[Archived] Holiday Reading

[colin]

Probably duplicating earlier posts but..

"The Damned United" by David Peace.

It's a semi-fictional account of Brian Clough's 44 days in charge of Leeds United. We're going back to 1974 here.

Just to replay for anyone who is interested: Clough made Shearer look like Grabbi in his playing days at Boro & Sunderland. Got himself seriously crocked. Managed Hartlepools United (yes, the "s" was there then) with Peter Taylor before both moved to Derby County. They got promoted in their second year and then went on then to win the old first division; into the European Cup and got knocked out at the semis.

Clough & Taylor then fell out with the Derby County board, resigned & took up a job with Brighton & Hove Albion.

Then dirty dirty dirty Leeds came for him (Taylor refused to go.) Clough had to deal with the legacy of Don Revie at Leeds & crashed.

A cracking read. The postscipt does mention that Clough & Taylor later took Forest to two European Cup wins in 1979 & 1980

[Paul]

Read a few good ones recently so briefly here we go:

His Illegal Self by Peter Carey deals with the story of a boy whose parents are 60s radicals and abandon him to the care of his grandmother. The boy is taken one day by a friend of his mother to see her, the mother is wanted by the authorities and can't / won't visit the family home. things go badly wrong for the meeting and the friend and boy end up in a hippy commune in Australia. Worth reading but can drag a little in parts

Untold Stories by Alan Bennett. A great read dealing with a very personal account of Bennett's family, the interaction and relationships within the family. Will make you think - hard.

The Lemon Table by Julian Barnes. This is actually a collection of short stories all centred around the theme of love and our reactions / behaviour at different times of our lives. So we have the story of the young man in love for the first time, the long time married now retired man who seeks "love" once a year with a prostitute. There are sevearl other stories as well, each dealing with different aspects / attitudes and reactions to love. One story is pretty tedious but the rest are well worth reading

[trs]

Probably duplicating earlier posts but..

"The Damned United" by David Peace.

It's a semi-fictional account of Brian Clough's 44 days in charge of Leeds United. We're going back to 1974 here.

Just to replay for anyone who is interested: Clough made Shearer look like Grabbi in his playing days at Boro & Sunderland. Got himself seriously crocked. Managed Hartlepools United (yes, the "s" was there then) with Peter Taylor before both moved to Derby County. They got promoted in their second year and then went on then to win the old first division; into the European Cup and got knocked out at the semis.

Clough & Taylor then fell out with the Derby County board, resigned & took up a job with Brighton & Hove Albion.

Then dirty dirty dirty Leeds came for him (Taylor refused to go.) Clough had to deal with the legacy of Don Revie at Leeds & crashed.

A cracking read. The postscipt does mention that Clough & Taylor later took Forest to two European Cup wins in 1979 & 1980

Cracking read, just hope the film released in UK cinemas late march, can do it justice.

Edited February 11, 2009 by trs

[DanLad]

A lot of people might have seen this at the cinema but I've finished reading Danny Wallace's 'Yes Man!'. What a funny yet adventurous read it was. I'm not sure whether the movie is different from the book or not but hopefully a lot of people will now read the book after seeing the film. A few people have mentioned that it's similar to a book called 'The Dice man' or something so hopefully might purchase that book soon. Anyone else read them?

Danny Wallace is my favourite author at the moment. I really like his writing style and sense of humour.

I'd say 'Yes man' is the worst of his books, but is still a great read in it's own right. The book does differ from the film. Been made a bit Hollywood, apparently.

Read 'Friends like these' on holiday and that was good. Danny decides to try to find some of his old friends when he turns 30. All written very humourously!

Just finished 'Join Me' which is very good. The wife's reading it now and keeps laughing out load on the train. Danny aims to start a collective of people. It's not a cult!

I also read DW's article in Shortlist every week. A weekly free magazine in Manchester and, presumably, other cities around the country.

[allrovertheworld]

I don't read that much which is a shame, but the best book i ever read is 'My Autobiography' by Charles Chaplin. A real insight into how someone from a very poor background can be changed by money. It's very interesting to see how confused he was at the money he was making at such a young age and you get a sense that he didn't know what to do with it. Also his battle with U.S. authorities is engaging and very honest. I'am a huge Chaplin fan but I think non fans can find something in this book.

'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' by Robert Pirsig is a life changing book. If you are interested in philosophy give it a go. If you are not interested in philosophy give it a go.

[colin]

Everyone should read at least one Terry Pratchett book.

Fabulous; funny; thought-provoking; the lot of them

Go on and do it.

[DanLad]

Everyone should read at least one Terry Pratchett book.

Fabulous; funny; thought-provoking; the lot of them

Go on and do it.

Pratchett fan, I've read them all. Some are better than others.

Small Gods is s bit of a drudge, for example, ISTR.

Edited February 23, 2009 by DanLad

[Flopsy]

Eric is ######

small gods is great, but like all of his books, it helps to know something about the subject matter, or a lot of jokes get missed.

His greatest diskworld book is Nightwatch. Good Omens, which is not a diskworld book is well worth a look

[JC4LAB]

As a backpacker books I enjoyed on route were " No sh..ting in the toilet" by Peter Moore..City of Joy and Jupiters Travels about an unassisted RTW motorbike ride...Dont think much of these who have camera crews and a back up team to carry their bags

[Jimbo]

Jasper Fforde - The Big Easy - a surreal crime novel set in Reading where Jack Spratt of Reading's Nursery Crimes Division has to solve the murder of Humpty Dumpty with the assistance of his sidekick Sgt Mary Mary. An excellent read, witty and original. I read this in hospital after breaking my leg, swiftly followed by its excellent sequel The Four Bears.

[Paul]

Recently I've read "After You'd Gone" by Maggie O'Farrell which has a central plot following the life of one partner after the ending of a relationship / marriage. Inter-twined with the main story are several side plots dealing with similar issues aptly described by the title. This is a really good novel which you won't want to end, human tragedy, loyalty, betrayal, twists and turns throughout and beautifully written. Highly recommended.

I've also just whizzed through "Child 44" from Tom Rob Smith which is set in Stalinist Russia. Our hero is a member of the secret police driven to investigate child serial murder in a society in which murder is not recognised, crime being something which only occurrs in the West! This is a great read, not a classic but keeps one turning the pages, though I did guess the probable outcome about three-quarters of the way through. As much a good read for an insight into daily life in Stalin's Russia as anything else. A thriller to keep one interested.

Christopher Brookmyre's "Quite Ugly One Morning" is OK, - I've dipped in and out while reading the two above. Very dark humour in places, it could be read in a few hours and then easily forgotten.

Edited May 3, 2009 by Paul

[American]

Have found a website, readitswapit.co.uk. It allows you to trade books you have already read for only the price of postage.

Off of that, I can recommend Finbar's Hotel, a group of 6 short stories by Irish writers.

[FourLaneBlue]

I have been reading the Wallander books by Henning Mankell recently and they are real pageturners.

East of Eden by John Steinbeck...a classic I only got around to recently but a great read. Bit long as well as dawdling in parts but there are also some sublime parts and fantastic characters. Particularly the villainess of the piece.

[American]

I have been reading the Wallander books by Henning Mankell recently and they are real pageturners.

Thought the first couple were really good, but then he got too international and too political.

[Drummer Boy]

Just finished reading "Trainspotting" - better late than never - and would commend it to you all as a good read.

Am now reading "All quiet on the Western front" which is also a dmned fine story that raises all sorts of issues for us to contemplate

[FourLaneBlue]

Thought the first couple were really good, but then he got too international and too political.

I read Faceless Killers first and am now reading my second Wallander book; Sidetracked.

[Cheeky Sidders]

I've not had much time for reading lately but have recently finished Battle Royale bu Koushun Takami and can recommend it with a couple of caveats. For those unfamiliar with the plot, it's the infamous novel on which the controversial film was based and takes element's of Orwell's 1984, fuses them with some of Golding's Lord Of The Flies and wraps it all up in a gameshow set on an abandoned Japanese island played by teenagers with weapons of varying degrees of deadliness. Some kids get guns, some get pen knives or vials of poison. It sounds mental but I don't want to give too much away, except to say it explores themes of coercion, consent and resistance and with a tagline of "Could you kill your best friend?" you can tell where it's headed. There can be only one winner of "the game" and that person is the last one left alive. What if they all refuse to fight? Then time will run out and the metal collars around their necks will explode. What if they run round the island and never actually bump into each other? The playing area is divided into grids and is reduced in size every six hours until after 3 days and only one grid square remains. If the players go into a forbidden zone, the metal collar explodes.

The beginning and ending of the book are sufficiently different to the film and the life story of most of the characters is fleshed out enough to give you a better idea of the dynamics between them. Alas, there is no MTV style demonstration video explaining the rules which, for me, was one of the most jaw-dropping aspects of the film and the controller of the game does not have the lethal charm of the film's Kitano. However, the film has clearly followed the book closely and it is ultra violent throughout, so it's not for the squeamish.

The caveats? First up, it was translated from the original Japanese by another Japanese person and so the English is a bit clunky in places. Consequently, "crossbow" gets translated as "bow gun" and instead of just writing "Shuya frowned" in comes out as "Shuya knit his borws". The phrase "knit his/her brows" (which I have very rarely heard in English) appears frequently. A petty gripe, granted, but it does get somewhat irritating. Secondly, for anyone unfamiliar with Japanese names (like me) it can get a bit confusing at times, especially as there are 42 players in the game and the demise of each and the back stories of most are described in detail. There's a handy who's who at the front so I had to make frequent use of it. For example, there are characters called Yoshitoki, Yoji, Yutaka, Yuichiro, Yamamoto, Yukie, Yukiko, Yumiko, Yuko, Yuka and Yoshimi Yahagi!

[rosie]

I read Faceless Killers first and am now reading my second Wallander book; Sidetracked.

Keep going. I think they're great. Try the Linda Wallander ones as well.

[colin]

Just finished reading "Trainspotting" - better late than never - and would commend it to you all as a good read.

Drummer,

You've got more concentration than I. "Trainspotting" is written in Scottish venacular and is as difficult to comprehend as "Ulysses."

Both made my brain hurt & I gave up on both after about 10 pages.

shudder

[Cheeky Sidders]

Trainspotting is a great book but it requires a bit of discipline to get into.

SDrummer Boy, have a go with another of Welsh's books and give Filth a whirl. Like Trainspotting it's funny in places, very uncomfortable in others and downright horrifying in the rest. And it has Frank Sidebottom in it!

[Flopsy]

I'm currently reading Harry Turtledoves Great War/ American Empire/ Settling Accounts series'. A very interesting take on 'What If' the Confederate states had won the civil war? through the first world war and the build up and finally the fighting of the second world war.

To say the prose is at times clunky and repetative would be to be too kind, but even so, I've really enjoyed the books

[bazza]

I've just finished Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.

It was a paperback hanging round the house so I thought I'd better read it in case I ever get on "Who wants to be a millionaire" or become a member of a team challenging the "Eggheads".

I've never seen a TV series or a film but had heard of Heathcliff and Cathy.

The narrator is a Mr Lockwood but for most of the book he gives the narration of Nellie Dean who at one point gives a narration to him of Isabella. Confused?

If you are feeling cheerful don't read this as you will finish up miserable and if you are feeling down don't read this because you'll become suicidal.

I feel sorry for the schoolchildren who are forced to read such stuff.

[OhmiBRFC]

Just finished reading "Trainspotting" - better late than never - and would commend it to you all as a good read.

Am now reading "All quiet on the Western front" which is also a dmned fine story that raises all sorts of issues for us to contemplate

I was just about to say that I've read Trainspotting & the follow up Porno.

Both excellent books and I would hearlty suggest to anyone who's seen the film to read the book. As is usually the case the film misses out loads of parts in the book. At first I was put off by the book being wrote in a Scottish accent but after awhile I got used to it

The follow Porno imo is just as good as Trainspotting - this book is slightly easier to read than Trainspotting as there is not as much Scottish lingo in. A must read book though!

I'm looking forward to the prequel 'Skagboys' to be released sometime this year

[Cheeky Sidders]

I've not had as much time for reading lately (bloody work!) but I've managed to chalk up Company Of Liars by Karen Maitland in recent weeks. Despite being written by a woman it's actually not a bad yarn. Okay, it's not going to change your life but it'll pass the time on a long journey or provide some easy reading if you get some time to yourself. It's set in England in 1348 during a period of unending rain and growing hysteria over the plague and considering our aquatic summer and the media hysteria over that pig virus it seemed strangely topical. Anyway, it takes a knowing wink at the Canterbury Tales and weaves a new tale of a group of very different strangers who band together out of convenience and growing necessity as they move from town to town trying to staying one step ahead of the plague, but each member of the group has a dark secret to tell. Woooo!!!! I think the characters are well drawn for the most part and the descriptions of the towns and landscapes feel authentic. The plot is packed with twists (some clever, some obvious) and should keep most people entertained.

[colin]

Despite being written by a woman it's actually not a bad yarn.

Oh Sidders, you are rather naughty.

Good to see this thread back up to the top again. Anyway, one one of the most interesting books I've read over the past couple of weeks has been Marina Hyde's "Celebrity: How Entertainers Took Over the World and Why We Need an Exit Strategy," It's an expose of "famous" people who think that just because they have made £ millions from being in the fame industry, they have the right to pontificate on world affairs.

She rips the silly sods to shreds.