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

[Matlock]

A long Winter- Colm Toibin.

Somewhere between a short story and a novella. Beautifully written, as his stuff tends to be. Definitely a triumph of style over substance though.

I also read "The Dare" by John Boyne in the library yesterday because it happened to be out on the table where I was sitting waiting for the kids to pick books. YA story, only a hundred pages or so. Well told, i'd say a kid from 13/16 would really enjoy it.

 

[dukeroyale]

A long Winter- Colm Toibin.

Somewhere between a short story and a novella. Beautifully written, as his stuff tends to be. Definitely a triumph of style over substance though.

I also read "The Dare" by John Boyne in the library yesterday because it happened to be out on the table where I was sitting waiting for the kids to pick books. YA story, only a hundred pages or so. Well told, i'd say a kid from 13/16 would really enjoy it.

heading to the (not cork) library later on. will have a look för the dare. there’s at least one YA in this house who might appreciate it.

might have a look as well
för the other books in that elements series.

only a fortnight left with a leg in a cast

 

[BlackpoolTerrier]

After a mixed summer, I'm on a decent run ATM with the Patrick Melrose novels and now these two:

I'd usually avoid all the standard repetitive mass-market WWII / Hitler / Stalin stuff but picked up this one secondhand recently and found it an engrossing read. Basically, it's life on the Eastern front told from the point of view of one of the landser from the Gross Deutchland regiment amid the backdrop of the slaughter on both sides and the total collapse of the German war effort. Sajer's mother was German and his old man was French - he grew up near the disputed Rhineland.

A number of historians have disputed the telling of key events / dates / insgnia and the naming of materiel in the book but it's still an excellent read. Obviously we have no clue of what life was like for these lads back then and that makes it easier to believe and to take at face value. He certainly captures the fear, the cold the boredom and the horror. Like Junger's "Storm of Steel" from WW1 or even "All Quiet on the Western Front" (which incidentally, must be the the worst translation of a book title ever), it gives the day to day from the side of the story that we never knew.

Meanwhile, Lionel Shriver has gone up in my estimation after reading this one


A fairly searing indictment of the American public health / insurance system and a decent look into the lives of those affected by the slow death of a loved one with cancer. Quite funny in places too. The (anti-?) hero is the wonderfully-monikered Shep Knacker and most of the lads on here could identify with a lot of Shep's life.
You'd definitely be checking your level of health insurance after reading it.

 

[Matlock]

I LOVE Lional Shriver! I think I've read all of her books!

Her most famous is "we need to talk about Kevin" which is amazing, but my personal favourite is probably "A perfectly good family" or maybe "Should we stay or should we go".

 

[Cormac]

I finished the first three Girl With The Dragon Tattoo books recently and I just really dig that dark Scandinavian thriller theme so I found another series by Henning Mankell that I'm liking.
First one is called Faceless Killers and the second which I've just finished is called The Dogs Of Riga. Enjoyed both.

 

[BlackpoolTerrier]

I finished the first three Girl With The Dragon Tattoo books recently and I just really dig that dark Scandinavian thriller theme so I found another series by Henning Mankell that I'm liking.
First one is called Faceless Killers and the second which I've just finished is called The Dogs Of Riga. Enjoyed both.

Mankell is excellent - an acme of the genre

 

[BlackpoolTerrier]

I LOVE Lional Shriver! I think I've read all of her books!

Her most famous is "we need to talk about Kevin" which is amazing, but my personal favourite is probably "A perfectly good family" or maybe "Should we stay or should we go".

Yeah, that’s why I said she’d gone up in my estimation. I read that Kevin book years ago and thought it was p**spoor.

 

[Outside Roches]

After a mixed summer, I'm on a decent run ATM with the Patrick Melrose novels and now these two:

I'd usually avoid all the standard repetitive mass-market WWII / Hitler / Stalin stuff but picked up this one secondhand recently and found it an engrossing read. Basically, it's life on the Eastern front told from the point of view of one of the landser from the Gross Deutchland regiment amid the backdrop of the slaughter on both sides and the total collapse of the German war effort. Sajer's mother was German and his old man was French - he grew up near the disputed Rhineland.
View attachment 44742
A number of historians have disputed the telling of key events / dates / insgnia and the naming of materiel in the book but it's still an excellent read. Obviously we have no clue of what life was like for these lads back then and that makes it easier to believe and to take at face value. He certainly captures the fear, the cold the boredom and the horror. Like Junger's "Storm of Steel" from WW1 or even "All Quiet on the Western Front" (which incidentally, must be the the worst translation of a book title ever), it gives the day to day from the side of the story that we never knew.

Meanwhile, Lionel Shriver has gone up in my estimation after reading this one

View attachment 44743
A fairly searing indictment of the American public health / insurance system and a decent look into the lives of those affected by the slow death of a loved one with cancer. Quite funny in places too. The (anti-?) hero is the wonderfully-monikered Shep Knacker and most of the lads on here could identify with a lot of Shep's life.
You'd definitely be checking your level of health insurance after reading it.

I have the Forgotten Soldier on my Kindle, will get to it at some stage.

On War books.

Eugene Sledge's book, "With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa," is one of the best memoirs Ive read about war. Its pretty grim though.

A lot of 'The Pacific' tv show is based off it.


The best book I've read as a firsthand account of war is "Chicken hawk" by Robert Mason. Goes through basic training and his tour of Vietnam flying Hueys. Funny as hell and gripping.

 

[Carmona]

I was looking for something to read there and came across an early Claire Keegan collection, Walk the Blue Fields, which I'm guessing a few of you have read. Jeez, she's good. Not a wasted word, as they say. Short and punchy. Dark Horses was one I just read. 8 pages of simple beauty.

 

[Matlock]

I was looking for something to read there and came across an early Claire Keegan collection, Walk the Blue Fields, which I'm guessing a few of you have read. Jeez, she's good. Not a wasted word, as they say. Short and punchy. Dark Horses was one I just read. 8 pages of simple beauty.

Yeah, she is amazing alright.

Not a wasted word is a perfect way to describe it.