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

[Bwana_Dik]

Paper Girl by Beth Macy, she wrote Dopesick, which I haven't read, but the TV series of the same name was based on it, which I did see.

It's about her hometown of Urbana in Ohio, a typical rust-belt town, hollowed out by loss of industry and jobs, the opioid crisis, years of political indifference and failure - both sides BTW, lack of education and withdrawal of educational supports, etc.
I'm about halfway through, TLDR America is fucked.

I have a particular interest in the area, coz my wife's first cousin lives a couple of miles outside Urbana, an ex-teacher paradoxically, but in Springfield rather than Urbana AFAIR.

We spent a week there a couple of years ago, and curiously, apart from the centre of the town being overtaken with thrift shops, the underlying problems are kinda invisible to the casual naked eye.

 

[El Guapo]

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?

Don't know to be honest Flesh was my first outing of his.

Some wag on insta was describing it as a James Bond novel except the mission he's on is life which I thought was pretty funny.

 

[markyboy]

Children of Time - Adrian Tchaikovsky - 7/10 so far

Children of Time (Children of Time, #1)

A race for survival among the stars... Humanity's last …

www.goodreads.com

 

[El Guapo]

I've been hitting nothing but pars and bogeys this winter.

Here and Beyond by Hal LaCroix, it about a space mission to some far off Galaxy that takes 6 generations and how the society forms and evolves till they get there. it was okay. It could have used one or two more chest bursters on the way.

Enigma on the track by David Sharpe. He was a training partner of Steve Cram. who was tabloid fodder for drinking and fighting. A sports biography so forgettable I had to check yer man's name two weeks after reading his book..

The Winter Warriors by Olivier Noren? I think his name is translation from the French about the Finnish winter war against Russia in 42..Historical fiction about the white death sniper fella..Enjoyable stuff, nothing ground breaking either but that's okay.

Seven Folds make a paper swan. Supposedly a story about the Jewish experience in Cork in the 20s and Ireland in the 2010s, Written just after the recession. It's actually a Chick lit yoke for people who watch prime time. it's shit.

 

[Stromovka]

Children of Time - Adrian Tchaikovsky - 7/10 so far

Children of Time (Children of Time, #1)

A race for survival among the stars... Humanity's last …

www.goodreads.com

6.5/10 from me. There was something missing, don't know what. I liked that the dominant species that evolved wasn't monkeys, as was thought.

 

[Stromovka]

Prague Nights - When I discovered that the author Benjamin Black was a pen name for John Banville it explained the quality of elegant prose in this well written murder mystery set in high society Prague during renaissance times when life was cheap and death was often gruesome. I have a particular grá for Prague, from many visits, and recognised many of the city settings, buildings and streets, which probably endeared the story to me. Affairs, coded letters and rivalries abound in the Emperor's court. I'll be reading more Benjamin Black/John Banville books.

The story itself was only above average. Just well written.

 

[BlackpoolTerrier]

Am up in Wexford today and I called in to this place - Red’s Bookshop on St. Peter’s Square.



It’s unbelievable, there must be ten or 12 rooms like the one shown. The porch is where they keep all the classic literature and I had four books in my hand before I even got in the door.

Inside, every room is crammed. You haven’t a hope of seeing all the titles but you find loads of stuff all the same. Pretty much every book is €2 if you’re buying an armful of them. I had to set the alarm on the phone for 15 minutes and go to the checkout with whatever I had then - otherwise you’d need a wheelbarrow to carry all you’d pick.

Loads of chairs located in different spots too, so you can nip in and have an aul’ read anytime you want.

Well worth a detour.

 

[BlackpoolTerrier]

View attachment 46701

Prague Nights - When I discovered that the author Benjamin Black was a pen name for John Banville it explained the quality of elegant prose in this well written murder mystery set in high society Prague during renaissance times when life was cheap and death was often gruesome. I have a particular grá for Prague, from many visits, and recognised many of the city settings, buildings and streets, which probably endeared the story to me. Affairs, coded letters and rivalries abound in the Emperor's court. I'll be reading more Benjamin Black/John Banville books.

The story itself was only above average. Just well written.

Bang on StromovkaY, Banville is the man. His crime stuff has survived and continued to prosper after moving on from Quirke, Hackett and 1950’s SoCoDu.

He wrote a “new” Philip Marlowe a few years ago, which was brave of him. T’was a decent enough pastiche of the master.


I read one of his “own” titles - Shroud - before the Christmas. Another top delivery from the Wexford curmudgeon.

 

[Stromovka]

Am up in Wexford today and I called in to this place - Red’s Bookshop on St. Peter’s Square.

View attachment 46718

It’s unbelievable, there must be ten or 12 rooms like the one shown. The porch is where they keep all the classic literature and I had four books in my hand before I even got in the door.

Inside, every room is crammed. You haven’t a hope of seeing all the titles but you find loads of stuff all the same. Pretty much every book is €2 if you’re buying an armful of them. I had to set the alarm on the phone for 15 minutes and go to the checkout with whatever I had then - otherwise you’d need a wheelbarrow to carry all you’d pick.

Loads of chairs located in different spots too, so you can nip in and have an aul’ read anytime you want.

Well worth a detour.

That looks mad. Not quite on that level but I always try to visit Prim's 2nd hand bookshop in Youghal when I'm there and his son's in Kinsale. Always something to walk away with.

 

[keamoresouth]

Am up in Wexford today and I called in to this place - Red’s Bookshop on St. Peter’s Square.

View attachment 46718

It’s unbelievable, there must be ten or 12 rooms like the one shown. The porch is where they keep all the classic literature and I had four books in my hand before I even got in the door.

Inside, every room is crammed. You haven’t a hope of seeing all the titles but you find loads of stuff all the same. Pretty much every book is €2 if you’re buying an armful of them. I had to set the alarm on the phone for 15 minutes and go to the checkout with whatever I had then - otherwise you’d need a wheelbarrow to carry all you’d pick.

Loads of chairs located in different spots too, so you can nip in and have an aul’ read anytime you want.

Well worth a detour.

It's a fantastic place. I was in there a few years ago and loved it. Need to find an excuse to go back!