Books

[Hardy]

That's it. It coincides with the annual influx from the North at this time of year of people timing their holidays to coincide with (an escape from) the marching season.

[Syferus]

Been "reading" The Devil in the White City recently.

It's about Daniel Burnham, the chief architect of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago building the same and the twisted parody of the Fair Dr. H.H. Homles was building with his mansion of horrors just outside the site of the fair. Holmes is regarded as one of the first American serial killers, for what that's worth.

I had the book for a few years but had never got around to it and then I played Bioshock Infinite, a video game set in an alternate version of 1911 where a rogue faction of Americans fully convinced of American exceptionalism have developed a floating city called Columbia. Reading up on the game (in terms of setting and story it's one of the best productions, film or otherwise, of the year) I found the creator had been inspired by reading The Devil in the White City. It put the book back on my mind.

Being lazy I didn't fancy doing something as tough as reading so I got the audio-book version and have been working my way through it. Very enjoyable book, even if the author is prone to a few pointless flourishes. I've always enjoyed non-fiction books about the Gilded Age so I guess I'm a bit of a sucker for this one but it's such a fascinating moment in time with the development of the modern world of sky-scrappers and electricity mingling with horse-drawn carriages and industrial era technology.

[ONeill]

Booker long list

Five Star Billionaire by Tash Aw
We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
Harvest by Jim Crace
The Marrying of Chani Kaufman by Eve Harris
The Kills by Richard House
The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri
Unexploded by Alison MacLeod
TransAtlantic by Colum McCann
Almost English by Charlotte Mendelson
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan
The Testament of Mary by Colm Tóibín

[ziggy90]

Anyone reading anything worthwhile? I've just finished The Earth by Emile Zola, fantastic read about country folk in 19th Century France (could be set anywhere). Anyone who liked Jean de Florette will get this.

[Billys Boots]

Anyone reading anything worthwhile? I've just finished The Earth by Emile Zola, fantastic read about country folk in 19th Century France (could be set anywhere). Anyone who liked Jean de Florette will get this.

Thanks ziggy, will give it a look - haven't read any Zola in many years.  Am currently struggling through 'The Stockholm Octavo' - a lesser 'Liaisons Dangereuses' set in Sweden in 1792 - it's alright, not brilliant.  Last brilliant read was 'The Potter's Field (Andrea Camilleri)' - the thirteenth Inspector Montalbano outing, set in Sicily.  Also enjoyed 'Our Lady of Sorrows (Anne Zouroudi)' - the fourth Greek Detective outing, set in the modern day Greek islands. 

[Canalman]

Read City of Lehane recently. Millers Crossing meets Playboy of the Western World. Quiet good but could have been excellent.

Finished two biographies of Steve McQueen and the baseball player Joe DiMaggio. 2 very complex individuals and downright nasty so an so's at times.

Now reading Count of Monte Cristo again for the umpteenth time.

[Hardy]

Now reading Count of Monte Cristo again for the umpteenth time.

Ah! Read it for the first time this year. A treat.

I'm reading "The Memory Of Running" (which is not a sports book and has nothing to do with running) by Ron McCLarty. It's essentially an American "Road" novel, but a hundred times better than the much-hyped original of the species by Kerouac, which, even when I was a youngster and I was supposed to see it as an anthem for my generation, I thought was self-indulgent, know-nothing, poorly written crap.

This is a beautifully told story about a non-acheiving, overweight, alcoholic social misfit in his forties, a harmless poor craytur we'd call him, who slowly grows up and gradually starts to understand himself as he rides from Rhode Island to Los Angeles on a bike (push variety), not really knowing why he's doing it, but accumulating experiences and insights as he goes.

I was a bit put off by the reviews that seemed to suggest it was mainly liked by women and even after fifty pages I was going to give up on it, as the story wasn't engaging me, but as soon as he hit the road it became compelling. Lovely writing.

[Billys Boots]

Read City of Lehane recently. Millers Crossing meets Playboy of the Western World. Quiet good but could have been excellent.

City of Bohane that is ... I feel the same about it.

Thanks for that recommendation Hardy - I suggest, if you haven't seen it already, that you look out for the movie 'The Straight Story'.  Not going to describe or hype it - just give it a go. 

[Hardy]

Thanks - will do.

[ONeill]

The Testament of Mary by Colm Tóibín is a weird one. Fast readers will finish it in a few hours.

It's a fictional account of the 'virgin' Mary's take on her son leading up to his crucixifion and aftermath.

Some don't like his style but it's worth the read I thought.

[OakleafCounty]

Anyone reading anything worthwhile? I've just finished The Earth by Emile Zola, fantastic read about country folk in 19th Century France (could be set anywhere). Anyone who liked Jean de Florette will get this.

Remember this on my uni reading list but never read it. Must track it down.

[OakleafCounty]

Books I've read so far this year:

The Family Corleone - Ed Falco
Fills in the gap between the 1920's in Godfather II and the 50's in the Godfather. Follows Sonny Corleones transition from teenage rebel to 'making his bones'. The other main character whose story is seperate is Luca Brasi. Great read if your a fan of the Godfather.

Boston Noir - Dennis Lehane
Each chapter was a different story by a different author based in different parts of Boston. Good read.

The Godfather - Mario Puzzo
Classic, measures up to one of my favourite films.

Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe
Very good book. The way its written can get a bit tiresome at times but a good story based in a world long since gone.

Hard Times - Charles Dickens
Great read. Based during the industrial revolution in the north of England.

The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
A good read but not the classic I was expecting.

Rockin the Bronx - Larry Kirwan
Most enjoyable read in a long time. Couldn't put it down. Follows Sean who was a young immigrant from Wexford in the Bainbridge section of the Bronx which had a large Irish community at the time, the early 80's. It must in a small way be based on Kirwans own experiences as he himself emigrated from Wexford to New York at the age of 19 and formed a band called Black 47. His characters band was called the Tinkers. Great story which has a bit of everything in it. 

[lynchbhoy]

if you like the Godfather oakleaf, then read 'omerta' and ' the last don' also by Puzo . they are even better. fantastic books.


this year the best ive read  is Tomy Iommi's 'Iron man'  - absolutely fantastic book

currently reading Chris Suttons autobiog. excellent and interesting so far.

[T Fearon]

You should be reading authorised biography of Sean Fallon - Iron Man, just published!

Amazing facts about a man whose huge role in Celtic's successes of the 60s and 70s is not so much undervalued but totally unnoticed. Did you know that Big Jock wanted to transfer list Jinky immediately on his return to Celtic Park in 1965, and Sean talked him out of it, or that Big Jock took a long time to warm to Dalglish but again it was Sean who pleaded for him to be patient?

[Canalman]

Read City of Lehane recently. Millers Crossing meets Playboy of the Western World. Quiet good but could have been excellent.

City of Bohane that is ... I feel the same about it.

Thanks for that recommendation Hardy - I suggest, if you haven't seen it already, that you look out for the movie 'The Straight Story'.  Not going to describe or hype it - just give it a go.

Yeah, City of Bohane it was . My bad. The ending just fizzled out lamely imo which was a pity as the rest was actually very good.