| Books 11:29 - Aug 26 with 9109 views | Phildo |
Anyone read any good ones recently?
I am 40 years late but I just read Lonesome Dove and oh my I enjoyed it.
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| Books on 19:12 - Aug 26 with 2119 views | willesdenr |
Started reading Mick Heron’s Slow Horses series, didn’t think it would improve the excellent TV series but it does. Only another 5 books to go. He has written several other series as well which I will try. |  | | |
| Books on 20:06 - Aug 26 with 1983 views | Akindweevil |
There are some great suggestions already in this thread.. Thank you! (Just about to buy Zweig's Beware of Pity as a result!)
I've just finished The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. This is one of the most enjoyable books I've read for a while. She is a very assured writer... it was a joy to be in her company for a week or so. [Post edited 26 Aug 20:11]
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| Books on 20:07 - Aug 26 with 1969 views | ted_hendrix |
| Books on 11:38 - Aug 26 by Gus_iom |
I read a lot during work breaks.
I buy books from the charity shop as they are likely to get a bit mucky in my van, so definitely not the latest releases.
Anyway, just read 'time after time' by Ben Elton. Didn't have great expectations (!), but thought it was really good. Thoroughly recommend. |
Just read this, my Mrs gets all her books from charity shops. |  |
| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
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| Books on 20:22 - Aug 26 with 1945 views | TwoHalves |
Just starting ‘The 1619 Project’, a reframing of the American origin story, beginning not on 4th July 1776 with the American War of Independence, but in August 1619, when a ship arrived in Virginia bearing a cargo of thirty enslaved people from Africa.
It’s a collaboration between the editors of the New York Times Magazine and journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, placing the legacy of slavery at the centre of the national narrative. Safe to say it won’t feature on Trump’s reading list.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.htm | | | |
| Books on 20:22 - Aug 26 with 1944 views | dmm |
I got through my first audiobook recently: 'Thatcher Stole My Trousers' by Alexei Sayle. It chronicles the founding of the Comedy Store, the Comic Strip, the Young Ones, and a lot more besides. It's read by the man himself which is a bonus. Funny and fascinating in equal measure. |  | | |
| Books on 22:50 - Aug 26 with 1785 views | Sonic_Hoop |
I've recently started re-reading some of my favourite books. Lanark by Alisdair Gray, The Ginger Man by JP Donleavy and Steppenwolf by Hesse. A very different experience visiting them as an old man than as a proto- adult. Still no nearer to understanding the human condition or maybe just less certain of its nature. |  | | |
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| Books on 00:12 - Aug 27 with 1729 views | Sommerbreeze |
just finished 'The Lock-Up' by John Banville, who won the Booker Prize for his The Sea a few years back. This is one of his detective novels, which I think he started writing under a pseudonym. very noir-ish. set in 50s Dublin. Really good.
also reread a couple of my favourite sports books this summer:
The Year of the Locust by Jon Hotten. the most incredible boxing story ever. Hotten also writes brilliant cricket books.
This Bloody Mary is the Last Thing I Own by Jonathan Rendall. Another incredible boxing book / memoir about a journalist becoming a boxing manager. | | | |
| Books on 01:09 - Aug 27 with 1697 views | BrisbaneR |
I've really enjoyed Edward Rutherford's 'city' books; he'll place fictional characters in a city at its inception, and we see their families lives play out across the generations. While the city grows & changes, we see his characters interact with real historical people & events - really enjoyed London (I learned so much) and Dublin is great too (a two-parter).
Also just read & loved The Morrigan by Kim Curran, a retelling of Irish myths from the perspective of a goddess who's also a mortal and a warrior. The key at the front to help with the pronunciation of the Irish names is invaluable, so again, I learned while I was entertained. | | | |
| Books on 05:09 - Aug 27 with 1636 views | larsricchi |
My last 3 reads:
The Witch Elm by Tana French
Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane
When The Game Was War by Rich Cohen
First two were solid crime/thrillers. Last one looked at the 1987-88 NBA season, which is pretty much when I started really paying attention to pro basketball, which I stopped caring about by the early 2000s. Author has a soft spot for Isiah Thomas, which is too bad.
Need to pick my next one. Saw the mention of The Human Stain earlier; might go that route. But look forward to more recommendations! |  | | |
| Books on 06:49 - Aug 27 with 1548 views | PeterHucker |
Most of the fiction stuff I read is horror and sci fi.
I discovered the books of Grady Hendrix a few years ago and have just finished his book
We Sold Our Souls and it might be my favourite of his. It's the story of the fictional 90s rock band Dürt Würk and their great lost album Black Iron Mountain.
It's horror but not gory for the sake of it, and it's got a sense of humour.
for fans of classic 80s tongue-in-cheek horror films like The Evil Dead trilogy.
My other favourites of his are Horrorstor & The Southern Book Club's Guide To Vampire Slaying, The Final Girl Support Group.
other books in a similar vein....
Devil House by John Darnielle (singer / songwriter of the group The Mountain Goats bus also a spectacularly good writer)
A Mask Of Flies by Matthew Lyons
The Book Of Accidents by Chuck Wendig
Some recent sci fi books I've loved....
The Three Body Problem (Cixin Liu) – mind-bending sci-fi packed full of genius ideas that I'm sure has been discussed on here before. Looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.
Walking On Glass (Iain Banks) – I’ve read nearly all of his books but never got round to this one until just recently. This one is certainly not a straightforward story but I still absolutely loved it.
The Dispatcher trilogy (John Scalzi) – Film noir with a sci fi edge. The 3 books in the trilogy are The Dispatcher, Murder By Other Means and Travel By Bullet.
Self Help (Ben H. Winters) – an audiobook about an audiobook. Brilliant narration by Wil Wheaton & Ron Perlman
I also read a lot of non fiction music books so here are some recent favourites....
Fingers Crossed (Miki Berenyi)
Rough Trade website selected it as their best book of 2022 saying this: “A revelatory and important statement on the sexism of the 90s music industry, growing up through parental neglect and the wild highs and lows of the Britpop years. The Lush star is a trailblazer and here to remind us that success means different things to different people and that perhaps the traditional definition ain’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
I bought this from Miki herself when she was doing a book signing at Bella Union in Brighton a while ago. It’s a truly remarkable read. Some musicians biographies can drag a bit when you’re reading about their early lives. You just want them to get to the bit where they start the band. That’s not the case here at all because Miki’s life before becoming a musician was already quite extraordinary. It’s an extremely honest and emotional book and highly recommended, regardless of whether you’re familiar with her music or not
I Wanna Be Yours by John Cooper Clarke (get the audiobook if you can)
The man has a way with words as we all know and his frequent tangents about films, breakfast cereal, fashion or whatever are equal parts fascinating and hilarious. As the tagline from the After Eight adverts quoted in the book several times puts it, listening to this was “Luxury, pure unashamed luxury”
Paper Cuts: How I Destroyed The British Music Press & Other Misadventures by Ted Kessler (he's on this forum I believe)
I'm a massive Beatles & having read books about them by Hunter Davies, Mark Lewisohn & Ian McDonald' decades ago I really didn't think I'd ever need to read any more books about them. But I recently read 2 absolutely outstanding ones.....
1 2 3 4 by Craig Brown
With a little Help from Their Friends by Stuart Maconie.
I'm also a massive Bruce Springsteen nerd and have read a load of books about him. Recently I've read these ones that stood out....
Born in the USA: Bruce Springsteen and the American Tradition by Jim Cullen
Deliver Is From Nowhere by Warren Zanes |  | | |
| Books on 07:24 - Aug 27 with 1519 views | Gus_iom |
A recommendation for a book to be read in this long, wonderful summer "In A Place Of Fallen Leaves" by Tim Pears. Just...magnificent.
Really enjoyed his west country triology, as well. | |
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| Books on 08:34 - Aug 27 with 1458 views | BernardOK |
'Expected Goals: The Story of How Data Conquered Football and Changed the Game Forever' by Rory Smith. A highly readable account of the modern football data revolution. A bit of an eye-opener for me and, given our CEO’s background, a very timely read...
'John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs' by Ian Leslie. You might think you’re heard/read all you need to about The Beatles. If so, think again. Makes you re-consider long-held assumptions about the Lennon-McCartney relationship and draws you back again to the songs.
Still on the non-fiction front, 'Live!: Why We Go Out', a gem from legendary QPR fan Robert Elms. An engaging personal reflection on his, and our, experience of live music. Here’s my review - https://bernardokeeffe.com/live-why-we-go-out/
On the fiction front, the best novel I’ve read recently is Jonathan Coe’s 'Proof of My Innocence'. Also enjoyed Alan Hollinghurst’s 'Our Evenings'.
If you like crime fiction you might be interested in the DI Garibaldi novels by Bernard O’Keeffe (shameless plug). The detective’s a QPR season ticket-holder and the books have plenty of R’s references.
‘He smiled as he remembered the line from Larkin – ‘man hands on misery to man’. That’s what he had done – handed on the misery of being a QPR season-ticket holder to his son. And he didn’t regret it one bit.’
‘It was the first home game of the season and the air was fresh with the crazy optimism familiar to all football fans, even those who supported QPR. Maybe this might be their year. Get back into the Premiership. Have a cup run. Rekindle the spirit of 1975–6, or the magic of that Bobby Zamora Wembley moment in 2014. Before a ball had been kicked in earnest anything was possible – it was like clutching a lottery ticket before the balls had dropped.'
‘Smug was never a word applied to QPR fans’
And some of the characters share names with QPR players – look out for Marsh, Bowles, Ainsworth, Gallen, Dunne... [Post edited 27 Aug 8:39]
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| Books on 08:45 - Aug 27 with 1436 views | TwoHalves |
| Books on 01:09 - Aug 27 by BrisbaneR |
I've really enjoyed Edward Rutherford's 'city' books; he'll place fictional characters in a city at its inception, and we see their families lives play out across the generations. While the city grows & changes, we see his characters interact with real historical people & events - really enjoyed London (I learned so much) and Dublin is great too (a two-parter).
Also just read & loved The Morrigan by Kim Curran, a retelling of Irish myths from the perspective of a goddess who's also a mortal and a warrior. The key at the front to help with the pronunciation of the Irish names is invaluable, so again, I learned while I was entertained. |
Well said about the Edward Rutherfurd books, Brisbane. Would add ‘New York’ to that list too. Got to know him a bit during cab-driving days (long story!) but had no idea who he was at first as his real name is Francis Wintle. Lovely chap; part old school, incredibly polite English gentleman, part literary bohemian. Says his books are inspired by American writer James Michener. The research that goes into each one is mind-blowing.
Ghost’s earlier Jack Black recommendation made me think again of jazz musician Art Pepper’s book ‘Straight Life’, an incredible ‘warts and all’ account of his life. Not for the faint-hearted.
For sport I loved all of Dave Roberts’ books about supporting Bromley FC (don’t let the film ‘Bromley Boys’ put you off) and for cricket CLR James’ ‘Beyond A Boundary’ is essential.
Comedian Marty Feldman’s autobiography ‘eyE Marty’ (sic) was great too. Read it at the library but loved it so much I bought a copy for myself. Starting to get a bit carried away now so will draw this to a conclusion! | | | |
| Books on 09:04 - Aug 27 with 1397 views | hubble |
Another shameless plug, but if any of you book lovers fancy a nice day out, the Queen's Park Book festival takes place this weekend. Obviously you will all be occupied on Saturday until at least 2.30pm, then you can come and drown your sorrows (or celebrate in style) in the large beer tent, and see some great authors...
All the events in the Community Tent are free. Festival highlights include Alan Hollinghurst (mentioned by Bernard above), West London local Geoff Dyer, and Prof. Matt Beaumont (a Palace fan, forgive him) talking about his book Nightwalking on Sunday should be fascinating. Plus Rangers' fan Hugh Pym will be there....
Oh, and there's a comedy night on Saturday with Paul Thorne (MC), Eleanor Tiernan, Mike Gunn and Paul Tonkinson.
Read all about it: https://queensparkbookfestival.co.uk/ |  |
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| Books on 10:14 - Aug 27 with 1331 views | Paddyhoops |
Mick Joyce of the Smiths autobiography is hitting the shelves soon .
That’s one I’ll buy. | | | |
| Books on 10:56 - Aug 27 with 1282 views | BrianMcCarthy |
Stumbled across (not over, across) 'A History of the World in 47 Borders' by John Elledge and it's excellent.
A chapter on controversial/nonsensical borders over the course of civilisation, it's hugely informative about geography, politics and history, and is really very funny as well. |  |
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| Books on 12:18 - Aug 27 with 1202 views | W4Hoop |
Three observations:
(1) It is brilliant that a forum of QPR supporters has such a rich, varied and enthusiastic thread about books.
(2) Unlike many readers, I never re-read books. There is so much that is new out there. Plus trying to re-live books you loved years ago is always a disappointment.
(3) Recommendation: East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. Ambitious, exhilarating tale of three generations travelling and settling across America at the turn of the 19th/20th centuries. Thrilling narrative, compelling characters and big themes handled with confidence and compassion. |  | | |
| Books on 12:29 - Aug 27 with 1162 views | BrianMcCarthy |
Another one for 'East of Eden'.
One of my favourite ever. | |
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| Books on 12:52 - Aug 27 with 1085 views | Sonic_Hoop |
| Books on 12:18 - Aug 27 by W4Hoop |
Three observations:
(1) It is brilliant that a forum of QPR supporters has such a rich, varied and enthusiastic thread about books.
(2) Unlike many readers, I never re-read books. There is so much that is new out there. Plus trying to re-live books you loved years ago is always a disappointment.
(3) Recommendation: East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. Ambitious, exhilarating tale of three generations travelling and settling across America at the turn of the 19th/20th centuries. Thrilling narrative, compelling characters and big themes handled with confidence and compassion. |
I suppose it depends on what you're reading for and how you're reading. Yes, there is a lot of stuff getting published, how "new" much of it is, I couldn't say.
I remember attending a conference about 15 years ago where one of the papers was titled " Everything has already been said", but either by design or a beautiful accident, the bloke that was supposed to deliver it didn't turn up. | | | |
| Books on 13:08 - Aug 27 with 1047 views | johnhoop |
For anyone who enjoys cricket books I thought that Duncan Hamilton’s biography of Harold Larwood was an excellent read. | | | |
| Books on 14:11 - Aug 27 with 912 views | FDC |
| Books on 14:30 - Aug 26 by dmm |
Dark Eden by Chris Beckett is social science fiction and an enjoyable and easy read. It's the first of a trilogy.
For a more serious read, The Dawn of Everything is an amazing rewriting of human history by David Graeber and David Wengrove. It took these two academics 10 years to research and write. One of the best books I've ever read. |
I've never heard "soft science fiction" before, but having googled it I wonder whether Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson would be an example? Great book, that. The Ministry of The Future is also brilliant, and at one point felt eerily prescient during the heat wave in India a couple of years ago...
I've not read The Dawn of Everything, but I was a huge admirer of David Graeber. I think this was published shortly after his death? Everyone I know who's read it has raved about it.
I used to read loads, but just don't seem to find the time anymore - or, I do, but I start reading something and then start reading something else at the same time, and finish neither. Another problem is I read so much for work that when it comes to reading for leisure I really just want something light and easy.
The most recent thing I started (and nearly finished) was The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman. It's a fantasy novel, not usually my thing these days, but it's genuinely witty and sharply written, from the perspective of the protagonist. Solid 7/10. |  | | |
| Books on 14:43 - Aug 27 with 876 views | robith |
| Books on 16:51 - Aug 26 by Esox_Lucius |
If epic Sci fi series interest you, The chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen Donaldson are among the best. Fall of the Malazan Empire is another terrific series. [Post edited 26 Aug 17:08]
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On my current Malazan trajectory, I will finish book 10 on 27th March, 2032 |  | | |
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