Books - What are you reading?

That's very good going - Unabridged? That's around 1200 page's

Been reading this blog the past 2-3 years. She's really quite a fan of Walt Whitman, Hannah Arendt, R.M. Rilke and other Erich Fromm's. :) But so am I and I really love the blog.

Bugger was paid by the word, as I recall.

That's great @WimVDD as it looks very interesting.
I discovered it by listening to a podcast featuring Neil Gaiman and then seen that Gaiman recommended a review of the paperback edition of the book written by the author of the blog
https://amp.theguardian.com/books/2020/feb/07/figuring-maria-popova-review?__twitter_impression=true

Yeah, unabridged. I had a week in NYC too where I got a few hours a day to crack on.

I think it took 20hrs

Current method for selecting books, is what costs less than £1 on Kindle

I have a habit of ending up with multiple copies of the same book, which means I have some spares if anyone wants them:

Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds, paperback, read
The book of dust, Vol 1, La Belle Sauvage, Philip Pullman, read
Tbod Vol 2, The Secret Commonwealth, hard back, unread

I'd be interested in Revelation Space. Can do you a swapsie.

The Pullman books are fantastic. I can't wait for the final edition.

Currently swapping between a paperback copy of Spycatcher (Peter Wright), and via Kindle on the phone, A Rage To Live: A Biography of Richard and Isabel Burton (Mary S. Lovell)

Both excellent reads. Recommended.

Hmm. I recall thumbing through a friend's copy of Spycatcher. I remember it as having some fascinating details about the misbehaviour of MI5 and its rivalry with MI6, but mainly being very clunkily and messily written, with the stories constantly being derailed by bitchy character assassinations (unsubtly homophobic, for the most part) of the various people he worked with or spied on. The main thing I took away from it was that I wouldn't piss on a copy if it were on fire, the author being a rancid, bigoted paranoiac who thought anybody to the left of Pinochet had no rights at all and his main objection to the British authorities (other than them fucking with his pension) was that they didn't give him more freedom to persecute such people.

The fuss around the book was an interesting historical event and full of irony. I wouldn't say the same of the book itself. A curiosity in some parts, very unpleasant in others.

Just finished Music For Chameleons, a book of short stories by Truman Capote. Really enjoyed it. What should I read next by him? I've read In Cold Blood and The Duke in His Domain but that's all.

Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Just ordered A Canticle For Leibowitz based on a recommendation from a friend, but I have to finish The Warden by Trollope by Saturday first as it is our book club.

A Canticle For Leibowitz

I’d totally forgotten about this book. I remember enjoying it - will have to re-read.

I absolutely love A Canticle For Leibowitz. A really fantastic story I found.

Yes. It’s ace!

Anyone here reading avidly each issue of the London Review of Books ?

Mirage men
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25936511-mirage-men

I've re-read most of Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep today. It's the first book I ever read by Philip K Dick, years and years ago and I'm enjoying it just as much as last time I read it. It makes me want to properly dive into his back catalogue.

I used to read each issue from cover to cover. Then I had kids and ended up cancelling my subscription. I do miss it.

German and English versions from 1971 and 72 respectively. I don't know which cover is more ridiculous/ amazing.

Edit: I appreciate that on the German version you can just about make out an illustration of a bare chested lady if you squint a bit. If that makes it NSFW for anyone I'm happy to edit or remove the image.

1 Attachment

Right, next book to read from the Christmas present selection.......Dr Zhivago or a Stella Gibbons book (can't remember the title)?

Latest two reads. Both good. Happy to swap for something.

1 Attachment

Finished The Warden. Won't be reading any more Trollope in a hurry. Story was ok but just can't get on with the style.

Rewarded myself with Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle (not in the original French). Enjoyed it (read 90% of it last night in about 3 hours and finished it off now in my lunch break) including how the film diverged from it.

Magnus Mills The Scheme for Full Employment next I think then back to sci-fi with A Canticle for Liebowitz. Unless the next book club book gets picked and I need to get stuck in to that ASAP.