone by. The chapters/profiles were often very similar though (goes round to old person's house, has a cup of tea and a chat, writes a couple of paragraphs about their ride) so by the end of the book it was difficult to remember who was who.
Interspersed with that was the author's account of his own end to end ride, which for reasons that escaped me he chose to do in sections at different times rather than actually just riding LEJOG like everyone else does. Then there were a few vague passages about his own life and personal problems which all reviewers of the book found very deep and meaningful but didn't really add much for me.0 -
The Push by Tommy Caldwell.
An autobiography from the talented and likeable climber, culminating in his celebrated Dawn Wall ascent.
Had seen the film already (highly recommended) so knew his story, which is an interesting one, including a kidnapping by Islamists in Kyrgyzstan.
Enjoyed the book too, nicely and honestly written with rather more to it than just a rehash of his greatest climbs.0
