Books - What are you reading?

^^ thanks for the Aldiss confirmations, I will pick up the 2nd one

Raced through the Derek Raymond. Will read more dark noir by him for sure.

GBH by Ted Lewis is another noir worth a read.

Edit to add..
Jean-Patrick Manchette worth a look in translation for the french noir.

I nearly downloaded mein kampf last night. I’m not a hater or anything but it’s taboo so I’m tempted to read it.

Probably better off buying a physical copy with cash. I'm not sure you want the targeted marketing associated with that sort of online purchase...

By all accounts (apart from the Nazi ones), it's a really badly written, boring, rambling mess.

I’m not exactly sure what I’d be expecting. More just to have read it.

I wouldn't do that, and as above by all accounts it isn't worth it at all unless you're a historian, but if you do, I'd recommend waiting until the fully annotated version is available in English. I don't know if there are plans to translate it, or whether that's underway, but I'd never recommend going near that book without a critical apparatus.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mein_Kampf#2016_republication_in_Germany

None of the historic editions in English seem worthwhile:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mein_Kampf_in_English

The book has never been banned in Germany, just wasn't available there while the State of Bavaria was the copyright holder. It's now only available again because the state's copyright expired. Obviously, it had been available on-line long before that.

Am on the audiobooks at the moment. Fell into a bit of a dystopian rabbit hole: The Power by Naomi Alderman followed by Station 11 by Emily St John Mandel. Actually, the latter was strangely uplifting, once you get past the fact that it starts with a deadly respiratory pandemic. Mr Wilder and Me by Jonathan Coe - the sort of thing that gets called ‘elegiac’ - made me want to watch lots of Billy Wilder films (though possibly not Fedora). The ending was a bit sappy for my tastes. Currently on Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo, having been inspired by her Desert Island Discs appearance . I don’t think I’ve quite got into the swing of the story though.

My reading has slowed right down recently. Been on Iron In The Soul by Jean-Paul Sartre for a couple of weeks now. I'm enjoying it but just can't seem to find the time or motivation to sit down and read apart from if I get a rare break at work.
My goal was to read 50 books this year but doubt I'll manage it now. I've read a lot of things which I've enjoyed which is the point of making it a priority to read more anyway I suppose!

I loved The Millstone in the end.

I only read it because I knew she was northern and it was the only book of hers in our school library (I had wanted to read The Dressmaker by Beryl Bainbridge but it was out).

I'd recommend it and I'm going to see what else she's written.

I very much enjoyed Station 11.

This is a great book about the struggles of drug addiction and being a musician touring the world -

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Hey guys, following two reccomendations from here i read "the fifth child" and "stoner", both excellent. Any reccomendations for something along those lines? Thanks

Butcher's Crossing also by John Williams is a superb read but at the same time quite different from Stoner.

I love me a bit of Jonathan Coe
Can’t wait to read Mr Wilder and Me

+1 . I loved butchers crossing.

Not quite the same vibe but the heart is a lonely hunter is great too if it hasn’t yet been mentioned.

Thanks i will order it now

You're welcome.

heart is a lonely hunter - Looks interesting and not heard of it or the author before.

Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates is in a similar vein to Stoner! Can also confirm that Butcher's crossing by John Williams is excellent.

I love that book, it's a shame Carson McCullers didn't write more. If you enjoy that, Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor is more excellent southern gothic.

Just realised I got McCullers and O'Connor mixed up, it's O'Connor who didn't publish much.

Dissenting opinion: I did not care for Butcher’s Crossing. Like Cormac McCarthy stripped of the drama and lyricism.

Enjoyed The Power. Will give Station 11 a go.

After enjoying The Stone Man - Luke Smytherd when it came out, I’ve been enjoying the follow up (The Hollow Men) recently. His writing is an odd one - it’s almost a bit hokey/amateurish, but also really engaging and he’s got a good knack at using the mundane as a contrasting backdrop to really creepy stuff.

Wise Blood - Looks interesting