What are you reading tonight?

[William the White]

I like books. On shelves. At the side of the bed, on my desk, in the bookcase, in my holiday luggage, on the shelf of shame. I just do...

[Dujon]

Thanks, all.

WtW, I understand, I really do, but the thought of (relatively) cheap books is somewhat alluring. Given the costs of paper books in this country I'm beginning to wonder whether digital delivery might be the way to move; in other words I'm moving crayons' way but with a larger screen.

clapton, thanks for your input. I shall do a little more research on the Kindle, but I think that I'm pre-programmed to kick against the pricks when it comes to proprietary formats. Don't get me wrong, if Amazon has a copyright on a particular publication then all is well, but to then lock the reading of that publication to a particular format (i.e. readable only on its own device) is not. That to me is saying that you can pay a toll to drive on a road but you must drive a particular brand of car in order to do so.

[clapton is god]

I like books. On shelves. At the side of the bed, on my desk, in the bookcase, in my holiday luggage, on the shelf of shame. I just do...

I too still have books in every room of the house. They overflow from every surface even though I have given hundreds of them away to Oxfam over the last five years. When I got married we both had pretty large 'libraries' and we pretty much had to get rid of boxes and boxes of them if we wanted to all share a house together I will never stop reading books, I love having them around, but the Kindle is convenient some of the time and is just another way of reading.

Dujon, I don't think you'll find a e-reader (urgh!) that isn't proprietary. I think they all tie you into buying from a particular source. i know the Sony one does that is available from Waterstones. Its betamax -v- VHS all over again.

[William the White]

I remain totally incorrigible... chiswick, where i stay when visiting london, has a remainder book store on the high Road. I should not be allowed there, but can't keep away. This time came away with a biography of Shakespeare, a book on football history, teach yourself Portuguese and six Arabic novels (in translation, obviously). The shelf of shame now entering its second tier...

[Bruce Rioja]

I remain totally incorrigible... chiswick, where i stay when visiting london

Me too. You don't stay near Sutton Court Rd on the Grove Park side of A4 do you, William? I've a fine little informal eaterie for you if you're around there. Love the place. http://www.thecoppercow.co.uk/

[William the White]

I remain totally incorrigible... chiswick, where i stay when visiting london

Me too. You don't stay near Sutton Court Rd on the Grove Park side of A4 do you, William? I've a fine little informal eaterie for you if you're around there. Love the place. http://www.thecoppercow.co.uk/

Fantastic - yes, i stay very near there - at my wife's parents - she spent the first years of her life in the sutton court apartments... They live - atm - a little closer to the high road - but, shortly, if things go to plan, in north bolton/egerton/edgworth etc...

Will definitely check out this eatery next time - end of the month, i think...

Chiswick is nice, isn't it? Almost the only part of london I could bear to live...

[Bruce Rioja]

Fantastic - yes, i stay very near there - at my wife's parents - she spent the first years of her life in the sutton court apartments... They live - atm - a little closer to the high road - but, shortly, if things go to plan, in north bolton/egerton/edgworth etc...

Will definitely check out this eatery next time - end of the month, i think...

Chiswick is nice, isn't it? Almost the only part of london I could bear to live...

Do - it's a belting little place. Entirely agree with you re: Chiswick, though, of course, I'd never be able to afford to live there. Thankfully I've a mate that can (about 200 yards from The Copper Cow, down Gordon Road) so that's where I stay when down there.

Regarding books I've just ordered up the entire set of the Henry Root letters. Can't wait.

[hisroyalgingerness]

Just finished the 3rd book in the Red Riding series, 1980. Absolutely brilliant, such a thrilling last 3rd of a book. Roll on the last un

[Prufrock]

My latest forage to the library saw me catch a brilliant display of 'banned' books over the ages. I had a little splurge and came away with 'The Prince' by Machiavelli, A collection of works by Goethe, and a bit of poetry in 'The Flowers of Evil' by Baudelaire. I also picked up, from another section, a Camus book, one of my favourite authors, though it's name escapes me. The day after I was in Chorley, nipped in there, and picked up the third book in the Night Watch trilogy, 'The Twilight Watch', which has been fully teen clarted up on the cover with 'Twilight Saga' style pictures.

Going back was:

'The Day Watch'-like the first one was a very enjoyable read about vampires and whatnot. Hardly brainfood, but fun.
'The Hound of the Baskervilles'- Again, it was good fun, and an enjoyable whodunit, though the who was pretty obvious, but the how much more interesting. Not sure it is that much better than many similar books around though, and I think Conan Doyle's credit should be due more to the character himself, than any of the stories.
'Bad Astronomy' Puskas gave a pretty good description of it a few pages back. Really interesting.

Currently about a hundred pages through Kerouac 'On the Road'. Stylistically wonderful, and, although has taken a while to get going, I'm starting to see what all the fuss is about. A friend recommended another, he thinks better, Kerouac book, but I can't remember which one.

[TANGODANCER]

Library day today, and a few easy reading novels (no millionaire ex SAS types who are archeologists and own their own helicopters finding yet another lost gospel or forbidden temple in Nepal) and a Le Carre I don't think I've read "A Most Wanted Man". Looking forward to that and a Quintin Jardine (one of the few I haven't read).

[William the White]

My latest forage to the library saw me catch a brilliant display of 'banned' books over the ages. I had a little splurge and came away with 'The Prince' by Machiavelli, A collection of works by Goethe, and a bit of poetry in 'The Flowers of Evil' by Baudelaire. I also picked up, from another section, a Camus book, one of my favourite authors, though it's name escapes me. The day after I was in Chorley, nipped in there, and picked up the third book in the Night Watch trilogy, 'The Twilight Watch', which has been fully teen clarted up on the cover with 'Twilight Saga' style pictures.

Going back was:

'The Day Watch'-like the first one was a very enjoyable read about vampires and whatnot. Hardly brainfood, but fun.
'The Hound of the Baskervilles'- Again, it was good fun, and an enjoyable whodunit, though the who was pretty obvious, but the how much more interesting. Not sure it is that much better than many similar books around though, and I think Conan Doyle's credit should be due more to the character himself, than any of the stories.
'Bad Astronomy' Puskas gave a pretty good description of it a few pages back. Really interesting.

Currently about a hundred pages through Kerouac 'On the Road'. Stylistically wonderful, and, although has taken a while to get going, I'm starting to see what all the fuss is about. A friend recommended another, he thinks better, Kerouac book, but I can't remember which one.

I think 'The Subterraneans' is the best Kerouac. Which I bought during a pilgrimage to City Lights Books in San Francisco... Read both of these about ten times in late teens/early 20s. None for years.

The other two 'big ones' are Desolation Angels and Big Sur. Neither as good as the two above. and his poetry is terrible.

[thebish]

From my very mixed bag of holiday reading I will unreservedly recommend two books - a short one (can be read at one sitting) and a longer one.

1. the short one - "The Reluctant Terrorist" (Mohsin Ahmed) - utterly captivating read - in a monologue style - about post 9/11 American attitudes... a delight

2. the longer one - "Cloud Atlas" (David Mitchell - not the comedian) - quite dazzlingly good - 6 stories subtly linked - each a ripping good yarn in its own right - all in different styles and epochs - and all REALLY well written with an underlying theme of power/civilisation - and I thought quite Orwellian in parts. Books are a matter of taste - so I don't often put my neck on the line with the confidence that others will enjoy what I have read - but I would with this one - it is very good.

[Prufrock]

My latest forage to the library saw me catch a brilliant display of 'banned' books over the ages. I had a little splurge and came away with 'The Prince' by Machiavelli, A collection of works by Goethe, and a bit of poetry in 'The Flowers of Evil' by Baudelaire. I also picked up, from another section, a Camus book, one of my favourite authors, though it's name escapes me. The day after I was in Chorley, nipped in there, and picked up the third book in the Night Watch trilogy, 'The Twilight Watch', which has been fully teen clarted up on the cover with 'Twilight Saga' style pictures.

Going back was:

'The Day Watch'-like the first one was a very enjoyable read about vampires and whatnot. Hardly brainfood, but fun.
'The Hound of the Baskervilles'- Again, it was good fun, and an enjoyable whodunit, though the who was pretty obvious, but the how much more interesting. Not sure it is that much better than many similar books around though, and I think Conan Doyle's credit should be due more to the character himself, than any of the stories.
'Bad Astronomy' Puskas gave a pretty good description of it a few pages back. Really interesting.

Currently about a hundred pages through Kerouac 'On the Road'. Stylistically wonderful, and, although has taken a while to get going, I'm starting to see what all the fuss is about. A friend recommended another, he thinks better, Kerouac book, but I can't remember which one.

I think 'The Subterraneans' is the best Kerouac. Which I bought during a pilgrimage to City Lights Books in San Francisco... Read both of these about ten times in late teens/early 20s. None for years.

The other two 'big ones' are Desolation Angels and Big Sur. Neither as good as the two above. and his poetry is terrible.

I think 'Subterraneans' is the one said. Heard of the other two as well, but didn't know he had even written poetry. Is 'The Dharma Burns' any good, that's the only other one of his I've heard of.

[Prufrock]

From my very mixed bag of holiday reading I will unreservedly recommend two books - a short one (can be read at one sitting) and a longer one.

1. the short one - "The Reluctant Terrorist" (Mohsin Ahmed) - utterly captivating read - in a monologue style - about post 9/11 American attitudes... a delight

2. the longer one - "Cloud Atlas" (David Mitchell - not the comedian) - quite dazzlingly good - 6 stories subtly linked - each a ripping good yarn in its own right - all in different styles and epochs - and all REALLY well written with an underlying theme of power/civilisation - and I thought quite Orwellian in parts. Books are a matter of taste - so I don't often put my neck on the line with the confidence that others will enjoy what I have read - but I would with this one - it is very good.

Cloud Atlas was recommended on here a good while back too and I bought it as a result and wasn't dissapointed, I thought it was brilliant. As you say six totally different stories but one central theme and really well brought together. That's a few times I've heard 'The Reluctant Terrorist' recommended, so that's going on the list.

[William the White]

My latest forage to the library saw me catch a brilliant display of 'banned' books over the ages. I had a little splurge and came away with 'The Prince' by Machiavelli, A collection of works by Goethe, and a bit of poetry in 'The Flowers of Evil' by Baudelaire. I also picked up, from another section, a Camus book, one of my favourite authors, though it's name escapes me. The day after I was in Chorley, nipped in there, and picked up the third book in the Night Watch trilogy, 'The Twilight Watch', which has been fully teen clarted up on the cover with 'Twilight Saga' style pictures.

Going back was:

'The Day Watch'-like the first one was a very enjoyable read about vampires and whatnot. Hardly brainfood, but fun.
'The Hound of the Baskervilles'- Again, it was good fun, and an enjoyable whodunit, though the who was pretty obvious, but the how much more interesting. Not sure it is that much better than many similar books around though, and I think Conan Doyle's credit should be due more to the character himself, than any of the stories.
'Bad Astronomy' Puskas gave a pretty good description of it a few pages back. Really interesting.

Currently about a hundred pages through Kerouac 'On the Road'. Stylistically wonderful, and, although has taken a while to get going, I'm starting to see what all the fuss is about. A friend recommended another, he thinks better, Kerouac book, but I can't remember which one.

I think 'The Subterraneans' is the best Kerouac. Which I bought during a pilgrimage to City Lights Books in San Francisco... Read both of these about ten times in late teens/early 20s. None for years.

The other two 'big ones' are Desolation Angels and Big Sur. Neither as good as the two above. and his poetry is terrible.

I think 'Subterraneans' is the one said. Heard of the other two as well, but didn't know he had even written poetry. Is 'The Dharma Burns' any good, that's the only other one of his I've heard of.

Yep - it's fine...

[William the White]

From my very mixed bag of holiday reading I will unreservedly recommend two books - a short one (can be read at one sitting) and a longer one.

1. the short one - "The Reluctant Terrorist" (Mohsin Ahmed) - utterly captivating read - in a monologue style - about post 9/11 American attitudes... a delight

2. the longer one - "Cloud Atlas" (David Mitchell - not the comedian) - quite dazzlingly good - 6 stories subtly linked - each a ripping good yarn in its own right - all in different styles and epochs - and all REALLY well written with an underlying theme of power/civilisation - and I thought quite Orwellian in parts. Books are a matter of taste - so I don't often put my neck on the line with the confidence that others will enjoy what I have read - but I would with this one - it is very good.

Read both of those a while ago. Both excellent. Cloud Atlas a top novel of the decade - in my top ten anyway... Powerful, moving and so bloody clever...

I like - very much - the low-key story telling of Reluctant Fundamentalist as it slowly slips away to reveal the steel and threat implied...

[Lennon'sEleven]

Just finished the 3rd book in the Red Riding series, 1980. Absolutely brilliant, such a thrilling last 3rd of a book. Roll on the last un

You're gonna love what the woodcutter finds inside the wolf at the end. Absolutely superb ending - incredible stuff.

[bobby5]

Native Son by Richard Wright.

[superjohnmcginlay]

Finished Frankie Boyle. Was alright.

Now onto Salem's Lot which I've been meaning to read for ages. Good so far but it's an old copy - 400 odd pages and the writing's fooking tiny. I think it might take a while.

[P.O.S.]

Slowly beginning to work my way through Pat W. Hendersen's "Decade", a story set between 1985 and 1995 against the backdrop of the Scottish rave and drug scene - it's alright, but there are substantial parts of it where I come away thinking "I can write as good as if not better than this", it's frustrating but also encouraging!

Also, simply cannot wait for the release of Andrew Vaughan's "Faded Lois Dreams" about a Wigan Athletic fan who goes to live in London during the 80's and the music and clothes and scenes he's into. Sounds right up my street and Ive been hounding the author for a release date; September it's due out so I'll be taking it on my holidays!