Read Any Good Books Lately?

[Heef 166]

8 hours ago, Great Uncle Bulgaria said:

The Last Devil to Die - the 4th in Richard Osman's series about 4 nearly-80 year olds who go round solving murders that the police can't. Found the previous 3 a mixed bunch and wasn't entirely convinced that a 4th helping was the way to go, but I found this possibly the best to date. This is a bit darker than previous ones and the gear changes between light comedy and serious murders are a bit less clunky than previously.

 

No specific comment on Richard Osman as I've not read any of his books yet, but this growing trend of celebrities writing novels or books for children and using their profiles to achieve sales that writers can't hope to achieve without marketing support is quite annoying. I don't want to hear constant drones about what celebrity has managed to churn out a novel

 

8 hours ago, Toast said:

 

These are useful - can be used as a bookmark as well as a place to make notes. I bought a set as a gift for a friend who is in a book group.

Reader's Notes

 

Hmm. That's a decent idea. When I think of something of interest when reading, I'm rarely near paper and pen. Most of my reading is done on the daily commute when I'm on the train.

[ThereWillBeDeaths7 743]

8 hours ago, Great Uncle Bulgaria said:

The Last Devil to Die - the 4th in Richard Osman's series about 4 nearly-80 year olds who go round solving murders that the police can't. Found the previous 3 a mixed bunch and wasn't entirely convinced that a 4th helping was the way to go, but I found this possibly the best to date. This is a bit darker than previous ones and the gear changes between light comedy and serious murders are a bit less clunky than previously.

 

You still need to suspend belief about a couple of central conceits (why don't the hardened criminals just shoot all the annoying geriatrics on initially encountering them rather than engaging with them, why are some of these supposedly masters of evil essentially comic characters rather than objects of fear, etc) but, once you've accepted this, if you enjoyed the first three there's no reason not to buy the 4th instalment (or have someone give it to you for a birthday present, as I did).

I haven't read the Thursday Murder Club series yet, but have heard (non-spoiler) good reviews about them. Additionally, I found Osman to be quite funny on Taskmaster and other UK panel shows so could imagine that showing in his writing. Gave the first book as a christmas present to my partner, I will probably read it sometime later this year.

[maryportfuncity 10,647]

On 21/12/2023 at 09:29, Spade_Cooley said:

 

 

Having been sat on my "to read" list for nearly a year, finally got around to cracking open "In Perfect Harmony - Singalong Pop in '70s Britain" and it's a very, very enjoyable read that I'm sure would appeal to a bunch of DLers. Some great stories and revelations from in there, everything from Middle of the Road drinking Motorhead under the table to Clive Dunn being an avowed socialist and The Foundations nearly scuppering their career by stealing microphones from every recording studio they visited and selling them on.

 

 

Thanks - may well have to get myself this. Middle of the Road were working class Scots one and all, not that surprising!

[Great Uncle Bulgaria 1,287]

On 09/01/2024 at 23:17, maryportfuncity said:

On 21/12/2023 at 09:29, Spade_Cooley said:

 

 

Having been sat on my "to read" list for nearly a year, finally got around to cracking open "In Perfect Harmony - Singalong Pop in '70s Britain" and it's a very, very enjoyable read that I'm sure would appeal to a bunch of DLers. Some great stories and revelations from in there, everything from Middle of the Road drinking Motorhead under the table to Clive Dunn being an avowed socialist and The Foundations nearly scuppering their career by stealing microphones from every recording studio they visited and selling them on.

 

 

Thanks for the recommendation. Just finished this and I agree it's a very good read for the most part, although the early chapters are stronger on the music and the latter ones are a bit heavy on the social history (bit too much winter of discontent and the like).  Leo Sayer was a strange choice to devote most of the chapter on disco to and a few of the band choices I had never heard of, despite growing up in the 70s and being something of an authoritative sad case on its pop music - I had no recollection of Design or Hector, for example.

Fwiw it was Rita Ray from Darts, not Middle of the Road, who drank Motorhead under the table.

Recommended, particularly for the older ones amongst us on here. 

[YoungWillz 21,057]

On 25/05/2020 at 15:43, Toast said:

 

I quite enjoy the Shardlake novels by CJ Sansom, Henry VIII period.  I've read four so far, but I need a long break in between them because they are far too long, padded out to the point where the story could be told in half the page count.  Good stories though, and the period detail is fascinating.

Maybe worth a re-visit now CJ Sansom has died?

 

Disney are apparently doing a Shardlake series based on the works.

[Bibliogryphon 9,586]

4 minutes ago, YoungWillz said:

Maybe worth a re-visit now CJ Sansom has died?

 

Disney are apparently doing a Shardlake series based on the works.

 

Arthur Hughes is playing the lead role who was brilliant at the RSC as Richard III a couple of years ago. Was notable as the first disabled actor to play Richard III

[GrumpyRabbit 52]

14 minutes ago, YoungWillz said:

Maybe worth a re-visit now CJ Sansom has died?

 

Disney are apparently doing a Shardlake series based on the works.

Available from 1st May.  Shame he didn’t get to see it broadcast.

[Toast 16,144]

2 hours ago, YoungWillz said:

Maybe worth a re-visit now CJ Sansom has died?

Disney are apparently doing a Shardlake series based on the works.

 

Never felt the desire to re-read any of them. I didn't read the last one, Tombland, as it was even more ridiculously long.  There has long been a rumour of another book in the series, called Ratcliff.

I have a sub to Disney+ which comes with upgrading my Lloyds current account, so I'll be watching.

 

2 hours ago, Bibliogryphon said:

Arthur Hughes is playing the lead role who was brilliant at the RSC as Richard III a couple of years ago. Was notable as the first disabled actor to play Richard III

 

I don't know him, but from the only photo I've seen he's nothing like my mental image of Shardlake.

Sean Bean is Thomas Cromwell, which is a bit of a spoiler as to how his storyline will end

[gcreptile 10,978]

Since Michael "Moneyball" Lewis got captured by Crypto faker Sam Bankman-Fried, I had to change my "favorite author" to "Shock Doctrine" writer Naomi Klein.

I am now reading her recent "Doppelganger" book and continue to be impressed by her, shall we say, flexible mind. Times aren't easy for a politically progressive person, and it seems kind of hard to make sense of it all. I think she makes a good effort (by not simply ignoring or condemning "the other side").