Books - What are you reading?

I'm having a bit of a clear out (to make space for more books obviously). Any interest in any of these? Free if you can collect from SE20 or E14 (E14 during office hours). I can meet up anywhere between the 2 on my commute. Can chuck them in the post if you cover postage as well.

These are spoken for:

Jeff Vandermeer Trilogy
Earthsea
Expanse
Heart of a Dog
Severance
Three-Body Problem
Axiomatic

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I kinda like the society bits, tbh. Pretty reflective of the time, when anyone below a certain level simply did not exist in any meaningful sense. It's early days, though. I'm only halfway through part two.

Would highly recommend The Slaves of Solitude if you liked that one (and haven't already read it, obvs). Same goes for 20,000 Streets Under the Sky.

Thanks @PhilswitchEngage! I wondered why the package was so heavy, I didn't realise I'd ordered the biggest book in the world.

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No worries! Sorry that it looks like it's taken a knock in transit though, I hope you're not one of these people who are super precious about books. Can send a replacement if you need one, but hopefully you're all good!

Nah I'm not bothered! It'll end up getting knocked about a bit in a bag at some point anyway I'm sure.

After many years of loving the films, I'm about half way through the first Lord of the Rings book. Can't believe how different it is to the film.

Excellent reading though, absolutely shocked that Tom Bombadillo didnt make the cinema cut.

I had mostly the same experience, very surprised how different it was to the film version. However, I can absolutely see why Tom Bombadillo didn't make the cut, haha.

Can't believe how different it is to the film.

Not half as different as it would be if you'd picked The Hobbit.

Can’t believe he didn’t read that first.

But he can read Farmer Giles of Ham and get in before Peter Jackson's next blockbuster trilogy.

Can’t believe he didn’t read that first.

Got them from a 2nd book shop, they didn't have the Hobbit.

I'll pick it up eventually.

I did it the wrong way round as well. I didn't feel like it was a problem!

True - based on his record FGoH would span out to star wars numbers of films.

did a round up of all the partially read (barely-40-pages-in-and-discarded) and untouched fiction books I’ve accrued.
Very funny I thought.

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Come on, what's wrong with Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn? Painting fences, copping off with Betsy, killing Indian Joe.

Great stuff.

Lolita is a rough read to be fair.

Tbf the first chapter or two of Brave New World is a slog. Get though them and you won't be able to put it down..

@moocher I’ve read one of the two stories but can’t remember which! The ‘less famous one’ if I remember correctly, so probably Tom Sawyee? I remember liking it. So it’s been on this pile to make sure I finish before getting any more books

@ltc yeeeeeaaaah it’s a bit gross isn’t it. Not sure if it will make it off this pile.

@LeChef I’m not sure why I haven’t read it yet honestly, it’s a big book (in terms of cultural impact and popularity) and is right up my street thematically. I’ll remember what you said about the first two chapters when I get to it.

I’m starting with if nobody speaks of remarkable things by Jon McGregor after pretty much only reading Murakami and Anthony Bourdain for the past year haha (I haven’t been reading as much as I’d like).

It’s a couple hundred pages written about one summer’s day from the perspective of lots of different characters in small town. Seems nice.

Lolita is the only one in that pile I would bother with.

I keep reading the bottom one as 'Shark Will Eat ItSelf'

I liked for whom the bell tolls a lot. Really struggled with on the road and also gave up. (As I did with catch 22 and fear and loathing).

On the Road is borderline unreadable. Written in a couple of weeks on a massive amphetamine bender and boy does it show

Dharma Bums is much, much better.

Been listening to the And the Rest is Politics for a while now, so took the plunge and have started reading Rory Stewart's Politics on the Edge book.