What are you Reading ... 📚

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BlueGum said:
Been having a good run of reads:

Humbolt by Emily Brady - non-fiction about effects of decriminalising marijuana on California communities and that grew crops illegally

Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead - fiction interweaving stories about escaping slavery in the south of the US

The Narrow Road to the Deep North - Richard Flanagan - the captive troops on the Burma railway. He's got such empathy for his characters.

An Artist in a Floating World - Kazuo Ishiguro. Slow reading to make the beautiful writing last longer.

The Divide - Matt Taibbi- comparing justice in the world of financial crimes v misdemeanours

Just Kids - Patti Smith (on Esky's recommendation, thank you) good read about New York in the 70s, and Patti and Robert Mapplethorpe. M Train set up and ready to read soon.
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Very eclectic array, really good. The quality of writing and language in good literature can be just as enjoyable as the story I find :thumbsu:
 
MEB_ said:
I might start with Perfume, it seems easier to tackle
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Perfume is dark and slightly oddly phrased. But it needs to be read.
Movie is terrible though.

ferrisb said:
Tried reading it once. Stopped after a few pages, which is very rare for me. But I was super busy at the time and probably didn't give it the attention it deserved.

Edit: a very well-read friend of mine has told me that Anna K is one of the best books she has ever read.

I haven't read any other Tolstoy, but went through a Dostoevsky phase years ago. Crime and punishment is possibly the best book I have ever read. The Idiot is brilliant, The Gambler was pretty good and some short stories were ok.

But seriously, get yourself a copy of C & P. Amazing.
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Went through a Dostoyevsky phase at uni. Still think C&P is astonishing. That bit with the horse... yikes.

MEB_ said:
Often the books are significantly different to the movie.
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Yep, could write a long list of movies that are enjoyable but the books are infinitely better.

It’s time for recommendations I guess

“You” - Caroline Kepnes
Pretty disturbing - she writes from a creepy male perspective so well I initially thought this was a bloke with a female pseudonym.

“Gone Girl”
If you seen the movie read the book. The adaptation is reasonably faithful but the book is excellently written.

“the girl on the train”
Movie is an excruciating attempt to brow beat something that culturally and atmospherically suits England into New ******* England. ******* yankee imperialism.
Book is a page turner though.

American Gods - Neil Gaiman
Interesting idea, not sure it’s entirely original. But really is the sort of first rate stuff you expect fron Gaiman.
 

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Some others I’ve read in the last couple of yearsor so that are worth a look...

The long dark teatime of the soul - Douglas Adams
Conceptually similar to the Gaiman described above - but funnier.

How the dead live - Wil Self
Disturbing book. Havent decided if it’s genuinely about the afterlife or if the main character is having deathbed hallucinations. Beautifully written though.

The Moors last sigh - Rushdie
Murder, corruption and all sorts of forbidden love. Rushdie gradually pulls back layer after layer. Revelatory. One of my faves - read this book about 20 years ago and re-read every couple of years.

The dice man
Slightly unhinged New York psychiatrist who decided to live his life completely randomly.
 
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Magruder said:
Some others I’ve read in the last couple of yearsor so that are worth a look...

The long dark teatime of the soul - Douglas Adams
Conceptually similar to the Gaiman described above - but funnier.

How the dead live - Wil Self
Disturbing book. Havent decided if it’s genuinely about the afterlife or if the main character is having deathbed hallucinations. Beautifully written though.

The Moors last sigh - Rushdie
Murder, corruption and all sorts of forbidden love in just post independence India. Rushdie gradually pulls back layer after layer. Revelatory. One of my faves - read this book about 20 years ago and re-read every couple of years.

The dice man
Slightly unhinged New York psychiatrist who decided to live his life completely randomly.
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Wow you read a lot of books Magruder

Four books would be four more than i have read in the last 30 years.
 
AceAndy said:
Wow you read a lot of books Magruder

Four books would be four more than i have read in the last 30 years.
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Probably one every 15-20 days.
Just started on Le Carre - better than I thought actually with occasionally lovely turn of phrase.

So many other things to do these days but I struggle to sleep if I haven’t spend a bit of time with a book.
 
Currently reading ‘The uncollected plays of’ Shaun Micallef. A Christmas gift from my daughter. If you like his TV work then you’ll get a giggle out of his (let’s face it) strange thought processes. He reworks Dr Faust as a chiropodist meeting Mephistopheles. He tackles Moses and Exodus in a Monty Pythonesque manner. I’m only a few plays into the book but I’m predicting he’ll have a crack a few more sacred cows.
 
I'm two thirds the way through the 'Sharpe' series by Bernard Cornwall.
Have engaged my 9 yr old daughter in the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. I think she is falling for legolas.
Developed a love for the Japanese culture through reading Eric Van Lustbade novels.
 
Magruder said:
Some others I’ve read in the last couple of yearsor so that are worth a look...

The long dark teatime of the soul - Douglas Adams
Conceptually similar to the Gaiman described above - but funnier.

How the dead live - Wil Self
Disturbing book. Havent decided if it’s genuinely about the afterlife or if the main character is having deathbed hallucinations. Beautifully written though.

The Moors last sigh - Rushdie
Murder, corruption and all sorts of forbidden love in just post independence India. Rushdie gradually pulls back layer after layer. Revelatory. One of my faves - read this book about 20 years ago and re-read every couple of years.

The dice man
Slightly unhinged New York psychiatrist who decided to live his life completely randomly.
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I read the Dice Man in the 80’s ... we all really go into it so much so we’d start rolling the dice on decisions ...young and foolish etc
 
Have just finished November Road by Lou Berney set against the assasination of JFK, chase across America. Crime, love ... really enjoyed it

Prior that, I am Pilgrim, boy I loved it page turner, spy, espionage...being made into a movie

What next looking at something different maybe Magda’s autobiography
 
BluStreak said:
I'm two thirds the way through the 'Sharpe' series by Bernard Cornwall.
Have engaged my 9 yr old daughter in the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. I think she is falling for legolas.
Developed a love for the Japanese culture through reading Eric Van Lustbade novels.
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Have read the Last Kingdom series. Enjoyed it although a little repetitive in places. Will have to have a look at the Sharpe ones.
 

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Couple of recommendations

Deep Time Dreaming - Billy Griffiths
About Australian archaeology. Each chapter is about a dig, what they learn, the changing practices of the discipline, and the role/involvement of indigenous people. With a backdrop of social and political history. Really interesting.

The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman's Extraordinary Life in Death, Decay and Disaster - Sarah Krasnostein
Through the stories of a number of trauma cleans, you also learn of the traumas in the history of Sandra the cleaner, her capacity for compassion and the prejudice against gender changing in Australian society (in the past, and now). All about diversity and compassion.
 
BlueGum said:
Couple of recommendations

Deep Time Dreaming - Billy Griffiths
About Australian archaeology. Each chapter is about a dig, what they learn, the changing practices of the discipline, and the role/involvement of indigenous people. With a backdrop of social and political history. Really interesting.

The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman's Extraordinary Life in Death, Decay and Disaster - Sarah Krasnostein
Through the stories of a number of trauma cleans, you also learn of the traumas in the history of Sandra the cleaner, her capacity for compassion and the prejudice against gender changing in Australian society (in the past, and now). All about diversity and compassion.
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You know what BlueGum. I’ve read less in recent years because I spend too much time reading on BF. I think I’ve got my priorities out of whack.
 
Robbo's my hero said:
You know what BlueGum. I’ve read less in recent years because I spend too much time reading on BF. I think I’ve got my priorities out of whack.
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Ha. Have that affliction too. Those two books got me back on track.
 
BlueGum said:
Ha. Have that affliction too. Those two books got me back on track.
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I’ve got an biography on Roger Daltrey that I’ll read next. I’ve read Pete Townshend’s book. Interesting to get a different view of The Who’s history. IMO Rock’s greatest band.

I’ve got a couple of coffee table books as well. One concerning John Lennon and the other book is about Terry Gilliam. Won’t take as long. Just get to look at all the pictures.
 
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