Great Uncle Bulgaria 1,287 Posted February 2, 2019 Read Caine Mutiny by our very own Herman Wouk recently, if only so I can agree or disagree with comments made about it when the inevitable happens. Dated and slow moving but still quite powerful in its way. Just finished 'Iron Curtain' by Anne Applebaum, which somehow makes a fascinating subject (the sovietisation of East Germany, Hungary and Poland 1944 - 1956) a lot less interesting than it might be. For some low-middlebrow fiction quite enjoyed 'Our House' by Louise Candlish. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
msc 18,476 Posted February 2, 2019 tbh dated and slow moving is rather accurate about Wouk's books. Last night I finished Three Act Tragedy by the great Agatha Christie. Not one of her better works (brilliant last line however) but obviously far better than any Poirot adaptation by Sarah Phelps. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phantom 2,533 Posted February 21, 2019 Just finished reading "Rock & Roll's Hidden Giant:- The Story of Charlie Gracie", Charlie Gracie's autobiography in which he speaks openly about his rise to fame in the late 50's and how he was blackballed by his record label and his struggles to get back to obtaining another hit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Creep 7,070 Posted February 28, 2019 Deleted wrong thread Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maryportfuncity 10,647 Posted March 1, 2019 Grappling with the monster that is Defoe's A Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain - loving it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TQR 14,400 Posted March 6, 2019 In a world where you hear and read an overwhelming amount of bilge that makes you want to tear off your ears and fashion them into an eye mask , reading ‘How To Be Right’ by LBC’s James O’Brien is therapy. Many nails hit on heads. It’s nectar for the mind. I loved it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibliogryphon 9,586 Posted March 7, 2019 I am reading Scrathman by Tom Baker. The adaptation of the Doctor Who film script he and Ian Marter tried to get made in the Seventies. It is a good read but there is part of me that is very happy it never made it to the big screen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maryportfuncity 10,647 Posted March 17, 2019 The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells is currently being devoured at MPFC Towers. A frank consideration of the hell on Earth we're creating by way of climate change. The opening line reads " It is worse, much worse, than you think," after which he draws a lot of stats from official (i.e. provable) sources. Devastating to think dead pooling as we know it may have decades left at most, at which point everyone will be able to cash in cos we're all gonna die, or summat Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bladan 293 Posted March 17, 2019 3 hours ago, maryportfuncity said: The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells is currently being devoured at MPFC Towers. A frank consideration of the hell on Earth we're creating by way of climate change. The opening line reads " It is worse, much worse, than you think," after which he draws a lot of stats from official (i.e. provable) sources. Devastating to think dead pooling as we know it may have decades left at most, at which point everyone will be able to cash in cos we're all gonna die, or summat He's an optimist Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cat O'Falk 3,290 Posted April 15, 2019 How to build a Biblio chair. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibliogryphon 9,586 Posted April 15, 2019 28 minutes ago, Cat O'Falk said: How to build a Biblio chair. That's no good you would not be able to see all you lovely books while you are sitting in it and what would happen if you spilt your tea! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grim Up North 3,726 Posted April 15, 2019 Just read This Is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay Educational, disgusting, very funny at times, very sad at others and a frightening insight into what life is truly like in the NHS. I would recommend. Someone told me he appears on the TV now and they don't like him but I wouldn't not read the book simply because of that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toast 16,144 Posted April 15, 2019 4 hours ago, Grim Up North said: Just read This Is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay Educational, disgusting, very funny at times, very sad at others and a frightening insight into what life is truly like in the NHS. I would recommend. Someone told me he appears on the TV now and they don't like him but I wouldn't not read the book simply because of that. Speaking of which, 'Bodies' is available on BBC iplayer, both series. If you've never seen it, it's a drama from about 15 years ago, written by Jed Mercurio (Line Of Duty, Bodyguard). He used to be a doctor, so .... Not for the faint-hearted. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Creep 7,070 Posted May 8, 2019 One from Toast's collection. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toast 16,144 Posted May 8, 2019 9 hours ago, Sir Creep said: One from Toast's collection. Certainly not. I get a man to do all that kind of thing. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
paddyfool 379 Posted June 2, 2019 On 23/01/2016 at 22:12, rockhopper penguin said: To maintain cultural standards I was thinking about a Book Club thread but came across this one. My list of death related books (not necessarily the best but ones which give a good range of perspectives) has anyone else read them? Will the Circle be Unbroken? Studs Terkel The Tibetan Book of the Dead The Myth of Sisyphus - Albert Camus Smoke Gets in Your Eyes:And Other Lessons from the Crematory - Caitlin Doughty Mortality - Christopher Hitchens Mort - Terry Pratchett Out of this list, all I can tick off as read are the Studs Terkel one (which is excellent - I came to this discussion to recommend two books, and it was one) and Mort (which is thoroughly good Pratchett). The other book I came here to recommend was Being Mortal, by Atul Gawande. Half the book is a great commentary on growing old, the other half a great commentary on dying, and there's some very good commentary on what we do and don't do well both as a society and medically woth regards to both. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bladan 293 Posted June 28, 2019 The Egyptian. A classic death related novel by Finnish writer Mika Waltari. It's set in the Egypt of the 14th century BC. Please read it in Finnish - the English translation isn't good Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
runebomme 377 Posted July 3, 2019 On 28/06/2019 at 18:16, bladan said: The Egyptian. A classic death related novel by Finnish writer Mika Waltari. It's set in the Egypt of the 14th century BC. Please read it in Finnish - the English translation isn't good "Please read it in Finnish" screw that for a laugh Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bladan 293 Posted July 4, 2019 21 hours ago, runebomme said: "Please read it in Finnish" screw that for a laugh It's only 980 pages long. Get a dictionary. I think it's a masterpiece. Arguably the best historical novel in history Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
runebomme 377 Posted July 4, 2019 1 hour ago, bladan said: It's only 980 pages long. Get a dictionary. I think it's a masterpiece. Arguably the best historical novel in history I have actually read it but I remembered it as Sinuhe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the_engineer 1,415 Posted September 29, 2019 David Icke's The trigger is a great book so far and a huge amount of work and research has gone into it. Only 300 + pages into it and already an amazing read. Only the second book of Icke's I've read and very impressed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bladan 293 Posted September 29, 2019 Reptilians are butlers of the 2000s Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
runebomme 377 Posted September 29, 2019 3 hours ago, bladan said: Reptilians are butlers of the 2000s who are the masters then Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bladan 293 Posted September 29, 2019 2 hours ago, runebomme said: who are the masters then They're the laws of physics. which have their own masters though... the laws of mathematics! Think about a suicidal jumper. His/her jump (as all of his/her previous lifestory) must obey the laws of physics, which etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibliogryphon 9,586 Posted September 29, 2019 For the Doctor Who fans on here I have recently read the long awaited adaptation of Resurrection of the Daleks. For a story that has received a lot of criticism for its overt violence and rambling plot points Eric Saward here had the opportunity to flesh out the characters and motivations to provide a more rounded story. Especially as James Goss' recent adaptations of the Douglas Adams stories have been joyful romps Alternatively he could have churned out the most basic sketch of the characters and leave all the problems on screen in tact. I hope Revelation is better Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
