What are you reading?

[SheffJeff]

2 minutes ago, Kizzie said:

I really liked this, he's a bit up his own bum at times but it's a good read, hope you enjoy it.

I find him very entertaining to watch so I am hoping the way he writes is equally as engaging. The 'Shakespeare or Rap' Ted Talk he did is still one of my favourites.

[vintagelaureate]

I struggle to get through a book at the moment; work, kids and no time means I often fall asleep when I start. I have a habit of stock piling books too! 

I'm looking forward to Ready Player Two in November, but I've 3/4 books I've not even picked up since I got them yet. 

[mcshed]

3 minutes ago, WestCountryGirl said:

The only one of his I've read is Slade House. It's really short so only spent an afternoon on it, but I enjoyed the creepyness of it. Apparently there were lots of references in it to his other works which I obviously didn't get, but much as I liked it for what it was it didn't send me rushing out to buy all of his other books.

That was originally him messing about on Twitter and although I liked it I certainly wouldn't use it to try and sell him to someone. Cloud Atlas is certainly the obvious starting point although I think The Bone Clocks is my favourite.

[Crazyfool01]

probably the only book ive read in the last 5 years is Glastonbury 50 .... thoroughly recommend it  in all good bookshops now .... 

[guypjfreak]

[deebeedoobee]

1 hour ago, vintagelaureate said:

I struggle to get through a book at the moment; work, kids and no time means I often fall asleep when I start. I have a habit of stock piling books too! 

I'm looking forward to Ready Player Two in November, but I've 3/4 books I've not even picked up since I got them yet. 

I’m with you on this. Although I can’t blame kids. Just can’t get started on a book that holds my attention.

[deebeedoobee]

Usually when there are threads like this on face ache it turns into a “who can name the most intellectual demanding book and claim to have read and understood it”. I have faith in efesters that this won’t be the case here.

i was a late starter in reading as a kid. Having been told as a youngster that I was stupid because I couldn’t read out loud with confidence. So it took me some time to have the confidence to read an adult book. Even to this day, if it has too many pages I’m immediately put off. So I’m always after “ easy reads” as I call them. Not beach books but books that are easy to get into and read in short bursts. 
 

the only book I have ever read more than once and given as presents is “zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance “ . Every time I read it I can read something else in it/ different meaning. I love it.

[found home in 2009]

On Saturday I decided to start rereading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the night. Finished it last night. Forgot how funny it was, even though it's quite a sad story. Really well written, but also very easy to read.

[gigpusher]

1 hour ago, crazyfool1 said:

probably the only book ive read in the last 5 years is Glastonbury 50 .... thoroughly recommend it  in all good bookshops now .... 

That was my first book of the 49 I have read so far this year. Currently on my 50th which is Sara Cox book about her childhood. I'm about halfway through it and it's pretty good actually. 

[WestCountryGirl]

I had the loveliest time last weekend reading 'The Thursday Murder Club' by Richard Osman.

You know how Detectorists is described as 'gentle'? It was like that. But in a novel about some residents of a retirement village investigating murder.

[gigpusher]

12 minutes ago, deebeedoobee said:

Usually when there are threads like this on face ache it turns into a “who can name the most intellectual demanding book and claim to have read and understood it”. I have faith in efesters that this won’t be the case here.

i was a late starter in reading as a kid. Having been told as a youngster that I was stupid because I couldn’t read out loud with confidence. So it took me some time to have the confidence to read an adult book. Even to this day, if it has too many pages I’m immediately put off. So I’m always after “ easy reads” as I call them. Not beach books but books that are easy to get into and read in short bursts. 
 

the only book I have ever read more than once and given as presents is “zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance “ . Every time I read it I can read something else in it/ different meaning. I love it.

Yep I hate that pretentious w*nkery, the same with films as well. I like a real mix of stuff and I tend to mix it up a bit between fiction and non-fiction, easy read and something that's a bit more of a challenge. I like a good thriller and the odd chick-lit book as well. I'm always happy with recommendations for a good easy read as well. 

Even with heavier topics I don't have time for ones that are overly pretentious. A good writer should be able to communicate clearly to a wide audience.  

[gigpusher]

4 minutes ago, WestCountryGirl said:

I had the loveliest time last weekend reading 'The Thursday Murder Club' by Richard Osman.

You know how Detectorists is described as 'gentle'? It was like that. But in a novel about some residents of a retirement village investigating murder.

I really want to read that one, am hoping it comes down in price soon. I also just watched The Detectorists recently for the first time and loved it. 

[Homer]

Considering where we are discussing all this, I would def recommend this book:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/So-Youve-Been-Publicly-Shamed/dp/1594487138

[mcshed]

4 minutes ago, WestCountryGirl said:

I had the loveliest time last weekend reading 'The Thursday Murder Club' by Richard Osman.

You know how Detectorists is described as 'gentle'? It was like that. But in a novel about some residents of a retirement village investigating murder.

I have a proof of The Thursday Murder Club which I haven't started yet, it's not normally my sort of thing but everyone seems to love it.

[Baggins7]

I was never a big reader a couple of years ago but one of my favourite films is the shining so I decided to read the book, I’m now on my 19th Stephen King book and planning to work my way through his whole back catalogue. Some really good stuff and I enjoy watching films that have been based on books, which a large number of his have.

Regarding non fiction, Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis is great. Saw it recommended on here last year and it’s such a good read - and I’m not a RHCP fan

[funkychick2007]

Re-reading the Ben Aaronovitch books The Rivers of London!! A police detective series but with a twist of the super natural spirits land underground world of London! Easy read but good to escape in! 

[Radiochicken]

Antkind - Charlie Kaufman

Completely bonkers

[mazola]

I'm a sucker for survival books, just finished this and thought it was incredible.

 

[Quark]

11 hours ago, funkychick2007 said:

Re-reading the Ben Aaronovitch books The Rivers of London!! A police detective series but with a twist of the super natural spirits land underground world of London! Easy read but good to escape in! 

I read the first one  ages ago and never got round to exploring any further.  How does the series compare with the first one?

[funkychick2007]

1 minute ago, Quark said:

I read the first one  ages ago and never got round to exploring any further.  How does the series compare with the first one?

As they progress you get a better sense of the characters and the history behind the area and the different territories and how they all the link together!!  the second third and fourth were my favourites! The most recent ones are a more modern way of policing they kind of develop with the times!! If you like something easy to read then give them ago!!  

[Ted Dansons Wig]

Another cheery read (although Id really recommend it) is The Volunteer by Jack Fairweather. Its about Witold Pilecki who was part of the Polish underground. He broke into Auchwitz to gather information on what was happening and organised the resistance inside the camp. He then broke back out when he believed his information wasnt being acted upon by Churchill. 

Absolutely harrowing book as much is either about Auchwitz/ Buchenwald or the Siege Of Warsaw of course. But man - the guy was some hero.
 

[theesundayroast]

Far less intellectual than many on the choices on here but I've been reading the new (Timothy Zahn) Thrawn trilogy to try and get back into the habit. I'd highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a bit of Star Wars, it's mostly removed from the main trilogies albeit a few characters and the appearance of Vader in book two. 

[Quark]

5 minutes ago, theesundayroast said:

Far less intellectual than many on the choices on here but I've been reading the new (Timothy Zahn) Thrawn trilogy to try and get back into the habit. I'd highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a bit of Star Wars, it's mostly removed from the main trilogies albeit a few characters and the appearance of Vader in book two. 

You've made the right call.  I tried to go intellectual with the politics book and been regretting it ever since!

I've never read any of the star wars books, one of those things I keep thinking I might look at one day.  I do like a good sci fi / fantasy book.  I've been in the wilderness ever since Pratchett died! 

[gigpusher]

One of the things I did this year to get me reading and reading outside of my comfort zone was to join a book challenge. Also, for me reading is a habit that is easy to fall out of and I had fallen out of it. Now I make sure I read a chapter a day and it has helped keep me off social media which I think this year has done wonders for my mental health. 

Here were the categories as you can see it's easy enough to read a wide range of books so not too restrictive but did make me read some stuff I otherwise wouldn't have. 

A book set in wartime

A biography or autobiography

A book with a one-word title

A book with a food or drink in the title

A book that is over 500 pages long

An author’s debut novel

A prize-winning book

A book that is set in a European country (not UK)

A book published this year

A book with a Z or Q somewhere in the title

A book about books

A book with a geographical word in the title (e.g. mountain, river)

I also joined Goodreads and have gotten some suggestions of books to read by seeing that friends have rated them highly. 

In terms of a good story never under estimate how great kids or at least young adult books are in terms of a great story. This year I have read the Noughts and Crosses series which I really enjoyed. I love Artemis Fowl etc as well. Some of them are far more imaginative and fun. 

[WestCountryGirl]

@gigpusher That's a great list! I've mentioned on here before but I just set myself a challenge to read 52 books this year, and I'm 75% of the way there. It's made me realise that I am a very target driven person 😂 I've been wondering how to keep up my good progress this year in the next, but without it just being the same thing. I'll definitely apply those topics to each month and try to read at least one book that fits for each one.

I too joined Goodreads and my 'want to read' list is growing exponentially. I really should challenge myself to add no more to it until I've read all of the ones I've got listed there!