Books

[Hardy]

On a slight tangent, does anybody else do this? When I'm reading, or listening to one of those Bosch, Bennett, Spenser, Bolitor etc, books I like to go into Google Earth and pick out the locations they are talking about. Then I go into street view and have a look around. Sad I know, but I enjoy it

Yep.

[Tony Baloney]

On a slight tangent, does anybody else do this? When I'm reading, or listening to one of those Bosch, Bennett, Spenser, Bolitor etc, books I like to go into Google Earth and pick out the locations they are talking about. Then I go into street view and have a look around. Sad I know, but I enjoy it

What you mean is there anyone who doesn't do this?!  I remember checking out some sort of funicular/cable car system in one of the Bosch books. Handy for a wee tour of Edinburgh if you need to track Rebus around Morningside or Longniddrie.

[ONeill]

Anyone read The Twelve by Stuart Neville (2009)? Only reading it now....

On the issue of audio books - a real no-no from me. Tried it once but really missed seeing the beauty of words on a page.

[Tony Baloney]

Anyone read The Twelve by Stuart Neville (2009)? Only reading it now....

On the issue of audio books - a real no-no from me. Tried it once but really missed seeing the beauty of words on a page.

Aye. I have liked all his stuff I have read to date.

[ONeill]

Glad to hear it. Took me a while to get used to his style as he leaves nothing implicit but I suppose that's because I'm from here and he maybe needs to spell out what the troubles were like to non-norn-ironers. Tiny bit cliched, especially the dissidents, but you buy into it eventually.

[Tony Baloney]

The character Paddy Hopkirk is based on a fella from up home. I tweeted Neville at the time and he said he couldn't possibly comment!

Ratlines is an interesting read too. All his stuff is decent but you'll not have your socks blown off. Adrian McKinty's Sean Duffy trilogy might be worth checking out too. I enjoyed them but maybe it's easier to have lower expectations for local stuff.

[Main Street]

Anyone read The Twelve by Stuart Neville (2009)? Only reading it now....

On the issue of audio books - a real no-no from me. Tried it once but really missed seeing the beauty of words on a page.

Trying it once is not really trying is it? it's called giving up and probably just using that 'mini' experience to confirm a prejudice.
Words and expressions also  have a beauty when spoken, beauty is in the perception.

First choice may well be to read the book yourself and weave your own world from the book. Having a book read to you is a different experience altogether and much depends on the quality of the narrator (as I already expressed) .
A good book can be belittled by a poor narration but an average book can be enhanced.
For many people, they listen better than they can read. For me, my imagination works very good when I listen, maybe one reason why some students do better when they listen to a lecture in class than if they just had to read the text of the lecture quietly.
If I have to write something, then I'll turn on the system voice (Daniel or Bruce) in text to speech and hear how it sounds.

The second great advantage is the ability to listen to an audio book during all those times when it's impossible to read text. But one has to listen or acquire/develop the art of good listening, sometimes words go in  and out, then once can just replay the chapter,

[Main Street]

The book 'Alone in Berlin' by Hans Fallada  http://www.spiked-online.com/review_of_books/article/10472 has already been lauded here  It's a masterpiece which tells of ordinary folk, Anna and Otto and their journey from loyal followers of Hitler (at least Otto) to a dogged spirited revolt against the Nazi state.
There's another side to the underground revolt and that's the story told in the book The Red Orchestra by Anne Nelson,
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/books/review/Herzog-t.html?_r=0  a historical account of various resistance groups in Berlin. The name the  Red Orchestra implies that were part of the red (communist) resistance throughout nazi occupied europe, but this group had hardly any communists. They were mostly middle class and upper class German  who pretty much managed to acquire nearly every worthwhile nazi war plan and pass it on to the allies, some were high ranking members of the nazi war ministry,  like Anna and Otto) distributed anti nazi literature and helped jews escape.

The chapters after nazi Germany was defeated are also very revealing, as the surviving members of the red orchestra were derided as traitors and communists by nazi elements who had easily managed to re-embed themselves  in West German society.

Did you know that widows of executed german officers executed for resistance to the nazi war machine, were refused a war widows pension until 1967 (I think), they were regarded as traitors, whereas families of certified nazi criminals were 'cleansed' in 1949 and 1954. Here's one very good article about how one such group, the families of the  July 20 "plotters", were treated.
http://www.newsweek.com/2014/08/15/look-behind-plot-kill-hitler-263200.html

Dieter Bonhoeffer, the famous anti nazi pastor executed in 1945 did not receive a pardon for his "crime" until 1996.
http://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/16/world/after-50-years-german-court-exonerates-anti-hitler-pastor.html

[muppet]

Anyone read The Twelve by Stuart Neville (2009)? Only reading it now....

On the issue of audio books - a real no-no from me. Tried it once but really missed seeing the beauty of words on a page.

Audio is not as good as the written word, but the latter is tricky while driving.

[blewuporstuffed]

I have started with audiobooks recently myself, as i have quite a lengthy comute to work, so they are great for that.
I have only listened to a couple of non fiction type ones so far,Outliers by malcom galdwell & the undercover economist by tim harford, (both of which were interesting listens)
im not sure i would like a novel read by someone else, but gonna give it a go.
The next one i have lined up is Cormac Mccarthys 'Border trilogy' read by Brad Pit, so hoping that will be good.

[CD]

I have started with audiobooks recently myself, as i have quite a lengthy comute to work, so they are great for that.
I have only listened to a couple of non fiction type ones so far,Outliers by malcom galdwell & the undercover economist by tim harford, (both of which were interesting listens)
im not sure i would like a novel read by someone else, but gonna give it a go.
The next one i have lined up is Cormac Mccarthys 'Border trilogy' read by Brad Pit, so hoping that will be good.

I read the trilogy a couple of years back and would certainly rank them among the modern American classics. Three absolutely beautiful books - the kind of books that had me rereading whole passages just because they were so good! If you like these I'd recommend Lonesome Dove, Riders of the Purple Sage and the Virginian!

[ONeill]

Anyone read The Twelve by Stuart Neville (2009)? Only reading it now....

On the issue of audio books - a real no-no from me. Tried it once but really missed seeing the beauty of words on a page.

Trying it once is not really trying is it? it's called giving up and probably just using that 'mini' experience to confirm a prejudice.
Words and expressions also  have a beauty when spoken, beauty is in the perception.

First choice may well be to read the book yourself and weave your own world from the book. Having a book read to you is a different experience altogether and much depends on the quality of the narrator (as I already expressed) .
A good book can be belittled by a poor narration but an average book can be enhanced.
For many people, they listen better than they can read. For me, my imagination works very good when I listen, maybe one reason why some students do better when they listen to a lecture in class than if they just had to read the text of the lecture quietly.
If I have to write something, then I'll turn on the system voice (Daniel or Bruce) in text to speech and hear how it sounds.

The second great advantage is the ability to listen to an audio book during all those times when it's impossible to read text. But one has to listen or acquire/develop the art of good listening, sometimes words go in  and out, then once can just replay the chapter,

No harm in admitting you're stupid. Well played.

[An Watcher]

Santi claus got me 4 irish sporting books which I've just finished.
Brian O'Driscoll - not bad although you get the feeling he could have said alot more.
Jim Stynes - good read but focuses more on his cancer suffering than aussie rules career. What did I expect I suppose
Roy Keane - interesting reading about his Sunderland and Ipswich days.
Paul Galvin - excellent but would have liked some detail on the big games v Tyrone

[DrinkingHarp]

John Sandford anyone; Virgil Flowers or Lucas Davenport?

Great read, it only gets better with each book. Virgil is a tough SOB not only physically but with his deduction capabilities.

[DrinkingHarp]

The three series I have been reading the past month- The Remaining by DJ Molles- great series, on the 5th book. A disease takes hold of the US and puts infected in a zombie state(infected). Great series and can't wait for the sixth book. Supposedly DJ is putting out 8-9 books in the series.
http://www.goodreads.com/series/85391-the-remaining


Bernard Cornwell , The Warrior Chronicles/Saxon Stories- on the third book and it gets better with each book. Seven books in total maybe another 1-2 afterwards but a great read. Also look at his other series http://www.bernardcornwell.net/books-by-bernard-cornwell/.

Edward Rutherfurd....Princes of Ireland. There is suppose to be three more in the series and the first one was fantastic.
http://edwardrutherfurd.com/princes-of-ireland