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

[Carmona]

Reading Glorious Exploits by this Ferdia Lennon fella. Enjoying it so far.

 

[Crisp Sandwich]

I read Steinbeck's "Cannery Row" a few weeks back and thoroughly enjoyed it - soon after, my nephew mentioned that he was going to be starting "Of Mice And Men" for Junior Cert so I bought a copy to help him out with it.

(We've already done Hemmingway's "The Old Man & The Sea" and I had a lot of fun connecting with the young lad on something. The only other things that we have in common are Liverpool Football Club and FIFA)

It was great read that whiled away two hours on a November Saturday morning. I texted him and told him I'd read it. He texted back "Probably not going to be be doing it now. Might be doing one called 'Things Fall Apart'. Maybe you could read that too."

I asked him if he fancied reading "Of Mice And Men" anyway so we could have a chat about it.

"Nah. Why would I do that?"

At least I know what to get him for Christmas now; second-hand copies of two Steinbeck novels. The little bastard.



Read "The Queen And I" by Sue Townsend. Great fun. Never got around to it at the height of her Adrian Mole pomp.

Started Rory Carroll's "Killing Thatcher" last night. I hated having to put it down. It is scintillating stuff.

 

[El Guapo]

Just about to Finish one called "Corrag" By Susan Fletcher.

There is a famous story in Scottish folklore about the massacre of Glencoe. in 1691 A bunch of the Campbell clan were being hosted by The McDonald clan for about 2 weeks, they stayed with them, ate with them slept with them, King Billy decided the McDonalds were disloyal and sent word so one night the Campbells slaughtered about 60 men women and children who were hosting them in their beds.

This was the inspiration for the Red Wedding in GOT.

The story went that this was all witnesses by a local Witch who took the clan chiefs sword and fucked it into the lake saying as long as it lay untouched no Boy from Glencoe would die by violence. About 200 years later a dredger clearing the lough brought up the sword and the next morning the battle of the somme commenced. This book is the telling of that story from.the perspective of the Witch and her confessor who has travelled to investigate the massacre.

It took me a while to get going on it. The story is told in letters and interviews from a jail cell but its a good read well worth it.

Some of the prose describing her life around Highlands is really atmospheric.

Well worth a read if it takes your fancy.

 

[Jim Comic]

I read Steinbeck's "Cannery Row" a few weeks back and thoroughly enjoyed it - soon after, my nephew mentioned that he was going to be starting "Of Mice And Men" for Junior Cert so I bought a copy to help him out with it.

(We've already done Hemmingway's "The Old Man & The Sea" and I had a lot of fun connecting with the young lad on something. The only other things that we have in common are Liverpool Football Club and FIFA)

It was great read that whiled away two hours on a November Saturday morning. I texted him and told him I'd read it. He texted back "Probably not going to be be doing it now. Might be doing one called 'Things Fall Apart'. Maybe you could read that too."

I asked him if he fancied reading "Of Mice And Men" anyway so we could have a chat about it.

"Nah. Why would I do that?"

At least I know what to get him for Christmas now; second-hand copies of two Steinbeck novels. The little bastard.



Read "The Queen And I" by Sue Townsend. Great fun. Never got around to it at the height of her Adrian Mole pomp.

Started Rory Carroll's "Killing Thatcher" last night. I hated having to put it down. It is scintillating stuff.

WOODY GUTHRIE AND JOHN STEINBECK: A COMPARISON - GRAMMY Museum

Songwriter Woody Guthrie and novelist John Steinbeck looked at America and Americans in a similar way. Guthrie said of Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath: “(The novel) shows the damn bankers, men that broke us and the dust that choked us, and comes right out in plain old English and says what...

grammymuseum.org

also, I believe Steinbeck said something like "it took me two years to write grapes of wrath, but woody said the same thing in 2 minutes' referring I think to this land is your land' or one of Guthries songs


if your nephew is a music fan maybe introduce him to woody's choons as a way to get him to better understand what Steinbeck was on about

 

[Crisp Sandwich]

also, I believe Steinbeck said something like "it took me two years to write grapes of wrath, but woody said the same thing in 2 minutes' referring I think to this land is your land' or one of Guthries songs


if your nephew is a music fan maybe introduce him to woody's choons as a way to get him to better understand what Steinbeck was on about

Thanks for that, Jim. Unfortunately, the lad appears to have zero interest in music.

I will take a look at it myself though.

 

[bluesball]

Land war to Civil war 1900-1924 Donoughmore to Cork and beyord.

 

[Jim Comic]

Thanks for that, Jim. Unfortunately, the lad appears to have zero interest in music.

jaysus, are you sure you're related?

I will take a look at it myself though.

then my work here is done

 

[King Silkbeard]

Finished reading PLO The Rise And Fall of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation and now reading The Last Empire The Final Days of the Soviet Union but guess what there was a US ambassador named Matlock in the book.

 

[markyboy]

Murder on the Orient Express

 

[Nollaig O Muracu]

Hitler by Ian Kershaw.

Yes, the 2nd biography of the great Fuhrer this year. These Nazis are bloody fascinating tbh. (And not in a good way before anyone thinks I'm joining the blue shirts. Evil can be very interesting is all).

Well worth a read if you like history anyway.