Thread: What book are you reading right now?

Originally Posted by OhOh

https://www.amazon.com/Adults-Room-Y...duckgo-ffab-20

Or available online as an audio book



Desperately trying to solve his peoples problems, ultimately to be betrayed.

Through the Greek Fin. Ministers eyes. No bias, or course but one can understand how the Brexit is floundering.

Appears to be interesting and stimulating choice.
Yet, personally, I might suspect that it might read predictably without real challenging or succinct questioning critique. Or not.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

The four-volume "Master of War" series by David Gilman. Fast-paced historical fiction covering the 100 Years War. Action-packed and well written. I'm just starting Volume 3. Also, each book is quite long - which is always a good thing for a good read.

I see on Amazon they have a 5th coming out; Scourge of Wolves (Masters of War) on February 8 2018.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...6235752&sr=8-5

Winter, 1361.

After two decades of conflict, Edward III has finally agreed a treaty with the captive French King, John II. In return for his freedom, John has ceeded vast tracts of territory to the English. But for five long years mercenary bands and belligerent lords have fought over the carcass of his kingdom. They will not give up their hard-won spoils to honour a defeated king's promises.


If the English want their prize, they'll have to fight for it.


As he battles to enforce Edward's claim, Thomas Blackstone will see his name blackened, his men slaughtered, his family hunted. He will be betrayed and, once again, he'll face the might of the French army on the field. But this time there will be no English army at his back. He'll face the French alone.

Anyway just got the first one, gonna give it a go.

Originally Posted by HuangLao

Appears to be interesting and stimulating choice.
Yet, personally, I might suspect that it might read predictably without real challenging or succinct questioning critique. Or not.

Your stated preference for succinct wording is a bit of a surprise.

Originally Posted by HuangLao

Appears to be interesting and stimulating choice.
Yet, personally, I might suspect that it might read predictably without real challenging or succinct questioning critique. Or not.

Originally Posted by HuangLao

Yet, personally, I might suspect that it might read predictably without real challenging or succinct questioning critique. Or not.

The authors view of EU/Greece "discussions". Also his view of the Greek governments, of which he was a part of, failure of leadership.

"A Column Of Fire". The third and final in Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth" trilogy. Each book over 1000 pages, so good, long reads. Sadly, I'm 90% done.

this topic has been a bit stale of late - and not much in the way of suggestions that look interesting

here are a few I have read in the last month or 2

Slow Boats Home - Gavin Young

A well written interesting read

In this, the sequel to "Slow Boats to China", Gavin Young tells, with equal panache, of his return voyage from the China Seas to England, via the South Seas, Cape Horn and West Africa. 'I am decidedly envious of Gavin Young and his "Slow Boats Home", successor to his highly entertaining "Slow Boats to China" ...a fascinating, memorable book'

Serpico - Peter Maas

this was not too bad - though it did seem slanted in the overly dramatic direction

The 1960s was a time of social and generational upheaval felt with particular intensity in the melting pot of New York City. A culture of corruption pervaded the New York Police Department, where payoffs, protection, and shakedowns of gambling rackets and drug dealers were common practice. The so-called blue code of silence protected the minority of crooked cops from the sanction of the majority.

Into this maelstrom came a working class, Brooklyn-born, Italian cop with long hair, a beard, and a taste for opera and ballet. Frank Serpico was a man who couldn't be silenced -- or bought -- and he refused to go along with the system. He had sworn an oath to uphold the law, even if the perpetrators happened to be other cops. For this unwavering commitment to justice, Serpico nearly paid with his life

The Pirate Hunter - Richard Zacks

this was well written and not a bad story - seemed to be well researched and full of interesting nuggets of history - I posted one a month ago on another thread where sailors would come ashore in siam on the andaman and instead of short times as was common everywhere else , it was long time , while they were ashore

A literary treasure, The Pirate Hunter is a masterpiece of historical detective work, and a rare, authentic pirate story for grown-ups. Captain Kidd has gone down in history as America's most ruthless buccaneer, fabulously rich, burying dozens of treasure chests up and down the eastern seaboard. But it turns out that most everyone, even many respected scholars, have the story all wrong. Captain William Kidd was no career cut-throat; he was a tough, successful New York sea captain who was hired to chase pirates. His three-year odyssey aboard the aptly named Adventure galley pitted him against arrogant Royal Navy commanders, jealous East India Company captains, storms, starvation, angry natives, and, above all, flesh-and-blood pirates. Superbly written and impeccably researched, The Pirate Hunter is one ripping good yarn.

The Contractor - Mark Abernethy


this book would be sure to excite the pattaya mitty society - the stories are very good and don't seem to go overboard , so who is to say if they are true or not

Mike used to work for Australian government intelligence. Now he's a building contractor – when he's not pursuing private "intel" contracts all over the world for security agencies, insurance companies, police forces and the military. One day he's on a building site, the next he's off to Islamabad to rescue an Australian man working for an oil company whose family are about to be kidnapped by their security guards and handed over to the biggest crime outfit on the subcontinent. His punchy account of this high-risk operation is compelling reading. "I make a living from threat: I identify it, neutralise it and manage it. I see it where you don't even know to look." With Mike as the low-key, tough-guy hero, these are stories crying out to be turned into a gritty television drama – think a true story version of The Night Manager.

pimp the story of my life - iceberg slim

worth the read - though a bit of street slang deciphering required - a black pimps story in the late 1920's to the early 50's

Robert (Iceberg Slim) Beck's first book is told without bitterness and with no pretense at moralizing. It is the smells, the sounds, the fears and the petty triumphs in the world of the street pimp.

Perhaps it be a bit of a refresher to "name that passage."

But that was then, this is now.

^Erm, this is a thread recommending books that people are enjoying reading. Not "name that passage" whimsical crap. Start another thread.

The first part of the 'Sea of Fertility' tetralogy.

Mishima would be a very easy author to parody. He has a heightened romantic style and really does overload on metaphor. Snow falls on ice, making it a cracked plate, the fault lines in which are a doomed relationsh...well, you get the idea.

That said, some prose really does shimmer on the page, and he writes with the beautifully simple finesse so typical of much Japanese art.

On the whole, I found this a refreshing change. Contrary to my earlier intentions I may well now seek out the next installment.

^Thanks for the heads up, Cy. Mishima's own life (and death) story was pretty interesting too. Might have a go at some of his stuff next.

A tribute:

Originally Posted by kmart

Mishima's own life (and death) story was pretty interesting too.

Yes...a homosexual with a wife and kids, passionate about a 'pure', pre-westernised Japan but very fond of gadding around NYC etc.

And then there's his death, of course.

#don't know if it's been mentioned, but the Contortionists Handbook is worth dabble

^^^

If you are into Japanese literature, try this.



The Youth of Things: Life and Death in the Age of Kajii Motojiro. Author: Dodd, Stephen;


University of Hawaii Press - The Youth of Things: Life and Death in the Age of Kajii Motojiro




"“Kajii is one of the finest stylists in modern Japanese literature, and the field has long needed a thorough study of his art to provide a proper assessment of his achievement. The Youth of Things provides a balanced, thoughtful, and sensitive approach to Kajii’s life and works, illuminating their significance for readers and opening a range of possibilities for interpretation. Dodd has also done a marvelous job at rendering eighteen of Kajii’'s major stories into polished English, and so the volume creates a wonderful dynamic between criticism and appreciation.” —Dennis Washburn, author of Translating Mount Fuji: Modern Japanese Fiction and the Ethics of Identity"


"The Youth of Things is the first full-length book devoted to Kajii Motojirō. It brings together English translations of nearly all his completed stories with an analysis of his literature in the context of several major themes that locate him in 1920s Japan. In particular, Dodd links the writer’s work with the physical body: Kajii’s subjective literary presence was grounded first and foremost in his TB-stricken physical body, hence one cannot be studied without the other. His concerns with health and mortality drove him to play a central role in constructing a language for modern literature and to offer new insights into ideas that intrigued so many other Taishō intellectuals and writers."

These are worth a look if you have the time.

All worth a read.
I allways was a Ray Bradbury fan.
R is for Rocket

don't know if I've mentioned it already, but 1Q 84 by Murakami is ace

...memory and self-deception are the focus in Don Chaon's Ill Will...an unusually engaging suspense novel by a National Book Award finalist. Recommended reading...

I'm currently re-reading one of my favourite books - "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas

A biography of alexandre dumas called the kingmaker may interest you

really fucking good... unputdownable