What book are you reading...

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Currently reading The Satanic Verses, by Salman Rushdie. About 25% read so far.
Has a magical genre. About two indian actors who fall out of a plane flying over the English channel that is blown up by terrorists. They survive. This is considered a miracle. Then the book goes into the past regarding the actors.

When the book first came out in 1988, it was condemned by muslims and deemed blasphemous towards Islam. Irans Ayatollah even wanted Rushdie killed and considered it every muslims right.
30 years on. I thought I'd ought to read the book. It is beautifully written and though it diverts between the past and present and a little use of hindi, I am enjoying reading the novel. Alas, I have reached a chapter called Mahound. No relation to the prophet Mohammed (stated the author.) but I can see events in the book which are reminiscent of the prophet.

Incidentally, this is the best start to a book I've read.
 
Soldato
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The missus picked up Adam Kay's "This is going to hurt" in TESCO the other day and said I'd like it.

I don't read fast but I'm already more than half way through it, absolutely the loving the thing. Highly recommended, the humour is dry but spot on.
 
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Caliban's War - Expanse Book 2

Started before Christmas but have been pretty ill. Started again the other night and just over halfway through. I'm loving it. I'm probably going to do all of them back to back haha!
 
Soldato
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Still reading A Storm of Swords, it might be the best of the books the plot is still really moving at this point. Started Good Omens but kept getting interrupted so will leave a month or so and restart to do it justice. Also just read the complete The Boys by Garth Ennis of Preacher fame. Really loved it, it's not Return of the Dark Knight or Attack On Titan levels of brilliant but still very good, maybe peters out a little right at the end.
 
Soldato
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Caliban's War - Expanse Book 2

Started before Christmas but have been pretty ill. Started again the other night and just over halfway through. I'm loving it. I'm probably going to do all of them back to back haha!

Just got book 5, was a bit disappointed with the first half of book 4 - Cibola Burn, felt like it was falling into a trap of obvious predictable storytelling then went off at a lovely tangent.
 
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Been on holiday back home in Sweden and finished On the Road by Jack Kerouac which was pretty good but I did struggle with it in the beginning. After that I read "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness which I know is a young adults book but I thought it was very well written and can be used for everyone. Now I'm halfway through "How To Kill a Mockingbird" and I'm really enjoying it.
 
Soldato
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I'm rereading Let the Right One In. It's a good book, not great, but I'd say this is one of the few cases of movie being better than the book... the Swedish movie that is, brilliantly cast and paced.
 
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I'm rereading Let the Right One In. It's a good book, not great, but I'd say this is one of the few cases of movie being better than the book... the Swedish movie that is, brilliantly cast and paced.

I've read the book and really enjoyed it, but I haven't seen any of the movies yet. Maybe should try do that next week sometime
 
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I cannot recall the last time I actually read a book for myself. In fact I don't think I've ever finished a book. Read with the kids but doesn't really count.

Yesterday I decided I would get a library card. I know nothing about authors so just picked up a couple of random books from the crime section.

Currently 250 pages through David Baldacci Memory Man. I'm really enjoying it, not put it down.

Think I'm going to need a book reading light so I don't disturb my wife during the week. Anyone using one they would recommend?
 
Man of Honour
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Taking a rest with Monsarrat's "HMS Marlborough Will Enter Harbour".
First read it 1952.


Is that the one which is three novellas based on real events? If so I read it a long time ago. But like 1980, not 1952!

I've just finished a couple more of Claire North's books: "The First Fifiteen Lives of Harry August" and "Touch". Both are new versions of old ideas, but tremendously well done. In the first the title character lives his life over and over again: every time he dies heis reborn as himself, but with his memories of all his previous lives, enabling him to make changes. In the latter, the main character is a person who can hop from body to body if he/she touches them. The ideas are not new, but the author has thought out pretty much every consequence, espeically the human ones. Throroughly recommended.
 
Associate
Joined
15 Oct 2015
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1,480
I cannot recall the last time I actually read a book for myself. In fact I don't think I've ever finished a book. Read with the kids but doesn't really count.

Yesterday I decided I would get a library card. I know nothing about authors so just picked up a couple of random books from the crime section.

Currently 250 pages through David Baldacci Memory Man. I'm really enjoying it, not put it down.

Think I'm going to need a book reading light so I don't disturb my wife during the week. Anyone using one they would recommend?

Don't know much about reading lights as I'm single and don't need to worry about that. But I got a Kindle that I use when I'm away or at work.

Memory Man by Baldacci is really good, I've read all the books in that series (think it is 4 books out). Baldacci got several series that are pretty good in the crime genre.
If you want to read more good crime authors you got Michael Connelly and his series about Harry Bosch, John Connolly and his Charlie Parker-series (which delves into a bit of fantasy/supernatural stuff too), Scott Mariani (Ben Hope) and if you want something closer you have Mark Billingham and his Thorpe-series based in the London area and Ian Rankin's John Rebus up in Edinburgh.
 
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