What Book Did You Read Last Night??? (4 Viewers)

[Jill Hives]

The new Donna Tartt novel. I loved her first two books and this is getting rave reviews.

Recently finished Secret History and loved it. I'll put this one on my list now.

 

[Jim Daniels]

Recently finished Secret History and loved it. I'll put this one on my list now.

Yeah The Secret History is great and due a re-read. I never got around to reading The Little Friend cause I was swayed by a couple of bad reviews. But I have since seen loads of great reviews, so I must pick it up.

I've got out of the habit of long books though, as I like to read while out and about.

 

[Jill Hives]

I've got out of the habit of long books though, as I like to read while out and about.

I listen to them while walking so I never have to worry about the weight. 22 hours goes by quickly. I find my eyes hurt after looking at books and computer screens all day. I like to either walk, clean or sit back with my eyes closed and listen. It wouldn't be everyone's cuppa but I enjoy books that way. It's like story time as a kid.

 

[David Kronenbourg]

The Kindly Ones. The fictional memoirs of an SS Officer who is a Zelig-like presence at The Eastern Front, Auschwitz, The Battle of Berlin and the assassination attempt on Hitler. Written in French by a young Jewish - American author this was highly controversial on its release due to the narrator's active participation in the Holocaust. It's incredibly well researched but it's extremely long (900 pages) and is pretty upsetting in parts.

 

[dunderhead]

Is anyone excited about this? I am.
Amazon product ASIN 1408704943

big time. purposely not starting another book once i finish city of bohane by kevin barry this week so i can tear into the goldfinch next tuesday on a clean reading slate. secret history one of my faves. little friend is excellent too. just not as good.

interview with donna tartt on bbc4 tonight at 10. hopefully won't be talking directly about the story too much. have been avoiding reviews. gave up reading them years ago seeing as though the clowns doing them can't help but give at least half of the major parts of a plot away when all they're required to do is let us know if its good or not

anyway, roll on tuesday

 

[Lili Marlene]

Anyone want to speculate about Morrissey's book?

 

[washingcattle]

Anyone want to speculate about Morrissey's book?

It's a porno.

 

[Lili Marlene]

The Guardian have managed to get two articles about it. In one of them Morrissey is talking about how he becomes an athlete by accident (because that happens) and the other he's talking about how he has no interest in girls as a teenager, despite getting off with a load of them.
What a dick.

I really need to read it.

 

[David Kronenbourg]

Possible titles -

The First of the Gang to Diet

Everyday is Like Sunday Roast

Girlfriend in a Korma

 

[rettucs]

who knew Frankly Mr.Shankly would be about his 50something year old self?

 

[Nate Champion]

Just flew through The Rotter's Club by Jonathan Coe.

It's an engrossing historical novel that takes in England in the 1970s. Some of the prose is horrid, though the characters really drew me in. Questionable structure, but better than a straight narrative.

Now back, to Proust...

 

[Lili Marlene]

I'm gonna go read The Secret History and judge you all based on whether I like it or not.

 

[Jill Hives]

I'm gonna go read The Secret History and judge you all based on whether I like it or not.

And this is something new?

 

[Lili Marlene]

Definitely. I never took reading advice from you philistines before now.

 

[Lili Marlene]

Speaking of which:

The only thing, @ I is John, is that they are short stories, which don't appeal to a lot of people - myself included usually, strangely enough. But I love these.

Pretty Monsters seems to be the only one currently available in Dublin's bookshops. They both contain the stories "Magic for Beginners" and "The Faery Handbag" though, which are both ace.

Some reviewers have deemed the stories creepy/ almost horror/ fantasy, but I think they are charming, funny and slightly off-beat. Neil Gaiman said "she should be declared a national treasure", if that means anything to anyone. I'd love to see what some of you might think of them actually...

I finally got this (Pretty Monsters) a few months ago Jim. I've only read a few of the stories but I like it so far. Just thought I'd let you know, I wish I had more to say right now.

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

Next up it's THE SPANISH INQUISITION by Cecil Roth

This was very interesting. It was first published in either 1937 or 1945 and the author draws interesting parallels here and there between aspects of the Spanish inquisition and contemporary events in Europe. Very easy to read too, although I didn't bother reading the appendices.

Who Are You? by Anna Kavan. I think I've had enough of this lady's nasty, miserable little books now. I still wouldn't mind reading Ice but I dunno...

 

[Jill Hives]

Is anyone excited about this? I am.
Amazon product ASIN 1408704943

This is 33 hours long!

 

[Jim Daniels]

This is 33 hours long!

Thats hilarious!

How long would a typically sized paperback (say250 pages) be?

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

W or the Memory of a Childhood by Georges Perec. It was alright, I wouldn't particularly recommend it. It's two unrelated stories told in alternating chapters, one is an autobiographical account of the author's childhood and the other is not and changes direction completely a bit of the way in. An author's note at the start says the point of the novel rests on this dramatic change in direction as well as the things that both stories don't say but are present in the over lap. For most of the book I kept thinking "he's explained the point of all this but I just don't get it" but then towards the end I did (I think).

 

[Jill Hives]

Thats hilarious!

How long would a typically sized paperback (say250 pages) be?

Art of Fielding is 17 hours, most seem to be around that length. Goldfinch is good so far but it might take me awhile.