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

[Carmona]

Started on Dickens' Bleak House. Never did read it 'back in the day'. One of the kids got it for me for Christmas....... So far, so good. The wit underlying most of the writing is just another level.

 

[Carmona]

Just finished this El G.. my read was a bit like his marathon story, so maybe he achieved exactly what he set out to! The early stuff was all good, mid section about the training, abstinence and too much privilege stuff was a grind, but it kicked well to finish!

The more of this stuff I read the more it cements the idea that I won’t ever do a marathon, it’s not that I couldn’t although it would be a savage undertaking, it’s more the level of repetition and sacrifice of a lot of other things in your life wouldn’t justify it for me. His training schedule was completely consuming for months. Having said that the determination is to get fitter than I ever have been this year

Cheers for the rec

This belongs in a different forum and thread obviously but I'll just say here Honky, I wouldn't really agree. Of course it consumes time and it involves some sacrifices but with a bit of organising and tinkering you can fit in the training. The likes of Smurf got up to 100 miles a week in his training. Most of us were a fair bit less than that. Terrier did most of his marathons on 80 to 90 k weeks. Discussion in the other place if you like, but just wanted to post that here for now.

 

[sigourney's knickers]

Finishing Crime and Punishment.

What a dross.

10 pages of Brian Blessed as an intro.

 

[sigourney's knickers]

I blessed my face rubbingly.

 

[sigourney's knickers]

One can only imagine my delectible suffocation on reading that tripe.

 

[BlackpoolTerrier]

Happened on this one by accident in the 2nd hand Vibes and Scribes shop. It's hard core for sure but told very well - the man's history, his time as a prisoner of the Japanese on the Burma railway and his attempts to recover mentally over the following decades. Developed a savage passion as a young lad for all things steam train and in a perverse coincidence, ended up an abused and tortured POW working on the insane Japanese railway project in Siam. Savage brutality but heroic triumph of the human spirit winning the day. Definitely recommended.

We come from a very different generation who have had so much come to us so easily. As if an illustration of that was needed, this book was on the biography rack in the shop - next door to a large-print, peach-coloured volume entitled "Becoming Molliie May" about the "inspiring story of the struggles" of some young wan to become a successful social media influencer. So true hun.

 

[King Silkbeard]

Reading a Star Trek Deep Space Nine novel The Never Ending Sacrifice, really enjoying it.

 

[RossiRebel]

View attachment 46682
Happened on this one by accident in the 2nd hand Vibes and Scribes shop. It's hard core for sure but told very well - the man's history, his time as a prisoner of the Japanese on the Burma railway and his attempts to recover mentally over the following decades. Developed a savage passion as a young lad for all things steam train and in a perverse coincidence, ended up an abused and tortured POW working on the insane Japanese railway project in Siam. Savage brutality but heroic triumph of the human spirit winning the day. Definitely recommended.

We come from a very different generation who have had so much come to us so easily. As if an illustration of that was needed, this book was on the biography rack in the shop - next door to a large-print, peach-coloured volume entitled "Becoming Molliie May" about the "inspiring story of the struggles" of some young wan to become a successful social media influencer. So true hun.

Might interest you.

Heard his son, author of the book, on an Irish history Podcast, good listen.

 

[BlackpoolTerrier]

Might interest you.

Heard his son, author of the book, on an Irish history Podcast, good listen.

Cheers RossiY

 

[Philby]

Just Finished Flesh by David Szalay

It's a novel about a Hungarian fellas quite remarkable life, born poor ish he's kind of sexually assaulted by an older woman, which sets him on a path to uber wealth.

It's written in a kind of detached terse prose which is very effective and very compelling.

its getting some booker long list love and I can see why..Really good read.

It went on to win the Booker prize.

Read it over Christmas. Liked it enough to finish it (...which isn't often the case) but stylistically it was quite basic. I get that's an intentional decision from the author but I'm surprised it convinced the judges enough to win it.

Too many cycles of - Istvan is asked a question, Istvan thinks about it for a bit, Istvan says it's "okay", Istvan shags someone he probably shouldn't have - for me.

What's his other stuff like? I'm assuming this was a bit of a departure from that style-wise?