Books - What are you reading?

I think I might have just realised that I've never heard the word quixotic used aloud. I've only ever read it and read it as "key-otic".

Currently reading this. It’s on sky tv but I haven’t watched the program.

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Anyone read any Alan Watts? I've listened to a few lectures on YouTube, just wondered which of his books are rated?

I read The Way of Zen. From memory it was a good introduction to the subject. This was 20+ years ago.

I just finished A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines.

I'm not sure I want to watch Kes now, it were a bit bleak.

Interestingly, his epilogue written 30 years later says he wouldn't have written it in dialogue if he were to have written it again - but I thought it were smashin'.

Especially compared to reading Dickens try to do northern accents in Hard Times and just end up with completely incomprehensible nonsense.

Cheers. Have ordered that and also Wisdom of Insecurity

Just picked this up from the local bookshop. Looking forward to it - H is for Hawk is v v good.

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I’m only one chapter into H is for Hawk and I’m finding her ‘try hard’ (for want of a better word) writing style a bit grating.

Will persevere though.

Something to keep me occupied for a while

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If anybody's interested I am in the process of listing a hoard of books & catalogues on ebay all of them cycling related! Still around 100 more too go.. If you are looking for something specific that's on the topic of cycling let me know, chances are I have it!

Don't lynch me for the shameless self promotion please :D

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/benjy11

Has anyone read City of Night by John Rechy, or indeed anything else by him?

I quite fancy this

https://velocitypress.uk/product/long-relationships-book/

No but it's been on my to read pile for ages. Picked it up for a very short lived book club but have never got round to it! I can send you my copy if you like? I'd like it back at some point but I'm not in a rush to read it.

Wolf Winter by Cecilia Ekbäck.......1/4 of the way in ...... a bit ploddy, a bit predictable so far......

Yes please. You've got my address still I think.

I had a clear out recently but might have a couple of other bits you might be interested in. I'll check when I get home and shoot you a message!

First charity shop haul since lockdown. 5 for a fiver. Apart from Primo I know nothing about these authors.

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I'd be interested to know what you think of The Heart Of A Dog. I really enjoyed The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov but haven't got round to reading anything else by him.

Interesting footnote to a bigger story but a glimpse of what might have been.

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I heard Robert Evan's podcast episodes about this guy. Very interesting stuff.
The plan (that I keep putting off) is to read up more on Anarchism.

He certainly was effective, his bands were responsible for a lot of death and terror among the Mennonites in Ukraine.

A friend who knows I like (some) historical fiction has been pushing me to read the Aubrey-Maturin (Master and Commander) series, his favourite. So I did try. Now trying to think of a polite way to say "This is bilge."

The web is full of fan puffery claiming the books are the very peak of literature in the historical fiction genre. The reality is just fucking embarrassing. There's a running joke that the main character thinks he's funny but isn't - he does terrible puns that aren't puns. Sadly, the author's sense of humour is no better than that of his hero. There's a bunch of limp jokes about Aubrey being a dim-witted man-baby (a very few jokes, endlessly repeated), there's piss-poor vaudeville farce about Maturin, the other main protagonist, doing things like coming on board in a onesie and carrying a glass beehive ("hilarity" ensues as the crew try to cope with the bees), there are joke names for imaginary places and ships that would embarrass a Christmas cracker.

I have no problem with some humour in historical fiction; the Flashman books did it well. This isn't done well. To call it "Abbott and Costello meet Napoleon" would be unfair only because those guys could be funny. It's like trying to read a history book while trapped in a room with somebody who is watching Mrs Brown's Boys at full volume.

Every so often the author forgets his shit imitation of Jane Austen and those bits aren't bad. Sadly, that happens less and less as the books go on. Out of respect to my friend, I made it as far as the third book but I'm just walking away now. I got to the point where I had to summon reserve strength just to read a single page, then had to put it down and find something pleasant to do. I actively hate the characters. Goodbye sailor.

Just finished M John Harrison’s “The sunken land begins to rise again”.

Just ordered this! (was out of stock for a while, it seems).

Just finished 'The Remains of The Day' which has been on the list for a long time, really enjoyed. I've now started 'Never Let Me Go' which I'm not sure about yet.