Books - current, past and future

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Gollom

Gollom

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Following posts from another thread, thought I'd start one which may well be interesting and also give new books to explore

What are you currently reading?
What have you read that is memorable (suggest keep to three - I could add lots!)
What have you always meant to read but never got round to it?

Current: Gotta Get Theroux This - Louis Theroux . The Kindness Of Strangers - Kate Adie, Tommo Hawk - Bryce Courtenay (depending on mood!)

Past: Sarum - Edward Rutherfurd (how to build a cathedral in a novel!), Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee - Dee Brown (disgraceful account of man's inhumanity to man), A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson (wish he had been my teacher!)

Future: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll (have read before but been told it is a totally different read when you are older)
 
Gollom said:
A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson (wish he had been my teacher!)
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I've read and liked all of Bryson's books. A walk in the woods is the the outstanding one for me. Very funny and so much better than the film which was rubbish.

As already mentioned currently reading War and Peace which is as much a historical chronicle as a novel, although Tolstoy himself said it was neither of those things. It's a great insight into Russia in the early 1800's and the farce of war. The length is not intimidating at all once you get started.

One of the most influential books I've read is Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. The motorcycle maintenance bit is just a front for what is really a book about psychology. It's one of the books I've read many times over although I can't find my copy at the moment and will have to buy another one.

War and Peace was the book I had never gotten around to but I will now substitute Ulysses by James Joyce.
 
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Anything by Douglas Murray.

I recommend "The Madness of Crowds" (just finished) and am currently on "Islamophilia: A Very Metropolitan Malady".
 
190 said:
I've read and liked all of Bryson's books. A walk in the woods is the the outstanding one for me. Very funny and so much better than the film which was rubbish.

As already mentioned currently reading War and Peace which is as much a historical chronicle as a novel, although Tolstoy himself said it was neither of those things. It's a great insight into Russia in the early 1800's and the farce of war. The length is not intimidating at all once you get started.

One of the most influential books I've read is Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. The motorcycle maintenance bit is just a front for what is really a book about psychology. It's one of the books I've read many times over although I can't find my copy at the moment and will have to buy another one.

War and Peace was the book I had never gotten around to but I will now substitute Ulysses by James Joyce.
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I read and thoroughly enjoyed Notes from a small Island.
 
I don't tend to read books. I read articles and journals online, mainly scientific / medical.
 
Recently finished Mick Herron's series of books, starting with "Slow Horses" and fortunately read them in order.
Highly recommended - John le Carre with a twist - funny and hugely readable.
 
Past- anything by Mario Puzo really but especially liked The Sicilian and The Godfather.
Present- I’m reading Chickenhawk again by Robert Mason. A superb account of being a Huey pilot in Vietnam. Just incredible.
Future- The New Jackals by Simon Reeve, published in 1998.;
“On September 11, 2001, Reeve became a wanted man. As the author of the only book in the world at the time about Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda, suddenly everyone wanted a piece of him. In the media maelstrom that followed the catastrophic attacks on New York City and the Pentagon, he emerged as a leading expert on terrorism”.
 
past: also recommend the Edward Rutherfurd books - Sarum, The Forest, London - all take the same prehistoric to current day theme. Also really enjoyed the Shardlake series by CJ Sansom and The Quincunx by Charles Palliser. You will spot a theme here of historical fiction - absolutely love it.

Current: been reading The Second Sleep by Robert Harris - quirky book.

Future: many many books to come but Father Christmas is bringing me the final episode in the Bernard Cornwall Uhtred of Bebbanburg series.
 
ss201 said:
Recently finished Mick Herron's series of books, starting with "Slow Horses" and fortunately read them in order.
Highly recommended - John le Carre with a twist - funny and hugely readable.
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really enjoyed these too.
 
Currently, I'm reading Crewship Life - Knights in Whites by Tobias Biddick. It's the third in his series of books about working on cruise ships, and this book is set on Ocean Princess - which was transferred to P&O as "Oceana" and was recently sold. I've cruised on Oceana a few times (including on honeymoon) so it holds special memories for me.

The most memorable book I've read is The Drifters by James A Michener. Whilst most of his books follow a location as characters pass through (so we see how the location changes over time) - this book follows the characters through several locations, so we see how the characters change over the course of their travels.

I'm saving the new Jeffrey Archer - "Hidden in Plain Sight" for a holiday read. It's the second in his William Warwick series, which he referred to in his "Clifton Chronicles" series. Hopefully I will be able to take a holiday before April 1st, when the next book in the series will be published.
 
Meldrew2 said:
Currently, I'm reading Crewship Life - Knights in Whites by Tobias Biddick. It's the third in his series of books about working on cruise ships, and this book is set on Ocean Princess - which was transferred to P&O as "Oceana" and was recently sold. I've cruised on Oceana a few times (including on honeymoon) so it holds special memories for me.

The most memorable book I've read is The Drifters by James A Michener. Whilst most of his books follow a location as characters pass through (so we see how the location changes over time) - this book follows the characters through several locations, so we see how the characters change over the course of their travels.

I'm saving the new Jeffrey Archer - "Hidden in Plain Sight" for a holiday read. It's the second in his William Warwick series, which he referred to in his "Clifton Chronicles" series. Hopefully I will be able to take a holiday before April 1st, when the next book in the series will be published.
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All now on my list. Not sure if I have read The Drifters sequence. I think Archer get's bad press but his books are very readable!
 
Occurred to me last night I'd not included an author who has bought me a great deal of pleasure over the years and whose books bear repeated readings - Wilbur Smith. Although I reckon his last few have either been "ghosted" or age is catching up with him. Probably my favourite is the Egyptian series. The opening of "River God" is a consummate exercise on how to start a book and compel you to read further.
 
Gollom said:
Occurred to me last night I'd not included an author who has bought me a great deal of pleasure over the years and whose books bear repeated readings - Wilbur Smith. Although I reckon his last few have either been "ghosted" or age is catching up with him. Probably my favourite is the Egyptian series. The opening of "River God" is a consummate exercise on how to start a book and compel you to read further.
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Mrs Swotty has read a few of those and likes them very much. I haven't, as we tend to like different things ... unusual for a married couple.

Said no-one.
 
Gollom said:
All now on my list. Not sure if I have read The Drifters sequence. I think Archer get's bad press but his books are very readable!
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Archer is holiday reading!! But then, whatever one reads is good.
 
Gollom said:
Occurred to me last night I'd not included an author who has bought me a great deal of pleasure over the years and whose books bear repeated readings - Wilbur Smith. Although I reckon his last few have either been "ghosted" or age is catching up with him. Probably my favourite is the Egyptian series. The opening of "River God" is a consummate exercise on how to start a book and compel you to read further.
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Thanks for the Wilbur Smith reminder. I read a few of the Courtney series of books back in Greece.
You’ve now got me looking at the entire series. :thumb:
 
Current book is El Alamein (book 6) by Stuart Minor. I've just finished the novel part and moving on to historical notes. Not too graphic but gives a flavour of the conditions in the desert.
 
I don’t have a current book because the vast majority of my reading is done whilst flying.

I like most books, fact and fiction as long as they’re not fantasy. I generally go for relatively easy reading so I’ve enjoyed several Jeffrey Archer novels but my favourite in that genre is Sidney Sheldon - I’ve read most of his 18 novels, so future reads could be the other two.

A memorable set was Conn Iggulden’s Conqueror Series, historical fiction based on the Mongol Khans of Central Asia. (I met the author a few years ago and got him to autograph my copy of the last in the series.)

Two books that stand out from past reading are The Kremlin Letter by Noel Behn (a gripping story of espionage during the Cold War - waaaay better than the film) and more recently I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes that weaves together several puzzles and takes you into the mind of a fraught soul against humanity. Both books take concentration but are impossible to put down.

I must try War and Peace - I enjoyed the TV series.
 
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