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Post by monkee on Jun 9, 2010 1:12:52 GMT 1
we've had history so what about literature? always interested in what people are reading, so what do you like? how did you get into books, what started you off? what are you reading now? is it any good? if you had one author to reccomend. i started reading "grown up" books when i was 11 or 12 and found a copy of the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. read all douglas adams books and spike milligans war diaries, and went for sci-fi in a big way with Robert Hienlien, harry harrison, orson scott card and peirs anthony in my teens. quite liked michael crichtons books and also read a fair few biographies , mainly football managers and comedy icons. over the last 15 years i started reading a chap called Robert Rankin, who is a writer of "far fetched fiction". i have read most of his now and have started reading P.G. Wodehouse which i find very satisfying to read, just ordered anothe one off ebay called Ukridge!. Just finished Russell Brands Booky Wook, which was a really funny and engaging read by an incredibly open writer. if i had one author to reccomend it would be Douglas Adams, i must have all of his dozens of times but still finding things i didnt notice
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Post by froggy on Jun 9, 2010 7:21:06 GMT 1
I was never really into reading and i've still don't read as much as I should. I was round a friends house when the gave me a copy of The October Country by Ray Bradbury which i found pretty amazing. So i went and bought Farenheit 451 and read that. I also got another of his novels but the name has escaped me. They were the first novels i read (at about 15).
I read Lord of the flies at school for GCSE which was very good. At college I've had to read, In Cold Blood, Frankenstein, A Streetcar Named Desire for my course. They're all fairly decent books.
Outside of college i've read Animal farm, and what's now my favourite novel 1984.
I haven't read enough really which is a shame. I started reading Catch 22 but with work and stuff i have had to leave that one out until the summer.
Ray Bradbury is my favourite author, purely because i've read more of his books of his than any others so i'd recommend him.
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Post by Victoria on Jun 9, 2010 9:26:22 GMT 1
I have to confess my love for the hitchhikers books. I've never laughed so much while reading.
The last few books I've read include Noam Chomsky Hedgmoney or Survival (woah), The Bone Collector, and I'm currently reading Down Under by Bill Bryson (his books are very entertaining). I've learnt alot about Australia reading this book. Has anyone read his A Brief History of Everything?
I'm pretty sure I've read 90% of Stephen Kings stuff. My favourite being The Stand (if you like Lost, give this a read, the paralells are endless).
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Post by constantinople on Jun 9, 2010 9:36:04 GMT 1
I've always got a book on the go, it's mostly non-fiction at the moment. Once I've got through my current batch I'm going to try to get more involved in fiction again. Not too much idea what to try though. Last book I read was Simon Hughes' 'And God created cricket', which was a well written and funny history of cricket (as you might have guessed). Current is 'Trautmann's Journey' which mainly focuses on Bert Trautmann's time in the Hitler Youth and Paratrooper regiments of the Luftwaffe. Brilliant for a historical perspective, but he also of course won the FA Cup whilst playing with a broken neck. Next one (before my planned fiction binge) is Winston Churchill's 'My Early Life', which will hopefully be as good as his memoirs from WWII which I finished a few months ago. I'm looking forward to this. I'm a bit stuck for ideas after these are finished
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Post by newgolddream on Jun 9, 2010 9:46:15 GMT 1
I've completed my third non-fiction book this year so I thought I'd break it up with a fiction book which I just started reading last night - The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum.
The other books I've read this year:-
Mad, Bad and Dangerous To Know - Sir Ranulph Feinnes - A brilliant and compelling autobiographical read.
Tricks of the Mind - Derren Brown - An introduction into hypnosis, mind control and a general debunking of mediums.
Is There Life After Death? - Anthony Peake - Interesting read about the science behind our immortality.
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Post by gingashrew on Jun 9, 2010 10:29:54 GMT 1
Love to read: you should never be bored if you can enjoy reading.
Favourite author probably Kurt Vonnegut
Love these: Joseph Heller: Catch 22 (like annual medicine for my brain) Vonnegut: Slaughter-house 5 Jane Austen - P&P Haruki Murakami - Wind up bird chronicles Jung Chang - Wild Swans Gregory Roberts - Shantaram George Orwell - 1984 Khaled Hosseini - Kite Runner
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Post by jontifree on Jun 9, 2010 10:58:24 GMT 1
I'm a bit stuck for ideas after these are finished I can highly recommend Guy Sajers 'The Forgotten Soldier' the account of his time as a German soldier on the Eastern Front, absolutely terrific read. And, of course The Good Soldier Svejk by Jaroslav Hasek a very funny book about Svejk (pronounced Shvake) and his attempts at avoiding getting into trouble during the 1st World War. Absolute genius
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Post by der kaiser on Jun 9, 2010 11:47:03 GMT 1
I have to admit I tried to get into the same sort of books as Monkee but I just found that our tastes were not the same.
For a long while I would only read Football Books but I have found that I am very into Swedish Crime Novels. Particularly the work of Henning Mankell.
Just about half way through "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and enjoying it but it very Dark.
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Post by monkee on Jun 9, 2010 12:01:48 GMT 1
I have to admit I tried to get into the same sort of books as Monkee but I just found that our tastes were not the same. For a long while I would only read football Books but I have found that I am very into Swedish Crime Novels. Particularly the work of Henning Mankell. Just about half way through "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and enjoying it but it very Dark. to be fair dan you did read the h2g2 books, and 2 of the best football books i ever read were suggestions from you , how they stole the game, and Manslaughter united.
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Post by ThrobsBlackHat on Jun 9, 2010 12:16:13 GMT 1
I am doing a reading plan where you read the whole bible in a year but instead of just going through book by book (which was never an intention of the original writers) you go through chronologically, which matches up the histories a lot better, weaves the different stories together and has been absolutely fascinating.
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Post by monkee on Jun 9, 2010 12:44:34 GMT 1
I am doing a reading plan where you read the whole bible in a year but instead of just going through book by book (which was never an intention of the original writers) you go through chronologically, which matches up the histories a lot better, weaves the different stories together and has been absolutely fascinating. fair play mate, big job that. not a christian myself but i do find some of the Bible fascinating, the parables in particular .
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Post by GlosShrew on Jun 9, 2010 13:25:10 GMT 1
Next one (before my planned fiction binge) is Winston Churchill's 'My Early Life', which will hopefully be as good as his memoirs from WWII which I finished a few months ago. I'm looking forward to this. I'm a bit stuck for ideas after these are finished I am currently reading Roy Jenkins biography of Churchill - an excellent read and a truly amazing man (Churchill that is).
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Post by SeanBroseley on Jun 9, 2010 13:31:46 GMT 1
I've all but given up reading books. I spend most of my working day reading so I am quite sick of the whole business come 5pm.
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Post by venceremos on Jun 9, 2010 13:41:34 GMT 1
Reading "The Girl Who Played With Fire" at the moment. Really enjoyed "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" and I'm not generally a crime/thriller reader.
I've a bad habit of starting and not finishing books so I've always got a number on the go. Started re-reading "All Played Out" recently, Pete Davies's brilliant book based around the Italia 1990 World Cup. And "Walden" by David Thoreau - 19th century account of his turning away from "modern" society and living a simple, reflective life by Walden Pond in New England. Not the easiest read but full of sharp and still relevant observations.
I love great comic writing - P G Wodehouse, James Thurber, Bill Bryson, "Catch 22" as mentioned above. And Dave Barry - American journalist and one of the funniest writers you'll find.
Jonathan Coe (strong Shropshire/Midlands connection) and Julian Barnes are probably my favourite modern novelists.
I like poetry too - the collections published by Bloodaxe are a great way to get a taste for contemporary poets. John Hegley, Benjamin Zephaniah, Simon Armitage, Carol Ann Duffy, Raymond Carver, Roger McGough - all accessible modern poets. As is Billy Collins - weird and wonderful American poet - very distinct and entertaining view of the world. I love his stuff.
This looks like I read loads but most of the time it's probably the weekend papers or music and sport.
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Post by mrbunny on Jun 9, 2010 13:47:45 GMT 1
Best book i have read in recent times was The Last Fighting Tommy by Richard van Emden.
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Post by der kaiser on Jun 9, 2010 13:47:54 GMT 1
Reading "The Girl Who Played With Fire" at the moment. Really enjoyed "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" and I'm not generally a crime/thriller reader. Could I suggest that you take a look at Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell - Inspector Wallander Book One once you are through "The Millenium Trilogy" I had heard rumours that Larsson had all but finished a fourth book in the series but his family are squabling about it being released.
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Post by Mike on Jun 9, 2010 20:32:42 GMT 1
I like historical fiction, especially Bernard Cornwell.
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Post by monkee on Jun 9, 2010 20:43:19 GMT 1
I like historical fiction, especially Bernard Cornwell. My dad has everything he has ever written, i tried one , i think it was by him called stone henge? couldnt get into it , dont think i was really in the mood for such a big book at the time
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Post by WindsorShrew on Jun 9, 2010 20:45:58 GMT 1
Stalingrad by Anthony Beever at present fantastic.
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Post by eclipsechaser on Jun 9, 2010 20:53:09 GMT 1
The Bible , All of Bernard Cornwell , Hitch hikers by Douglas Adams , All of Michael Palins travels , Life of Michael Caine , Life of Roald Dahl . These i would rate as some of the most varied and best of . O, and Astronomy books too . Books = knowledge , intellect , wisdom & intelligence . If you don't read you lose ALL that at your peril !
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2010 20:53:33 GMT 1
Love reading football books by ex players or managers. Tip, read the books by the not so well known player, far more interesting. Thomas Hardy is a good read, "The Return of the Native" a favourite. Favourite topics; WW1 and 2. BIRDSONG is a must read. English History. Simon Schama's A History of Britain 1. Ian Mortimers Time Travellers Guide to Medieval England.
Crime. David Simon. HOMICIDE. Brilliant. General. The Richard Dawkins' The Greatest Show on Earth. Very hard going and one i know i will not understand completely, but sometimes you have to go outside your comfort zone.
Just finished The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Very dark. Oh, love TOLKIEN, all off. Any book, and i mean any book, on the English Countryside or on British Birds. Bram Stokers DRACULA is THE Horror book, puts all these current Vampire books to shame. Kostova's The Historian is also a cracking read.
Two books i must read, ( thanks for the memory jog) The Catcher in the Rye and To Kill a Mocking Bird.
Be interested to to know what others reading plans are.
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Post by jaytee on Jun 9, 2010 20:56:02 GMT 1
I'm easily distracted. The door, the phone, etc, so I only read on holiday. Blinkers on here. Autobiographies are my thing. Some are good. Geoff Boycott. Gives you a chance to read between the lines. Clough. Brutally honest. Bad. Botham. Binned it. The blokes an angel. Going to get. Jackie Pallo. You grunt, I'll groan.
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Post by thenewblueorder on Jun 9, 2010 20:58:10 GMT 1
The Koran ( in english ) .
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Post by barrynic on Jun 9, 2010 21:46:47 GMT 1
Been collecting Cricket Biographies and Auto's for over 25 years now --still buy a few but they are getting expensive.
Have 51 Wisdens, which are a mixture of hard and soft backs - would love a few more or to replace my tatty ones for ones in better condition.
At present reading "Cricket between the wars" by Sir Pelham Warner. (First edition1942) with it's yellow dust cover in very good condition, cost me a fiver 10 years ago.
Am mad for anything "bodyline" and have 30 books on the subject.
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Post by markglasgow on Jun 9, 2010 22:12:18 GMT 1
Love fiction from Clive Barker to Anne Tyler and anything inbetween! At the moment I've picked up De Bernières Captain Corelli's Mandolin, which I had previously written off as some romantic nonsense. How wrong could I be..... can't recommend enough!
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Post by R6ix on Jun 9, 2010 22:15:24 GMT 1
am reading bullets bombs and cups of tea at the moment, a good read, its a collection of true accounts from soldiers serving in northern ireland explaining situations they found them selves in, be it riots, bomb or gun attacks, sobering stuff.
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Post by The Shropshire Tenor on Jun 9, 2010 22:16:33 GMT 1
Going to get. Jackie Pallo. You grunt, I'll groan. Saw him a few times at the old Shrewsbury baths, great entertainment. My favourite was Les Kellett, a great comedian of the ring.
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Post by The Shropshire Tenor on Jun 9, 2010 22:19:52 GMT 1
Love fiction from Clive Barker to Anne Tyler and anything inbetween! At the moment I've picked up De Bernières Captain Corelli'd Mandolin, which I had previously written off as some romantic nonsense. How wrong could I be..... can't recommend enough! NickO and I recommended 'Birds Without Wings' by De Bernieres on the 'history' thread. In my opininion that and his South American trilogy are better than Corelli.
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Post by shrewsace on Jun 9, 2010 22:21:44 GMT 1
Currently reading Heat by George Monbiot ( a non fiction book tackling the global warming issue).
I should devote more time to reading books and less to reading the likes of B&A as I have a stack of books to get through including '1985' by David Peace, 'What I Talk About When I Talk About Running' by Haruki Murakami and 'Fidel and Che' by Simon Reid Henry.
I've become a big fan of David Peace and also like Will Self (particularly the Book of Dave), Chuck Palahniuk and Jonathan Coe.
Both 1984 and Animal Farm are favourites of mine, so I suppose I should really get round to reading more Orwell, too.
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Post by Blues in Crewe on Jun 9, 2010 23:06:53 GMT 1
also a Chuck Palahniuck fan but supernatural chick lit alert ...... just started the 7th of the Sookie Stackhouse novels my current job lends itself to plenty of reading time but I fear from next month that study will take over but am still on the look out for a new selection that are easy to dip in and out of
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