what book you reading at the moment? (incl poll)

[markyboy]

Holiday reads from this year.

1. Martyr - Kavel Akbar
It's about an American Muslim fella. It's not at all what you presuppose it to be based on the title. Kind of a story of living up to your history and not wishing your life away in fantasy, Kind of a story of living as a foreigner i despite being from the place.but that hardly does it Justice. Unlike much I've read before. It's something of a critics favourite this year and its very good.

2. A Boy in the Water - Tom Gregory
He holds the record for youngest ever to swim the channel he was 11 years and 300 or so days old in 1988. They banned attempts by U16s almost immediately after it so his record is frozen in time. A lovely memoir of a time and place that no longer exists and a tribute to his Coach and the legacy he left. Unexpectedly touching book. Worth a read.

3. Red Rising - Pierce Brown
Sci-Fci job with a list of characters explaining whos who and a map of where shit is in the front cover. One of those.
Its set on Mars and the Galaxy has been terraformed..Society has been split into a colour coded caste system based along classical (Greco-Roman) stylings. Reds are slaves, Blacks are warriors, Golds rule etc etc. it's a romp about a red fella imitating a gold in an attempt to spark a revolution. Its Good fun, I haven't taken on a big series since a song of ice and fire but will definetly finish this one (unless it goes to shit on book 5 or something). I have already started on the second one. HBO have already optioned it and you can see why. Good entertainment.

Started Red Riding yesterday. Good call. If you like sci-fi stuff you might like

Dune (Dune, #1)

Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of …

www.goodreads.com

Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos, #1)

On the world called Hyperion, beyond the law of the Heg…

www.goodreads.com

Or if you’ve a lot of time on your hands ?

Culture series - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Carmona]

Baumgartner- Paul Auster. Beautifully written, but from about half way through it just loses the plot (literally!)

Isn't that what Auster does though?

 

[Matlock]

Isn't that what Auster does though?

True. More than usual though!

 

[El Guapo]

Started Red Riding yesterday. Good call. If you like sci-fi stuff you might like

Dune (Dune, #1)

Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of …

www.goodreads.com

Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos, #1)

On the world called Hyperion, beyond the law of the Heg…

www.goodreads.com

Or if you’ve a lot of time on your hands ?

Culture series - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Nice one I read Dune about 25 years ago. Good read. Its mad to think how groundbreaking it was in the 60s or whenever ot came out. AFAIK the rest of the series are a bit batshit.

Will give the others a whirl at some stage. I'll give anything a go as long as the story and writing hold up

 

[markyboy]

Nice one I read Dune about 25 years ago. Good read. Its mad to think how groundbreaking it was in the 60s or whenever ot came out. AFAIK the rest of the series are a bit batshit.

Will give the others a whirl at some stage. I'll give anything a go as long as the story and writing hold up

You won’t be dissapointed with Hyperion. Vibes and Scribes have it in their “vintage” section ?

 

[King Silkbeard]

Nearly finished the Spanish Flu book we had in the house and just bought a book about Covid 19 history. Later on will be reading World War Z book and so what happens but Monkeypox breaks out.

 

[Chara021]

Just finished Coast Road by Allan Murrin. 4/10. Not great. Slow to begin with , got some bit interesting in the middle and a woeful sloppy ending. Wouldn't recommend.

Just started Earth by John Boyne as recommended by Mattie. Loved Water by same Author so hoping this one is good too. Seems promising so far.

 

[hurley68]

Who Killed Una Linskey

 

[hurley68]

Who Killed Una Linskey

Lynskey

 

[Nollaig O Muracu]

in the last few weeks

A short history of nearly everything, by Bill Bryson. Just a light hearted look at Natural history. Excellently written.

To Hell and Back, by Ian Kershaw. A book that gives a general overview of Europe between 1914 to 1945, and the conditions that led to both world wars, and some a brief overview of why the peace settlement in 1945 was a whole lot better than Versailles in 1919. Enjoyed it a lot.

Currently reading Europe: Rollercoaster 1950 to 2017. Again a general overview of every country in Europe post World war 2, the different experiences on both sides of the iron curtain. Currently up to about the 1970s, and the economic post war economic miracle is about to fade. Drags a bit, but worth it so far imo.

Anyone recommend me some decent Irish history books, from about 1000 to 1850? Nothing too heavy or academic, just the stories please. Books about Cork history welcome too.