What are you reading tonight?

Prufrock · **Posted:** Fri Jun 13, 2008 6:56 pm

freeindeed wrote:

Dr Hotdog wrote:

Tom Waits in his own words: a collection of three decades' worth of interviews with Tom Waits.

Good choice Dr Hotdog, Tom Waits is the don.

Me reading Derren Brown's book - Tricks of the Mind.

Derren Brown's book is fantastic, so so much better than i thought it would be. It manages to be amusing, interesting and very very skeptical about everything i myself am skeptical about, i loved it.

Dujon · **Posted:** Sun Jun 15, 2008 1:19 am

I'm just about half way through a publication entitled Speaking for Themselves which is an edited compilation of letters sent between and received by Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine. It is edited by one of their daughters, Mary Soames. This is a book to be read in short bursts, though at times it is compelling, and reveals the doubts, insecurities and conniving of, not only the writers, but also of their acquaintances, allies and enemies. Even though I am essentially a non-political type of person (or maybe because I am not that way inclined) I have found it to be fascinating.

The introduction and comments inserted by Mrs Soames are essential reading as they explain the reason and structure of the tome (and, yes, it is a tome). It spans the years from 1903 to 1963 including two generous selections of photographs relevant to the text. At this point in time I reside in the year of our Lord 1923 and so have quite a few to go. Hopefully I will be able to organise an extension of loan from my library in order for me to reach the end date.

TANGODANCER · **Posted:** Sun Jun 15, 2008 1:34 pm

Just been given two Templar novels for Father's Day: Brotherhood of The Holy Shroud and Standard of Honour (second novel in the Jack Whyte series, Monty) . Keep me busy for a night or two after reading Lee Child's The Hard Way.

hisroyalgingerness · **Posted:** Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:32 pm

Rant by Chuck Palahnuik. It's surprisingly entertaining, despite having a very unusual style. It's written script-format and the interviewees are telling the story of Rant Casey, a soon-to-be serial killer.

Read Adrian Chiles' book whilst away. Quite a funny read, recommend it if you like his sense of humour.

Prufrock · **Posted:** Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:49 pm

Dujon wrote:

I'm just about half way through a publication entitled Speaking for Themselves which is an edited compilation of letters sent between and received by Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine. It is edited by one of their daughters, Mary Soames. This is a book to be read in short bursts, though at times it is compelling, and reveals the doubts, insecurities and conniving of, not only the writers, but also of their acquaintances, allies and enemies. Even though I am essentially a non-political type of person (or maybe because I am not that way inclined) I have found it to be fascinating.

The introduction and comments inserted by Mrs Soames are essential reading as they explain the reason and structure of the tome (and, yes, it is a tome). It spans the years from 1903 to 1963 including two generous selections of photographs relevant to the text. At this point in time I reside in the year of our Lord 1923 and so have quite a few to go. Hopefully I will be able to organise an extension of loan from my library in order for me to reach the end date.

Gramps is in hospital at the mo so took him my churchill book to read, tis a biography but i cant for teh life of me remember who by. The back has a review saying 'no-one need write another Churchill book for ten years'. If you're enjoying the letters i'd recommend it if i can remember the name. Can be heavy at times but the war years are very interesting.

Batman · **Posted:** Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:03 pm

hisroyalgingerness wrote:

Rant by Chuck Palahnuik. It's surprisingly entertaining, despite having a very unusual style. It's written script-format and the interviewees are telling the story of Rant Casey, a soon-to-be serial killer.

Read Adrian Chiles' book whilst away. Quite a funny read, recommend it if you like his sense of humour.

I can take or leave Palahniuk. HRG will tell you why.

Zulus · **Posted:** Mon Jun 23, 2008 12:21 am

Prufrock wrote:

Dujon wrote:

I'm just about half way through a publication entitled Speaking for Themselves which is an edited compilation of letters sent between and received by Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine. It is edited by one of their daughters, Mary Soames. This is a book to be read in short bursts, though at times it is compelling, and reveals the doubts, insecurities and conniving of, not only the writers, but also of their acquaintances, allies and enemies. Even though I am essentially a non-political type of person (or maybe because I am not that way inclined) I have found it to be fascinating.

The introduction and comments inserted by Mrs Soames are essential reading as they explain the reason and structure of the tome (and, yes, it is a tome). It spans the years from 1903 to 1963 including two generous selections of photographs relevant to the text. At this point in time I reside in the year of our Lord 1923 and so have quite a few to go. Hopefully I will be able to organise an extension of loan from my library in order for me to reach the end date.

Gramps is in hospital at the mo so took him my churchill book to read, tis a biography but i cant for teh life of me remember who by. The back has a review saying 'no-one need write another Churchill book for ten years'. If you're enjoying the letters i'd recommend it if i can remember the name. Can be heavy at times but the war years are very interesting.

Roy Jenkins, perhaps? (2001) Churchill : a biography. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0-374-12354-3. Best modern day biography of Churchill, by a long chalk. (In my humble opinion!)

Dujon · **Posted:** Mon Jun 23, 2008 1:43 am

Prufrock and Zulus - thanks for the comments.

I'll see if I can get hold of the Jenkins publication. If nothing else it'll be interesting to see what others thought of his attitude to the 'Dardanelles' campaign, the Indian situation and the Unionists. Then there were the suffragettes; Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear - such a worthy cause blighted by extremism. Prior to my reading of the letters I was totally unaware (which might well highlight my ignorance) that the suffragettes were not averse to 'terrorist' activities (underlined by Winston's plea to Clementine not to open a package delivered from an unknown person) and that one of the group attempted to push him off a railway platform into the path of an incoming steam engine. It makes Germane Greer look like a saint!

Worthy4England · **Posted:** Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:09 am

Just finished "The Fifth Elephant" by Terry Pratchett...

enfieldwhite · **Posted:** Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:21 am

Worthy4England wrote:

Just finished "The Fifth Elephant" by Terry Pratchett...

Are you reading them chronologically?

Worthy4England · **Posted:** Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:32 am

enfieldwhite wrote:

Worthy4England wrote:

Just finished "The Fifth Elephant" by Terry Pratchett...

Are you reading them chronologically?

I did do first time around :-)

enfieldwhite · **Posted:** Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:37 am

Worthy4England wrote:

enfieldwhite wrote:

Worthy4England wrote:

Just finished "The Fifth Elephant" by Terry Pratchett...

Are you reading them chronologically?

I did do first time around :-)

I hope he manages to produce a few more before his Alzheimers gets too severe. :cry:

Tough break for such a florid mind.

Worthy4England · **Posted:** Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:58 am

enfieldwhite wrote:

Worthy4England wrote:

enfieldwhite wrote:

Worthy4England wrote:

Just finished "The Fifth Elephant" by Terry Pratchett...

Are you reading them chronologically?

I did do first time around :-)

I hope he manages to produce a few more before his Alzheimers gets too severe. :cry:

Tough break for such a florid mind.

Yes indeed, I first got into Discworld in around 1992, so I've had good service out of the books :-)

I can recall playing discworld online while I was at Uni in the same sort of timeframe (1992). It was a wonderful text adventure :-)

Batman · **Posted:** Mon Jun 23, 2008 12:21 pm

Blood Meridian - Cormac McCarthy.

Not bad.

Prufrock · **Posted:** Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:22 pm

Zulus wrote:

Prufrock wrote:

Dujon wrote:

I'm just about half way through a publication entitled Speaking for Themselves which is an edited compilation of letters sent between and received by Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine. It is edited by one of their daughters, Mary Soames. This is a book to be read in short bursts, though at times it is compelling, and reveals the doubts, insecurities and conniving of, not only the writers, but also of their acquaintances, allies and enemies. Even though I am essentially a non-political type of person (or maybe because I am not that way inclined) I have found it to be fascinating.

The introduction and comments inserted by Mrs Soames are essential reading as they explain the reason and structure of the tome (and, yes, it is a tome). It spans the years from 1903 to 1963 including two generous selections of photographs relevant to the text. At this point in time I reside in the year of our Lord 1923 and so have quite a few to go. Hopefully I will be able to organise an extension of loan from my library in order for me to reach the end date.

Gramps is in hospital at the mo so took him my churchill book to read, tis a biography but i cant for teh life of me remember who by. The back has a review saying 'no-one need write another Churchill book for ten years'. If you're enjoying the letters i'd recommend it if i can remember the name. Can be heavy at times but the war years are very interesting.

Roy Jenkins, perhaps? (2001) Churchill : a biography. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0-374-12354-3. Best modern day biography of Churchill, by a long chalk. (In my humble opinion!)

That rings a bell Zulus, good man!

hisroyalgingerness · **Posted:** Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:30 pm

Batman wrote:

hisroyalgingerness wrote:

Rant by Chuck Palahnuik. It's surprisingly entertaining, despite having a very unusual style. It's written script-format and the interviewees are telling the story of Rant Casey, a soon-to-be serial killer.

Read Adrian Chiles' book whilst away. Quite a funny read, recommend it if you like his sense of humour.

I can take or leave Palahniuk. HRG will tell you why.

Raven · **Posted:** Tue Jun 24, 2008 12:24 pm

Now onto a book about Admiral Collingwood, described as Nelson's hero (he actually broke the French/Spanish line before Nelson and fired the first shots)

Dave Sutton's barnet · **Posted:** Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:54 pm

Just finished a second read of Glued to the Box, the third and final collection of Clive James's TV columns from the Observerin the '70s and early '80s. Utterly bleedin' irrelevant at this remove and in the wrong hands, but his concise use of language (and wry humour) constantly reward the reader. Try his report of the 1972 Olympics coverage here – one of many freebies on his site.

Post-James, I'm now a free agent and pondering my options, although I've enjoyed dipping into Bill Bryson's columns again while I decide.

Verbal · **Posted:** Tue Jun 24, 2008 5:37 pm

Indecision by Benjamin Kunkel. Good read so far, very funny - only danger is that sometimes the dialogue becomes a bit too disjointed or dense. Good so far though as I say.

Athers · **Posted:** Tue Jun 24, 2008 6:11 pm

Just finished Moneyball (M. Lewis) - a story of how a small team competes with big spending rivals by using statistics and incorrect general assumptions to find market inefficiencies. Pretty interesting actually, could relate a bit to Bolton in terms of ProZone and what players actually bring to a side, but the sport in question in the book (baseball) is a series of one on one events more suited to such analysis compared with football which is a flowing team sport.

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