Decent holiday reads anyone?

[RoyRover]

Anything by Pete McCarthy. I'm just re-reading his "McCarthy's Bar," a recollection of his travels round Ireland."

There's also a book of his (I cant remember the title) which describes his journies to the four ends of the globe looking for other McCarthys (NZ/Alaska/ Ireland/ Morocco.) A darn good read and his description of an aborted plane landing in Gibralta deserves an award for the funniest bit of writing ever.

The other book is "Road To McCarthy." I finished it a couple of weeks ago and it is a brilliant book. I haven't read "McCarthy's Bar", but I have it in the house.

I'd also recommend John Grisham's short novel "Bleachers." It's a nice little read, that gets away from the law and concentrates on American Football. Grisham's "King Of Torts" is also very good.

[Dr Rich]

Well let's see now, since this thread was last resurrected I think I've read the following, in no particular order:

Midnight Tides - Steven Erikson - fantasy writing as it should be, well written with something to say about the world we live in. Those authors who think all it requires to compose a quality fantasy novel is to throw in some swords, some sorcerors, some near-naked women and the obligatory dragon, and the Tolkien fanboys who perpetuate the emergence of such drivel by paying hard cash for it, need to read this sort of book, for the sake of us all. Tehol Beddict is the single best character in any book I've ever read, cerebral comedy at the highest level.

Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky - Don't really think I need to say much about this one, sublime piece of work which is scarily accurate to our society despite the near 150 years since it was written.

A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson - Apart from the singular aberation of a mind-numbingly boring section on clouds or some such nonsense, this is an interesting quick run through just about all of science. Packed with interesting factoids, brilliantly written, and clipping along at a fair old pace, this is a must read for anyone interested in, well, anything.

Superstrings and the Search for the Theory of Everything - F. David Peat - Fascinating topic, poorly written and a bit dated at this stage, there are far better books to read about this out there.

The Healthy Dead - Steven Erikson - See the first book above, again fantasy writing of the highest quality. Short novella which champions idleness and indulgence, bound to get you reaching for another beer.

The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown - Like everyone else, I read this one. Fascinating trivia, but the standard of writing is what you'd expect from a children's book.

Terrible Lizard - Deborah Cadbury - Interesting look at the lives and infighting of the early dinosaur hunters written with a bit more quality than you'd expect.

The Time Machine - HG Wells - Went back and re-read this one recently, a lot more going on than I remember from reading it years ago, and certainly puts the recent film version to shame, although admittedly so would watching paint dry.

And I'm currently making my way through:

The Divine Comedy - Dante - Had to see what all the fuss was about and I've gotten myself half way through purgatory at this stage, dipping in and out of it occassionly. I'm impressed, who knew 500 odd pages of poetry could actually be enjoyable? And I can feel enormous self-satisfaction at the notion that I must be one of the few people who know's what Radagast's location means without having to resort to google.

Long Way Round - Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman - Not as good as the tv series, but still a quality tale of a round the world bike trip that makes you want to get up and travel, and who knew two actors would actually be able to write a decent book?

The Idiot - Fyodor Dostoevsky - About half way through this at the moment and I'm hooked. There is so much going on here that it's mind-blowing. I'd go as far to say that it's arguably the best book of the lot here, so far. A cutting endictment of how possession of the highest qualities will result in nothing but contempt from the world we have created.

[cletus]

How about "Big Jugs international".......but best not read when wearing speedo`s

[colin]

Frank McCourt's "Angela's Ashes"

Nick Hornby's "How To Be Good"

The former is a laugh & cry & cringe with horror about growing up in Limerick in the 1930/40s and if you are not affected by it then you are emotionally dead.

The latter....I've only got half way through it, but I already know that as soon as I finish it I'll start it again. I can't wait to finish it off. Really funny and hits a few targets. There's a character in there called David. If you read it, he'll remind you of one or two posters on here.

[FourLaneBlue]

A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson - Apart from the singular aberation of a mind-numbingly boring section on clouds or some such nonsense, this is an interesting quick run through just about all of science. Packed with interesting factoids, brilliantly written, and clipping along at a fair old pace, this is a must read for anyone interested in, well, anything.

An excellent choice especially if, like me, you would like to know how many things work but cant be bothered going to the hassle of actually finding out for yourself.

[rosie]

A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle is an absolutely wonderful read and makes you want to move there.

[Billy Castell]

"The Time Machine - HG Wells - Went back and re-read this one recently, a lot more going on than I remember from reading it years ago, and certainly puts the recent film version to shame, although admittedly so would watching paint dry."

I am into HG Wells' sci-fi novels, and this is possibly my favourite. It is worth reading War of The Worlds as well, as you will realise how awful the propsed film starring 'Cocky Jerk TM' Tom Cruise will be. A spectacular piece of miscasting. The first Men in the Moon is also very good.

[Dr Rich]

Not to mention the 1996 film version of The Island of Doctor Moreau, what was that meant to be?

Tom Cruise indeed , I'm kind of looking forward to it really, it's making me laugh just thinking about him playing that role. Not read much about the new film version but I presume they have Americanised the whole thing so that it no longer bears any semblance to the book, or decent viewing material. The old version was pretty watchable though.

[Flopsy]

Id recommend "Cloud Atlas"

a brilliant, unusual book

"Things my girlfriend and I have argued about" - Mill Millington - like the website absolutely pant wettingly funny at times

[Flopsy]

Not to mention the 1996 film version of The Island of Doctor Moreau, what was that meant to be?

Tom Cruise indeed , I'm kind of looking forward to it really, it's making me laugh just thinking about him playing that role. Not read much about the new film version but I presume they have Americanised the whole thing so that it no longer bears any semblance to the book, or decent viewing material. The old version was pretty watchable though.

you mean the one where there are no tripods? Although it has the funniest scene in any film I have ever seen. They launch nukes at the Aliens, hide behind a small wall, get coated in fallout, and does anyone lose even a single hair? Do they hell. An awful film.

The new film - ive seen some trailers - is a modern day version set in the US - it however looks quite good.

Speilberg's directing this and I thought Minority Report was really good. So im expecting a good pop corn movie.

[stegraham]

"The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

I only usually read Science Fiction, but I ran out of books and my wife loved this so much she begged me to read it. I must say it was brilliant. I was hooked from start to finish. Well recomended!!

[American]

For you hardcore detective fiction lovers, the new book by GEORGE PELECANOS is out today. Quite looking forward to reading it over the next few days. For those who don't know him, you might want to check out his first novel A FIRING OFFENSE. He also write/produces for the TV show, The Wire, one of the best shows on television (even better than the Sopranos).

[Radagast]

Not to mention the 1996 film version of The Island of Doctor Moreau, what was that meant to be?

Tom Cruise indeed , I'm kind of looking forward to it really, it's making me laugh just thinking about him playing that role. Not read much about the new film version but I presume they have Americanised the whole thing so that it no longer bears any semblance to the book, or decent viewing material. The old version was pretty watchable though.

you mean the one where there are no tripods? Although it has the funniest scene in any film I have ever seen. They launch nukes at the Aliens, hide behind a small wall, get coated in fallout, and does anyone lose even a single hair? Do they hell. An awful film.

The new film - ive seen some trailers - is a modern day version set in the US - it however looks quite good.

Speilberg's directing this and I thought Minority Report was really good. So im expecting a good pop corn movie.

Looks more like a remake of Independance Day, though.

As long as there's tripods, I'll be happy.

[Dr Rich]

you mean the one where there are no tripods? Although it has the funniest scene in any film I have ever seen. They launch nukes at the Aliens, hide behind a small wall, get coated in fallout, and does anyone lose even a single hair? Do they hell. An awful film.

The new film - ive seen some trailers - is a modern day version set in the US - it however looks quite good.

I mean in the same laughable special effects and wooden sets way that make the likes of Doctor Who endearing. Can you actually imagine a 1950's film having the tripods as described in the book, how on earth would they have managed that convincingly?

The new one's a 'contemporary reimagining' then? Which is Hollywood-speak for 'big pile of SFX laden crap designed to amuse slack-jawed Americans"

[American]

Yes, because these movies make no money overseas...

[Dr Rich]

Well presumably they do, but then that's probably due to the fact that we don't avoid any film set in another country like the plague(notable exception if the American military is blowing the crap out of the other country at the time). I know I'd much rather watch a The War of the Worlds set in south-east England than America, or, erm, Dublin, though, as that is where the book is set. The location isn't a random choice but an integral part of the story. No blockbuster screenwriter is fit to warm up HG Wells pen.

[blue phil]

A really good sci fi book is The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham . Must re read it one of these days .

[blue phil]

oops , double post

Edited March 24, 2005 by blue phil

[Flopsy]

great book Phil, as are all Wyndham's books. Watch 28 Days Later after you read the Triffids - not similar at all, honest

[percy]

great book Phil, as are all Wyndham's books. Watch 28 Days Later after you read the Triffids - not similar at all, honest

quick aside - '28 Days Later' is one of my favourite films!

Maybe something to do with Manchester being one of the last strongholds and soundtrack by God Speed You Black Emperor!

Anyone read "The Dice Man" ? Never got round to reading the sequel - was it any good?

[Radagast]

What with all this talk of classic sci fi novels that were made into crap films, I recently read The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle (not Crichton's abortion) for the first time. While it was all fairly pedestrian by modern standards, it was good fun to read about dinosaurs from the point of view of the early 20th century, and the chapter It Was Terrible In The Forest (or something) really stood out. Probably the most entertaining aspect was the 'glory of the Empire' attitude of the characters (and the writer) that allowed them to go around gloriously blasting extremely rare creatures into extinction and

***spoiler, I suppose***

helping enslave a race of ape-men. "Man was always the master" and all that. A breath of fresh air from all the eco-warrior rubbish these days. That plus lots of casual racism.

[FourLaneBlue]

Yes, because these movies make no money overseas...

Just about every country laps up crappy Hollywood films so we can't really sit on our high horse.

As for books...memoirs of a geisha is a damn good yarn and I also read The Pickwick Papers by Dickens recently. It's a corker and he is a genius. Not to the taste of everyone...which is a shame. A genuinely great Britsh writer.

[FourLaneBlue]

Currently reading a wonderful historical crime novel called 'The American Boy' by Andrew Taylor which features an appearance by a young Edgar Allen Poe in Regency-period London. Wonderfully observed and competently penned.

I'm also awaiting the next Flashman book - 'Flashman on the March', which is being sent across the world to me, expensive but worth it if it is anything at all like the other Flashaman novels. In case you haven't come across them before, the Flashman are very funny adventure stories but they take place against historical moments. They actually end up as being history lessons but they are so much fun to read that you don't necessarly realise it or, indeed, care.

'The Davinci Code' is also about to be started, as is 'A short history of nearly everything', both of which have been recommended to me time after time so I will see if they deserve their commendation. Too much read and not enough time!!! Roll on the holidays so I can really lie back on a sun lounger and do nothing but devour the sun, the booze and the books of an afternoon.

Edited May 31, 2005 by FourLaneBlue

[Cheeky Sidders]

The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown - I expect a lot of you will have read this by now and some will have some firm opinions.  For my part, I thought it was a good page turner but it's little more than chase across Paris, London and Scotland with some (screamingly obvious) clues along the way.  Ideal for reading on holiday or a long train journey, but it's not exactly great conspiracy novel it likes to think it is and although I won't spoil it for those who are yet to read it, it rarely offers any real surprises.  For those wanting a bit of real intrigue I'd still suggest The Name Of The Rose.

Just finished reading angels and demons which I found to be a more riveting read than da vinci code. I now have this craving to go to Rome and try out the mapping for myself!

290738[/snapback]

I've just finished Angels & Demons and found the same flaws in it as Da Vinci Code. It's starts off quite well but just seems too familiar. For a start, the characters are carbon copies, the clues are alarmingly obvious and the improbability of it all just makes it so ridiculous. For example, Langdon's fall into the Tiber stretches the imagination of anyone, but for anyone who has actually seen the Tiber, they'd know he would break every bone in his body if he fell from 100ft, let alone the altitude Brown has him fall from! It the same chase formula as DVC and it also runs out of ideas at the two thirds stage. Good descriptions of the locations but very poor as far as "an intelligent thriller" goes.

Nayef - get yourself to Rome as it really is a fantastic place, but read a decent guide that tells you the real history of the place, don't rely on Dan Brown. Piazza Navona is every bit as good as he describes and it's a great place to stroll among the artists eating an improbably good ice-cream, but he misses out the fact that it was once the site of an infamous chariot track where many early Christians were killed. Rome is spectacular and spooky and the whole place drips in blood.