Literary Randomiser, anyone?
Posted by dolly on 22 September 2008 - 7:52am.
As before, what are the last three books that you have read...and be honest.
For me & in reverse order
"Churchill, A Biography" by Roy Jenkins
Statuesque
"Muddied Oafs" by Richard Beard.
A trawl through one man's experince of playing lower level club rugby. If you have ever played the game you will probably recognise and enjoy a lot of his experiences.
"1974" by David Peace.
A nasty brutal stomach-churning book. Read it in 24 hours and boy was 1974 oop north like this.
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Old-time fave at number one
The last book I read was Nick Hornby's High Fidelity which I read at least once a year. Unfortunately, I can get so pathetically into it, I have those "this could be written about ME!" moments.
Before that, it was Two Caravans by Marina Lewycka which was, um, OK. A bit fluffy and empty in my opinion, but it passed the time.
The last of the three was Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie which, in truth, was hard going and only mainly served to show me how little I know of world history and politics.
I'm now reading Fever Pitch again, meaning any suggestions as to what to read next would be greatly received.
Half of a Yellow Sun
I, in contrast, could hardly put this down. I remembered the bare outline of events in the Biafran war from news reports in my childhood, but the book brought the personal horror vividly to life (and death) for me. Before that was Lewycka's History of Tractors in Ukrainian, which I found slight, but mildly amusing. I'm currently plodding through Bill Wyman's Stone Alone*, written with Ray Coleman. What a clunker, written with all the lively verve of a walk through a wet field of clay while wearing diving boots. I'm only persevering in the hope of learning the odd interesting Stones fact. *(So turgid I got the name wrong in my initial attempt at posting!)
Read next:
Arthur and George by Julian Barnes.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Arthur-George-Julian-Barnes/dp/0099492733/ref=sr...
Gulags, Sandringham and safe houses
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith. For once, a "first novel of the decade" that lives up to all the hype. Stalinist Russia was not a Fun Place. At all.
God Save The Queen? by Johann Hari. The Indy columnist's withering review of the parade of human worthlessness that is the House of Windsor. Can be read in its entirety during visits to the bog, and perhaps even should be.
The Sisters by Robert Littell. Not the American Le Carré's strongest novel (that'd be Legends), granted - but a decent enough read nonetheless.
Wire inspired
Currently halfway through Samaratain by Richard Price (who also wrote several episodes of the Wire) and have just finished Lush Life by, um Richard Price. My next book will be Clockers by Richard Price and then I'm going to read Homicide by David Simon.
Can't get enough of Richard Price at the moment, totally absorbing books that you just don't want to put down. Leagues ahead of most crime fiction; the best I've read since I Chandler.
Price
Which is a good one to start with? Sounds good. Have you read George Pelecanos, another Wire alumnus.
I think Clockers is his most
I think Clockers is his most highly thought of book, but I haven't started that yet. I'm really enjoying Samaratain and marginally prefer it to Lush Life which has a little too much stuff about the history of the Lower East Side.
It reads as though he couldn't bear not to use some of his research which slows down the pace a bit in places. That said, its the best thing I've read in ages and is totally enthralling.
I haven't read Pelecanos, but he's on my list.
Huge fan of Pelecanos
Have yet to be disappointed by a book of his. If you like his style check out D.C. Noir, a collection of crime fiction edited by George P himself.
Last 3
Reading:
Colin Bateman - I Predict a Riot. Bateman is usually very good, but this is a bit baggy and undisciplined so far.
Last week:
Alexander McCall Smith - The Unbearable Lightness of Scones. Latest of the Scotland Street books. Not much happens in these books but they're wonderfully warm and comforting.
Bill Bryson - Shakespeare in Profile's Brief Lives series. Very little is known about WS, though as Bryson points out it's remarkable that we know as much as we do. What there is is neatly rounded up here.
Next: The Bryson bok may send me back to Robert Nye's wonderful novel The Late Mr Shakespeare, and Saturday's Arena programme on Moby Dick may send me back to that (do catch Arena - The Hunt for Moby Dick on iPlayer - it was superb). I didn't contribute to the recent 'greatest novels' thread because it's so obvious to me that it's Moby Dick. It might be interesting to see if I still agree with myself.
Shakespeare Novels
Agree that Robert Nye's "The Late Mr Shakespeare" is excellent, as is his "Falstaff", which I bought (again) this summer on holiday in St Andrews. I would also recommend "Will" by Christopher Rush: his take on Shakespeare's life is possibly even better than Nye's - the language is wonderful.
Was thinking about getting round to reading Moby Dick after the "whale night" programmes but my copy is "lofted" in one of about 50 boxes, so I may have to buy it again also.
'In the Heart of the Sea' by Nathaniel Pilbrick
A fascinating non-fiction book about a disastrous whaling mission that provided some of Melville's inspiration. If you haven't had a look, I can't recommend it enough. (It may even have been one of Word's extreme reads from a few months back).
Good call
It was one of a batch of books about the Whaleship Essex which appeared at the same time, and a terrific read.
I'll look out for Philip Hoare's book Leviathan which ties in with his Arena documentary and which Mark Ellen gave a rave review in last month's word.
Latest 3
Blues All Around Me - BB King/David Ritz
BB Kings autobiography...and I do believe that he did write it! In between all the stories of sex he tells us how poor he was at managing his career in the early days and how he gambled most of his money away. An easy read and very enjoyable.
My Friend Leonard - James Frey
This is the follow up to his "A Million Little Pieces" and is 90% biographical. After he gets released from jail he struggles with normal life as well as his demons. Not nearly as brutal as his first book but very interesting. If anyone fancies these, they really must be read in the correct order.
Slam - Nick Hornby
Hornby writes as a 16 year old skateboarder who suddenly has to grow up very quickly. Certainly not my favourite Hornby novel.
My three are
Currently reading The Shock Doctrine by Naoimi Klein. Very good and thought provoking.
Before that it was Attack Of The Unsinkable Rubber Ducks by Christopher Brookmyre. Well up to his usual very high standard and having a pop at psychic/paranormal and religion. Good targets, as ever with Mr Brookmyre.
And before that it was Bad Luck & Trouble by Lee Child. Not very highbrow but if you are going to have a hard man fighting a lone war for justice make him extra hard like Jack Reacher.
A friend of mine is currently raving about Lee Child
Do you know which is the first in the series - I couldnt work it out in WH Smiths the other day...?
No
but would suggest doing an Amazon on him and then ordering in published date order. Not sure it really matters a great deal but you can get into trouble re. have you read it before or not as the basic premise for each book is the same (no bad thing I reckon) so you might want to write down what you've read. I wish I had.
Cider with Roadies - Stuart
Cider with Roadies - Stuart Maconie
Very entertaining insight into Wigan upbringing and life as a music journalist. Great Morrissey anecdotes and great to learn the truth about Bob Holness. One criticism is that he makes out that he blunders through life and that the good things happened to him accidentally - I think that is not true.
Stand and Deliver - Adam Ant
For someone with such a turbulent adult life, his delivery is very factual and almost robotic. That made the book all the more intriguing because he treats highs and lows with metronomic efficiency, without skipping a beat. It is obvious he is very driven. Not many jokes.
Last Orders at the Liars Bar - Mike Pattenden
Ostensibly a book about the forced enigma that is Paul Heaton, this has some interesting stuff about the behaviours and traditions that can keep friendships going. Some annoying errors (several references to "The Monkeys", for example) cast a shadow, though.
In reverse chronological order...
Nearly finished 'The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay' by Michael Chabon. Stunning book, really good characterisation and 'mise en scene' - evokes Prague in the 1930s and New York in the 1940s with crystal clarity, as well as having a comic book theme, which is always good..
Before that was 'The Attack Of The Unsinkable Rubber Ducks' by Christopher Brookmyre. Am steadily working my way through Brookmyre's back catalogue and this is my second favourite after 'All Fun And Games Until Somebody Loses An Eye'. Lots of great arguments about psychics, spiritualism, religion etc
And before that was 'Orpheus Rising' by Colin Bateman (although he seemed to drop the 'Colin' for this title). Quite disappointing actually, nice idea for the plot but tended to plod through it at a snail's pace, and by half way through I knew how it was going to end.
Next up is that Giles Smith book that everyone seems to recommend. It's on order from Amazon, just can't remember the title...
Rich
Three
Bringing Nothing To The Party by Paul Carr
Diary of a twenty-something New Media whore. Starts off really brightly, gets less and less interesting as the story unfolds. It's tough to like Carr, who comes across as whiny and self-obsessed.
Bury Me Standing by Isabel Fonseca
A study of Eastern European Gypsy history combined with writing from the author's travels amongst the Roma. A brilliant, sad, moving book. Trivia: I didn't know this until after I finished, but Fonseca is Martin Amis' wife.
Jia by Hyejin Kim
Read as part of my ongoing project to read everything written about the DPRK, ever. This particular book is, I believe, the first novel about modern-day North Korea to be published in The West. It's OK.
Most recent was
'Grow Up' by Keith Allen.
Entertainingly bizarre life with a bit of dirt on the odd celebrity.
Clearly comes across as a selfish and irresponsible prick though.
'That's Me In The Corner' by Andrew Collins.
An entertaining read. Preferred the previous two in the series though ('Where Did It All Go Right' and 'Heaven Knows I'm miserable Now').
Nostalgia laden writing for the late thirties brigade.
'Buried' by Mark Billingham.
Highly readable crime series.
One more for Brookmyre
Currently enjoying A Snowball In Hell. Please, please read A Big Boy Did It And Ran Away first though!
Before that, it was The Political Brain by Drew Western, which is a readable treatise on how our political choices come down to our psychology.
And before that, I re-read David Cavanagh's My Magpie Eyes Are Hungry For The Prize, his lengthy but fun document of Creation records. It's good to listen to with a Creation playlist on itunes in the background.
Next up? The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, written by a scandanavian bloke whose name I don't recall. It was the "3" in a 3 for 2 offer so there's no great loss if it's rubbish.
In reverse order
Just finished, The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld. I only finished it because it was a mystery book and I wanted to find out whodunnit... If Richard & Judy's viewers genuinely think that it's the best book published last year, they ought to stay in and read more.
Before that it was the wonderful The Damned United by David Peace.
And before that, Hugh Brogan's excellent Penguin History of the USA.
Next up is probably Simon Schama's A History of Britain: At The Edge of the World?, but it's the 'coffee-table' edition which makes it a little impractical for the train...
last 3 - all music books.
The Mark E Smith biography
The Many Lives Of Tom Waits by Patrick Humphries - which was a hilarious read!
Also, Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison biography by Clinton Heylin. Morrison does indeed come across as something of a disagreeable soul, but it was a decent read.
Eating poetic tapas with Orwell and Beau Brummell
The League of extraordinary Gentleman: the black dossier.
Latest edition of Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neil’s retelling of British adventure novels covers a post “1984” world of big brother, the 1960’s, women with pointy breasts and restoration dandy’s . As usual there’s more mixing of fact, fiction and faction (and some action!) and some filth. My copy was signed by the “drawer” and came with some 3D specs!
Simon Armitage: Out of the Blue.
Which is an anthology of his poetic works for Channel 5 poetry films, weighty subjects made human (one of the jobs of poetry) including 911, the return home after VE day oh and the Khmer Rouge! It is full of his usual insight and clarity, the everyday ways of speech and thought of people caught up in the worst of events are rendered really well.
1080 Spanish recipes: by Simone & Ines Ortega (Authors), Javier Mariscal (Illustrator)
A sort of good house keeping compendium of Spanish cooking, useful for standard recipes for things perhaps not a book for inspiration, many of the 1080 recipes seemed to bulked out with every vegetable under the Murcia sun in a Béchamel sauce and the recipe for Patas bravas is a bit odd.
A mixed bag
Almost finished:
The winter of Frankie Machine by Don Winslow. An excellent thriller by a writer hitherto unknown to me (a search of Amazon shows he has a back catalogue of not only thrillers but erotica) about a retired hit man finding his past catching up with him and his quest to find out why.
The forever war by Joe Haldeman. The first science fiction novel I've read for many years. I'd read it 30 odd years ago. I found I couldn't remember a thing about it except that I had enjoyed it and the basic premise of Earth fighting aliens (known as Taurans) but due to time dilation the protagonist never knows whether the next encounter will be with an enemy whose weaponry is considerably advanced or behind the times. It wasn't bad, but it doesn't encourage me to re-immerse myself in SF.
This is your brain on music by Daniel Levitin. Levitin is a neuro-scientist (and former record producer) who explains how music works on our brains. He poses the question, as in a thread on this site, What is music? He also looks at our emotional responses, the development of musical expertise and why we like music. I found it fascinating.
Music and the brain
Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks is also very good on how our brain processes (or sometimes doesn't) music.
"he examines the powers of music through the individual experiences of patients, musicians, and everyday people--from a man who is struck by lightning and suddenly inspired to become a pianist at the age of forty-two, to an entire group of children with Williams syndrome who are hypermusical from birth; from people with "amusia," to whom a symphony sounds like the clattering of pots and pans, to a man whose memory spans only seven seconds--for everything but music."
TIBYOM
I found it fascinating too, although I felt he was struggling sometimes to stay on topic.
I was most impressed by the case he put forward to support his contention that the concept of musical talent or a "gift" is a complete myth. He argues that anyone who puts in 10,000 hours of practice, applying total, constant dedication to the task, can achieve world-class concert soloist level. (Although obviously just sitting through a piano lesson isn't enough, and if a child isn't 100% driven, parents can forget their dreams of bringing up a virtuoso.)
To test the hypothesis, I started to think about everyone I know who is exceptionally talented - from the Perlmans and Barenboims to the Stevie Wonders and Rory Gallaghers, and, yes - all of them had indeed put in their 10,000 hours hard graft before they came to prominence. (Barenboim had memorised all Beethoven's piano sonatas by the age of 15, for example, while Rory spent his entire adolescence and youth playing that Strat for four or five hours a day, every single day.)
He counters the standard "what about Mozart?" riposte by pointing out that the Mozart compositions that are actually performed as proper pieces by orchestras and opera companies - rather than being just "isn't that amazing for a five-year-old kid?" curiosities - were all written after he'd logged his 10,000 hours of practice.
Rory had to practice?
I don't believe you. He was born in a lumberjack shirt with a Strat in his hands.
A minor clarification
Archie, I think Levitin said that they can't account for those who put in the practice but don't get anywhere (I can fully empathise with that and know the frustration), but anyone who is a world class expert will have put the 10,000 hours in. Not that I've put anything like that amount of time into my assault on Mount Hendrix.
I thought he said . . .
the only caveat was that the putter in of the 10,000 hours must have been ultrakeen, ultradriven and paying 100% attention, constantly trying to improve, but you may wll be right. My brain was clouding over a bit by that point.
By the way, for anyone without a calculator, we're talking about practising for three hours a day, every day, weekends and bank holidays included, for nine years - exactly the time between Rory Gallagher first getting his hands on his Strat and doing the Live in Europe tour that led to him being voted Melody Maker Musician of the Year.
But
if thats true, then Noel Gallagher would be a decent guitarist by now surely....
Can you see
Noel Gallagher getting callouses on his fingers hour after hour, day after day for nine years, knocking his two-step-bend vibrato and double-stopping into shape, or do you think he'd say, somewhere on day 1 of year 1, "Fook this, I'm goin' down the pub"?
Noel got good comic chops,
Noel got good comic chops, maybe another string to add to his bow when the tunes run out? Oh, that already happened?
That not the same Don Winslow
Met the crime writing one once, when working in a bookshop, and he bemused/amused by the same name erotica guy, but definitely asserted it wasn't him. His own books, though, are hugely recommended.
Shame
I'm a bit disappointed to find that out. I was hoping he might produce a hybrid.
All purchased at a charity shop for spare change.
"Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson.
Excellent "teen/young adult" book, excellent film also.
"Advanced Screenwriting" by Dr Linda Seeger. It's all good common sense. "Avoid stereotypes", "Keep it moving", "Always raise the stakes." She's very good, she speaks in plain English and uses examples you've at least heard of like "Rocky" and "Pulp Fiction".
and lastly, I'm very happy to report that thanks to a recommendation on this very blog (the Sports Books thread) I bought "Into Thin Air" by John Krakauer an eye-witness account of a 1996 disaster on Mt Everest. It makes mountain climbing seem even more difficult than I expected it would be. Bad weather or no bad weather.
It also shows the difference between an eye-witness account and something written up by a journalist after the event. "My fingers were like wood." Unless you'd been in that situation (25,000 feet straight up) you'd never know that could happen to your body. Sure, someone could tell you but it's not the same.
I was very happy to see that on the shelves for $1.75. So thank you whoever suggested it.
There's a very good documentary
Remnants Of Everest, about the 1996 disaster. "Harrowing" pretty much sums it up.
3 on the go
"Infinite Jest" by David Foster Wallace
Was greatly saddened to read of the recent untimely death (46 years old) of David Foster Wallace. Perhaps not to everyone's taste but in my opinion possibly the finest writer of his (my) generation. Started reading the massive novel Infinite Jest a while back (~1000 pages long plus another 200 pages of footnotes) and never got round to finishing it - loved it but it is as exhausting as it is exhaustive. Picked it up the other evening, reminding my self how good it is and resolved to finish it this time.
"The Information" by Martin Amis
Re-reading this - better than I remembered it to be a decade ago. Not quite as good as Money or London Fields but not far off. Still hoping that his next novel will be a return to form.
"Mappa Mundi" by Justina Robson
A "hard sci-fi" (whatever that means) novel about mind-mapping, shady governmental shenanigans and so on. It's not bad.
Pathetic admission
I gave up on Infinite Jest, not because I wasn't enjoying it - I was loving it (if I can say that without committing a trade-mark violation) - but because it reminded me of serious clubbing. When you realise you've been dancing for nine and a half hours, you tend to think, "Hmm. I've probably enjoyed myself enough now." I think I was about 550 pages in. I definitely should give it another go, but so much to do, so little time....
Foster Wallace
I read pieces in The Guardian and Observer about the death of David Foster Wallace. Despite all the claims about him being the finest writer of his generation, neither MrsP nor I had ever heard of him before the weekend. I think we're both pretty well read; MrsP more than I.
He is better-known in
He is better-known in America than over here I think. Writers such as as Dave Eggers and Zadie Smith often cited him as The Master. It's true that he never received the wider recognition he deserved, partly because his books were sometimes - unfairly -perceived as "difficult" - he was nothing of the sort. You should give him a try - I would suggest the non-fiction collection "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Try Again", which covers diverse subjects such as tennis, David Lynch, luxury cruises, literary theory and agricultural fairs. Enlessly entertaining.
What a good thread
Currently - "Bert Jansch and the British Folk Blues revival" - Colin Harper
Previously - "Inside Out" - Nick Mason
Before that "A history of britian since 1945" - Andrew Marr - unputdownable. Sets some interesting historical context for the likes of the Thatcher years.
V nice idea
Troubles - J.G. Farrell. A wonderful book, what a tragedy he died so young. Also recently reread the Siege of Krishnapur, both perfect examples of historical fiction - moving, informative and very funny. Just starting the Singapore Grip. Think I have a new favourite writer.
Deer Hunting With Jesus - Joe Bageant. A jaw dropping explanation of why redneck America keeps voting Republican seemingly against all their interests - written by a self-confessed redneck. Shows that democrats will never win them over the way they are going and that the scary Palin woman was a genius pick by McCain.
David Lean - Kevin Brownlow. An exemplary biography. Huge, warts and all exploration of - sometimes - a great director.
Currently wedged down the back of the bog radiator
are the following dog-eared remnants of the week before last's trip to the Emerald Isle:
The Outsiders by Eamon Dillon
Tabloid journo fest of lurid tales of Irish travellers and their various exploits. Not particularly mean towards them, yet refreshingly robust in its criticism of the more outrageous excesses. Internecine ultraviolence seems to be a fact of life for some families. Bought at Shannon airport on the way home, having seen lots of caravans, 4x4s, tethered horses and kids pulling sickies on my way through the Limerick area.
Down River by John Hart
Pot boiler whodunnit telling tales of family rifts, long standing injustices, hitherto unknown semi-siblings and Good Old Boy intolerance. Bought for the flight to Ireland, with the expectation that 55 minutes would be long enough to tell if I'd leave it in the toilets at Shannon or finish it in the B&B. I finished it, but it was a close call.
Facing Up by Bear Grylls
Rather fine acount of an Everest expedition by the youngest Brit to have made the top and got back down alive. I love books about climbing and expeditions, having been gifted a copy of "High Adventure" by Sir Edmund Hillary by my Uncle Bert when I were a nipper. Bear's antics on the idiot box had left me wary of his prose, but I needn't have worried. The madman Fiennes says it well on the cover when he describes the book as "honest and compelling". Surprised me by revealing that Mr Grylls is a devout God botherer.
Current and last two are
Kill Your Friends - John Niven. About half way through and it is difficult to put down. Very non-PC but very funny and if the music industry in this is only 10 percent accurately portrayed then it's not much of a surprise it is in a mess.
Heartland - Neil Cross. Holiday read because I realy enjoyed one of his novels Always the Sun. This is a biography chronicling the relationship between him and his step-father. The jacket describes the stepfather as a monster but reading the book it is not the impression I got. There was obviously a great love for this man but immense regret for the outcome of their relationship. Tellingly Neil Cross still retains his stepfathers surname. The monster was more likely the mother.Neil Cross is a very very good writer and he reeled me in immediately and the book was finished in about 24 hours whilst on holiday. I know there is a natural aversion to this type of book but this one is really interesting and is written more in the style of a novel.
George Melly - The final bows of a legend by Digby Fairweather.
Biography of the one and only Mr.Melly. Very entertaining but I think I will have to get the autobiographies to have a more colourful picture of a colourful life.
Next up is the Warren Zevon biography and Northline by Willy Vlautin which am looking forward to because his debut novel was fantastic.
Mixed Bag
Postwar - By Tony Judt, massive , impressive, and highly readable account of the developement of Europe in the last 50 years. It´s all here, society, culture, economics , war and peace. The chapters on the collapse of the Soviet Union and the forces behind the wars in Bosnia are particularly good.
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid .- Bill Bryson. Wonderful, nobody writes as lightly as this and still packs a load of information in.
True Crime - Jake Arnott, not as good as The Long Firm ,but well worth a read.
Life & Times of Thunderbolt Kid
Gave up after 120 pages or so. Never got funny. Clearly made up pieces to enhance his pretty ordinary childhood.
A broad church
Quite a mish-mash lately.
1812 - Napoleon's Fatal March on Moscown by Adam Zamoyski. A Word recommedation and a Waterstone's staff pick. Very good if possibly overlong account of Napoleon's hubris over teaching Tsar Alexander to toe the Napoleonic line. With stories of this kind it's the fine detail of the human experience that is the most gripping. Appalling suffering both in battle at Borodino and during the miserable traipse home through the already unfriendly and denuded landscape after a pointless invasion of Moscow. The Russians simply kept on running away but insisted they were winning.
Mussolni - His Part in My Downfall by Spike Milligan. A re-read of something I first read over 20 years ago. It was an astonishingly unstructured but hugely entertaining read then and it still is now though his constant punning can wear a little. Still my favourite of his memoirs; this one deals with the occurence of his shell shock which seemed to spawn his manic states. His time in convalesence brought him in to contact with Harry Secombe, thereby allowing most of the good stuff in post-war comedy to ultimately result (argue that one out yourselves!)
Jennings And Darbishire by Anthony Buckeridge. My young nephew is starting to develop an interest in reading so I'm going through some of my childhood favourites to let him borrow. I thought Jennings far superior to Just William. He's still in print but I've never seen him on any bookshop shelf other than Borders on Oxford St, which I find outrageous. Buckeridge had bags more skill and charm than the current Rowlings and Horrid Henry's. He wrote like Wodehouse and kids have no clue about him anymore.
Jennings!
I loved the Jennings books. (Though I loved the William books too)
You're right that some of them are in print, but they're currently published by a firm called House of Stratus. Stratus were set up to circulate much-loved old books which had slipped out of print due to lack of demand (can anyone spot the flaw in this business model?). They also only print on demand, or used to, meaning that they won't make the books until sufficient orders have been received. Not the best way to ensure consistent supply.
In my book retail days they weren't the most reliable of outfits. I once waited more than a month for an order for a customer because the person who did the packing at Stratus was off ill. When I called them yet again, with a grumpy punter on the other side of the till, they thought it odd that I should suggest that they might have made alternative arrangements for getting the books out and hence money in. I'm surprised they're still going to be honest.
was everyone else
as dispointed as me to find that the "staff recommendations in waterstones , borders etc are just paid for adverts by publishers and are just hand written to make them look homespun and folksy.
?
That has literally ruined my day.
I was with a bunch of 8 year old girls (daughters party...
..I hasten to add) who were discussing what they believed in:
Fairies - 100% believers (except the tooth fairy who they all agreed was their Mum)
Ghosts - yep - close to 100%
Father Christmas - fairly credible, about half still believed
Easter Bunny - no way, Jose.
I think we have to add Staff reviews at Waterstones to this list - because I believed in them.
And you have just ruined it for me!!!!
And that should be...
"literarily" ruined my day.
Gnarf.
My day was already ruined by Vulpes
After the end of all life on earth as we know it, this is a blow I can handle.
I'm not willing to let go yet:
Aren't the books they pick things that are 10 or 15 years old like say The Wasp Factory or The Secret History. Why would they be advertising things like that when they could be publicising new more recent books.
Is that true?
Wouldn't we expect to see the same staff recommended books with the same blurb in every shop? I don't think that happens.
Wouldn't it also be the case that the books put forward would be new or fairly recent publications? I've seen books that I've read years ago appear in staff recommendations, and it has not been limked to a TV / film tie in.
Proof?
Can you back your claim up Chris? I'd hate for it to be true, but I'm quite prepared to believe that it is...
Now i feel
like a total rat because I can't remember were heard it , I was disappointed myself i think it was in conversation with some who worked in book shop, sorry this isn't very convincing is it. Maybe someone from the book trade can prove me wrong it would be nice. sorry for ruining peoples day i liked this thread .
So did I Chris. So did I.
It's too late to be putting the genie back in the bottle my friend.
I just spoke to a man "in the trade"
He said that the staff recommendations in an individual branch are probably the only promotions that aren't paid for, and are the only time that staff get to influence buyers' decisions. Everything else is up for grabs - and the big chains only promote books that they "like", i.e. that they think will sell well to their demographic. But they'll also only promote books that the publisher is willing to pay them to promote.
But those little cards are real.
Actually
Come to think of it '1812' wasn't a Waterstone's staff pick after all...
As you were.
Father Christmas is real!!
Ding bloody dong!
Thank you
Thank you Fraser. I'm glad that my cynicism was for once misplaced!
Here goes...
Just finished last night was "A Totally Impartial History of Britain - John O Farrell. Not sure on the accuracy (was a science guy and never much into history at school) but a great read and very funny
Right before that was Blind Faith - Ben Elton. Not his best, but wanted something easy for a short 4 day holiday (and finished it in three days)
And finally, would be Charlie & The Chocolate Factory / Great Glass Elevator - Roald Dahl. Hey I have young kids to read to. But then again, not excuse needed for Roald Dahl.....
Blimey
Currently in the middle of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell which I'm enjoying even though it does go on a bit. I know that it's supposed to be kind of Dickensian in its scope, but a bit of pruning would have improved matters. Still, splendid stuff.
Before that:
In Siberia by Colin Thubron. A brilliant book portraying a masive slab of the world that I knew nothing about. Not the cheeriest read but all the more moving for it.
Through a Glass Darkly by Sheridan le Fanu. A collection of his spooky tales, including the stone-cold gothic classic, 'Carmilla'.
Thubron
I think he'd make an absolutely miserable travelling companion. He seeks out gravitas and misery every where he goes, and while there's no doubting the guy writes like a poet, I really wish he'd cheer up - travel can actually be fun. I've read two of his books - Shadow Of The Silk Road and the one you mention, and I ended each wanting to give him a good kicking.
Now that you mention it...
He did have the rather bad habit of describing some beautiful scene of awe-inspiring nature and then pointing out how bloody awful it was.
I principally enjoyed the book as a journey of discovery, though. For a place that the world defines by its emptiness, there are a hell of a lot of people in Siberia.
last 3
sick puppy-carl hiassen- top form enviromental caper
the road home-rose tremain-lovely and quite sentimental story of immigrants from unspecified eastern bloc country.
45-bill drummond-ramblings from the self styled genius. a fun ride.
Two-and-a-half
The Time-Traveller's Wife/ Auderey Niffenegger
Probably came to the party a little bit late on this one, but was put off by the presumption that it may well be a romance novel written by some arts & craft-sy BoHo New Yorker (there's a thread about irrational prejudices elswhere on the site), and it had a wiff of the Richard and Judy's about it. Nontheless, after three stuttering starts I found on the fourth attempt that it was a gloriously touching and imaginative piece of work. That, and the fact that the central character has fantastic taste in music.
Friends Like These/ Danny Wallace
Yes, it's Tv's wonky haired, gormless grinned gameshow-hosting, ex-radio producer Danny Wallace. And then, no its not. In writing he comes across much more like 'Dave Gorman's flatmate' and is instantly more likeable for it. 'Yes Man' and 'Join Us' were both very enjoyable and here Danny comes to terms with turning thirty by re-locating and meeting his lost friends from his childhood. He describes it as 'face to facebook'.
Desolation Jones/ Warren Ellis (art by J.H Williams III)
Ellis has a kind of Gonzo/futurist approach to writing that is incredibly fresh. Yes he wanders into Garth Ennis territory (never a bad thing) with the over-loaded filth and fistfights from time to time, but it is social commentary wrapped up as sci-fi misanthropy. Not quite finished the first collection (Made in England) yet but thats only because I have to go to work sometimes!
All quite different
Born Standing Up - Steve Martin
Short autobiography of his stand up days. Compact, brisk read.
The End of Mr Y - Scarlett Thomas
Bizarre novel about being able to travel around inside other people's heads (kind of). Not actually as interesting to read as it should be.
Lady Lady I Did It! - Ed McBain
Very short pulp "police procedural" novel from the 50s/60s.
His books are great and can be demolished in an afternoon.
I'm starting to think all books should be 280 pages or less ... there really is no need for some of the door stops that get churned out by some authors. Quality not quantity etc etc
Mine are...
'Consciousness - A Very Short Introduction' by Susan Blackmore
'Perilous Power' - Noam Chomsky and Gilbert Achcar
'The Palestine - Israel Conflict' - Gregory Harms with Todd M. Ferry
I read the Blackmore too
As I had an essay to write on consciousness for my OU course. In fact, because of the OU course I feel guilty if I read anything "for pleasure".
However, recently I've read:
Bill Bryson's "Shakespeare" - a good read telling us how littel we know about Shakespeare but we still know more of his work
than any of his contemporaries.
John O'Farrell's "Utterly impartial history of Britain" - very funny and I learnt a lot. I was never clear whether Mary Tudor and Mary Queen of Scots were different people but I think I am now.
Khaled Hussaini's "Thousand Splendid Suns" and "The Kite Runner". I came to these after everybody else in the world seemed to have read them. Very moving and makes you despair of the damage done by religious extremism.
Less cultured than I'd like to be
These days most of my reading seems to be newspapers and magazines like The Word. My one chance at reading great books usually is my summer holiday.
This year, for various work (i.e. credit crunch-related reasons) we only decided to go away at the very last minute, with no chance to browse the bookshops...hence the last three books I've read are: Granta Issue 102 'The New Nature Writing' (which I subscribe to),'A Year in the Merde' and 'Merde Actually' by Stephen Clarke (lent to me by a friend), which I can describe as an amusing, if somewhat light, read which is occasionally hilarious. My favourite bit is where the protagonist is given the job of explaining to a Breton chef that his name needs to be changed if he's to appear on UK TV. His name is Yann Kerbolloc'h!
Last year, my reading was perhaps a little more diverse and I enjoyed books such as 'The Time-Traveller's Wife' whilst also reading the truly excellent 'Cretan Runner' by George Psychoundakis. This is the account of a humble Cretan shepherd who bravely acted as a runner for the resistance during the German occupation of Crete in WW2. Told in a direct and matter of fact style, it is a vivid account of the dangers and attrocities that occurred. I can't recommend it more highly.
I also read 'A Fortune Teller Told Me' by Tiziano Terzani, an Italian journalist living in Asia. He visited a fortune teller who told him he should not fly for a year and sets out on a journey around Asia avoiding air transport, partly in the line of duty as correspondent for Der Speigel and partly to satisfy his own curiosity. In each place, he gets his fortune told. It needs some persistence (I nearly gave up at one point), but is worth the effort. His journeys take in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Mongolia, Malaysia and so on. Beautifully written, but, like the journeys, slow!
3 from me
Henning Mankell 'Kennedy's Brain' - still writes a gripping thriller even without Swedish policeman Wallander, though he is missed. African Aids angle adds tragic, political aspect.
John Updike 'Rabbit Run' - modern classic, great read, although I probably preferred 'Roger's Version' overall. Follies of mankind carry on.
Joe Boyd 'White Bicycles' - If you are going to read one book about producing music in the sixties and seventies, make it this one! Marvellous stories, including Newport folk festival when Dylan goes electric. Warning - does make reference to Richard Thompson.
As does...
Francis Wheen's 'How Mumbo Jumbo Conquered the World' what I am currently reading. It's a gratuitous recommended web link for RT - nothing to do with the book, well maybe in a way you could argue it is perhaps as a non-mumbo jumbo good thing (for Wheen) if pushed. Refreshing trashing of trend in recent times (since late seventies) for preference for superstitious beliefs over rational thought.
Oops, that's 4. Oh well.
White Bicycles
Great book! I had the pleasure of seeing Joe Boyd do a reading and a question and answer session at The Big Chill in 2006. Inevitably most of the questions people asked were centred around Nick Drake, but less about RT and Fairport. So, I got to meet the great man and get an autographed copy of the book.
Great idea for a thread...
I was recording my reading on excel, then I was doing it on Facebook and then I stopped that so I'm not even sure I can recall what the book before last was:
The Cold Six Thousand by James Ellroy: Been reading this for a couple of weeks now. Not as good as the fantastic American Tabloid but still very enjoyable. Hardly a sentance longer that 8 words in the whole book though.
Before that it was One Hundred Years of Solitude. Awful. I don't know why I didn't stop. It put me off magical realism for life.
Then it was The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon which again was good but not as good as Kavilier and Clay. I was racing through books a year ago but the pace has been really slow lately. Too much internet and downloading TV series.
100 Years
Odd that you found it so awful; it was the first GGM I tried, and I found it charming and fabulous.
Sir...
I found it enjoyable for the first hundred pages or so. And then I was driven crazy by everyone having the same name and there was only so much magical realism I could take. I guess you can either get on board with it or not.
Ellroy
The Cold 6k is an astonishing book. The most unique style in modern lit? Breathtaking, despite (because of) the very short sentences. Sounds like a terrible idea but ends up like a Miles Davis solo. [Insert own joke here]
I was disappointed
He's been on a downward slide for me for years now - his peak having been White Jazz. He unfortunately seems to find it easier to tour the world flamoboyantly signing yet another rehash of old GQ pieces, milking his bulldog-with-a-biro schtick for all it's worth (which is increasingly little), rather than buckling down and telling stories - as pared down as he likes, fine, but stories nonetheless. His plotting has always been complex but at least it used to be coherent. Now it's just a Mad Dog's breakfast.
I have a definite fear that the "Underworld USA" trilogy, having started quite spectacularly, yes, with American Tabloid, is going to end up being the literary equivalent of the Matrix sequels.
Tri-logy
The Fowler Family Business-Jonathan Meades
Hound Dog Days-Harry Pearson
Good to be God-Tibor Fischer
Read the lot in about a week. Particularly liked Pearson's light-hearted look at dog ownership. Meades' title is a black comedy which unravels and unravels as the eponymous hero's life falls apart. Tibor Fischer is always good value. This is about a loser who decides as a last resort he will pretend to be the Almighty.
two and a half really
just finishing the Shadow of the Wind by Zafon. Really not that great - kind of superior Da Vinci Code
Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates - outrageously good dissection of a 60s American marriage
Mystery of Edwin Drood- Dickens last and sadly unfinished novel. Bit pointless reading an unfinished novel, to be honest, but as our Greatest Ever Novelist, anything he wrote deserves attention. As half novels go it isnt one of his best to be honest, although the portrait of John Jasper, tortured opium addict is pretty startling. But you're better off with Bleak House or Great Expectations which will never let you down.
and for the reader considering Moby Dick - don't. Life really is too short....
Regrets:
I wish I had read Bleak House before watching the recent (ish) BBC series. I'd never read any Dickens when that was on. Now I love it and Bleak House is sitting on the shelf ready to go, but I'm going to know all the major plot points. Ah well, guess I can still enjoy the writing I suppose.
I look forward to reading Edwin Drood when I've read all the other which will be 7 or 8 years I'd say.
here's mine
I've been off work for 3 months and i live by the beach so my reading is none too heavy.
BASKET CASE- CARL HIAASEN
A Rock Star dies in an accident. Or does he ? Very Funny and typical Hiaasen
PROMISE ME- HARLAN COBEN.
A return for his popular Myron Bolitar charracter. Highly enjoyable with a good twist ending
THE NIGHT GARDENER-GEORGE P PELECANOS
From The Best writer in crime fiction today. Pelecanos writes for The Wire and his books are evry bit as good as the Tv series.
This is one of his best. Absolutely brilliant
My 3...
I'm just about to finish Heaven's Net is Wide by Lian Hearn - 5th in The Tales of the Otori, but a prequel to the other 4. Young adult fiction, beautifully written, full of the important things of life - love, death, betrayal, revenge, desire, patience, belief - big hitting subjects and the impact they have. She doesn't flinch from the nastinesses of life and is not afraid to show the characters as flawed and all too human. Oh, and there are ninjas too!
Before that it was The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill. A thriller, first outing for her character Simon Serrailer. It was ok-ish. Slightly disappointing, several things introduced for no apparent reason and never referred to afterwards (e.g. a boy with suspected leukaemia. Appears once, no idea why.), and the main character appears quite little considering he is supposed to be the main protagonist, and on whom the subsequent books hinge. But the final plot twist is infuriating and feels like a total cop-out because she couldn't see how to resolve something that seemed a good idea at the outset. I'll probably read the next one but it'll be library not purchase.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. Ok, a bit of a cheat because I haven't quite finished it - I have about 20 pages to go, but it's lots of fun. Entertaining dracula fluff of the best kind!
To come I have whatever we get at reading group and The Priory by Dorothy Whipple.
Susan Hill
I quite enjoyed the first one - its an OK Brit crime book & Serrailer is reasonably interesting lead. Hill wrote "straight" novels before this one and it feels to me like she is trying on the genre for size in this first book in the series.
I persevered onto the subsequent story and it was worth it. The next couple of books really come to life. There's an unpleasant crime that runs through them which heightens the atmosphere and the main characters start coming to the fore. Worth a read.
Agree
...the subsequent Susan Hill crime books get surprisingly nasty
Last Three books
At the moment - The Ghost - Robert Harris (is that Tony Blair, really?)
James Lee Burke - The Tin Roof Blowdown (amazing writer, all his books are fantastic, this is the best)
Buried - Mark Billingham (working my way through his books, highly recommend)
JLB
I agree. It's good to have someone alse concurring. I've mentioned his name in a couple of threads, but I seemed to have been a voice in the wilderness.
JLB
I like his books but you have to space them out or his style starts showing, you get an excess of "bruised skies" and "storms coming in from the bayou" and an endless chain of murdered wives and girlfriends but once in a while he's realy good.
They've just made a film
They've just made a film version of In Electric Mists with Confederate Dead, looks like it might be ok...
they made a film
years ago with a baldwin and her our of the Tv superman series in it and it was like something left behind in gutter by katrina
Cast
Do you know who they have playing Dave, Clete and Bootsie?
Tommy Lee Jones is Dave,
Tommy Lee Jones is Dave, Bootsie is Mary Steenburger(sp), not sure who's Clete
Last three books
The Rotters Club - Jonathan Coe (excellent nostalgic recreation of the 1970s)
Exit Ghost - Philip Roth (good but I think his hot streak is over)
Currently ploughing through the already-mentioned-in-this-thread Churchill by Roy Jenkins which is a superb and all-consuming account
I say,
have you read What a Carve Up! by Coe? A bobby dazzler of a novel. (But maybe skip the Rotters Club follow-up A Perfect Circle.)
House of Sleep
is brilliant too. Also enjoyed the recent 'The Rain Before it Falls', although it seemed to get quite a few sniffy reviews when it came out.
Hurrah! A new randomiser!
Last three books I've done are-
The Code Of The Woosters
- PG Wodehouse. Maybe the best Wodehouse I've ever read, completely hilarious.
Stick It Up Your Punter- Peter Chippindale and Chris Horrie
- the story of The Sun. If it was written as fiction no one would believe it. It made me, a sandal wearing, lentil chewing guardianista, late for work every day.
Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen
Tried, failed, gave up about half way through it. All the squabbling about who'd go for a walk with who bored me to death. Read most of Jane Austen's stuff and generally I really like them, but this wasn't much fun really.
Churchill by Roy Jenkins has been on my shelf getting ignored for some time now. I may need to finally try that one...
Punter is a great book
Loved the section on the Falklands war when Kelvin made what was left of the Sun staff (the rest were on strike) wear military uniforms for the duration and granted each a rank. He brought sandbags in to the subs office and they had drill each day. Like something out of Spike Milligan's war memoirs. The subject matter will no doubt enrage the lefty tree-huggers amongst us but the telling of the tale is hilarious. I would have loved to have worked at the currant bun at that point in history.
Last 3 working backwards
Will Hodgkinson - Song Man
Alex James - A Bit Of A Blur
Barry Cain - 77 Sulphate Strip - possibly the greatest music book ever written.
Isn't it great that people still read books?
Just reading this thread makes me feel good. I think it shows there's hope for humanity (or some such warm fuzzy sentiment), if we're all reading books and enthusiastically discussing what we like.
PS. I'm not a librarian and I don't work for Waterstones!
Most recent first...
1) Empire of the Sun - J G Ballard, inspired by reading....
2) Miracles of Life - J G Ballard, after giving up halfway through the truly awful....
3) A Spot of Bother - Mark Haddon
Miracle of Life
Was superb. Some fascinating stories and also an insight into how he developed some of the interets and themes of his books. And a very big gulp in one or two places.What a great Dad.
Current one first
1) Pies and Preudice- Stuart Maconie
Absolute quality, and this is coming from a born and bred Southern softie.
2) Garden of Beasts- Jeffery Deaver
Enjoyable (although the ending seemed a bit rushed) thriller set in 1936 Berlin.
3) The Fall of Berlin- Anthony Read and David Fisher
Breathtakingly good. Better than Anthony Beevor's impressive "Berlin"
mainly down to the first hand accounts from ordinary Berliners.The best book I've read in a long while.
re: pies and predjudice
the section on yorkshire was rubbish which casts doubt on the rest of the book, what would you expect from a pie-eater anyway really.
he's doing one on the south i think.
And he missed Grimsby
So, how can that be the North??
Maconie
P&P got a bit boring after a while. Like he got bored doing it.
Birds, Brown and Boats
The Sound Approach to birding: A guide to understanding bird sound - Mark Constantine & The Sound Approach
When I bought The Sound Approach... I was channelling the same blind optimism that inspired a generation of comic readers to send-off for x-ray spectacles. My hopes of joining in with the dawn chorus were soon laid to rest. This book will not grant you the power to talk to birds, but you will gain a greater knowledge of how they communicate. A pair of CDs (attached none too securely to the inside cover) accompany the text, which is detailed and somewhat technical. I have been absorbing it in small, regular doses.
Selected Poems 1954-1992 – George Mackay Brown
George seldom left his home on the Orkney Islands. His poems and novels reflect a life spent soaking up the landscape and its history. He had the ability to convey rich images in a few simple, well chosen words. His world is one shaped by nature and the elements, where the churning sea is compared to a broken stair; a chicken killed by a hawk is described as being “lost in its own little snowstorm”; and going "under the hill" is a euphemism for death. This book anthologises an impressive and powerful body of work.
Sod’s Law of the Sea – Bill Lucas & Andrew Spedding
I found this in a box of books that belonged to my grandfather. It’s a series of fictional letters between 30 year old David Creeper, recounting his experiences of learning how to sail, and his paraplegic godfather - Adrian Spindrift-Smith - dispensing hard won advice. On the subject of Good Seamaritans, he has this to say: “People who actually know about sailing will either be out doing it, or will keep quiet and enjoy watching you doing it wrong.” It’s very droll humour in the Bremner, Bird and Fortune mould.
murder mayhem and history
Three books in order:
Q by Luther Blissett (not that one - its an alias.)
This is centred around the peasant uprisings and revolutionary politics that occured around the time that Martin Luther set the cat amongst the pigeons. It follows a revolutionary who appears as a catalyst in all the hot spots of the period and his nemesis, Q, a papal spy trying to stop the peasants and anabaptists from gaining the upper-hand. Treating historical events in a modernist style , it is very Umberto Ecco and the fractured narrative makes it quite hard going in places, but it is worth it and really informed me about a tumulteous period I had no idea about.
Eye Mind by Paul Drummond. You know where you are when a book contains a ringing endorsement by Julian Cope as an introduction.
1960s group from hickville texas find a fantastic soulful singer and a would-be acid guru who can only play the Jug. They get together and ONLY play when on acid. Move to San Francisco where groups like Jefferson Airplane are their support. They cut two weirdly produced, fried out acid classic albums, with wacked out lyric by their acid-guru. And then slowly go cuckoo, die, or become members of a cave living acid cult. There's a male Valley of the Dolls film in this somewhere. Great entertainment.
Liberty or Death by Patrick French. A modern history of India from before and after partition. Covers the same ground Chimes at Midnight (or Midnight's Children come to that). Just a few chapters into this to tell you the truth. I am in India for two weeks, so I thought it was an appropriate place to read it. I loved one of French's previous works Younghusbund about a late victorian character who managed to be an eccentric cross between Kipling, Stanley, and Alan Ginsberg. In many places that book really did have me laughing out loud. Liberty or Death is a harder going, but so far has rewarded the effort.
Two books stacked up next to it have been discussed above: White Bicycles and Half a Yellow Sun. Judging from what the Word massive have said, it looks like they will be good.