Books - What are you reading?

I was thinking I haven't read a good book in a while. After reading this thread I have so many I want to read, I don't even know where to start. Thanks for the inspiration.

The completely mad Don Martin.

honestly i am mortal

Treasure Island, albeit in dribs and drabs via the kindle reader on my android phone..but what a cracking read! Forgotten how good it was.

Blair's memoirs. I may never read a book again.

On a few books at the moment.
The Master and Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov.
Into the Remote Places - Ian Hibell
And just about to start The Earth by Emile Zola.

Left my copy of Master and Margarita in a village in Italy called Villar Perosa and only just bought a replacement copy, such a great book.

Treasure Island, albeit in dribs and drabs via the kindle reader on my android phone..but what a cracking read! Forgotten how good it was.

Treasure Island!

Yey!

Ever read Moonfleet? That's a great read too. I really, really love Jamaica Inn, too.
Pirate books, for the win!
Ahargh!

Lucky Jim

Kingsley Amis.

I have this and I've read about half of it but I can't really get into it if I'm honest. I was convinced I was going to love it as well. I might try again though.

I'm currently reading My Dark Places by James Ellroy. It's essentially a typical Ellroy L.A. murder mystery with a twist - the murder being investigated is that of the author's real-life mother in the summer of 1958.

Pretty amazing concept and the book is shaping up to be brilliant.

half way through The End of Mr Y. now. liking it. Very interesting.

met a girl in portugal who gave me The Gargoyle (that's a book not an STD..) written by the same guy wrote The Life of Pi. anyone read it? she said it was good. that's next on the list me thinks.

Also how bizarre that i had never read a book with black pages before, and now will read 2 in a row, and my copy of mr Y got wet on the trip, and now the edges of all the pages are trippy CMY bordered. suits the book perfectly

Life of Pi was fucking brilliant.
AFAIK he never wrote a book called the gargoyle?

Life of Pi was fucking brilliant.
AFAIK he never wrote a book called the gargoyle?

Point well presented - hadn't actually checked this just took her word for it...

so, not by same author as Life of pi, however, i will report back if it's worth a go.

How to Read Lacan by Slavov Zizek.

I'm half way through in about 3 days which is a serious record for me and reference. He's much easier to read than i thought he'd be. and hilarious. fully recommend.

He's a nutter isn't he? A brilliant nutter. He'd do well on this forum.

If you've not read David Mitchell's other novels then the one's preceding Cloud Atlas are pretty similar (Ghostwritten and number9dream). I enjoyed both.

Otherwise I think you would probably like The End of Mr Y by Scarlett Thomas.

About two thirds through Cloud Atlas at the moment, it's fantastic

+1 to number9dream and Ghostwritten (and Black Swan Green), all different, all amazing

David Byrne - Bicycle Diaries
Stephen King - On Writing
Caravaggio - Francine Prose

Gogol

I was really disappointed with Byrne's book I'm afraid - his bike racks are nice, but I can't see me looking at the book again. There's always the early Talking Heads albums though.

A point on Zizek - he doesn't say much new, given his 'most dangerous philosopher in the West' tag, for all his entertainment value. He's amusing to watch on youtube though, tics and all.

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half way through The End of Mr Y. now. liking it. Very interesting.

That's a weird one, that - the second half of the book doesn't really fit with the first half. Almost like somebody got a Lovecraft horror and a Dan Brown thriller, ripped them both in half, then sellotaped two halves together to make a new one. I enjoyed it but it just seemed a bit disjointed.

I'm currently reading The Emperor's New Mind by Penrose. Enjoying it. Picked it up because I read Douglas Hofstadter's I am a strange loop and thought it was so horrible that I needed to read the ripostes as a sort of mental two fingers up at Hofstadter. Turns out it's actually really very good, and Penrose comes across as a very nice chap too. Highly recommend it.

I was really disappointed with Byrne's book I'm afraid - his bike racks are nice, but I can't see me looking at the book again. There's always the early Talking Heads albums though.

I wouldn't disagree, he does talk considerable pish in places, in amongst interesting observations and thoughts, particularly on NY, San Fran, and urban biking. Disappointed he didn't cover the whole ethos in the PNW and Portland though.

Just finished Lewis Sinclair's "It Can't Happen Here!" (which I recommend) and am finally reading Cat's Cradle. I've not read that much Vonnegut but I love Mother Night, and Breakfast of Champions was definitely enjoyable. And am on a apocalyptic/WWII alternate history kick right now.

Having a Kindle has actually got me reading fiction again. Woot!

A Peiper's Tale
Host Your Website in the Cloud
Hello, Android

Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. And Andrew Graham Dixon's biography of Carravaggio

Homicide - a year on the killing streets. By David Simon.

A book that formed the basis for The Wire - absolutely brilliant. The only problem I'm having is finding enough time to read! It's enormous.

I've heard this is excellent dan