[G Jaffa Cake J Hug-a-Goth]

... Jasper Fforde is a man of genius, and one in front of whom my knees turn to jelly, my brain to mush, and my mouth into a thing possessed by mad people. I may just have a literary crush the size of Australia on the man. I think he knows.

[PJ Hannah B-R]

I'm just finishing Jump by Jilly Cooper. More tremendously filthy horseplay and puns. I #!$&ing love her.

[SJ Del (The Train Man)]

Have you tried the Brookmyre yet, Si?

[Joinee Simitebrong]

On my shelf in the pending pile I've read Lost in a Good Book and I'm 2/3 through The Well of Lost Plots (I also have The Fourth Bear and Something Rotten in the pending pile too - I'm completely in love with Jasper Fforde's writing!)

Further books in the pending pile are the Bromeliad trilogy and Only You Can Save Mankind by Sir Terry (I loved Johnny and the Bomb & Johnny and the Dead)

I shall do my best to resist ploughing straight into more Jasper and read the Brookmyre when I'm done with Well of Lost Plots

[PJ Hannah B-R]

Just read One Day. Loved it. Felt totally totally emotionally involved in the characters. the film looks shit.

Am now back to the beginning of my Jilly Coopers with Riders

[SJ Del (The Train Man)]

Joinee Simitebrong, on 22 August 2011 - 11:23 AM, said:

On my shelf in the pending pile I've read Lost in a Good Book and I'm 2/3 through The Well of Lost Plots (I also have The Fourth Bear and Something Rotten in the pending pile too - I'm completely in love with Jasper Fforde's writing!)

Further books in the pending pile are the Bromeliad trilogy and Only You Can Save Mankind by Sir Terry (I loved Johnny and the Bomb & Johnny and the Dead)

I shall do my best to resist ploughing straight into more Jasper and read the Brookmyre when I'm done with Well of Lost Plots

Haha, no rush, chap! Just wondering how you're getting along. As it happens, I have been on a Fforde splurge and am now halfway through 'Something Rotten'. Then I've got hte 'The Big Over Easy'.
The Bromeliads are excellent, as is OYCSM. And I don't care that anyone says they're kids books, they are just excellently written.

[Joinee Simitebrong]

The Brookmyre is still on my shelf

I read Only You Can Save Mankind - the least enjoyable, I found, of the Johnny Maxwell series but still really liked it.

Now reading the Bromeliad trilogy, almost finished the first part, Truckers, and finding it typically absorbing. Great, adventurous story.

The Brookmyre will be next!

[Golden Judas]

The Killing Fields by Christopher Hudson

Bit o a jumbled up,quite difficult to follow story based on some of the real life events in Cambodia in the early 70's.Think i'd rather read a factual book on the subject.And that's unusual.

[Rachel Rose]

One of Val McDermid's grisly little Tony Hill books, Fever of the Bone. I Val. And Tony. Especially when he refers to himself as ODD. Good man.

[Joinee Simitebrong]

Almost finished that Brookmyre - 'All Fun and Games until Someone Loses an Eye'

Really really enjoyed it so far. The character of Jane as a bored, frustrated forty-something housewife is drawn with a lot of compassion, depth and humour. I find myself wanting her to get herself a good seeing-to from someone before the end. She deserves it.

I'll be ordering another Brookmyre when I'm done with this one.

[SJ Del (The Train Man)]

How far into it are you Si?

[Joinee Simitebrong]

She got some and then some more I've got 8 pages left to read. I got surprisingly emotional about it all in the final third. I feel such a sense of solidarity with Jane as a character... which is a little odd, I suppose. I also fancy her too. Always loved an older woman, me

Now sure which Brookmyre to order next

[SJ Del (The Train Man)]

Joinee Simitebrong, on 24 September 2011 - 06:23 AM, said:

She got some and then some more I've got 8 pages left to read. I got surprisingly emotional about it all in the final third. I feel such a sense of solidarity with Jane as a character... which is a little odd, I suppose. I also fancy her too. Always loved an older woman, me

Now sure which Brookmyre to order next

Try 'A Big Boy Did It And Ran Away' or 'The Sacred Art Of Stealing'.
But glad you're liking it!

[joinee_doug]

Quote

This is archy, of archy and mehitabel, a fictitious cockroach that commandeered a newspaper columnist's typewriter in the early part of last century.

Just started reading "Archy and Mehitabel"; very entertaining...archy is a cockroach with the soul of a free verse poet; mehitabel is his pal; she's an alley cat, also with a human soul, who claims to have been Cleopatra in a past incarnation. She licks her lips when she remembers what lovely fish dinners they had.

[Gold Joinee Mhairi]

Reading a game of thrones at the mo, really wanted another series to get into. Found it abut heavygoing at first, couldn't remember who the shit anyone was, but got my head round all the names and enjoying it now! And there are loads more books to go, hooray!

[Joinee Evilrhian]

Game of Thrones actually scared me with how quickly I became properly obsessed with it! Clash of Kings was rescheduled for starting tomorrow but there's no chance I'm going to finish John Dies at the End by then. I am loving it even though it tiny bit freaks me out and I have no clue as to what's going on!

[Johnson89]

Hot Water Music - Charles Bukowski

[Joinee Evilrhian]

JDatE seriously lost it for me after I wrote that ^^^ no way I'm going to see the film when it comes out! Since finishing it I've done Siri Hustvedt's 'The Summer Without Men' (not a patch on her last one), Carol Birch's 'Jamrach's Menagerie' (absolutely amazing!) and now on 'Grace Williams Says it Loud' by Emma Henderson about a girl with learning difficulties living in an institution in the 50s, it's all written from her perspective and how she understands so much more than people think but as she can't communicate, they've written her off as a waste of time.

[Hernaic Tom]

I'm reading Geoffrey Miller's "The Mating Mind"

Fascinating review of the evidence for the capacity of sexual selection to shape the human mind.....How our Pleistocene ancestors' mate choice led to our eminent human abilities for creative intelligence, language, morality, kindness and musical skill!

It really has thrown up some concepts and ideas that I never would have considered before. Truly mind-expanding!!

Highly recommended reading!

[Rachel Rose]

Rhian recommended The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

It's bloody brilliant!

[Joinee Evilrhian]

^^^ That pleases me muchly!
Have finally started Clash of Kings...so far so good!

[Gold Joinee Mhairi]

Ooh really want to read the night circus!

Am onto storm of swords part 1 now, loving it! It's so bloody good!

[Diamond Joinee Matt F]

I've recently finished the newest Discworld novel, Snuff.

I am now reading 1984. Yes, as in Orwell. Somehow I had "escaped" having it forced on me at school, and never got round to reading it for pleasure until now!

[Lethal Biddle]

Gold Joinee Mhairi, on 01 November 2011 - 07:13 PM, said:

Am onto storm of swords part 1 now, loving it! It's so bloody good!

Everyone is reading those now! I haven't got on a train in the last 2 months that hasn't had one of those books on.
I warn you not read them too fast. The wait for the next book is crushing once you run out. Martin takes his sweet time. I waited 5 years for book 4, 6 years for book 5 & now the wait for book 6 begins. I predict the last book for 2025. Not sure what the TV show is going to do once they've caught up.

[Golden Judas]

Raise the Titanic by Clive Cussler. Ain't read it in about 20+ years and still enjoying his work.

[joinee_doug]

Diamond Joinee Matt F, on 02 November 2011 - 11:50 PM, said:

I am now reading 1984. Yes, as in Orwell. Somehow I had "escaped" having it forced on me at school, and never got round to reading it for pleasure until now!

I liked a lot of his non-fiction/journalism stuff as well; The Road to Wigan Pier, Homage to Catalonia(about the Spanish Civil War - but he warns you that about every other chapter is fairly heavy going political stuff, and he kind of understands if you skip over it), Burmese Days. He's always pretty objective, which kind of ticks off people with some sort of agenda either way... Good reads, anyway.

[SJ Del (The Train Man)]

'Bad Science' by Ben Goldacre.
Might go back and try some re-reads next.

[Hernaic Tom]

SJ Del (The Train Man), on 03 November 2011 - 08:25 PM, said:

'Bad Science' by Ben Goldacre.

Is it worth a read, Del? I've been recommended it and warned against it....

[Rachel Rose]

I just finished reading James Lee Burke's Rain Gods. It was so good I really need to go buy his next book. My favorite character is the bad, bad guy. Preacher. The next book sounds even better and the author thinks it's his best work so far. Feast Day of Fools.

[Rachel Rose]

Thomas gave me Feast Day of Fools for my birthday.

It's so very good.

[joinee_doug]

Starting Sarah Vowell's Unfamiliar Fishes, about the overthrow of the Hawaiian government and subsequent invasion in the midst of the colonization frenzy the US was going through in the 1890s,amidst the Spanish-American war, setting the stage for further imperialism. Her books are always good, and she's a great guest on chat shows too...

This post has been edited by joinee_doug: 10 November 2011 - 06:05 PM

[SJ Del (The Train Man)]

Hernaic Tom, on 03 November 2011 - 10:03 PM, said:

Is it worth a read, Del? I've been recommended it and warned against it....

Well, I found it very interesting and thought-provoking. Personally, I recommend it.

[Joinee Simitebrong]

'The Inimitable Jeeves' - P.G. Wodehouse

Finally got round to trying Wodehouse. Been put off by the mocking I thought I'd get from the wife for 'trying to be Stephen Fry' - which is exactly what she said when I bought it! - but it's utterly brilliant. Truly funny. Nothing bad happens, always a happy ending. Always leave me with a smile on my face.

[Rachel Rose]

I'm So HAPPY It's Happy Hour by Anne Taintor.

A groovy little book filled with retro photos and yummy cocktails!

[GJ Dandy David]

I've just finished Angels in America by Tony Kushner for university. It's incredibly interesting and I really recommend it (alternatively the HBO DVD is just as good and has some fantastic actors in it)

[PSi Brake]

The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern.

I'm enjoying it so far - it's set at the end of the 19th century/beginning of the 20th, and revolves around two young magicians being groomed in order to compete against each other, though the setting of this match seems to be the night circus of the title, a circus that opens at dusk and closes at dawn. It's all very magical and enchanting, although the characters don't particularly have any depth to them. Admitedly, I only realised that after it was pointed out to me in a review elsewhere, because so far it's been a very entertaining read.

[SJ Del (The Train Man)]

Time for a thread resurrection, methinks.
Currently on 'First Amongst Sequels' by Jasper Fforde.
Recently finished 'Eleven Minutes Late' by Matthew Engel. If you want to know why the railways in this country are in such a state, this is the book you need.
And also 'The Restraint Of Beasts' by Magnus Mills, a novel about a gang of fence-builders and their life away from home. Very, very funny.

[joinee_doug]

SJ Del (The Train Man), on 20 February 2012 - 09:55 PM, said:

And also 'The Restraint Of Beasts' by Magnus Mills, a novel about a gang of fence-builders and their life away from home. Very, very funny.

Loved that one! His 'All Quiet on the Orient Express' is good, too.
Just started Charles Mingus's "autobiography" 'Beneath the Underdog'. Unique style in that he looks at his story in different voices and perspectives - should be interesting.

[DG Joinee NEMESIS]

The moon is a harsh mistress
Robert A heinlen
Excellent

[Hernaic Tom]

DG Joinee NEMESIS, on 20 February 2012 - 10:26 PM, said:

The moon is a harsh mistress
Robert A heinlen
Excellent

So why is the moon a harsh mistress, Mr Bennett? Or will it spoil it for me?

Jealous of Lilith, I bet.

[SJ Del (The Train Man)]

joinee_doug, on 20 February 2012 - 10:23 PM, said:

Loved that one! His 'All Quiet on the Orient Express' is good, too.

I went on an eBay splurge, got those two, 'Three To See The King' and 'The Scheme For Full Employment'.
The only thing about 'Restraint...' was it just...stopped. Wasn't really expecting that!

[joinee_doug]

David Sedaris's squirrel seeks chipmunk, a book of short stories with animals in place of humans. Really enjoyable, not least for the jacket notes written in verse:
If animals were more like us / if mice kept pets and toads could cuss / if dogs had wives and chipmunks dated / sheep sat still and meditated / then in the forest, field and dairy / you might find this bestiary / read by storks, by rats and kitties / skimmed by cows with milk-stained titties. / "I found the book to be most droll," / might quip the bear, the owl, the mole. / Others, though, would be more coarse. / "Bull," could say the pig and horse. / As to the scribe, they'd quote the hen: / "Trust me, he's no La Fontaine."

[SJ Del (The Train Man)]

Just finished Tilting at Windmills, recommended to me by Westy, where an avowed sports-hater tries to love it. In doing so, he represents Britain at the World Minigolf Championships.
Enjoyable, but no real discussion of why he chose minigolf over, say, handball, or kabbadi, or indoor skydiving or any one of the myriad of obscure sports.
And no discussion of what he actually wanted to achieve. Did he want to be a success at something? Just represent his country?

Now on Red Plenty (http://www.redplenty...Front_page.html) by Francis Spufford. An odd one this one, the 'hero' is an idea, the idea that the Soviet Union could become the world's economic powerhouse by use of 'planned economy', with many real-life people (Kruschev, Kosygin) in fictioanl scenarios. Interesting, and not really got into the meat of it yet.

[Rachel Rose]

When Thomas and I take road trips, we usually listen to recorded books. It's great fun. Our current novel is part fiction/part non-fiction.

Doc. Written by Mary Doria Russell. It is based on the life of Dr. John Henry 'Doc' Holliday. If you enjoyed the movie Tombstone, you must read this book. You will understand the U.S. Wild West a bit more and maybe fall in love with Doc and the Earp brothers.

[Joinee Simitebrong]

I've been on a sad little exercise of improving my brainscape by buying and reading "classics". This is in the hope it might improve my writing by me being able to draw on wider influences.

'Scoop' by Evelyn Waugh. Well-paced, intruiging, amusing in places. Capable of the casual racism of the day in a way which made a modern soul cringe. To be fair, some of it is in satire and pokes fun at the racist, but some of it sadly doesn't. A good read, very good in the middle third, but I found the pace and interest fade rapidly too far before the end.

I've read Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift. Funny and much of the satire is still relevant. The mad proliferation of commas and the endless description of things in minute detail tended to make my mind glaze over a trifle. I presume this was the style of the time? I'm still too ignorant to know this though.

I'm reading some Hemingway at the moment 'The Green Hills of Africa' - about his big game hunting expeditions. Not a subject I'd find any natural affinity with, to be honest. The style though is very stripped and raw. Nothing florid or jaunty, or really, fun, in the prose but I still find it quite compelling.

I've also purchased a number of Dickens, Shakespeare, Wilde, Bronte, Austin, Hardy, Verne, Joyce and Twain. I will plough on through these soon enough. Although, and it makes me feel a bit of a philistine/half-wit; I'm far less excited about these than the idea of reading Fforde and Adams and Pratchett et al.

Still got endless Wodehouse on the go though, I simply cannot get enough of his work. Such simple, clean fun and more wit than a basket full of a whittlers whittlings.

[GJ Dandy David]

Joinee Simitebrong, on 21 March 2012 - 01:10 PM, said:

I've been on a sad little exercise of improving my brainscape by buying and reading "classics". This is in the hope it might improve my writing by me being able to draw on wider influences.

'Scoop' by Evelyn Waugh. Well-paced, intruiging, amusing in places. Capable of the casual racism of the day in a way which made a modern soul cringe. To be fair, some of it is in satire and pokes fun at the racist, but some of it sadly doesn't. A good read, very good in the middle third, but I found the pace and interest fade rapidly too far before the end.

I've read Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift. Funny and much of the satire is still relevant. The mad proliferation of commas and the endless description of things in minute detail tended to make my mind glaze over a trifle. I presume this was the style of the time? I'm still too ignorant to know this though.

I'm reading some Hemingway at the moment 'The Green Hills of Africa' - about his big game hunting expeditions. Not a subject I'd find any natural affinity with, to be honest. The style though is very stripped and raw. Nothing florid or jaunty, or really, fun, in the prose but I still find it quite compelling.

I've also purchased a number of Dickens, Shakespeare, Wilde, Bronte, Austin, Hardy, Verne, Joyce and Twain. I will plough on through these soon enough. Although, and it makes me feel a bit of a philistine/half-wit; I'm far less excited about these than the idea of reading Fforde and Adams and Pratchett et al.

Still got endless Wodehouse on the go though, I simply cannot get enough of his work. Such simple, clean fun and more wit than a basket full of a whittlers whittlings.

If you get the chance to read Robinson Crusoe then I urge you not to. I'm currently battling it but it's the longest, dullest and most frustrating monologue I think I've ever read.

[Lethal Biddle]

I recently read a bunch of the Mass Effect books to prime myself for the new game: 'Revelation', 'Ascension' & 'Retribution'. The first is pulp fiction really, an introduction to the Universe & a light hearted glipse into the background of a few characters. But the 2nd & 3rd books are really good, rely on a knowledge of the series & really enhance the motives of pretty much everyone involved.

Also I just finished 'A Sense of an Ending' by Julian Barnes. Which is brilliant. It's only about 150 pages, so a quick read. But it does a lot more with such short length than you'd expect. It was a great little journey into nostalgia.

[joinee_doug]

GJ Dandy David, on 22 March 2012 - 07:43 AM, said:

If you get the chance to read Robinson Crusoe then I urge you not to. I'm currently battling it but it's the longest, dullest and most frustrating monologue I think I've ever read.

I'm glad you said that, David...I'd been pondering it for a long time, based on the "Good story / Dull book" quandary. In the meantime, I read a more fun-sized account (150 pages or so) of Alexander Selkirk, generally thought to be inspiration for RC. Great story, mostly focused on the circumstances w/o having always to set the scene or go to the flashback, etc.
(I think it was aimed at the young adult reader (i.e. teenage) which was fine - I've kind of cooled on the Big Important Biography genre for now - I realized that for the most part, I didn't want or need to know everything about what a person did or was like... )

This post has been edited by joinee_doug: 22 March 2012 - 02:51 PM

[Joinee Hathorn]

GJ Dandy David, on 22 March 2012 - 07:43 AM, said:

If you get the chance to read Robinson Crusoe then I urge you not to. I'm currently battling it but it's the longest, dullest and most frustrating monologue I think I've ever read.

I read it many years ago, but didn't think it too bad then... although Coral Island is much better.

Currently reading Reamde, less pretentious than Anathem, and better paced too.

Joinee Simitebrong, on 12 November 2011 - 04:39 PM, said:

'The Inimitable Jeeves' - P.G. Wodehouse

Finally got round to trying Wodehouse. Been put off by the mocking I thought I'd get from the wife for 'trying to be Stephen Fry' - which is exactly what she said when I bought it! - but it's utterly brilliant. Truly funny. Nothing bad happens, always a happy ending. Always leave me with a smile on my face.

You can't go wrong with Jeeves and Wooster, all I've read (and there are many many) are excellent, other Wodehouse can leave me cold though.

[Gold Joinee Twinkle]

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. Holly and Andrew bought this for me for my recovery period, but I have saved it. Only a couple of pages in so far.

Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. My Dad recommended this before he died last year and I've had it on my Kindle ever since. Not what I expected at all - very moving, but without the "worthiness" you sometimes get with books about war.

Love is a Mix Tape by Rob Sheffield. Just finished this which Claire T sent me in my Parcel O' Fun. Funny and weepy in equal measure.

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell. Another one recommended by my Dad. Much harder going.

Ellie's bedtime story book is currently The Wishing Chair which is just awesome

This post has been edited by Gold Joinee Twinkle: 22 March 2012 - 09:39 PM