[Archived] Holiday Reading

[Rovermatt]

I finally finished The Good German-a very good novel but utterly exhausting. I've now moved onto H.G. Bissinger's Friday Night Lights which is infinitely more readable.

[Al]

Does anyone know if there is a new Wilbur Smith novel out this year? I think they are a great read on holiday. If not does anyone know what is the title of the last one published in paperback? Hardback are just too heavy for air travel.

[Drummer Boy]

I've just finished "Pies and Prejudice" by Stuart Maconie - a nice, reasonably jaunty stroll through the North and northerners. It made me smile rather than laugh but he has got the scousers and the mancs well and truly sussed out! Recommended.

In anticipation of forthcoming holidays, I have just started "Something Happened" by Joseph Heller (his follow-up to Catch-22) and am enjoying it so far. Apparently, it is something of a hidden gem - I'll know better when I get further into it.

I've also gone and bought the Campbell diaries

There you go, that's my reading for the next few weeks - should keep me busy.

p.s. I've tried reading "Mein Kampf" a few times just to try to understand what the hell it was all about. I have to say, it is a VERY difficult read in the Viennese style of writing favoured by the pseudo-intellectuals of the early 20th century, with a tendency to being overtly self-conscious, vain and repetitive whilst always looking for the most awkward prose. It is badly written, badly structured, ill-conceived and a flipping bad read. After three failed attempts to read the thing, if any of you have completed it from beginning to end, I doff my cap to you - at least Marx is readable!!

[Flopsy]

its the ramblings of a deluded lunatic, what do you expect? Still, its considerably better written than anything by Irvine Welsh

[Jimbo]

I must admit I enjoyed Vulcan 607 as well - especially since the Vulcan was the first real aeroplane I got to work on the RAF, but I'm a bit sceptical on the actual claims of the damage done, by it - Good read though

[Mattyblue]

its the ramblings of a deluded lunatic, what do you expect? Still, its considerably better written than anything by Irvine Welsh

We talking about Hitler or Campbell?

[Flopsy]

Both?

[Flopsy]

I must admit I enjoyed Vulcan 607 as well - especially since the Vulcan was the first real aeroplane I got to work on the RAF, but I'm a bit sceptical on the actual claims of the damage done, by it - Good read though

it closed the run way for a bit but mainly showed the argentinians that we can hit their mainland bases (we couldnt, but they didnt know that)

It was all psychological warfare, as was the sinking of the Belgrano, which sod the 200mile exclusion zone, kept the Argentinian fleet at base and left the British Fleet unmolested by the naval forces which would have destroyed the task force and therefore took a great role in winning the conflict for the UK.

Had a wander round Bookers at the weekend and my current Holiday reading list (ive got an 8 hour flight, im guessing I'll have read most of these by the time we land.)

is

Vulcan 607 - Roland White

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - JK Rowling

The Cold Moon - Jeffery Deaver

Victoria Cross Hero's - Michael Ashcroft

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid - Bill Bryson

The War of Wars (Napoleonic Wars) - Robert Harvey

Wild Fire - Nelson DeMille

[Cheeky Sidders]

its the ramblings of a deluded lunatic, what do you expect? Still, its considerably better written than anything by Irvine Welsh

Flopsy, just when I am beginning to think slightly better of you and your dubious reading choices you go and say something stupid like that. You really are a horrid little man. Irvine Welsh is a great writer. Just free yourself from your Commando comic "Take that, Fritz!" view of life and sit down with a nice story like Trainspotting or Filth. Many people are put off by the near constant use of Edinburgh dialect in Welsh's books but I think that's part of the charm. He's merely showing the English language for the varied and rich cornucopia that it is in the same way as say Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dickens or... er... Cartland. Absolutely splendid.

Drummer Boy - I have also read the Maconie book and despite my best efforts to dislike it I found myself warming to it. Like you though, I smiled rather than laughed and felt he was fast running out of steam at the end.

[Flopsy]

Cheekster, we'll have to disagree over Welsh, I cant stand his prose, I really cant.

[b12_simon]

Cheekster, we'll have to disagree over Welsh, I cant stand his prose, I really cant.

I'm you on this one Flopster It's nothing to do with the Edinburgh dialect either, W##sh is just bobbins!

[Cheeky Sidders]

I'm you on this one Flopster It's nothing to do with the Edinburgh dialect either, W##sh is just bobbins!

Right you, outside now!

[Flopsy]

Cheeky Siders - known as Begbie to his mates

[Drummer Boy]

So (takes own life in hands) were somebody to be contemplating a first read of an author about whom he knows opinion to be sharply divided, which of his offerings would be deemed his best work? And we're talking Welsh here, not Hitler. I would assume Trainspotting, but accept that a good book does not a good film make, or vice versa.

[Cheeky Sidders]

Let's get it straight, Trainspotting is a great book. It just requires more effort than the sort of "Achtung! Gott in Himmel! For you Tommy ze vor is ofer!" prose than Flopper is used to. Once you get your head round the dialect it's very easy and it flows. Welsh creates fantastically elaborate plots with trapdoor endings and surprising twists, but the real fun is with the very real warts-and-not much-else characters. Welsh is genuinely funny, has a real talent for pathos and domestic horror and although you'll find yourself warming to his vile anti-heroes he throw something else into the mix to make you think again and leave you feeling disgusted with them. Again.

Personally, I liked Filth more but Trainspotting is probably a little more accessible simply because the film (which has a very different plot and ending) is so well known. Welsh is rubbish at punctuation and anyone who has read Roddy Doyle's books will spot the same can't-be-arsed-to-use-punctuation attitude. I admit that grates a bit, but it's a small concession to make for a cracking read.

As for the dialogue, decide for yourself. This is opening to Trainspotting.

The sweat wis lashing oaf Sick Boy; he wis trembling. Ah wis jist sitting thair, focussing oan the telly, tryin no tae notice the c!*%. He wis bringing me doon. Ah tried tae keep ma attention oan the Jean-Claude Van Damme video.

Grand stuff.

[colin]

I have just finished reading THIS THING OF DARKNESS by Harry Thompson (he that wrote Penguins stopped play and I am absolutely lost for words (almost). In my adult life I've read well over 200 novels - some good, some awful, a few great. This Thing Of Darkness is simply the best book I have ever read.

Just picked it up from the library. Blimey Sidders! You could have warned us it's 750 pages.

[Flopsy]

Let's get it straight, Trainspotting is a great book. It just requires more effort than the sort of "Achtung! Gott in Himmel! For you Tommy ze vor is ofer!" prose than Flopper is used to.

You seem to know more about how they're writen than I do.

I've read trainspotting and the prose ruined it for me.

I did however really enjoy his short story about the girl damaged by thalidamide (sp)

But not the rest of them.

Each to their own.

Still, can't stress enough to those going to read LoTR this summer, IF ITS IN ITALICS SKIP IT.

Although i'll now expect Cheeky Begbie to jump up and down on my head because I'm missing some pseudo intellectual greatness about the pointless poems or songs?

For the remaining mere mortals, they're not important, nothing to do with the plot and actually take away from story. In my humble opinion of course.

Labyrinth by kate moss is a pile of stinky pooh

[Rovermatt]

Still, can't stress enough to those going to read LoTR this summer, IF ITS IN ITALICS SKIP IT.

Although i'll now expect Cheeky Begbie to jump up and down on my head because I'm missing some pseudo intellectual greatness about the pointless poems or songs?

Oh completely. All that elvish chanting, poetry and singing is @#/? and adds nothing to the story. In fact avoid the Tom Bombadil chapter also.

Edited July 17, 2007 by Rovermatt

[Flopsy]

to be fair the bit till they get to Rivendale can be skipped once you've read it the first time.

Has anyone read The Children of Hurren yet?

To keep cheeky begbie happy, I shall attempt some of Mr Welsh's finest again, but don't be surprised if you hear about an air rage incident on a plane to mexico at the start of August.

[broadsword]

... and if it's not in italics, skip it!

Recently read the Quiet Soldier by Adam Ballinger, Flopsy would've been proud.

[Rovermatt]

Does it depict realistic grenade fuse times?

[Flopsy]

Coincidencely, I read the book of Die Hard 2 about 10years ago, its actually quite good as trashy adventure books go. And yes the fuses are accurate

[broadsword]

:-D

Sadly, no grenade fuse times to assess.

But they do go running in NBC suits. The fitness levels of these people are absolutely astounding.

It's actually a good read, I don't think there'll be anymore books on the SAS now as recruits have to signa confidentiality waiver.

[92er]

Labyrinth by kate moss is a pile of stinky pooh

I actually quite enjoyed that-certinly more than the Da Vinci Code.

I also enjoyed Zorr-by Isabel Allende.

[Cheeky Sidders]

A few points o address.

Flopsy - have a go at Filth by IW. Very funny but disturbing yarn of horribly corrupt Edinburgh CID inspector. Good gags, violence, racial bigotry (would appeal to some), sexism by the spadeful, sex, murder, freemasons, beastiality, drunkenness, tapeworms, crapulence and Frank Sidebottom. Yes, a novel which features Timperley's finest. I kid you not. The tapeworm is quite annoying though.

LOTR - I'd advise skipping the songs too. They'll drive you mad and they add nothing, but I'd say stick with Tom Bombadil. He adds nothing to the overall plot but I can't help feeling there's a greater Tolkien subtlety at work there and there is some greater significance to TB than we realise. Hmm. However, I would say that Flopsy would appear to have skipped more than the songs if he thinks Frodo et al went to "Rivendale".

Colin - This thing of darkness: I think you will find, young man, that I did mention the 750 pages in my earlier recommendation. Why worry? Every page is a winner. Watch out for 294 and 295 though. Heartbreaking.

92er - Labyrinth is probably the worst book I have ever made a concerted effort to read. I've abandoned a rare few after a couple of chapters but I gave Mosse's book 300 pages to snare my interest. In short, badly written, no surprises, no sense of menace, no believeable characters, pathetically poor schoolgirl French and an increasingly tedious plot. Absolutely and irredeemably awful and very, very, very boring to boot. Using it for bog paper is too good for it.