What are you reading tonight?

[Bruce Rioja]

Finished 'To Kill a Mockingbird' this week. Have to say, was disappointed.
















Disappointed I hadn't read it before. Incredible book.

I read it wondering 'how come it's taken me this long to get round to it?'. Without a doubt one of my all-time top five books. Absolutely superb.

[Verbal]

Agreed, Bruce. Without a doubt.

[thebish]

I read it wondering 'how come it's taken me this long to get round to it?'. Without a doubt one of my all-time top five books. Absolutely superb.

just out of interest... the other four???

[TANGODANCER]

I read it wondering 'how come it's taken me this long to get round to it?'. Without a doubt one of my all-time top five books. Absolutely superb.

just out of interest... the other four???

Theme for a thread "Desert Island Books"

[Puskas]

I like the Cambridge United bit...

This, in a nutshell, is the main problem I have with Hornby's first book. He was a Cambridge fan. He could have written the same book about Cambridge. OK, there wouldn't have been the trophies, but there would still have been the emotions. More so - he was (presumably) a genuine fan, rather than simply tagging along as a glory-hunter, because they were successful.

His book then went and legitimised that sort of behaviour, as well as spawning the tedious middle-class media love-fest for Arsenal, that sees their camp-followers (I hate using the words "fans" about these people...) spout on and on.

Hey ho. I'm reading Bloch et al's Java Concurrency In Practice. A roller-coaster of an emotional ride. Oh yes.

[Harry Genshaw]

I like the Cambridge United bit...

This, in a nutshell, is the main problem I have with Hornby's first book. He was a Cambridge fan. He could have written the same book about Cambridge. OK, there wouldn't have been the trophies, but there would still have been the emotions. More so - he was (presumably) a genuine fan, rather than simply tagging along as a glory-hunter, because they were successful.

His book then went and legitimised that sort of behaviour, as well as spawning the tedious middle-class media love-fest for Arsenal, that sees their camp-followers (I hate using the words "fans" about these people...) spout on and on.

Hey ho. I'm reading Bloch et al's Java Concurrency In Practice. A roller-coaster of an emotional ride. Oh yes.

It's a long time since I read it but iirc Hornby was and is an Arsenal fan. The brief spell when he went watching Cambridge was because he was at uni there wasn't it? He was certainly an Arsenal fan as a kid because I remember one of the early stories about him watching them away at Reading and the locals thinking he went to a tough London comprehensive when he only lived down the road

[William the White]

I like the Cambridge United bit...

This, in a nutshell, is the main problem I have with Hornby's first book. He was a Cambridge fan. He could have written the same book about Cambridge. OK, there wouldn't have been the trophies, but there would still have been the emotions. More so - he was (presumably) a genuine fan, rather than simply tagging along as a glory-hunter, because they were successful.

His book then went and legitimised that sort of behaviour, as well as spawning the tedious middle-class media love-fest for Arsenal, that sees their camp-followers (I hate using the words "fans" about these people...) spout on and on.

Hey ho. I'm reading Bloch et al's Java Concurrency In Practice. A roller-coaster of an emotional ride. Oh yes.

It's a long time since I read it but iirc Hornby was and is an Arsenal fan. The brief spell when he went watching Cambridge was because he was at uni there wasn't it? He was certainly an Arsenal fan as a kid because I remember one of the early stories about him watching them away at Reading and the locals thinking he went to a tough London comprehensive when he only lived down the road

Totally accurate.

[Puskas]

It's a long time since I read it but iirc Hornby was and is an Arsenal fan. The brief spell when he went watching Cambridge was because he was at uni there wasn't it? He was certainly an Arsenal fan as a kid because I remember one of the early stories about him watching them away at Reading and the locals thinking he went to a tough London comprehensive when he only lived down the road

Fair enough - it's a long time since I read it, as well, and the Cambridge-at-university thing rings a vague bell.

But then, if he comes from Reading or round there, why not support Reading (and write the book about supporting them)? My point still stands. Typical glory-hunting Arsenal camp-follower.

[TANGODANCER]

Just finished James Lee Burke's Pegasus Descending. Read quite a few of his detective novels. Very descriptive writer of life in and around his native Louisiana and New Orleans.

[Bruce Rioja]

I read it wondering 'how come it's taken me this long to get round to it?'. Without a doubt one of my all-time top five books. Absolutely superb.

just out of interest... the other four???

That, my friend, is an entire conversation in itself.

[William the White]

It's a long time since I read it but iirc Hornby was and is an Arsenal fan. The brief spell when he went watching Cambridge was because he was at uni there wasn't it? He was certainly an Arsenal fan as a kid because I remember one of the early stories about him watching them away at Reading and the locals thinking he went to a tough London comprehensive when he only lived down the road

Fair enough - it's a long time since I read it, as well, and the Cambridge-at-university thing rings a vague bell.

But then, if he comes from Reading or round there, why not support Reading (and write the book about supporting them)? My point still stands. Typical glory-hunting Arsenal camp-follower.

His mum and dad were separated. His dad was in London and took him to watch the Arse.

He was only a little boy. Arsenal hadn't won anything for ages and were universally known as 'boring, boring Arsenal'. So not a typical glory hunter. But there are plenty of those about.

Some wearing red shirts as they walk about Bolton. Pr**ks...

[CAPSLOCK]

Will, just something to consider when suggesting 'supporting' Arsenal wasn't an easy option

Hornby turned 14 in April 1971

[Annoyed Grunt]

Read whilst on holiday:

The Burning Wire - Jeffery Deaver.
The Dragon Factory - Jonathan Mayberry.

[TANGODANCER]

Went to the library this afternoon and got lucky. Found ( amongst other things) Bill Bryson's The Complete Notes, and A short History of Nearly Everything. Looking forward to both based on your recommendations.

[hisroyalgingerness]

The first of David Peace's Tokyo Trilogy - year 0. It's going down well

[William the White]

Haven't read a feckin thing for a long time, apart from extracts on the story of Bolshevik exclusion of the working class in (especially) Moscow from genuine decision making, in the period 1920-24, for which, surprisingly, I have had less than one request for twos up... My response so far is that, on balance, I feel critical of tyranny, and in support of the workers resisting it...

But, at last completed the three week marking marathon that passes for work in universities - and has to be done twice a year, no wonder we feel exploited - so can soon, once the bureaucratic formalities are completed, get back to the idle life of reading some novels and walking some hills under the blue skies of a Bolton summer...

Last year's Booker shortlist largely unread, and have at least one still hanging around, surly an all, from 2005...

I'm really knackered - so grateful I don't have a proper job...

[Dujon]

Like William, but for other reasons, I've not been reading much of late. Nevertheless I climbed out of the pit of torpor the other day and commenced re-reading Animal Farm. It'll be interesting to see what I get out of the exercise as it's over 50 years since I first tackled it. My memory informs that I don't recall much at all other than vague feelings of the inequalities engendered within so-called organisations; although those ephemeral will o' the wisps might well have come from working for and with such nests of nepotism, favouritism and old-boy-ism during the intervening period.

[Lofthouse Lower]

The first of David Peace's Tokyo Trilogy - year 0. It's going down well

[P.O.S.]

Went to the library this afternoon and got lucky. Found ( amongst other things) Bill Bryson's The Complete Notes, and A short History of Nearly Everything. Looking forward to both based on your recommendations.

Cant remember if I said it on here or another forum, but the first couple of chapters of that taught me more about just how much of a freakish occurrence it was that Earth came to be, enjoyed it very much!

[Lord Kangana]

Brief History is one of the best books I have ever read. Its simply brilliant. The guy is an exceptional writer at times, but that one surpasses everything else he's done.

You've put me in the mood to re-read it Tango. Enjoy. I'd be amazed if you don't.