The Book Thread

[Hercule_Poirot]

This thread is a chance for you to post comments about your favourite books, authors, genre, etc.

It's also a chance for you to have some healthy debate amongst one another.

 

[Colonel Matrix]

Well I love reading the books that involve your namesake - Agatha Christie's, I also like reading Fantasy, Thrillers and books on world wars.

 

[Magpiespower]

Currently reading 'The Great Shark Hunt' by Hunter Thompson.

Best sports book I've read was 'The Fight' by Norman Mailer. It's amazing how good a sports book can be in the hands of a great writer.

As a kid I loved 'The Wind in the Willows' and 'The Magic Faraway Tree.'

Recent books that I couldn't put down once I started reading include 'Angela's Ashes' and 'He Died With A Felafel in His Hand.'

 

[aggels]

I just finished he Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (about 10 minutes ago.) Nice story, but certainly not anything to write home about. Will be reading The DaVinci Code next since it's on loan from somebody (and I've had it for months) but I've got a whole bookcase of unread books since I tend to hoard them, and want to get at least 10 of them finished before the end of February.

Favourite books are Cat's Eye and The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger, A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (I read it when I was 11, and it induced in me a passion for books that extended past The Babysitters Club for the first time) and most likely several others that I'm not thinking of.

Oh, and it turns out I do like fantasy books, even though I'm quite snobby and won't read them unless coerced in some way.

 

[Lidge]

Just finished Garden of Beasts by Jeffery Deaver (who has written a number of thrillers such as The Bone Collector).

Not a bad read.

Next Xmas pressie to read - "Worth The Wait" - Darren Lehmann's book. Something to fill in time whilst travelling this weekend.

 

[tashibatts]

The Madmans Tale..

Wonderful book.

Go Roos

 

[Roobunny]

I'm re-reading my favourite book - The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams.

 

[raskolnikov]

Will be reading The DaVinci Code next since it's on loan from somebody (and I've had it for months)

It's crap - worth a read just to know what everybody is going on about but the literary techniques are pretty low.

 

[BomberGal]

I love books that are based on history...for example, my favourite book is 'The Memoirs of Cleopatra' by Margaret George, which is a biography of Cleopatra, but 'narrated' by Cleopatra herself. Based mostly on fact, but it's nearly 1000 pages, so there's plenty of story-telling going on too. Another book I love is 'City of Darkness, City of Light', the interwoven stories of six people who lived in the French Revolution (including Robespierre and Danton).

Looking at some of the books I've read in the last year or so, a common theme also seems to be those that involve soul-searching. 'Vigil' by Nadia Wheatley, probably more written for young adults, really moved me.

Currently reading 'Rubicon: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic', which is, as the title suggests, a narrative history of Rome in its Republican era. And then the next few books will be:
Livy - The Early History of Rome
Suetonius - The Twelve Caesars
Ovid - Metamorphoses (got part way into this already, but stopped for some reason)

(Yes, I'm fascinated by Roman history.)

 

[Valkyrie]

I love books that are based on history...

Currently reading 'Rubicon: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic', which is, as the title suggests, a narrative history of Rome in its Republican era. And then the next few books will be:
Livy - The Early History of Rome
Suetonius - The Twelve Caesars
Ovid - Metamorphoses (got part way into this already, but stopped for some reason)

(Yes, I'm fascinated by Roman history.)

Livy and Suetonius are good. If you're into Roman history, have you read the Colleen McCullough series? They get accused of being a bit Mills-and-Boon, but they're really easy to get into. In order, The First Man in Rome, The Grass Crown, Fortune's Favourites, Caesar's Women, Caesar, The October Horse. Lots of fictional stuff, but plenty of real stuff too.

 

[Paulkanga2000]

i love crime novels. Some of my favourite authors include:

Janet Evanovich
Fay Kellerman
Alex Kava
Linda Fairstein

 

[Seb]

Finally managed to finish the DaVinci Code today. I quite liked it. Next on my list is The Affluent Society.

 

[Dippers Donuts]

The Night Inspector - a literary masterpiece or as the new york times called it "a sublimely dark work of almost unbearable beauty". A truly haunting story of a disfigured and bitter civil war veteran.

The Secret Lemonade Drinker - So funny and so true, picked it up at a second hand book sale for 50c about 10 years ago and I treasure it.

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco is also an extraordinary piece of work.

 

[year of the roo]

Currently reading the Chaser Annual 2004, by the lads from CNNNN.

So far so good.

 

[aggels]

It's crap - worth a read just to know what everybody is going on about but the literary techniques are pretty low.

Yeah, well that's pretty much what I'm expecting, but I do have to read it, or else it will have been rude of me to keep their book so long. Still, I'll go into it with an open mind.

 

[BomberGal]

Livy and Suetonius are good. If you're into Roman history, have you read the Colleen McCullough series? They get accused of being a bit Mills-and-Boon, but they're really easy to get into. In order, The First Man in Rome, The Grass Crown, Fortune's Favourites, Caesar's Women, Caesar, The October Horse. Lots of fictional stuff, but plenty of real stuff too.

Haven't read them, no, but thanks for the tip!

 

[Count Zero]

I'm reading "The Mabinogion" by Evangeline Walton. It's one of the books in the excellent Fantasy Masterworks series.

 

[Thrawn]

Star Wars: New Jedi Order: Star by Star.

I love it when the baddies are winning.

 

[Freo Big Fella]

Reading a lot of Grisham at the moment. Just finished The King of Torts, reading Runaway Jury now, I've got The Partner still to read as well.

 

[Paulkanga2000]

Reading a lot of Grisham at the moment. Just finished The King of Torts, reading Runaway Jury now, I've got The Partner still to read as well.

Freo,

I also love John Grisham. He has a new one out called the Broker.

Paul

 

[Lady Lawrence]

Finally managed to finish the DaVinci Code today. I quite liked it. Next on my list is The Affluent Society.

If you enjoyed the book for the consipracy theory aspect behind the church etc (it wasn't the best written book I have ever read) then I recommend Holy Blood, Holy Grail.

 

[bunsen burner]

It's crap - worth a read just to know what everybody is going on about but the literary techniques are pretty low.

I agree that it's crap but such books are about the story. Literary techniques are't really important.

I think it's fluff. It's the MacDonalds of novels. I suspect many have read just to see what the fuss is all about.

 

[Z_K]

I agree that it's crap but such books are about the story. Literary techniques are't really important.

I think it's fluff. It's the MacDonalds of novels. I suspect many have read just to see what the fuss is all about.

Agree, but it is a bit of fun. I didn't expect to be blown away by his writing genius, but he layers it well, builds up excitement well (however annoying and cheap it may be) and releases some interesting issues, even if they are not knew or his own.

Strongly recomend the "His Dark Materials" trilogy. After LOTR, it was my first time reading a fantasy type book after dismissing most of it as trashy rubbish. Amazing read. I have started reading a bit more fantasy stuff, and have returned to my original assertion that it is rubbish.

 

[Left Field]

Currently reading MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS by Antonia Fraser.

What an interesting and tragic figure Mary is in Scottish and British history. Became Queen of Scotland 6 days after her birth. Married the King Francis II of France when only 16, became a widower at 19 and then tragedy really struck. She was definately more beautiful than Queen Elizabeth I, and had this unbelievable ability to totally captivate any male with her looks and charm. Was the rightful Queen of England, and Elizabeth knew it, which is why she kept Mary in captivity for 19 years, until she had her decapitated in 1587. Mary had the last laugh though, her son King James VI of Scotland, became the King James II of England after Elizabeth's death.

 

[DIG]

it's funny how so many book nerds hate Da Vinci Code so much. Anti-hype/tall poppy syndrome maybe?

Like BB said, it's just fluff. I enjoyed it tho. People take it too seriously, it's not all that well written but the plot itself's quite clever and entertaining (if far-fetched).

Reading Wolves of the Calla myself atm.