What Are You Reading...?

[NotHere]

ray mears - british woodland

simon winchester - outposts

 

[CWH]

Just finished "Icefire" by Chris d'Lacey (dragons etc; assume aimed at early teens) loved it! Such a nice light relief after LJ Ross "Holy Island" which, though well written, has a storyline that I found absolutely dire. If you have to resort to a lunatic cult leader for your murderer and ritualised sacrifice for your method, that's just lazy and you shouldn't bother picking up your metaphorical pen.
Now onto Colin Dexter : "The Wench is Dead", because it's there waiting to be read before returning to the charity shelves; and because it's a slim book that I can finish before Thursday.

 

[bobnick]

Nearly finished Mr Wilman's Motoring Adventure.
Very funny in parts.
Light reading.

 

[namwaldog]

I've enjoyed reading the DS Cross murder mysteries by Tim Sullivan.
Based in the Bristol area, Det Sgt George Cross has a different view on life and in modern day parlance "suffers with his mental health" (dont want to give too much away!)
I would recommend reading them in published order. 'The Dentist' is currently £0.99 on Kindle and I think all of them are 'free' on Kindle Unlimited.

 

[AlunandFelicie]

Can I recommend ‘Welsh Fargo’ by Harry Seacombe to anyone who wants a good laugh ,brilliantly funny and evocative

 

[CWH]

I finished Morse ("The Wench is Dead") and I'm about to start Dalriada by Christopher Harvie. I bought it because of its name : Dál Riata being an ancient Gaelic kingdom. But looking at the blurb I fear I've made a huge mistake! It's a fictionalised history of WW1 and "demands a reader almost as intellectually alert as the author" - oh dear!

 

[bobnick]

Just ordered Jeffrey Archers new book Adam & Eve.
Delivery 6th on the day it's released.
I have read most of his stuff.

 

[Ingwe]

‘James’ by Percival Everett.
Retells the Huckleberry Finn story by Mark Twain from the perspective of the slave Jim, in the original.
Fascinating, moving and a great read.
By the winner of the Pulitzer prize for fiction.

 

[CV20Bobby]

Latest Dan Brown , interesting concept of plot , set in beautiful Prague, having been there it’s more interesting as the landmarks quoted help the story flow . Some great unexpected twists and facts that relate to the storyline…. hard not to see Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon .

 

[L' Hobo]

Rereading, Complete Nonsense, by Edward Lear who's real job was as landscape painter born in 1812 but is more famous for his Nonsenose Poems

We have all heard of The Owl and the Pussycat & The Jumblies 'who went to sea in a sieve they did'. but there's much more.

He was not 20years of age when he was invited by the Earl of Derby to stay at Knowsley to paint the collection of birds there.

He remained at Knowsley four years and it was during this time he wrote the Nonsense Limericks, complete with pen drawing, to amuse the Earl's juvenile family.

Read the book from the first page as the story is interesting.

Here is just one example, sorry about the poor picture!

 

[Jenben]

‘James’ by Percival Everett.
Retells the Huckleberry Finn story by Mark Twain from the perspective of the slave Jim, in the original.
Fascinating, moving and a great read.
By the winner of the Pulitzer prize for fiction.

I read that a few months ago and agree it’s a great read.

 

[LenaTimes]

Nearly finished Mr Wilman's Motoring Adventure.
Very funny in parts.
Light reading.

So's the Electrician's Technical Manual once one has skipped the Sections on Consumer Units and Sockets ...

 

[scotzsue]

namwaldog thoroughly enjoyed that series, eagerly awaiting the next. Am reading another crime omnibus, it is so good (not) I can't remember who wrote it but what the heck 8 books on unlimited it's a distracion.

 

[Puddleduck]

Rereading, Complete Nonsense, by Edward Lear who's real job was as landscape painter born in 1812 but is more famous for his Nonsenose Poems

We have all heard of The Owl and the Pussycat & The Jumblies 'who went to sea in a sieve they did'. but there's much more.

He was not 20years of age when he was invited by the Earl of Derby to stay at Knowsley to paint the collection of birds there.

He remained at Knowsley four years and it was during this time he wrote the Nonsense Limericks, complete with pen drawing, to amuse the Earl's juvenile family.

Read the book from the first page as the story is interesting.

Here is just one example, sorry about the poor picture!



View attachment 1266736

That brings back memories of a favourite teacher!!!!

 

[Puddleduck]

I am reading absolute rubbish. The Chosen Series. I keep saying I am not going to read anymore of it but don't like to admit defeat.

 

[Edendeb]

Just finished "Icefire" by Chris d'Lacey (dragons etc; assume aimed at early teens) loved it! Such a nice light relief after LJ Ross "Holy Island" which, though well written, has a storyline that I found absolutely dire. If you have to resort to a lunatic cult leader for your murderer and ritualised sacrifice for your method, that's just lazy and you shouldn't bother picking up your metaphorical pen.
Now onto Colin Dexter : "The Wench is Dead", because it's there waiting to be read before returning to the charity shelves; and because it's a slim book that I can finish before Thursday.

I am glad I wasn’t the only one who thought LJ Ross ‘Holy Island’ was rubbish!

 

[Ianbenny]

Working my way through the Slow Horses novels, Up to London Rules They get better with each one. Haven't watched the TV series though.

Also starting Cockroaches by Jo Nesbo, one of the Harry Holes series

 

[AlunandFelicie]

Working my way through the Slow Horses novels, Up to London Rules They get better with each one. Haven't watched the TV series though.

Also starting Cockroaches by Jo Nesbo, one of the Harry Holes series

The tv series is great entertainment

 

[namwaldog]

Never thought of reading it as a book after watching the film..... but 'Silence of the Lambs' just popped into Amazon Book Deals (time limited) at £0.99.

 

[Emmit]

For anyone with a Navel bent, I have just finished a trilogy of books by John Harris writing under the nom de plume, Max Hennessy.

He also wrote "The sea shall not have them" which was made into a film starring Sir Michael Redgrave, Dirk Bogart and Anthony Steel

The trilogy covers the fictional life of a Navy officer,Kelly Maguire from his midshipman days before WW 1 to the end of WW2.

The storyline mixes fact with fiction and I found them an enjoyable read.

 

[AlunandFelicie]

For anyone with a Navel bent

One for you if you are of said bent
Mimi and Toutou Go Forth by Giles Foden
Subtitled ‘The Bizarre Battle of Lake Tanganyika’
Absolutely brilliant true story of a naval Battle! ‘in Africa during WW1. reads like the very best Boys Own adventure

 

[Emmit]

Until I saw 'Africa Queen' I had no idea that Tanganyika was a former German colony.
Those three books I have will be sold as one lot on our book stall that we hawk around at motorhome rallies we attend.
All our proceeds go to Prostate Cancer UK.

 

[AlunandFelicie]

Until I saw 'Africa Queen' I had no idea that Tanganyika was a former German colony.
Those three books I have will be sold as one lot on our book stall that we hawk around at motorhome rallies we attend.
All our proceeds go to Prostate Cancer UK.

If you can find the book read it, it’s an extraordinary story unbelievable if not for being true

 

[AlanandMayya]

As someone who can't understand the need for a TV in a CV/MH I'll ask for your top 5 desert island books you'd have with you on the road as well as your current read. And if you're like me you may well have paper copies as well as 5000+ on your e-reader. Feel free to say which one you prefer also.

I tend to re read stuff i love. Just finished Lucky Jim by Amis again. I read Paradise lost every 3 years or so. Satan has all the best lines. Private Eye every fortnight keeps me sane. Macbeth and J Caesar I find brilliant, can't stand Romeo & Juliet. Recently downloaded and read the Los Alamos Primer - pre reading for those on the Manhattan project to build the first atom bomb, now de-classified. This is stunning. Love Revolting Rhymes and Beastly Tales, some of which I've memorised to terrify my kids and now theirs too.

 

[The Saints]

One of my first 'real' books was On the Beach by Nevil Shute. As a young boy, it was scary stuff and I can still remember reading it and all the emotions that I experienced at the time. With the Cold War (Cuba..!) developing at the same time, it was a bit too real for me..!

So that would be on my 'Desert Island list' along with all the Courtney books by Wilbur Smith. Yes, I know that's more than the OP's suggestion of five books...!

Just started with 'Here There and Everywhere' by Geoff Emerick who was the engineer for the later Beatles albums.

 

[AlunandFelicie]

One of my first 'real' books was On the Beach by Nevil Shute. As a young boy, it was scary stuff and I can still remember reading it and all the emotions that I experienced at the time. With the Cold War (Cuba..!) developing at the same time, it was a bit too real for me..!

So that would be on my 'Desert Island list' along with all the Courtney books by Wilbur Smith. Yes, I know that's more than the OP's suggestion of five books...!

Just started with 'Here There and Everywhere' by Geoff Emerick who was the engineer for the later Beatles albums.

Read that in a day in the early 1980’s good read as you say scary stuff.

 

[CAB96]

Just started with 'Here There and Everywhere' by Geoff Emerick who was the engine

I am impatiently waiting for Mark Lewisohn to finish Part 2 of his Trilogy.

Can thoroughly recommend the first one.

The Beatles - All These Years: Volume One: Tune In

£3.99

View on Amazon

 

[CAB96]

On a lighter note, have just finished Barbarossa by Alan Clark.

Fascinating and revolting in equal measure. Interesting to read the perspective in which it was written (1964, just as the Cold War was getting going).

 

[captainPaul]

Bit of light Christmas Humphreys reading for a Monday morning

 

[gefsal]

Nothing, I've just finished my last book of five while being in France, still got another week to go. Miscalculated, good job I bought a copy of Daily Telegraph cryptic crosswords as a back up...