What are you reading tonight?

[William the White]

We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo is very, very good.

It tells the story of Darling, a dirt poor girl living in a bankrupt Zimbabwe, with a cruel and tyrannical ruler. She and her friends, equally poor, form a kind of family, stealing guavas, aching with hunger, having fun at play.

She loses this family when she goes to live with her aunt in Detroit, passing through adolescence with always a feeling of dislocation, and loss.

The writing is very good, the story telling vivid. The Zimbabwe section is more gripping than the American chapters - but even these can be stirring. Very good - deserved its Booker shortlisting.

[Bruce Rioja]

If I received an email from someone calling themselves NoViolet Bulawayo I'd inform IT that our security had been breached.

[William the White]

If I received an email from someone calling themselves NoViolet Bulawayo I'd inform IT that our security had been breached.

Even if she was the daughter of an exiled President and needed your help to deposit 20 million dollars?

[Bruce Rioja]

If I received an email from someone calling themselves NoViolet Bulawayo I'd inform IT that our security had been breached.

Even if she was the daughter of an exiled President and needed your help to deposit 20 million dollars?

I may as well publish my account details on here in case anyone else fancies paying some in too.

The book does sound very good, and bears a certain similarity to the life-story of a friend.

[William the White]

I've now started Jim Crace's Harvest. This was the Booker favourite - it looks good. I haven't read a Jim Crace novel since his first, about 30 years ago.

[TANGODANCER]

Been a while since I read a western novel. Just finished Resolution, a Robert B.Parker, author of Appaloosa, which made an excellent film with Ed Harris and Vigo Mortensen. Parker, died in 2010 sadly. I loved his Spenser detective novels.

[LeverEnd]

I've now started Jim Crace's Harvest. This was the Booker favourite - it looks good. I haven't read a Jim Crace novel since his first, about 30 years ago.

He's a great writer, read Quarantine and then Being Dead and have Arcadia on my shelf, will get it read soon. The blurb makes me think of The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, never a bad thing.

[TANGODANCER]

By sheer good fortune I found a new Robert Goddard just waiting for me on the library shelf. The Ways of the World was only written this year and looks already typical Goddard excellence. Chuffed.

[Bruce Rioja]

I'm currently reading Alex Ferguson's autobiography. Only, every time I think I'm at the end of a chapter another six pages get added.

[William the White]

I'm currently reading Alex Ferguson's autobiography. Only, every time I think I'm at the end of a chapter another six pages get added.

[mrkint]

My friend has released a book today about christmas. Looks quite fun and might have to delve into it mysen

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bad-Santas-Cree ... Bad+Santas" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[2399]

My Partner has an offer to give me $30 If I read Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut.....

I don't even read Instructions.....

[TANGODANCER]

Didn't know Ian Rankin's Rebus was back on the scene. Great entertaining writer is Mr Rankin, and Standing in Another Man's Grave doesn't disapoint.

[clapton is god]

Didn't know Ian Rankin's Rebus was back on the scene. Great entertaining writer is Mr Rankin, and Standing in Another Man's Grave doesn't disapoint.

That was last years book, Tango, and I thought it superb! The good news is that this years book is out in a couple of weeks and, whilst you're waiting, I've just read A Question of Blood, which is well worth seeking out. I'm a recent convert to Rebus so have a lot of catching up to do.

[TANGODANCER]

Didn't know Ian Rankin's Rebus was back on the scene. Great entertaining writer is Mr Rankin, and Standing in Another Man's Grave doesn't disapoint.

That was last years book, Tango, and I thought it superb! The good news is that this years book is out in a couple of weeks and, whilst you're waiting, I've just read A Question of Blood, which is well worth seeking out. I'm a recent convert to Rebus so have a lot of catching up to do.

Rebus and Bob Skinner via Rankin and Jardine are two of my favourite tecs. One Glasgow, one Edinburgh. I've read almost all of both but I didn't know there was another Rebus coming out.

[William the White]

I finished Harvest this morning.

I was seriously impressed. The story if of a dirt poor village in 17th Century (?) England, and the catastrophe that strikes the village when the land is enclosed. Great narrator, nicely flawed characters, good, good first person story telling, language rich and often archaic or imagined. Very, very good. Surprised it didn't win the Booker.

Now to choose the next nominee...

[Il Pirate]

Desert island discs book from the BBC. Fascinating to say the least.....................

[Il Pirate]

Also Stag's leap by Sharon Olds. Not going overboard on it yet, but very good poetry. I'll make my mind up when I've finished.

[William the White]

Also Stag's leap by Sharon Olds. Not going overboard on it yet, but very good poetry. I'll make my mind up when I've finished.

Take it slowly, poem by poem. She is the best. She really, really is.

[Bruce Rioja]

If you want to cheer yourself up, have a read through the reviews of Adrian Durham's book on Amazon.