Toonraider 0 Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Both versions contain the same text on the inside btw (I think). I've only ever read the 1st one like. That's what I thought too alex. Not sure what my friend is on about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meenzer 13983 Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Ploughed through Kathryn Stockett's "The Help" on Saturday. Not life-changing stuff, but rewarding all the same. Bizarre to think, while watching Merkel et al commemorate 50 years since the Berlin Wall went up, that the "good guys" in early-60s America were easily as hideous as their Commie counterparts. Also read Damien McNicholl's "A Son Called Gabriel" - a reasonably engaging tale, but the typesetting was so awful that the nerd in me can't possibly recommend it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meenzer 13983 Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 You read 'Generation A' yet by the way Meenz? I've sort of grown tired of Coupland after jPod and The Gum Thief were so underwhelming, to be honest. Will surely check it out sooner or later though. I know what you mean but this friend of mine reckons it's a return to form. I actually respect their taste in books as well, which is unusual I'll let you know what I think if I read it before you do. Took me a while ...but aye, "return to form" is the phrase, definitely. Enjoyed it a lot more than his recent efforts. Some of the characterisation and cute tricks are the usual fare, but even then, a lot less hackneyed somehow. While we're talking "about time too", I've just polished off Empire Of The Sun. Very taken by the fact/fiction/unreliable narrator/descent into chaos of it all. Never seen the film but as it's Spielberg, I imagine it isn't anywhere near as surreal or nuanced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 You read 'Generation A' yet by the way Meenz? I've sort of grown tired of Coupland after jPod and The Gum Thief were so underwhelming, to be honest. Will surely check it out sooner or later though. I know what you mean but this friend of mine reckons it's a return to form. I actually respect their taste in books as well, which is unusual I'll let you know what I think if I read it before you do. Took me a while ...but aye, "return to form" is the phrase, definitely. Enjoyed it a lot more than his recent efforts. Some of the characterisation and cute tricks are the usual fare, but even then, a lot less hackneyed somehow. While we're talking "about time too", I've just polished off Empire Of The Sun. Very taken by the fact/fiction/unreliable narrator/descent into chaos of it all. Never seen the film but as it's Spielberg, I imagine it isn't anywhere near as surreal or nuanced. Cheers Meenz, I'll give Generation A a go now I think. Empire of the Sun is great btw. The film is actually decent too but I think because of the nature of his prose you'll always struggle to get cinematic versions doing justice to his novels (a bit like Philip K. Dick). The realism of Empire of the Sun probably made it work better than most. Have you read much of Ballard's stuff? I'm a big fan. His autobiography (written when he knew he was dying) is a great read too. Most of his early stuff is batshit crazy. Good batshit crazy though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeazesMag 0 Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 (edited) I was looking for this thread yesterday, but gave up in the end. Last post August 16th !!!! Anyway. http://www.stephenleather.com/thebooks_midnight.htm Edited October 7, 2011 by LeazesMag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Manson 0 Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Phillip Pullman - Northern Lights I read it when I was a kid and thought it was utter wank. Found it in one of the cupboards so thought I'd give it another go. Now I think it's marginally less shit. Brilliantly written but I just don't really buy into the story at all. Armored bears ffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16498 Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Got a few non fictions to read but at the moment reading Birdman by Mo Hayder, canny so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Manson 0 Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Phillip Pullman - Northern Lights I read it when I was a kid and thought it was utter wank. Found it in one of the cupboards so thought I'd give it another go. Now I think it's marginally less shit. Brilliantly written but I just don't really buy into the story at all. Armored bears ffs. I just finished it today on the train. Back to thinking it's shit again. Hated the way characters are always appearing out of nowhere to spark a dramatic action scene when it's just not feasible to do so with the narrative at points. I had to read sections of the book several times during the course of the novel just so I could comprehend just what was actually going on. I've never had to do that with a book before. Really irritated the bejeezus out of me. It's like people apparating in Harry Potter - but at least Rowling could back that up with semi-satisfying explanation. Also, the kid is sleepy all the fucking time. In fact a fair number of the characters spend plenty of time sleeping. Seriously why do so many people rave about this series? Is it worth me giving the next book a go? Never read it but it would appear that there will only be three characters included, which would make the novel a little claustrophobic . Armored bears ffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Park Life 70 Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Doing all the Iain.M.Banks sci fi atm. Superb stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Only ever read The Wasp Factory (which I loved) for some reason. Heard mixed reports about his sci-fi stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toonotl 2406 Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Currently reading Christopher Hitchens new book Arguably. Its a collection of essay etc from over the years. Also fighting my way through War and Peace and Cadel Evans ghost written 'autobiography'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Park Life 70 Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 (edited) Only ever read The Wasp Factory (which I loved) for some reason. Heard mixed reports about his sci-fi stuff. Trust me on this. The 'Culture' novels are superb. I mean really awe inspiring big table sci-fi stuff. http://www.amazon.de/Surface-Detail-Culture-Novels-Banks/dp/1841498955 Surface Detail and Matter are my pick of them. But they are all good. Edited October 12, 2011 by Park Life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Cheers Parkster, I'll have a look at some point. I have a lot to read / very little time / even less money but I'll definitely keep them in mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom_NUFC 0 Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 (edited) Bright Shiny Morning by James Frey. I was recommended it via Amazon, read the reviews/synopsis, bought it then never got round to reading it (I have literally have thousands of books). I've only recently got round to it, and it is immense. It's about various characters living in Los Angeles - from all different backgrounds - Film Stars, Mexican Immigrants, Teenage Runaways, Homeless people, Gang members etc. They don't meet each other, but it dips in and out of their lives. Some of them just the once, whilst others are followed throughout the book. It is just so diverse and very believable and exposes LA's best and worst sides, and everything in between. The Wall by Christopher Hilton, tracking the history of the Berlin Wall through personal and eyewitness accounts of Berliners. And a couple of books about Aspergers Syndrome, that have been a big help, having recently discovered I have it. Edited October 23, 2011 by Tom_NUFC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walliver 0 Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Finished Generation A last night -- my first Coupland novel -- and wasn't overly impressed. Bits of it just made me think 'Again?' but I did like it more towards the end. Read We The Living before that which was interesting (written by Rand who lived through communist Russia in the early 1900s) rather than entertaining. Going to re-read Animal Farm soon. Just started One Day as all my friends seem to be raving about it. Too early to make any judgements, but one of the quotes on the cover compares it to Time Traveller's Wife, which can only be a bad thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 (edited) "Alan, what are you doing over there?" "Nothing much. Just thinking that you lot have probably got Tea AIDS." Fucking brilliant. EDIT: I was reminded of this line after looking at the pictures in the Robin Gibb thread. Whether he has Tea AIDS or any other klind, there's something sriously wrong with him. Edited October 25, 2011 by Happy Face Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 3960 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Started Ozzy Osbourne's autobiography to lighten the mood as I'm in the middle of some heavy-ish Sci-Fi as well. It's as simple and endearing as the man himself and also gave me the excuse to listen to the first two albums on the Train today. I can see a full run through over the next few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonamental 0 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Just finished The First Casualty by Ben Elton. Pretty good for what it is, WWI detective sorta romp. Entertaining enough when you are stuck on a freezing platform for an hour cos some poor sod got hit by a train. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Manson 0 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Tim Severin - Corsair My book is going to be better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChezGiven 0 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolly Potter MD 0 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Just finished...... Just started....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 34183 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Just finished 11.22.63 by Stephen King, which was a quality read. Just started Them: Adventures with Extremists by Jon Ronson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16498 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Halfway through "Forgotten voices of the Somme" A book of short stories from the Somme, great emotional read. Some really funny parts to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Aye, sounds like a right laugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 13811 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Tempted to buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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