What book are you reading right now?

**Troubled** · 28-01-2007, 01:05 AM

Just started American Tabloid - James Ellroy.
I like his style and the atmosphre he creates in his books

**Silent Ninja** · 28-01-2007, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by danbo

Mao The Untold Story by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday - Not strictly true that I am reading it as I am about to give up half way through. I was really looking forward to this book but it is so negative of Mao it reads like a diatribe that the man himself would have been proud of.

You have already managed to read more of it than I did. I gave up after a hundred pages or so for exactely the same reason, it might the most negatve biography I have ever read.

**Anonymous Coward** · 28-01-2007, 01:51 PM

"The Lincoln Lawyer" by Michael Connelly. This is a legal thriller by the author of the Harry Bosch police procedural series. It's a good one; perhaps Connelly's best book to date.

**Skulldigger** · 28-01-2007, 02:21 PM

'Down Under' by Bill Bryson. He's a solid travel writer.

**Marmite the Dog** · 29-01-2007, 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by Skulldigger

'Down Under' by Bill Bryson. He's a solid travel writer.

A good read that. I went to see the giant trees near Albany because of that book.

**ChiangMai noon** · 29-01-2007, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by Troubled

Just started American Tabloid - James Ellroy.

excellent.
One of my desert Island books, read it several times.

**danbo** · 29-01-2007, 01:18 AM

^I'd just like to echo what CMN said....I mean what he posted, not what he just said; he could have been saying anything as I was typing this....And well, it doesn't even bear thinking about some of the things that CMN might actually say....He's from Wales you know....What I mean is American Tabloid is undeniably superbamundo.

Today on the train I started 'No Country For Old Men' by Cormac McCarthy. I know I am going to love this even after 20 pages I know.

**danbo** · 03-02-2007, 05:06 PM

Michael Palin Diaries, The Python Years - Written in a style that you'd expect from his on-screen persona, i.e. all round nice guy.....I'm not knocking the style, I prefer it to vitriol, unless the vitriol is directed against Elton John of course. I'm also about to start The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Collins which was mentioned in Anonymous Coward's post above....It has had very good reviews in all the major publications....which is surprising as to me it seemed a pretty normal post.

**ChiangMai noon** · 03-02-2007, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by danbo

.It has had very good reviews in all the major publications....which is surprising as to me it seemed a pretty normal post.

I'd like to red you for that as you just made me cough up a hard boiloed egg.
Unfortunately i need to spread.

**Marmite the Dog** · 05-02-2007, 11:03 PM

The Best a Man Can Get - John O' Farrell

It seems to sum up my feelings about fatherhood and relationships pretty well so far.

**barbaro** · 05-02-2007, 11:10 PM

The Enthusiastic Employee by Divid Sirota, Louis Mishkind, and Michael Meltzer.

**danbo** · 06-02-2007, 01:27 AM

The Lazy Bastard Employee by danbo

**danbo** · 06-02-2007, 04:05 PM

Recently finished Vietnam Wars by Marilyn Young...."They say those who fail to learn from the mistakes of history are doomed to repeat them"....I'm not sure why that quote popped into my head.

**Dougal** · 13-02-2007, 12:59 PM

Into Politics - One of the series of Alan Clark's diaries. Although I find myself repulsed by AC, if I am honest with myself I can't help but have a grudging admiration for him as well. In his diaries he was so unashamedly self seeking and contemptuous of those around him that it comes across as a sort of refresing honesty. Certainly an exponent of Realpolitik.

The book has also exposed to me that which I already knew to be a woeful indequate understanding of how the British parliament functions. What I had not realised however is the degree of personal chumminess about the place between members of the various parties. Rather more like competing sportsmen than idealogical opponents.

I feel I definitely have to acquire the next volume which I think includes the demise of Thatcher.

**Marmite the Dog** · 13-02-2007, 01:34 PM

The Falcon Takes Wing - Axel Aylwen

Book 2 of the Constantine Phaulkon trilogy based upon the life of the first foreign Pra Klang of Siam.

I really enjoyed the first book, and this second one is pretty good too. I shall certainly buy the last one.

**DrB0b** · 13-02-2007, 04:19 PM

I recently downloaded the "Complete Hugo Award Winners" torrent and started
working my way through all the books. First one I read was "Jonathan Strange and Mr
Norrel" by Susanna Clarke, excellent stuff.

"Centuries ago, when magic still existed in England, the greatest magician of them all
was the Raven King. A human child brought up by fairies, the Raven King blended fairy
wisdom and human reason to create English magic. Now, at the beginning of the
nineteenth century, he is barely more than a legend, and England, with its mad King
and its dashing poets, no longer believes in practical magic.
Then the reclusive Mr Norrell of Hurtfew Abbey appears and causes the statues of York
Cathedral to speak and move. News spreads of the return of magic to England and,
persuaded that he must help the government in the war against Napoleon, Mr Norrell
goes to London. There he meets a brilliant young magician and takes him as a pupil.
Jonathan Strange is charming, rich and arrogant. Together, they dazzle the country with
their feats."

I'm a big fan of Alternate History so I'm also reading Richard Dreyfuss and Harry
Turtledove's "The Two Georges". A detective story set in a modern North America
which is still part of the British Empire. Some great lines, "The rebels even choose
a Bald Eagle as their symbol, a scavenger which steals food from other birds.
Sickening!"

**danbo** · 14-02-2007, 03:37 PM

"Jonathan Strange and Mr
Norrel" by Susanna Clarke, excellent stuff.

An excellent choice if I may say so. Almost Dickensian in its Dickens' like way.

Me? Well as you asked, "Wolves Eat Dogs by Martin Cruz Smith" - This is the fellow who wrote Gorky Park and this story has the same detective, Renko. I'm really getting into 'who-dunnits' and thrillers. Maybe at last I'm reading books I actually want to read rather than those that I think will impress pretty ladies in nice dresses.

**Dougal** · 16-02-2007, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by danbo

those that I think will impress pretty ladies in nice dresses.

Judging by what I used to see on the train into work they used to read magazines with headlines like "10 things you didn't know about Posh Spice" and "Where should Jordan have her tatoo - your chance to vote".

**danbo** · 17-02-2007, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by Dougal

....with headlines like "10 things you didn't know about Posh Spice" and "Where should Jordan have her tatoo - your chance to vote".

There must be millions of things I don't know about Posh Spice; I have no idea where she keeps her scissors for instance....As for Jordan, I'd vote for Edinburgh; I know it's unoriginal, but they have the infrastructure in place already.

Originally Posted by Dougal

Into Politics - One of the series of Alan Clark's diaries.

I thoroughly enjoyed these. Very entertaining whatever your political colour, expect maybe mauve.

**Scooter** · 17-02-2007, 04:27 PM

Homage to Catalonia - George Orwell.

The fourth time I've read it

What an increadable life this guy led.

If it wasn't was those sodding Comies and Fascists the Anarchists could of had there own utopia in Spain.

**themook** · 20-02-2007, 08:12 AM

1776 by David McCullough

**Roc** · 20-02-2007, 09:06 AM

How to make love like a pornstar by Jenna Jameson

**toslti** · 20-02-2007, 05:03 PM

Sketches from a Hunter's Album by Ivan Turgenev, read and re-read many times.

**Scooter** · 20-02-2007, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by Roc

How to make love like a pornstar by Jenna Jameson

Think my missis read that today!

**William** · 20-02-2007, 11:14 PM

^don't worry mate, it'll take Roc another 3 months to finish it

Thread: What book are you reading right now?

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