Books - What are you reading?

@c0gsucker and @ltc thanks both. I'd seen the audible month free trial so will probably give that a go

For real? I loved it. Read it rather than listened to it though.

Just finished reading this book about a smelly old record shop I used to work in in Bristol for 12 years. Nicely written tribute to a different time in the world of music.

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I'm about halfway through this.

A haunting novel set in a nearly abandoned hospital in war-torn Chechnya that is both intimate and ambitious in scope. Eight-year-old Havaa, Akhmed, the neighbour who rescues her after her father's disappearance, and Sonia, the doctor who shelters her over 5 dramatic days in December 2004, must all reach back into their pasts to unravel the intricate mystery of coincidence, betrayal and forgiveness which unexpectedly binds them and decides their fate.

I'm really enjoying it so far, despite having zero knowledge of what went down in Chechnya.

So, this happened Saturday:

Gutted as I am it means I now get to upgrade to a Paperwhite, although I'll miss those physical page turn buttons. Not in any particular hurry though, since I'm mostly reading physical books these days.

Cheered myself up by picking these up from Oxfam:

4 chapters into Wind up Bird Chronicle and it's classic Murakami. I've already had (vanishing) cats, jazz, cooking, mysterious woman, and a description of an ear.

It's a bit rude.

Dude rides the Tour route before the pros.

these were my April reads. Never knew Andy Williams was there when RFK was shot. (I'm not saying he did it...)

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That was my first China Mieville, would read more

Its not typical Mieville, though he does bounce around between genres. I loved it but its a hard sic-fi so don't be surprised if you pick up another Mieville and its totally different.

Possibly my favourite author, city and the city is a great book and I love the whole Bas-Lag series. Un-Lun-Dun is supposedly a children's book, but gets pretty dark and theres plenty there for older readers.

You know what, Im going to get my copy of Kraken out and read it tonight. You have now started me on a complete re-read of every Mieville i can find to hand.

been through a sic-fi kick again in the last few weeks:
Ursula Le Guin - the Dispossessed - Enjoyed it but not a page turner like some of her others, possibly because it tackles some big themes.
Max Barry - Lexicon - Fun quick read with a great idea at its base.
Paolo Bacigalupi - the Wind Up Girl - Great novel, dystopian fiction, enthralling.
Alastair Reynolds - about four different books, quality hard sic-fi.

I'm re-reading Watership Down for the first time since I was small (I read it over and over a crazy number of times when I was a kid).

I love Watership Down - I think I've read that more than any other book - I don't think I could read it again now though, I would be too upset!

It's true! I got a bit moist-eyed loads of times, even at bits that weren't overtly sad. The really upsetting thing about it is that I finished it just two nights ago (yes, yes, slow, had a pause of reading, etc), and the very next morning, one of my bastard mates was posting on Facebook about how she'd just been given a shooting licence to go out and shoot rabbits on some farm in Fife.

"It's for the best," she said. "They need thinning out," she said. "They spread all kinds of disease," "the poor farmer needs help because they're so destructive," "it's better they die quickly by being shot than getting myxi" etc etc. Monster. I told her the Black Rabbit was going to come for her. She was nonplussed.

Shantaram.

Bloody Marvellous.

Karl Ove Knausgård - yay or nay?
Fancy something new.

Answering myself here as I'm now half way through:

I'd say a resounding 'Nay!'

It's my favourite book. I have read it so many times.

I have been reading the The Secret Race about Tyler Hamilton. I got it as a birthday present and I wasn't expecting much. The whole doping subject seemed overdone, but I have found the book well worth the read.

Only three books this month. My 2015 target is still achievable, but need to get on it

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this wasnt my favorite Auster, but it was still good of course, i liked the Theroux, although tired of the journey by the end. McEwen, was good, funny. Not comparable to Black Dogs though.

About to start James Ellroy's Perfidia

I really like the paul theroux stuff, but they often feel a bit baggy, Dark Star Safari is good if you fancy it.

i'd like to know what you think - i've read most of his stuff, bloods a rover kind of put me off him though

Currently reading this.

I'm not sure if I like it or not.

Currently reading Sons and Lovers by DH Lawrence. Surprisingly good, gives a really nice slice of history alongside the story

Just back off holiday where I finally finished Moby Dick, and read The Martian and A Colder War, all three of which I would recommend.

I also read the first two stories in North American Lake Monsters but it might be a bit spooky for me.