What are you reading tonight?

[Puskas]

Well, I finished Madame Bovary- Recommend
I then read, on PB's recommendation, 'The Ascent of Money' by Niall Ferguson. Also recommend. Money stuff written in a way financial dunces like me can almost understand!- Recommend.
I'm now on 'Indecent Exposure' after you lot raved so much about it. Bout 50 in. Raised a smile a few times, but nothing uproarious just yet. Will keep you posted.
After that, have got that 1599 Bill was on about.
Busy busy.

The Ascent of Money is a poor book. It could have been OK. Not bad, with an advisory notice. But then he tries to justify the Pinochet regime. Anyone trying to justify fascism over democracy is on a hiding to nothing to begin with, but he compounds his folly with intellectual dishonesty. In trying to prove a triumph of neo-liberal economics, he mentions that Pinochet appointed Milton Friedman's "Chicago Boys" as advisors, but neglects to mention that he had to sack most of them and implement Keynesian reforms after the Chilean economy crashed. That doesn't suit his agenda, though - he has to promote his philosophy regardless of the real world. Poor, Ferguson, very poor.

I would recommend Rob Smyth and Georgina Turner's "Jumpers For Goalposts - How Football Sold Its Soul". Desite a few flaws, the best book about modern football available.

And Iain Sinclair's "Ghost Milk" is a must read. Sinclair being, probably, the best writer of English currently living. His critique of the Olympics, and related "Grand Projects" is devastating.

[Prufrock]

I didn't read it in a political sense. It would some fair rhetoric to make Pinochet look anything other than a cock. I meant it was useful for a complete financial dunce, like myself, to learn what a derivative actually is. Which I almost do now. It makes what can be a very dry subject readable, and in that sense I'd recommend it.

[Armchair Wanderer]

I would recommend Rob Smyth and Georgina Turner's "Jumpers For Goalposts - How Football Sold Its Soul". Desite a few flaws, the best book about modern football available.

Sounds interesting, thanks.

I just finished Sophie's World, I'm a slow reader anyway but moving house broke up my rhythm for this one. Enjoyed the philosophy but it almost didn't need a story for me.

Onto Tim Parks' Verona book now, as per recs from here.

[Verbal]

Currently reading 'A Clash of Kings' aka. Game of Thrones 2.

Enjoying it so far, more than the first one I have to say. Probably because I know the characters now and don't have to spend half the book figuring out who is what and how.

[William the White]

Am reading The Bookseller of Kabul. In 2002, after the fall of the Taliban, a female Norwegian journalist finds herself living in the home of the only bookseller in (possibly) the whole of Afghanistan.

He is a cultured man, who has been imprisoned twice for possessing 'unseemly' and 'unislamic' books... and now lives the privileged life of a man in Afghanistan (and, probably, every Moslem country, and, tbf, most others, though not to this extent).

Only on page 33 but looks clear how the tensions will be...

[William the White]

Issue 119 of Granta magazine that dropped through my door - "Britain"

largely because my photo (for which they paid me £200) -is printed on page 42 next to a piece by Robert McFarlane called "SILT"

Very nice photo, thebish, that works well with the story... The path well made that leads nowhere but the grave... Through accident, or desperation...

[TANGODANCER]

Issue 119 of Granta magazine that dropped through my door - "Britain"

largely because my photo (for which they paid me £200) -is printed on page 42 next to a piece by Robert McFarlane called "SILT"

Very nice photo, thebish, that works well with the story... The path well made that leads nowhere but the grave... Through accident, or desperation...

Very positive way to start a sunny Saturday. Y'all have a nice day.

[Il Pirate]

'Voodoo for dummies'. Plus sticking pins in a Peter Crouch doll.

[bobo the clown]

'Voodoo for dummies'. Plus sticking pins in a Peter Crouch doll.

I imagine there are plenty available in the Solent area !

[Prufrock]

Courtesy of WtW I'm on Shapiro's 1599. Only Two chapters through but seriously enjoying it.

[thebish]

Jack Sheffield: "Teacher, Teacher"

which GG recommended a few pages back and has now bought me for my birthday

thanks hun!

[Gooner Girl]

Jack Sheffield: "Teacher, Teacher"

which GG recommended a few pages back and has now bought me for my birthday

thanks hun!

Hope you enjoy it. Happy Birthday hun! xx

[William the White]

I finished The Bookseller of Kabul.

I am very glad I was not born in Afghanistan.

I am even more glad I was not born a woman in Afghanistan...

Very good book, very well written, very disturbing...

Very recommended...

[jaffka]

Sharpe's Siege

Excellent and really enjoying it

[Lord Kangana]

Is he a scruffy yorkshire wooden bastard in the books too?

[jaffka]

Is he a scruffy yorkshire wooden bastard in the books too?

No an orphan from London.

[Lennon'sEleven]

I now have a Kindle. No sure if they've been debated on here, but I love it. I never realised reading books was so arduous! Of course it isn't really, but I like how easy it is to buy a new book and tuck in. Nice to read lying in bed without having to move to change the page, and good to know when I next go on holiday I can take 10 books with me. The books seem cheaper too. Anyone any thoughts on e-readers? Am I about to discover they have a massive flaw?

Anyway, back to the thread's topic...

Just read Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman. Liked it. A bit tiresome to read a whole book through the eyes of an 11-year-old, and also no doubt misrepresentation of life on a London council estate. But an interesting story, and humorous with it.

Now starting The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt. Promising start.

[jaffka]

I now have a Kindle. No sure if they've been debated on here, but I love it. I never realised reading books was so arduous! Of course it isn't really, but I like how easy it is to buy a new book and tuck in. Nice to read lying in bed without having to move to change the page, and good to know when I next go on holiday I can take 10 books with me. The books seem cheaper too. Anyone any thoughts on e-readers? Am I about to discover they have a massive flaw?

Anyway, back to the thread's topic...

Just read Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman. Liked it. A bit tiresome to read a whole book through the eyes of an 11-year-old, and also no doubt misrepresentation of life on a London council estate. But an interesting story, and humorous with it.

Now starting The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt. Promising start.

The latest ebook prices are the same as buying the hard copy (in general that is) which is quite disappointing.

There are some good sites on the web and if you look hard enough can get some of the latest novels by nefarious means.

[Dujon]

A few of us on here own one, Owen'sEleven. The electronic ink machines have been discussed but I can't remember where. When it comes to the Kindle I have no personal experience so perhaps someone who has might correct me should I be disseminating false information. As an overarching opinion of Amazon it appears that it, like Apple Computers with their uber-control of anything to do with their products, is following the path of narrowness. This seemingly involves the necessity of purchasing most publications from Amazon. Then again they have a huge library of books available, many of which are not available in any other format than the Kindle's native language. Most, if not all, of the other machines (including mine) cannot read the Kindle files - presumably as Amazon has its lawyers on permanent stand-by - even though they can read a plethora of other formats.
When it comes to the pricing of downloads then if what you and jaffka say is true is just a blatant 'rip-off'; at least in my opinion it is. I was about to launch into a diatribe on the subject as there are 'pros' and 'cons' but it's not worth the effort.

[Lennon'sEleven]

I was going to buy the aforementioned Pigeon English in Waterstones for £7, before I got the Kindle. It was the first book I looked for, as I had identified it as something I wanted to read, and it was £1.99.

I very rarely buy brand new releases, but I guess Amazon will try and capitalise on them by charging more. But I haven't felt ripped off as of yet. Only bought the two books I already mentioned, and they were both less than £2. Most seem to be fairly priced.