Kevin S. Assilleekunt 1 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 It's miserable story after miserable story of the life of crime which seems as inevitable as an early death or jail in the region. No character seems to last more than a few pages (except the author, though it's not an autobiography) so it's a constant flurry of people you never get much depth about in unrelated situations you rarely get much of a handle on. I had the same problem with the film. I know I'm in a minority though, both are widely acclaimed, I'm not a fan of the real life crime genre whatsoever though. If you are, it's probably great. I caught all the buzz for the film when it came out, not seen it though. Seen various interviews with the author whilst he's been in hiding. Might check it out someday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 3997 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 (edited) If you look at the great geniuses of human history (Goethe, Einstein, Da Vinci, to present day), they all have one thing in common: they are voracious readers from very early ages. If people didn't read, CT would be hauling people around in a rickshaw and wouldn't be able to maintain his diet--you know, the one that could feed an entire village. Had they spent more time doing and less time reading however I might be whizzing people around in my flying car instead of being constantly stuck at traffic lights! Again great examples to back up my social inadaquecy point...... Albert Einstein Albert Einstein did not speak until he was 4-years-old and did not read until he was 7. His parents thought he was "sub-normal," and one of his teachers described him as "mentally slow, unsociable, and adrift forever in foolish dreams." He was expelled from school and was refused admittance to the Zurich Polytechnic Edited May 28, 2012 by Christmas Tree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16498 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Had they spent more time doing and less time reading however I might be whizzing people around in my flying car instead of being constantly stuck at traffic lights! Again great examples to back up my social inadaquecy point...... Albert Einstein OR You most probably wouldnt as you wouldnt be alive due to poor health and science? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin S. Assilleekunt 1 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Einstein is something of an anomaly amongst geniuses given he didn't begin speaking until the age of 3, but after that he developed at an accelerated rate. He went through the entire works of Goethe, and at the same time got way more pussy than CT will in his lifetime, even if he did shag his cousin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16498 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Einstein is something of an anomaly amongst geniuses given he didn't begin speaking until the age of 3, but after that he developed at an accelerated rate. He went through the entire works of Goethe, and at the same time got way more pussy than CT will in his lifetime, even if he did shag his cousin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16498 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Back to OP Gemmill did you ever manage to read "Mans Search for Meaning?" or is that a bit much for the hols? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 34185 Posted May 28, 2012 Author Share Posted May 28, 2012 Back to OP Gemmill did you ever manage to read "Mans Search for Meaning?" or is that a bit much for the hols? Aye I think I'll give concentration camp memoirs a miss like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CleeToonFan 1 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 I'm currently reading La Roja, history of Spanish football and it's brilliant. Furthered my already huge respect for Bilbao too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gloom 19738 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 (edited) this thread reminds me of a bit by the late, great, bill hicks. i guess i read for a lot of reasons, the main one being so i don't end ..... being a fucking waffle waitress [media=]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvs2g5Nj0NI[/media] Edited May 28, 2012 by Dr Gloom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 34185 Posted May 28, 2012 Author Share Posted May 28, 2012 Was just thinking of that a few minutes ago in relation to this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonamental 0 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Have you read any Michael Connelly? Pretty decent cop thrillers. Prob quite good/easy for a holiday read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 3960 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Have you read any Michael Connelly? Pretty decent cop thrillers. Prob quite good/easy for a holiday read. Not a genre I frequent but one of my favourite authors (Dan Simmons) who mainly does Sci-Fi type stuff has a series of books about an ex PI (Hard Case, Hard Freeze and Hard as Nails) which I'd thouroughly recommend). I'm also a fan of the Jonathan Kellerman Delaware books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonamental 0 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Cheers, will have a look out. I really need to have a proper look through this thread at some point for the thriller writers. Recognise the name Kellerman, but not Dan Simmons. For the ultimate in easy thriller reads, Dick Francis is superb. Each book is basically the same, with essentially the same character and similar sorts of problems. But somehow I find myself completely unable to put them down. Just something about how they are (were) written I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dynamite 5890 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 You can't beat Lee Childs for a bit of 'leave your brain at the door ' type reading Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 3960 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Cheers, will have a look out. I really need to have a proper look through this thread at some point for the thriller writers. Recognise the name Kellerman, but not Dan Simmons. For the ultimate in easy thriller reads, Dick Francis is superb. Each book is basically the same, with essentially the same character and similar sorts of problems. But somehow I find myself completely unable to put them down. Just something about how they are (were) written I guess. Francis is a bit old school but I enjoyed them when I did read them years ago. From that reading era for myself if you like "easy going" but decent thrillers have a look at Alistair MacLean and Desmond Bagley - some of the cold war settings will seem old-fashioned but there are a lot of bloody good stories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonamental 0 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Francis is a bit old school but I enjoyed them when I did read them years ago. From that reading era for myself if you like "easy going" but decent thrillers have a look at Alistair MacLean and Desmond Bagley - some of the cold war settings will seem old-fashioned but there are a lot of bloody good stories. I think my parents might actually a few of them at theirs somewhere, will have to dig them out. And yeah, Lee Child is generally a good read. Still can't quite believe that Tom Cruise is meant to be playing Reacher though. Just wtf. Money is crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16498 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Thanks for the recommendations Jo Nesbo I have to read but if you want crime, I would highly recommend Stuart McBride Novels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 3960 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 I think my parents might actually a few of them at theirs somewhere, will have to dig them out. And yeah, Lee Child is generally a good read. Still can't quite believe that Tom Cruise is meant to be playing Reacher though. Just wtf. Money is crazy. Nothing will ever, ever be worse from a miscasting pov than that stumpy twat playing Lestat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16498 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Mo Hayder, some more good books too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonamental 0 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Nothing will ever, ever be worse from a miscasting pov than that stumpy twat playing Lestat. I'm pretty sure the article I read about him being Reacher referenced him as Lestat as being "odd casting that worked". I've no idea, never read the book or seen the film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonamental 0 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Carlos Ruosiz Zafon has a new book out in his 'Shadow of the Wind' canon. If you've not read the first two then highly recommended in the first place. I read the first one on holiday on Sri Lanka! Is the second one any good? I read Shadow Of The Wind a few years back and thought it was fantastic (although now can't remember much about it at all!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CleeToonFan 1 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Is the second one any good? I read Shadow Of The Wind a few years back and thought it was fantastic (although now can't remember much about it at all!). Fantastic! Not as good as the first one but still well worth reading. Only loosely linked too so no need to re read Shadow of the Wind first or anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayatollah Hermione 12736 Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Have you read The Damned United, Gem? That's a canny holiday read, if not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meenzer 13984 Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 I can't wait till your home brew is cracked open, tastes like diptheria in a bottle and you move on to the next hobby...I recommend reading a book is your next 'thing'. I reckon you'd love Louise Bagshawe. I was intent on getting through a pile of books last week, but I was away with friends and forgot that that would involve actually socialising and stuff. Maybe CT has a point after all. Anyway, Andrew Collins' autobiographical series - Where Did It All Go Right?, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now and That's Me In The Corner - makes for dead easy holiday reading. Was surprised at how easily Zadie Smith went down too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 34185 Posted May 29, 2012 Author Share Posted May 29, 2012 I went a wedding that Zadie Smith was at. The best man was her future husband and did his speech in verse. I think he's a novelist/poet too. Class speech. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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