Books

[The Iceman]

A Peoples History of the United States by Howard Zinn - amazing book - its a history text book and I read it cover to cover and was shocked by every chapter - definitely worth a look!

[SimpleSimon]

5times, I've read a few chapters and found it interesting but haven't read the whole book. I don't know how the libel cases went or whole all took them, but still worth the read i'd say. I'm just not a big reader.

[Billys Boots]

Just finished reading Brian Clough's Autobiography

Shane, I mentioned this below before - it's a 'fictional' account of Clough's 40-odd days at Leeds, based on several other accounts published and otherwise.  A fantastic read, completely unputdownable.  Johnny Giles was not Cloughie's favourite person, and the feeling was mutual.  Great stuff indeed.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Damned-Utd-David-Peace/dp/0571224334/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/203-3474608-6574326?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194512866&sr=8-1

[Yer Ma]

Just finished Salem's Lot by Stephen King. It's the first book I've read by him, inspired I think by the recent 'horror scenes' thread that was floating about.

It's good, I enjoyed the build up perhaps more than the ending, but he's very easy to read and I'd certainly read another novel of his fairly soon. Open to suggestions too if other posters have recommendations.

[The Corporal]

Yer Ma, i've read quite a few Stephen King books and im currently half way through one of his books called Desperation which is good! But 1 King book i really enjoyed and would recommend is Everything's Eventual. Series of short stories that are really good.

Dan Brown novels are excellent aswell. Thought Deception Point and Digital Fortress were the 2 best!

[AZOffaly]

The 'Damned United' book is brilliant alright Billy. Sometimes you need to remind yourself it is a novel though, or at least an interpretation, because it is writtin in the first person at times, and you think it's non-fiction

Also, on a seperate note, I love the wise cracking fictional detective type. The likes of Marlowe in the Big Sleep and his descendants like Spencer from Robert B. Parker and Elvis Cole from Robert Crais. Any others about I should know about?

[AZOffaly]

I actually don't like Charlie Chan that much.

[Billys Boots]

Any others about I should know about?

James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux series, set in Louisiana.
Sara Paretsky's stuff has the smartarse comments you'd like AZ.
Henning Mankell's Swedish thrillers, if you're into Swedish humour (i.e. ahem, none).
Michael Dibdin's Inspector Zen series, set in Italy, and as funny/cynical as it gets, anywhere.
Manuel Vázquez Montalbán's Pepe Carvalho series set in Barcelona - offbeat, but good.

[AZOffaly]

James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux series, set in Louisiana.
Sara Paretsky's stuff has the smartarse comments you'd like AZ.
Henning Mankell's Swedish thrillers, if you're into Swedish humour (i.e. ahem, none).
Michael Dibdin's Inspector Zen series, set in Italy, and as funny/cynical as it gets, anywhere.
Manuel Vázquez Montalbán's Pepe Carvalho series set in Barcelona - offbeat, but good.

I like Dave Robicheaux a lot, but he's not the smart arse I had in mind. He's much deeper and more of a crusading knight. I like the writing style of Burke though, very descriptive.
Never looked at Sara Paretsky's stuff, must take a gander, but in general I'm not a huge fan of female writers in that Genre. Patricia Cornwell and Sue Grafton have sort of worn on me, although I used to like their stuff when I read it first.
I doubt if I'll be reading the Swedish lad, unless you strongly advise otherwise, but the Italian and Catalan lads sound interesting. I'll give them a crack. Cheers.

Actually, in the local little bookshop there last week I bought a hardback, bound copy of the complete Holmes works of Arthur Conan Doyle. It's a lovely volume, and I'd forgotten what a good read they were.

[Billys Boots]

AZ, there's also the Patricia Highsmith stuff - again not that smartarsey, but well put together.  The Ripley series is extraordinary - I read it again recently and enjoyed it immensely.

http://www.mysterynet.com/books/testimony/ripley.shtml

[DUBSFORSAM1]

Lord of the Rings - a great trilogy of books
Bourne series - A great set of books which were destroyed by the films 
Colin Forbes books - great reads and complicated
Riftwar sage - Raymond Feist
Sam Bourne - also good...
Shanara Books - Terry Brooks
The Wolf of Masada - can't remember who wrote it - story based on the siege of Masada
Dune - Frank Herbert
David Gemmell - Druss books

[full back]

Finished Friday Night Lights - although various people told me it was quality I found it somewhat disappointing

[Balboa]

Finished Friday Night Lights - although various people told me it was quality I found it somewhat disappointing

It was as much a social commentary on small town USA as a book about American Football, i enjoyed it though.

[Louth Exile]

Also bought "The GAA Book of Lists" which has some interesting facts and figures. Certainly well worth a tenner of anyones money.

i have that aswell by Eoghan Corry, i really enjoyed it especially reading about the competitions that no longer exist such as the World Cup 

Went into Eason for a browse on Friday night and ended up getting what I think are called coffee table books (although they will probably end up closer to the throne!)
The aforementioned book of lists and two Shane Coleman books, the latest one is called 'Up the Polls' and I can't for the life of me remember the other one at the moment but it is basically to do with poltical gaffes made by Irish politicans. I'd recommend all of them in that they are inexpensive and the type of book you can pick up and read one of the stories and then not look at it again for a while.

[pintsofguinness]

Reading Band of Brothers - did start it some time ago and left it but got right back into it this week, great book and obviously a lot more detail in it than the TV series, looking forward to watching the series again. 
Is it me or is he not very complimentary to the British tank drivers (I'm sure that's not the miltary term for them)?  He only mentions them a few times (so far anyway) and thats to point out they done something wrong.

Anyone read any other books by Ambrose?  Was thinking of giving D Day a go after this.


Also reading The Boys of Winter - about the 1980 US hockey team - interesting.