What Book Did You Read Last Night??? (2 Viewers)

Been meaning to read Haunting ever since Stephen Kings ravings about it in his book, Danse Macabre, which also introduced me to Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury and all sorts of other cool stuff.
 
The Black Cloud by Fred Hoyle

A 1959 classic 'hard' science-fiction novel by renowned Cambridge astronomer and cosmologist Fred Hoyle. Tracks the progress of a giant black cloud that comes towards Earth and sits in front of the sun, causing widespread panic and death. A select group of scientists and astronomers - including the dignified Astronomer Royal, the pipe smoking Dr Marlowe and the maverick, eccentric Professor Kingsly - engage in a mad race to understand and communicate with the cloud, battling against trigger happy politicians.

Cool idea but not very well written. He devotes a lot of space to explaining science and computers but very little to the plot/characters etc. Bit of a wasted opportunity.
 
I'm still reading Birds of America by Lorrie Moore, but I just finished a great Paul McCartney biog - Man on the Run (Paul McCartney in the 1970s) by Tom Doyle which looks at Macca's post -Fabs career up to Lennon's murder in 1980. It's a fantastic read; it really shows what a slog Wings was and how difficult it was for Macca to regain musical respect in the eyes of the public and media. I also didn't realise how bad The Beatles fall-out really was; and how it lasted such a long time. Despite his nicey nicey everyman image, the book also shows that he could be a bit of a bollix, especially in how he treated some Wings band members. A great read.
 
American novelist. He died last year. He wrote books primarily about people living on the fringes of society. This one is a novella recounting the life of a migrant worker from his youth during the Depression to his death in the early 60s. It’s very good. But his best book is Jesus Son.
Am reading his latest, posthumous collection at the minute. No Jesus' Son but then again what is?
 
You know, if it was done well I could see it working. However, it won't be done well will it? It will give the audience what the audience thinks it wants and will be completely forgettable but chock full of clever references to make the audience feel smart..


bah
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I'm reading A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. 700 page novel about 4 friends living in brooklyn, one of whom suffered horrendous abuse as a child. The second half of the book focuses mainly on that character and is told through flashback. It's extremely harrowing but also very moving.
 
I'm reading A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. 700 page novel about 4 friends living in brooklyn, one of whom suffered horrendous abuse as a child. The second half of the book focuses mainly on that character and is told through flashback. It's extremely harrowing but also very moving.
It's a great book!

@jonah has stupid opinions about it though
 
A bit after the midway point when it focuses mainly on Jude and Wllem's relationship and all the other characters sort of fade into the background becomes a bit of a drag, and isn't entirely believable. I've had to put it down for a bit and move on to happier things. I will return to it though.
 
A bit after the midway point when it focuses mainly on Jude and Wllem's relationship and all the other characters sort of fade into the background becomes a bit of a drag, and isn't entirely believable. I've had to put it down for a bit and move on to happier things. I will return to it though.
Yes i'd agree with that, it kind of stops being a book about a gang of college friends, I'd have liked to have heard more about the lives of some of the others. I found it all largely believable, if VERY unfortunate. I've certainly heard first-hand of lives worse than poor auld Jude in real life.
 
Yes i'd agree with that, it kind of stops being a book about a gang of people. I found it all largely believable, if VERY unfortunate.
I guess for me the unbelievable bit is that ALL of these four best friends become top of their game at their chosen professions and two of them become world famous! Everyone in their social circle too - no one is mediocre or just getting by.
 
I guess for me the unbelievable bit is that ALL of these four best friends become top of their game at their chosen professions and two of them become world famous! Everyone in their social circle too - no one is mediocre or just getting by.
Ah yeah, that's true.

Successful people writing successful books about successful people is pretty common, see also: Sally Rooney - 2018.
 

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