Books - What are you reading?

Just about to finish this. It’s been an enjoyable book. Not something I would ordinarily read but I was hoping for more grit and although there was a couple of beatings nothing that really gave the full ira/Belfast after the troubles loyalist experience.

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Just started reading the ipcress file. I really like the way it’s written

I have just finished reading Dreaming in Yellow, the story of the DiY Soundsystem.

It was a fascinating read for me as we followed DiY around in 1991/1992 and went to many of their parties.

It is a great insight into the chaotic lifestyle of putting on parties, dodging the police and ultimately being part of the reason for the criminal justice bill being passed.

https://velocitypress.uk/product/dreaming-in-yellow-book/

Just working through this after seeing it advertised on Apple TV

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Finished these two. Some lovely words from Cormac, but pretty dark. Johnny Got His Gun was good.

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Child of God is the only McCarthy I haven’t read. Well, until his 2 new books come out later this year.

That looks really interesting!

I just finished Mrs Caliban. Dreamlike and bleak.

Last book club book was Around the world in 80 days by Jules Verne. Great book for its age.

Next one is The Promise by Damon Galgut which I've just started.

Also recently read The Wild Silence by Raynor Winn (the sequel to The Salt Path). Bit meh.

My "to read" pile is now three piles of about 50 books. Need to crack on with them rather than buying new things to read. Trying to get through one a week with 45-60 mins reading each evening.

I've just started The Wild Silence, not having read The Salt Path. Currently on P10. Too early to say if meh, but I have been distracted already, so it's not a great start.

Finished this recently, an absolute masterpiece.

Now on to To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara. I loved A Little Life so was very keen to read it. And, so far, it hasn't disappointed. My only qualm is that, like all of her books, it's about 800 pages so you can read a huge chunk in one sitting and still feel no closer to finishing.

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I’ve got this queued up next.

About three quarters of the way through Dune. Was planning to read it before watching it at the cinema, so we can all see how well I am doing at keeping up with my reading goals (I didn’t end up watching it at the cinema, as I wanted to read the book first).

It’s pretty good! Must have been nice to be a sci fi writer back in the day though, where you could just be like “oh I’ll chuck in some Arabic” and everyone would be all “hail to the innovator!”

Neither Villeneuve or Lynch's films come anywhere near to portraying the real meat of the story, which is Paul's struggles with his destiny as a messiah and inspiration for galactic Jihad. Neither do they consider much of the ecological aspects. They just made a nice adventure film in the desert with some big worms.

Next one is The Promise by Damon Galgut which I've just started.

👌🏼

Yeah, this is why I wanted to read the book first: I dislike it when I take the imprint of a film into a book, especially where the film is the inferior product.

Big worms are cool though.

Why I'm glad they've never filmed any Culture novels. I don't think I could bring myself to watch them. The TV version of the Crow Road was OK I suppose.

I remember there was a series that was going to be made, but it looks like it has been shelved -- https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/26/21402585/amazon-cancels-tv-adaptation-culture-series-iain-m-banks-consider-phlebas

That book is wonderful! Well outside my usual wheelhouse, but decided to read it after a fellow copywriter recommended it to me. I read this and The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin during the darkest days of the pandemic and, without getting too maudlin, they were a real escape.

I often wish Le Guin's books were the wizarding story that became embedded in our culture rather than HP.

I often wish Le Guin's books were the wizarding story that became embedded in our culture rather than HP.

A million times yes. Le Guin was a treasure and her books reflected that, especially Earthsea.

I also wish that I had encountered the Earthsea books as a kid, because I know they would have blown my tiny mind.

Getting to grips with guitar playing, I’ve entered the world of the Blues, so decided to deep dive with this book.

the historical context of crop sharing, hollering, the pioneers, vocal harmonies, evolution and journey toward amplification, every guitar lick, every riff, every bend, those places between major / minor chords and blues key in pentatonic scales. This also delves into race relations across the US from the civil war through to WW2.

I always had on the bucket list for my 60th birthday a musical road trip heading south from Chicago, St Louis, Memphis, Clarksdale, New Orleans.. filled with gigs, bars, local food, local history.

A journey heading back through time to the origins of the Blues in the Mississippi Delta.

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I liked The Promise a lot. It's the best of the recent Man Booker winners I've read for a while, definitely a great story that the form didn't detract from too much, which hasn't always been the case in recent years.

I saw an interview with him where he recommended Two Serious Ladies by Jane Bowles, which I recently finished. It was weird but left me a bit cold and nonplussed, and he had really raved about it, so I felt a bit let down there.

Great books I've read recently - Pat Barker's Regeneration trilogy, which were stunning, and Sally Rooney's Beautiful World, Where Are You.

I’m currently reading the second in the slow horses series ‘dead lion’

I’m really enjoying Mick Herrons style of writing and his wit.

wish that had encountered the Earthsea books as a kid, because I know they would have blown my tiny mind.

I did and they did. Along with Susan Cooper's "The dark is rising" books and all of Alan Garner's varied creations ("The Owl Service" is quite something). I suspect Robert Holdstock owes a lot to Alan Garner's influence.

Just picked up a copy of Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. As someone who rarely reads fiction this will probably keep me going until the autumn at 850ish pages.

Did two in fairly short order. Enjoyed Slow Horses but got a bit bored when I started the third, I think Dead lion being a bit ridiculous plot wise may also have contributed.
Just finished Deep Deception, The Story of the Spycop Network, by the Women who Uncovered the Shocking Truth, probably a more accurate picture of sneaky beaky activity than Slow Horses et al.