1. Dune by Frank Herbert.
Lady T bought this, despite not knowing anything about it and not really caring for sci-fi, so I nabbed it. I was vaguely aware of Dune as it's part of pop-culture and I particularly remembered the games being reviewed in Amiga Power.
It was a rip-roaring start and I was really into it, but by about two-thirds of the way through I felt it was sagging a bit and I ended up putting it down and didn't return for a while. The end was quite exciting but also felt a bit rushed. I'm not sure if I want to read more in this saga, or not.
Given that it took me around 4 months (with a significant break, I admit) to finish this one book it does not bode well for me getting through many more this year.
Lady T bought this, despite not knowing anything about it and not really caring for sci-fi, so I nabbed it. I was vaguely aware of Dune as it's part of pop-culture and I particularly remembered the games being reviewed in Amiga Power.
It was a rip-roaring start and I was really into it, but by about two-thirds of the way through I felt it was sagging a bit and I ended up putting it down and didn't return for a while. The end was quite exciting but also felt a bit rushed. I'm not sure if I want to read more in this saga, or not.
Given that it took me around 4 months (with a significant break, I admit) to finish this one book it does not bode well for me getting through many more this year.
Dimrill wrote:
okay i'll try to do this one this year.
1. James Lovegrove - Sherlock Holmes and the Beast of the Stapletons.
2. Anne Rice - The Vampire Armand.
3. Anne Rice - Blood and Gold
4. Mortis - John French
ABORTED: Anne Rice - Blood Canticle
5. Anne Rice - Prince Lestat
1. James Lovegrove - Sherlock Holmes and the Beast of the Stapletons.
2. Anne Rice - The Vampire Armand.
3. Anne Rice - Blood and Gold
4. Mortis - John French
ABORTED: Anne Rice - Blood Canticle
5. Anne Rice - Prince Lestat
6. Gav Thorpe - Luther First of the Fallen
Space bad man is bad. 8.5/10
7. Mike Brooks - Alpharius
Space bad man is complicated. 9/10
Is Alpharius a standalone tale?
aye. latest in the Primarchs series.
Squirt wrote:
1.) The House Share - Kate Helm
2.) Rebecca -Daphne de Maurier
3.) The Black Cloud - Fred Hoyle
4.) Bad Move - Linwood Barclay
5.) The Longest Afternoon - Brendan Simms
6.) The Holocaust - Laurence Rees
7.) A Little Hatred - Joe Abercrombie
8.) Ghoster - Jason Arnopp
9.) Bad Guys - Linwood Barclay
10.) The Three Hostages - John Buchan
2.) Rebecca -Daphne de Maurier
3.) The Black Cloud - Fred Hoyle
4.) Bad Move - Linwood Barclay
5.) The Longest Afternoon - Brendan Simms
6.) The Holocaust - Laurence Rees
7.) A Little Hatred - Joe Abercrombie
8.) Ghoster - Jason Arnopp
9.) Bad Guys - Linwood Barclay
10.) The Three Hostages - John Buchan
11.) Map Addict - Mike Parker
Man likes maps. Man has opinions about maps. Man writes down aforementioned opinions about maps down in a series of slightly disjointed chapters. Maps.
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
Anthony Horowitz - Moonflower Murders. A whodunnit, investigated by a publisher, with the conceit being that clues to the murder are in the pages of a book, which she published. That book appears in this book, halfway through. It seemed a bit odd to me, waiting that long to realise there was another whole book inside, though I think it is a running theme for these books. It meant the character had to keep being asked why she hadn't read the book yet, and it felt like she was making up reasons not to just be reading bits at night, but that's all because you have to read the whole thing. I picked this up cheap for Kindle, sure that I followed the author on Twitter but without knowing why. But I don't. So, an exercise in futility. Though for all my moans, it's a pretty good book(s).
Kern wrote:
1."The Impeachers" by Brenda Wineapple
2. "Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to YouTube" by Trav SD
3."The Shortest History of Germany" by James Hawes
4. "How Britain Ends - English Nationalism and the Re-birth of Four Nations" by Gavin Esler
5 ."The Shortest History of England" by James Hawes
6. "The Adventures of Owen Hatherley in the Post-Soviet Space" by Owen Hatherley
7. "Men at Arms" by Terry Pratchett
8. "Billy Lynn's Long Half-Time Walk" by Ben Fountain
9. "Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain" by Sathnam Sanghera
10. "Wounds" by Fergal Keane
11. "The Lip" by Charlie Carroll
12. "Paying the Land" by Joe Sacco
2. "Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to YouTube" by Trav SD
3."The Shortest History of Germany" by James Hawes
4. "How Britain Ends - English Nationalism and the Re-birth of Four Nations" by Gavin Esler
5 ."The Shortest History of England" by James Hawes
6. "The Adventures of Owen Hatherley in the Post-Soviet Space" by Owen Hatherley
7. "Men at Arms" by Terry Pratchett
8. "Billy Lynn's Long Half-Time Walk" by Ben Fountain
9. "Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain" by Sathnam Sanghera
10. "Wounds" by Fergal Keane
11. "The Lip" by Charlie Carroll
12. "Paying the Land" by Joe Sacco
13. "This Party's Dead: Grief, Joy, and Spilled Rum at the World's Death Festivals" by Erica Buist
A travelogue covering death parties from around the world, from the Day of the Dead in Mexico to the Ma'Nene rituals amongst the Torajan in Indonesia where ancestors get a regular wash and new suit. Told from the perspective of buttoned-up British expectations, there are some laugh-out-loud moments as the author describes being knocked on the head by someone's late granny or, charmingly, pondering if having sex in a tent at a cemetery is acceptable if you know your ancestors are floating around. She's open about her discomfort at times and pretty perceptive about how different cultures handle dead people and avoids coming across as condescending or resorting to Blue Peterish "look at these strange people" tropes.
It's the second or third book I've read recently about how our attitudes to death are counterproductive and how we need to be more open to the unavoidable fact that we're going to die. Whilst I get the argument, it remains a very hard topic to breach in normal conversation over a pint after work ("so, do you think the 'Macarena' is a good entrance piece for the funeral itself, or should I save it for the commital to the flames?"). Of course, this is because our attitudes are all screwed up over it but until death-positivism becomes more commonplace, it's going to remain a taboo. Anyone fancying starting a thread here titled "Let's talk about death, baby" (subtitle: "Let's talk about you and me")?
By the way, the first time I heard of transhumanism was as a plot point in Russell T Davies' inspired-but-probably-of-its-moment drama Years and Years. Buist meets one of the movement's leading lights but isn't convinced.
Grim... wrote:
1) Doctor Sleep - Stevie King
2) John Dies at the End - David Wong
3) Stranded - Bracken MacLeod
4) Artemis by Andy Weir
5) Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho
6) Randomise by Andy Weir
2) John Dies at the End - David Wong
3) Stranded - Bracken MacLeod
4) Artemis by Andy Weir
5) Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho
6) Randomise by Andy Weir
7) I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter by Isabel Fall
It's a short story about a chopper pilot, who has undergone gender-reassignment surgery to make them a more effective killing machine. It's short, and it's really interesting.
eight) The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
I read this without realising that it was really old. But anyway, it's about a kid called Jack (possibly the strongest 12 year old that exists) who learns to skip between worlds and goes on a trek to collect a talisman and save his mum. He spends far to much time in our dull world for my liking, and it's a long old book, but it's okay. There's a sequel, but I doubt I'll bother.
Grim... wrote:
Grim... wrote:
7) I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter by Isabel Fall
It's a short story about a chopper pilot, who has undergone gender-reassignment surgery to make them a more effective killing machine. It's short, and it's really interesting.
It's a short story about a chopper pilot, who has undergone gender-reassignment surgery to make them a more effective killing machine. It's short, and it's really interesting.
That's a hell of a name for a story.
Unsurprisingly, it was pounced upon by fucking idiots and the author took it offline 
Grim... wrote:
eight) The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
I read this without realising that it was really old. But anyway, it's about a kid called Jack (possibly the strongest 12 year old that exists) who learns to skip between worlds and goes on a trek to collect a talisman and save his mum. He spends far to much time in our dull world for my liking, and it's a long old book, but it's okay. There's a sequel, but I doubt I'll bother.
I read this without realising that it was really old. But anyway, it's about a kid called Jack (possibly the strongest 12 year old that exists) who learns to skip between worlds and goes on a trek to collect a talisman and save his mum. He spends far to much time in our dull world for my liking, and it's a long old book, but it's okay. There's a sequel, but I doubt I'll bother.
The sequel is very good. If memory serves, it's better than the first one. Black House, is it?
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
Snow in May - Kseniya Melnik. Short stories about life in Russia, with a few interlocking families (one story about a father, two stories later about his daughter, that kind of thing) that make it more connected than short stories often are. Easy read, and beautiful in places. It's everyday life, so reading it feels safe - you're not going to turn the page and find everything turned upside down. It's lovely.
Again to Carthage - John L Parker. Sequel to Once a Runner, which I'm reliably told is like a bible to competitive/semi so runners in the US, and I thought was fantastic. This is more like fan service, but does delve into what a runner might do when they can't run, or not so quickly, any more. The banter between characters is hit and miss, though with some good hits. For extended descriptions of how a run feels, and why that might actually be something people want to do, neither book can be beaten.
DavPaz wrote:
The sequel is very good. If memory serves, it's better than the first one. Black House, is it?
That's right.
Fuxxache, now I might need to read it.
Squirt wrote:
1.) The House Share - Kate Helm
2.) Rebecca -Daphne de Maurier
3.) The Black Cloud - Fred Hoyle
4.) Bad Move - Linwood Barclay
5.) The Longest Afternoon - Brendan Simms
6.) The Holocaust - Laurence Rees
7.) A Little Hatred - Joe Abercrombie
8.) Ghoster - Jason Arnopp
9.) Bad Guys - Linwood Barclay
10.) The Three Hostages - John Buchan
11.) Map Addict - Mike Parker
2.) Rebecca -Daphne de Maurier
3.) The Black Cloud - Fred Hoyle
4.) Bad Move - Linwood Barclay
5.) The Longest Afternoon - Brendan Simms
6.) The Holocaust - Laurence Rees
7.) A Little Hatred - Joe Abercrombie
8.) Ghoster - Jason Arnopp
9.) Bad Guys - Linwood Barclay
10.) The Three Hostages - John Buchan
11.) Map Addict - Mike Parker
12.) Chastise - Max Hastings
Huzzah for the Dambusters! A mix of daring pilots, backroom boffins, wilful blindness, missed opportunities, unfortunately named dogs, propaganda and, a gruesome detail i didn't know anything about, 1,000 forced labourers locked in camps downriver. A interesting detailed read, with none of the jingoism thats built up around this subject.
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
The Family Upstairs - Lisa Jewell. 4 chapters from the end, I was ready to evangelise this. It's a whathappened and then a whatwillhappen which reveals its secrets regularly, and isn't overly long. Then the last 4 chapters leave a few things happening, with an ending that's fine. Next page - come back next year for the sequel. It feels like they ran out of time, and decided a whole other book would let them end it properly, when another 40 pages or so in the same vein would have been more satisfying. Currently 99p in ebook (Kobo, Amazon), though, and it's worth that.
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
Broken Greek - Pete Paphides. A memoir of growing up in Birmingham, with particular reference to the music. I lost several hours in tangents, either putting on tunes, or looking up artists, so it helps if you also remember the 70s and tap straight into those memories (Pete was born in 69, I think), though there are also plenty of stories about being a kid, an outsider, and finding your identity. He's married to Caitlin Moran, and I remember the book coming out to great acclaim and her leaving some praising comment along the line of "never mind trying to be a great writer, what if it turns out you're not even the best in your own family?" He's a lovely, lovely bloke, not at all precious about music, with ABBA and The Barron Knights playing big parts, and even the fact that he later met a lot of these musicians and interviewed them just means he can add a little colour with hindsight, but totally without ego. It just won an award, too.
JBR wrote:
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
Broken Greek - Pete Paphides. A memoir of growing up in Birmingham, with particular reference to the music. I lost several hours in tangents, either putting on tunes, or looking up artists, so it helps if you also remember the 70s and tap straight into those memories (Pete was born in 69, I think), though there are also plenty of stories about being a kid, an outsider, and finding your identity. He's married to Caitlin Moran, and I remember the book coming out to great acclaim and her leaving some praising comment along the line of "never mind trying to be a great writer, what if it turns out you're not even the best in your own family?" He's a lovely, lovely bloke, not at all precious about music, with ABBA and The Barron Knights playing big parts, and even the fact that he later met a lot of these musicians and interviewed them just means he can add a little colour with hindsight, but totally without ego. It just won an award, too.
I have a lot of time for PP. Seems a very lovely man and knows his music.
I'm having a similar experience with Adam Buxton's ramblebook, only on audio, which benefits from his reading it as well as his adeptness as a maker of podcasts.
It's highly self indulgent but in a knowing way, it's got a big heart, is quite astute in its examining of friendship and relationships, and has a ton of rumination on music, which has sent me shooting off to listen to Brian eno on Spotify.
Findus Fop wrote:
JBR wrote:
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
Broken Greek - Pete Paphides. A memoir of growing up in Birmingham, with particular reference to the music. I lost several hours in tangents, either putting on tunes, or looking up artists, so it helps if you also remember the 70s and tap straight into those memories (Pete was born in 69, I think), though there are also plenty of stories about being a kid, an outsider, and finding your identity. He's married to Caitlin Moran, and I remember the book coming out to great acclaim and her leaving some praising comment along the line of "never mind trying to be a great writer, what if it turns out you're not even the best in your own family?" He's a lovely, lovely bloke, not at all precious about music, with ABBA and The Barron Knights playing big parts, and even the fact that he later met a lot of these musicians and interviewed them just means he can add a little colour with hindsight, but totally without ego. It just won an award, too.
I have a lot of time for PP. Seems a very lovely man and knows his music.
I'm having a similar experience with Adam Buxton's ramblebook, only on audio, which benefits from his reading it as well as his adeptness as a maker of podcasts.
It's highly self indulgent but in a knowing way, it's got a big heart, is quite astute in its examining of friendship and relationships, and has a ton of rumination on music, which has sent me shooting off to listen to Brian eno on Spotify.
Excellent - I grabbed that one while it was on ebook sale, so I'll nudge it back up the list a bit.
Grim... wrote:
1) Doctor Sleep - Stevie King
2) John Dies at the End - David Wong
3) Stranded - Bracken MacLeod
4) Artemis by Andy Weir
5) Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho
6) Randomise by Andy Weir
7) I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter by Isabel Fall
eight) The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
2) John Dies at the End - David Wong
3) Stranded - Bracken MacLeod
4) Artemis by Andy Weir
5) Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho
6) Randomise by Andy Weir
7) I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter by Isabel Fall
eight) The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
9) Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
This is an odd one. While I was reading it I thought it was okay, now that I've finished I think it's excellent - it certainly didn't hurt that the ending was superb. It's told (mainly) from the point of view of an eight year old girl who has an older sister that's either mentally ill or possessed. The family are also losing their house, so they agree to have a reality TV show filmed there documenting the possession and all the freaky goings-on. Is she possessed or not? YOU DECIDE!
It also has "special features" at the end, something that's missing from too many books. Although the "suggested reading groups topics" was a bit wanky.
It's four quid on Amazon, or free if you have Kindle Unlimited. Here's a link for you: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01K3M76DI/
As you can see from the cover, Steven King said how scary it was. It really isn't.
Grim... wrote:
1) Doctor Sleep - Stevie King
2) John Dies at the End - David Wong
3) Stranded - Bracken MacLeod
4) Artemis by Andy Weir
5) Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho
6) Randomise by Andy Weir
7) I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter by Isabel Fall
eight) The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
9) Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
2) John Dies at the End - David Wong
3) Stranded - Bracken MacLeod
4) Artemis by Andy Weir
5) Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho
6) Randomise by Andy Weir
7) I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter by Isabel Fall
eight) The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
9) Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
Unexpectedly, me again.
10) Come Closer by Sara Gran
This is a fairly short book (44,000 words - the first Harry Potter is 77,000 for comparison) and I ploughed through it all in a night. It was actually in the "recommended" section of the last book I read about possession.
This one is also about possession, but from the point of view of the lady being possessed. It's well written and at times unpleasant, and I can't say too much more without ruining it.
Trigger warning - it involves non-consensual sex, but doesn't get graphic.
How long did it take you to count the words, Grim...?
About as long as it takes to type the name in here: https://www.readinglength.com/
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
Rachel Joyce - Miss Benson's Beetle. A middle-aged lady gives it all up to go search for a near-mythical beetle on a tropical island. Mostly whimsical story of growing friendship, with a lurking sense of danger.
Simon Scarrow - The Emperor's Exile. Eagles of the Empire 19. Knew it wouldn't be long till I was back with Cato and Macro. Roman adventures, page turning but no more than competent as books go.
Squirt wrote:
1.) The House Share - Kate Helm
2.) Rebecca -Daphne de Maurier
3.) The Black Cloud - Fred Hoyle
4.) Bad Move - Linwood Barclay
5.) The Longest Afternoon - Brendan Simms
6.) The Holocaust - Laurence Rees
7.) A Little Hatred - Joe Abercrombie
8.) Ghoster - Jason Arnopp
9.) Bad Guys - Linwood Barclay
10.) The Three Hostages - John Buchan
11.) Map Addict - Mike Parker
12.) Chastise - Max Hastings
2.) Rebecca -Daphne de Maurier
3.) The Black Cloud - Fred Hoyle
4.) Bad Move - Linwood Barclay
5.) The Longest Afternoon - Brendan Simms
6.) The Holocaust - Laurence Rees
7.) A Little Hatred - Joe Abercrombie
8.) Ghoster - Jason Arnopp
9.) Bad Guys - Linwood Barclay
10.) The Three Hostages - John Buchan
11.) Map Addict - Mike Parker
12.) Chastise - Max Hastings
13.) Three Corvettes - Nicholas Monsarrat
Monsarrat writing about his experiences in WWII, which lead him to write "The Cruel Sea" a few years later. You can see bits and bobs regarding his own experiences here that pop up in that book as part of the fiction. It's basically 3 essays rather than "a book", and each of them is a selection of scenes and snatches of life. It must have been a stressful - 99% cold, wet and dull, but still constantly on edge, and 1% all hell breaking loose.
Duff McKagan - How to be a man (and other illusions)
27 short chapters of Duff's views on things. Interesting list of books and albums in there, and his enthusiasm for things is clear. Can be slightly preachy regarding staying off booze (his pancreas exploded at 30 due to it) and exercising. The chapter about having two daughters is terrifying me. His absolute love for his family is apparent.
Worth a read, if only for the bits where he talks about the economics of being in a band.
Disclaimer: I love Duff.
27 short chapters of Duff's views on things. Interesting list of books and albums in there, and his enthusiasm for things is clear. Can be slightly preachy regarding staying off booze (his pancreas exploded at 30 due to it) and exercising. The chapter about having two daughters is terrifying me. His absolute love for his family is apparent.
Worth a read, if only for the bits where he talks about the economics of being in a band.
Disclaimer: I love Duff.
Grim... wrote:
1) Doctor Sleep - Stevie King
2) John Dies at the End - David Wong
3) Stranded - Bracken MacLeod
4) Artemis by Andy Weir
5) Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho
6) Randomise by Andy Weir
7) I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter by Isabel Fall
eight) The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
9) Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
10) Come Closer by Sara Gran
2) John Dies at the End - David Wong
3) Stranded - Bracken MacLeod
4) Artemis by Andy Weir
5) Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho
6) Randomise by Andy Weir
7) I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter by Isabel Fall
eight) The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
9) Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
10) Come Closer by Sara Gran
11) Bad Move by Linwood Barclay
I read this because Squirt and GJ have been singing the dude's praises, and I chose this one because it's on Kindle Unlimited. Here's what Squirt said:
Squirt wrote:
I do enjoy Linwood Barclay, really solid thrillers that do exactly what you want them to. Mystery! Suspense! A slight doofus of a protagonist! Corruption!
I agree with almost all of that - apart from the "sligh doofus" part: the dude is an absolute moron. Why, in God's name, was he not talking to a lawyer immediately after... Well, this is going to have to go into a spoiler block
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
It was still a good book, and I get the MC is meant to be an everyman, but he ruined a murder investigation and deliberately withheld information from the police, so he going to jail.
Also
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
So, anyway, good book, read it, be prepared for an idiot.
Clearly
Grim... wrote:
I agree with almost all of that - apart from the "sligh doofus" part: the dude is an absolute moron.
Yeah, fair enough! He's just about on the right side of "idiot who makes things worse for himself" rather than "contrived imbecile who intentionally ruins everything" but other's value may vary.
And yeah, I twigged the spoiled item really pretty quickly.
Squirt wrote:
Grim... wrote:
I agree with almost all of that - apart from the "sligh doofus" part: the dude is an absolute moron.
Yeah, fair enough! He's just about on the right side of "idiot who makes things worse for himself" rather than "contrived imbecile who intentionally ruins everything" but other's value may vary.
And yeah, I twigged the spoiled item really pretty quickly.
Oh yeah, totally to both points. I've just finished the second one of the four and he doesn't get any better *shakes head*.
I'm about to start the third though, as I know his character is ridiculous, but I just can't seem to help myself, I still enjoy the books!
Goddess Jasmine wrote:
I'm about to start the third though
THE DATA SUGGESTS OTHERWISE
Grim... wrote:
Goddess Jasmine wrote:
I'm about to start the third though
THE DATA SUGGESTS OTHERWISE
Heh, I was going to 'review' the four at once.
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
Emily St John Mandel - The Glass Hotel. Haunting and excellent, a story mostly of one young woman and the people she meets, one of whom is a Madoff-style financier. It's not a page-turner exactly, but a couple of times I gasped as it revealed its secrets. I'm struggling to describe it, but it's very good - one of few books I've gone back and re-read bits just to enjoy them. I got it from a book club, but Amazon keeps taunting me with it being only 99p digitally.
Grim... wrote:
1) Doctor Sleep - Stevie King
2) John Dies at the End - David Wong
3) Stranded - Bracken MacLeod
4) Artemis by Andy Weir
5) Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho
6) Randomise by Andy Weir
7) I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter by Isabel Fall
eight) The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
9) Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
10) Come Closer by Sara Gran
11) Bad Move by Linwood Barclay
2) John Dies at the End - David Wong
3) Stranded - Bracken MacLeod
4) Artemis by Andy Weir
5) Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho
6) Randomise by Andy Weir
7) I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter by Isabel Fall
eight) The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
9) Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
10) Come Closer by Sara Gran
11) Bad Move by Linwood Barclay
12) A Sincere Warning About The Entity In Your Home by Jason Arnopp
Novella written as a letter from the previous owner of your house to you, explaining why you are being (or soon will be) haunted. It does a fairly good job to be fair, and it's an original idea. It has several stabs at making you think it's your house, some land, some don't (the "we didn't have a TV in the house" part hit hardest for me, as the previous owners of this place didn't have one and that's got to be pretty rare).
Worth a read, it's only cheap on Kindle.
Perhaps the best part is that the author does (or did) personalised versions of the story and then mails them to your unsuspecting friends: http://scaryletter.blogspot.com/p/paper-edition.html
Kern wrote:
1."The Impeachers" by Brenda Wineapple
2. "Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to YouTube" by Trav SD
3."The Shortest History of Germany" by James Hawes
4. "How Britain Ends - English Nationalism and the Re-birth of Four Nations" by Gavin Esler
5 ."The Shortest History of England" by James Hawes
6. "The Adventures of Owen Hatherley in the Post-Soviet Space" by Owen Hatherley
7. "Men at Arms" by Terry Pratchett
8. "Billy Lynn's Long Half-Time Walk" by Ben Fountain
9. "Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain" by Sathnam Sanghera
10. "Wounds" by Fergal Keane
11. "The Lip" by Charlie Carroll
12. "Paying the Land" by Joe Sacco
13. "This Party's Dead: Grief, Joy, and Spilled Rum at the World's Death Festivals" by Erica Buist
2. "Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to YouTube" by Trav SD
3."The Shortest History of Germany" by James Hawes
4. "How Britain Ends - English Nationalism and the Re-birth of Four Nations" by Gavin Esler
5 ."The Shortest History of England" by James Hawes
6. "The Adventures of Owen Hatherley in the Post-Soviet Space" by Owen Hatherley
7. "Men at Arms" by Terry Pratchett
8. "Billy Lynn's Long Half-Time Walk" by Ben Fountain
9. "Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain" by Sathnam Sanghera
10. "Wounds" by Fergal Keane
11. "The Lip" by Charlie Carroll
12. "Paying the Land" by Joe Sacco
13. "This Party's Dead: Grief, Joy, and Spilled Rum at the World's Death Festivals" by Erica Buist
14. "How the Word is Passed: a Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America" by Clint Smith
The book that really got me into US history and, in particular, the US Civil War era, was Tony Horowitz's "Confederates in the Attic", a travelogue of the late 1990s South trying to understand what that war and its legacy meant in the contemporary era. It remains a fun and compelling read, but what stands out these days is how white it is.
Clint Smith's new book is, like Horowitz's work, a tour of various locations in the US and further afield where the author grapples with the history and legacy of slavery, but from the perspective of people of colour. As such, it takes a very different direction to Horowtiz's work and speaks more directly to our time and the current debates or fights over race, slavery, and historical memory.
We travel to plantations, to prisons built on plantations, to Jefferson's Monticello, to New York's hidden history, a Confederate cemetery, and on to Gorée Island, Senegal. In every location he describes how people are trying to grapple with realities of slavery, or how they aren't. He ends the book with his own family, noting that his grandfather's grandfather was enslaved and how slavery, lynchings, Jim Crow, and all the other horrors detailed in the work is not ancient history but lived experiences.
Unlike Horowitz, this isn't a book filled with wry humour. Smith is determined to bring out the realities of the places he visits, how the stories are told, and, whenever possible, let us hear the voices of those who suffered. When reading it, there were several times when I had to take a break after reading a horrific description or even a statistic (I never knew that by 1860, there out of 4 million enslaved people, 57% were under twenty). This is powerful writing.
I'm really glad I read this, and I think it deserves a more detailed re-read to really understand the issues and questions he raises. It's certainly caused me a lot of introspection and thinking about how I should approach these topics and interpretations of the past and present.
I'm also going to refer to enslaved people rather than slaves when discussing these topics from now one, as the book makes clear that by using this phrase we are reminding ourselves and our audience that these were people too.
My book of the year so far.
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
Christopher Brookmyre - The Sacred Art of Stealing. Brookmyre does a good line in Hollywood-style action thrillers - but in Scotland, with a side order of attitude in the extensive inner monologues and dialogue. They all refer to one another, I've read most of them, I can never remember the events referred to. And it's all a bit "teen of the 90s attitude", which I forget till I get into them - and the action is usually enough reward. Worth reading one if you never have, but I think their moment has probably gone, and this isn't the best.
Grim... wrote:
1) Doctor Sleep - Stevie King
2) John Dies at the End - David Wong
3) Stranded - Bracken MacLeod
4) Artemis by Andy Weir
5) Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho
6) Randomise by Andy Weir
7) I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter by Isabel Fall
eight) The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
9) Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
10) Come Closer by Sara Gran
11) Bad Move by Linwood Barclay
12) A Sincere Warning About The Entity In Your Home by Jason Arnopp
2) John Dies at the End - David Wong
3) Stranded - Bracken MacLeod
4) Artemis by Andy Weir
5) Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho
6) Randomise by Andy Weir
7) I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter by Isabel Fall
eight) The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
9) Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
10) Come Closer by Sara Gran
11) Bad Move by Linwood Barclay
12) A Sincere Warning About The Entity In Your Home by Jason Arnopp
13) Dear Laura by Gemma Amor
13 year old Laura's boyfriend gets kidnapped and on her 14th birthday a letter arrives from his kidnapper, telling her to do stuff to get a clue about his location. She does the thing, the letters keep coming.
It was... Okay. Not a lot really got resolved, and I didn't get to find out why the boyfriend got kidnapped in the first place. 6/10.
Squirt wrote:
1.) The House Share - Kate Helm
2.) Rebecca -Daphne de Maurier
3.) The Black Cloud - Fred Hoyle
4.) Bad Move - Linwood Barclay
5.) The Longest Afternoon - Brendan Simms
6.) The Holocaust - Laurence Rees
7.) A Little Hatred - Joe Abercrombie
8.) Ghoster - Jason Arnopp
9.) Bad Guys - Linwood Barclay
10.) The Three Hostages - John Buchan
11.) Map Addict - Mike Parker
12.) Chastise - Max Hastings
13.) Three Corvettes - Nicholas Monsarrat
2.) Rebecca -Daphne de Maurier
3.) The Black Cloud - Fred Hoyle
4.) Bad Move - Linwood Barclay
5.) The Longest Afternoon - Brendan Simms
6.) The Holocaust - Laurence Rees
7.) A Little Hatred - Joe Abercrombie
8.) Ghoster - Jason Arnopp
9.) Bad Guys - Linwood Barclay
10.) The Three Hostages - John Buchan
11.) Map Addict - Mike Parker
12.) Chastise - Max Hastings
13.) Three Corvettes - Nicholas Monsarrat
14.) Moonfleet - J. Meade Falkner
Smugglers! Diamonds! The Revenue! All very silly, but quite good fun.
Oh wow, I read that such a long time ago! Don't think I've still got my copy, and I remember nothing about it, but I know just looking at the spine gave me a warm feeling and a scent of adventure.
JBR wrote:
a scent of adventure.
By Paco Rabanne.
JBR wrote:
Oh wow, I read that such a long time ago! Don't think I've still got my copy, and I remember nothing about it, but I know just looking at the spine gave me a warm feeling and a scent of adventure.
I know! My edition has a cool pictures of pirates on the front cover.
Squirt wrote:
JBR wrote:
Oh wow, I read that such a long time ago! Don't think I've still got my copy, and I remember nothing about it, but I know just looking at the spine gave me a warm feeling and a scent of adventure.
I know! My edition has a cool pictures of pirates on the front cover.
I read that in school when I was about 13. It was so long ago I think it was classed as sci-fi
I do remember enjoying it at the time
Grim... wrote:
JBR wrote:
a scent of adventure.
By Paco Rabanne.
Late lol soz, but it needed highlighting. ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
Stuart Turton - The Devil and the Dark Water. Recommended - adventure, witchcraft and intrigue mostly at sea. Because I got this through an online book club, I listened to the author talk about it, which filled in some blanks. There's lots of talk of past events, but they don't refer to his first book (this the second), they're just there for backstory. And also because he wrote an entire third of the book on land, then ditched it because it was too long. There are loads of characters, and a plan of the ship at the front, and it's best to pay attention - the author's view is that he's going to ask a bit more of you than simpler books. Not that it's tricky to follow. It's also not a shock-horror book, despite fairly major events happening. Maybe it's just such a page-turner that I absorbed revelations quickly, moving on to the next thing. It's good, anyway. I'll probably try his first book, too, even though apparently there's no guarantee that liking the one means you like the other.
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
Robert Harris - Conclave. Picking a new pope, after the old one dies unexpectedly. Political machinations, a bit of exposition to explain some of the arcane processes and also, surprisingly to me, weaving in the modern world. One hell of an ending, I think it fair to say there's a twist in there. Under 300 pages, once I passed any initial "but do I care?" feelings, I didn't stop till I'd finished. Gripping and moving.
Kern wrote:
1."The Impeachers" by Brenda Wineapple
2. "Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to YouTube" by Trav SD
3."The Shortest History of Germany" by James Hawes
4. "How Britain Ends - English Nationalism and the Re-birth of Four Nations" by Gavin Esler
5 ."The Shortest History of England" by James Hawes
6. "The Adventures of Owen Hatherley in the Post-Soviet Space" by Owen Hatherley
7. "Men at Arms" by Terry Pratchett
8. "Billy Lynn's Long Half-Time Walk" by Ben Fountain
9. "Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain" by Sathnam Sanghera
10. "Wounds" by Fergal Keane
11. "The Lip" by Charlie Carroll
12. "Paying the Land" by Joe Sacco
13. "This Party's Dead: Grief, Joy, and Spilled Rum at the World's Death Festivals" by Erica Buist
14. "How the Word is Passed: a Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America" by Clint Smith
2. "Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to YouTube" by Trav SD
3."The Shortest History of Germany" by James Hawes
4. "How Britain Ends - English Nationalism and the Re-birth of Four Nations" by Gavin Esler
5 ."The Shortest History of England" by James Hawes
6. "The Adventures of Owen Hatherley in the Post-Soviet Space" by Owen Hatherley
7. "Men at Arms" by Terry Pratchett
8. "Billy Lynn's Long Half-Time Walk" by Ben Fountain
9. "Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain" by Sathnam Sanghera
10. "Wounds" by Fergal Keane
11. "The Lip" by Charlie Carroll
12. "Paying the Land" by Joe Sacco
13. "This Party's Dead: Grief, Joy, and Spilled Rum at the World's Death Festivals" by Erica Buist
14. "How the Word is Passed: a Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America" by Clint Smith
15. "What a Bloody Awful Country: Northern Ireland's Century of Division" by Kevin Meagher
Taking its name from a quote by Reginald Maudling, Home Secretary under Heath, during a flight back from Belfast, this is a short survey of Northern Ireland's 100 years.
It runs out of steam after the Good Friday Agreement and the last 20 years or so are covered in a few pages. The final chapter, discussing various turning points and missed opportunities where things could have changed is almost a separate essay but ties up the themes of book well. Unsurprisingly, Ian Paisely comes off as the real obstacle for any advance for much of the time.
I did like his description of the statelet's century as being 50-30-20: 50 years of Protestant dominance and neglect from Westminster; 30 years of the Troubles; 20 of engagement and progress.
A useful introduction to a complex subject.
DBSnappa wrote:
Squirt wrote:
JBR wrote:
Oh wow, I read that such a long time ago! Don't think I've still got my copy, and I remember nothing about it, but I know just looking at the spine gave me a warm feeling and a scent of adventure.
I know! My edition has a cool pictures of pirates on the front cover.
I read that in school when I was about 13. It was so long ago I think it was classed as sci-fi
I do remember enjoying it at the time
I also read Moonfleet at school as a teenager. I can't remember much about it other than one key scene (when they had to fight their way out of a raging sea) which stuck with me rather clearly.
Squirt wrote:
1.) The House Share - Kate Helm
2.) Rebecca -Daphne de Maurier
3.) The Black Cloud - Fred Hoyle
4.) Bad Move - Linwood Barclay
5.) The Longest Afternoon - Brendan Simms
6.) The Holocaust - Laurence Rees
7.) A Little Hatred - Joe Abercrombie
8.) Ghoster - Jason Arnopp
9.) Bad Guys - Linwood Barclay
10.) The Three Hostages - John Buchan
11.) Map Addict - Mike Parker
12.) Chastise - Max Hastings
13.) Three Corvettes - Nicholas Monsarrat
14.) Moonfleet - J. Meade Falkner
2.) Rebecca -Daphne de Maurier
3.) The Black Cloud - Fred Hoyle
4.) Bad Move - Linwood Barclay
5.) The Longest Afternoon - Brendan Simms
6.) The Holocaust - Laurence Rees
7.) A Little Hatred - Joe Abercrombie
8.) Ghoster - Jason Arnopp
9.) Bad Guys - Linwood Barclay
10.) The Three Hostages - John Buchan
11.) Map Addict - Mike Parker
12.) Chastise - Max Hastings
13.) Three Corvettes - Nicholas Monsarrat
14.) Moonfleet - J. Meade Falkner
15.) Operation Pedestal - Max Hastings
Apparently I had a Great Uncle or something who took part in this, but as my dad doesn't remember his name I can't confirm or deny it. An interesting mix of the standard wartime elements of bravery, planning screw-ups, avoidable mess-ups and wild swings of luck. Was it a vital mission that saved the war in the Med, or was it essentially a waste of 1000s of lives? Still not sure.
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