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

[Stromovka]

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.

Added to my ever increasing list!

 

[Happyhonkaman]

Pat Nevin's "The Accidental Footballer" is a brilliant read.

This was indeed a brilliant read, really enjoyable book and full of great anecdotes about numerous other players and managers. Nice wan

I also read In Extremis, the biography written about Marie Colvin, war correspondent. A fascinating read, hard to believe the life she lead in pursuit of getting honest accounts of dreadful situations and the human angle out there. One of the best books I’ve read

 

[Crisp Sandwich]

This was indeed a brilliant read, really enjoyable book and full of great anecdotes about numerous other players and managers. Nice wan

I also read In Extremis, the biography written about Marie Colvin, war correspondent. A fascinating read, hard to believe the life she lead in pursuit of getting honest accounts of dreadful situations and the human angle out there. One of the best books I’ve read

No worries, Mange - glad that you enjoyed it. There's also sequel, which I have bought but haven't read yet.

Currently on this history of Berlin before I make a return trip there later this month.

Told through the stories of the city's famous/infamous citizens and happenings. It's entertaining and fascinating.

 

[El Guapo]

Currently on this history of Berlin before I make a return trip there later this month.

Have you read the Berlin Noir trilogy by Phillip Kerr?

If you're going to be in Berlin you should read em while you're there. They're hard boiled detective stories about a PI in Berlin just as the Nazis are getting into power. They're great craic but he describes all thr places you'll be staying in and seeing while you're there.

 

[Happyhonkaman]

No worries, Mange - glad that you enjoyed it. There's also sequel, which I have bought but haven't read yet.

Currently on this history of Berlin before I make a return trip there later this month.

Told through the stories of the city's famous/infamous citizens and happenings. It's entertaining and fascinating.

Im going to make the same plan i make every year after reading a few books on holiday, and decide that i will continue to read in the evenings instead of messing around.. and then it wont happen again.

I did start John Boyne - The Echo Chamber because the missus has downloaded it and I was out of coverage and stuck without a book. Ive never read anything from him other than The Boy in The Striped PJs which was obviously great, this is very different, nice sprinkling of humour and observation about woke society. Will try to get that read anyway

 

[Crisp Sandwich]

Im going to make the same plan i make every year after reading a few books on holiday, and decide that i will continue to read in the evenings instead of messing around.. and then it wont happen again.

It's all about habit breaking and forming, Mange. Tell yourself you need to read 10 pages after dinner in the evening. You can do that in less time than the hours pissed away looking at your phone/TV or whatever.

Have you read the Berlin Noir trilogy by Phillip Kerr?

If you're going to be in Berlin you should read em while you're there. They're hard boiled detective stories about a PI in Berlin just as the Nazis are getting into power. They're great craic but he describes all thr places you'll be staying in and seeing while you're there.

I haven't read them (or even heard of them/Kerr), El_G but I'll stick the first one on my reading list though fiction is rarely my first choice when it comes to buying a book.

I only have a few days in Berlin which will be taken up with seeing a Hertha BSC home game, bit of cold war stuff and sure, IF I have time, a pint or two.

 

[El Guapo]

Just finished Camarade by Theo Dorgan



It's written as a kind of memior from an old lad who grew up in Cork but made his life in Paris in exile after shooting a Guard (no spoilers there its the opening line of the book)

The story itself is patently fantastical bollocks involving veterans of a war of independence flying column, who being too noble to fight in the civil war, Instead went to fight in the international brigades in Spain before findinga new cause, becoming a resistance figher in france in WW2 all while gaining such command and influence that the highest levels of present day French anti terrorist groups listen to a Cork fella asking to leave a fella alone who they have under surveillance for Jihadist activities online.

Harry fuckin Potter is more likely like, but having said that while Dorgan the story teller might come up short Dorgan the writer is Brilliant.

Taken in isolation each scene in the book is great. it paints a lyrical romantic picture and is basically a love letter to Blackpool and Paris.

The descriptions of yer man's adolescence trying to catch girls and walking a much more bucolic Cork than I knew are fantastic.

I'd say auld Theo is a lecherous auld fucker who was fond of a bit of sex in his day his description of women particularly are evocative without being in any way cheap or classless.

I enjoyed it..Not sure how It would play to a Non Cork readership but it was good if you can suspend some disbelief

Edit: I meant to say some of it is loosely based a real life incident where on Tomas Óg MacCurtain who after months of getting hassle from a special branch garda who was obsessed with following him shot the guard in broad daylight allegedly on Pana of all places and was sentenced to death for it (which was later commuted to some shorter less terminal sentence)

 

[Nollaig O Muracu]

Ordered a good few of the books on here.

Hopefully I read them before I return them (to the library).

I used to read loads, now if I get 20 pages in one sitting I feel good about it! Bloody concentration is gone, and I'm not sure if it's from ageing or having so many options and ending up doing none of them well.

 

[Cormac]

Ordered a good few of the books on here.

Hopefully I read them before I return them (to the library).

I used to read loads, now if I get 20 pages in one sitting I feel good about it! Bloody concentration is gone, and I'm not sure if it's from ageing or having so many options and ending up doing none of them well.

People's attention spans are gone to shit because of social media and the Internet in general.
Everything now is geared towards snappy and quick information delivery.
Slowly reading a book goes completely against that so if your brain gets out of the habit of doing it at all, you need to fight to click it back into that gear again.

I used to read a good bit before but since the kids came along I'm just too fecking tired and short of time to do so now. I'd fall asleep 5 pages.
Audiobooks were a game changer for me as I drive a lot with work.

 

[Nollaig O Muracu]

People's attention spans are gone to shit because of social media and the Internet in general.
Everything now is geared towards snappy and quick information delivery.
Slowly reading a book goes completely against that so if your brain gets out of the habit of doing it at all, you need to fight to click it back into that gear again.

I used to read a good bit before but since the kids came along I'm just too fecking tired and short of time to do so now. I'd fall asleep 5 pages.
Audiobooks were a game changer for me as I drive a lot with work.

Aye, I do listen to audio books alright, but I'd still prefer to read, but as you say, attention spans is gone to shit.

Even with the audio books I find that I suddenly realise I havent heard a word for the last 5 minutes with the mind wandering to whatever trivial bs it wants to.