Books The BOOK thread

Atwood is writing a sequel to The Handmaid's Tale. Hopefully ambiguous endings are left ambiguous.
 
A Season In Purgatory by Dominick Dunne.
 
esmufc07 said:
Recommend me some good murder mystery books?
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Three Pines series by Louise Penny. Rebus series by Ian Rankin. Craig Johnson - Walt Longmire series. Inspector Ian Rutledge series by Charles Todd. Carol O'Connell - Kathleen Mallory series. Laura Joh Rowland - Sano Ichiro series. The alphabetical book series by Sue Grafton.
 
Dario Fernandez-Morera The Myth of Andalusian Paradise: Muslims, Christians, and Jews under Islamic Rule in Medieval Spain

There is a widely held view that during the European Middle Ages, Islam, Christianity and Judaism peacefully co-existed in Islamic Spain.

This view can be traced back to Edward Gibbon who wrote of the tenth century Umayyad Caliphate, in glowing terms, as a beacon of enlightenment during a time of bigotry and ignorance in Europe. The idea of a tolerant Islamic Spain remains the subject of books even today. Marcia Rosa Menocal's The Ornament of the World (2002) and David Levering Lewis's God's Crucible (2008) are two such examples.

In The Myth of Andalusian Paradise Dario Fernandez-Morera aims to refute the widely held view about Islamic Spain. He posits that Islam was not superior to medieval european culture; that Islam was not the means through which classical Greek learning was preserved. And this is only the beginning.

The real crux of Fernandez-Morera's critique is that Islamic Spain was characterised by plunder, domination, the imposition of strict Sharia law, the persecution of Jews (Ch. 6) and Christians (Ch. 7), and the violent surpression of apostasy in the Islamic community (pp. 98-104). It was no better for women (Ch. 5), who were subjected to circumcision (pp. 140-3), stoning (143-6), veiling (pp. 147-153), and sexual slavery (pp. 158-168).

Fernandez-Morera makes use of neglected primary sources including medieval Christian, Muslim, and Jewish chronicles; literary works; religious and legal text; and biographies. (p. 11)
 
I read Homo Deus and didnt think much of it.
 
Stick said:
I read Homo Deus and didnt think much of it.
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Did you read Sapiens before? I quite liked Sapiens, but wasn't mad on Homo Deus. I found it went over similar points, but not as well at times.
 
BD said:
Did you read Sapiens before? I quite liked Sapiens, but wasn't mad on Homo Deus. I found it went over similar points, but not as well at times.
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Yes I read Sapiens and really enjoyed it up to the last chapter and that led into Homo Deus. Like you said he rehashed a lot of the information from Sapiens and then deduced a lot of possible futures. It wasnt great.
 
BD said:
Did you read Sapiens before? I quite liked Sapiens, but wasn't mad on Homo Deus. I found it went over similar points, but not as well at times.
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Definitely worth the read. Sapiens is excellent up to the last chapter for me.
 
Freak said:
Just finished "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck". It's a really good self-improvement book that's in your face and funny at times.
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Didn't think much of that book to be honest. I lost attention midway.
 
These are a few I've read over the last few weeks.

Mythos - Stephen Fry

A retelling of the Greek Myths. Really enjoyed this. Such an easy read. Who knew Zeus was such a man-whore. If you enjoy mythology you'll enjoy this. 8/10.

One of us is Lying - Karen McManus

Her first novel and it's a good one. Nothing spectacular, just an easy and enjoyable read. I did have the twist figured out before it was told, mind. 7/10.

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn

Loved this book. Will definitely pick up her other books at some point. Compelling reading and the relationship between Nick and Amy was brilliantly told, I thought. 9/10.

A Tap on the Window - Linwood Barclay

Wasn't overly impressed. Bit of a slow burner, picked up for the last third of the book, but sort of instantly forgettable. 6/10.

Starting The Chalk Man next, my mate is raving about it. Sounds interesting enough.
 
How often do you (or how long does it take for you to) give up on a book?
 
Got my brother the Peter Crouch book for Christmas. I will be borrowing that when he's finished.
 
BD said:
How often do you (or how long does it take for you to) give up on a book?
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Only one book I can remember giving up on after reading a considerable amount - Orhan Pamuk’s Snow. Read about 2/3s of it before deciding I hated it. There’s a couple of others I’ve started with a chapter or two and stopped - The Magic Mountain and The God of Small Things. I mean to get back to them and give them a fair go.
 
BD said:
How often do you (or how long does it take for you to) give up on a book?
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I rarely do but there are some exceptions. Ulysses by Joyce was one I actually just couldn't follow after about 100 pages. I also gave up on PS I Love You. It was just too much..........
 
BD said:
How often do you (or how long does it take for you to) give up on a book?
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It depends. If it is a classic or a really popular book, I will try harder to go on (and even finish it even if most of the time I wish I didn't). I probably try to read 10% or 80-100 pages, except if the book annoys me too much or completely lacks any originality.

I saw other people say to give up after the first page or first chapter if you don't like it but since I am rarely convinced with the first chapter, I wouldn't read a lot of books that way.

My not-updated Goodreads lists say I give up 7% of the books I start.
 
The next book I'll be reading is Throne of Glass. It has a lot of short chapters. A welcome trait, after all the long chapters I've been reading in other books.
 
You are aware of the reviews of Throne of Glass?

Granted I knew about them but still read it.

Reached 4/7 of Tigana, it is a pleasant reading but the sex scenes felt quite gratuitous. Probably going to read the Wicked Deep after because it is only 200 pages long and it is supposed to have a TV or movie adaptation then Circe because it is only 300 pages long and is the Goodreads fantasy book of 2018.

Then maybe maybe I will start The Tawny Man Trilogy.
 
celia said:
You are aware of the reviews of Throne of Glass?

Granted I knew about them but still read it.
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I've got some idea the book is divisive. I hope to finish it. If it's culturally cruel or absurd, I can still see myself finishing it.
 
Are Lee Childs Jack Reacher novels still good?

I read them all when they were first released and used to love them, finished them so quickly I just couldn’t put them down.

Haven’t read one in a few years but I got his latest 2 for Christmas, I’m just not feeling the urge though.

Also my friend highly recommended John Grishams the magic cottage, neither of us having ever read a book of his before. Any good?
 
Pablo76 said:
Are Lee Childs Jack Reacher novels still good?

I read them all when they were first released and used to love them, finished them so quickly I just couldn’t put them down.

Haven’t read one in a few years but I got his latest 2 for Christmas, I’m just not feeling the urge though.

Also my friend highly recommended John Grishams the magic cottage, neither of us having ever read a book of his before. Any good?
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Fell off a cliff a few years ago, I think they are nothing more than mediocre now.

Loved the first 5-6 or so though.
 
SwansonsTache said:
Fell off a cliff a few years ago, I think they are nothing more than mediocre now.

Loved the first 5-6 or so though.
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Thanks for the reply.

Yeah, the first 3 or so just totally gripped me like no other book ever had, I couldn’t wait for each subsequent release.

I must have missed out on a few of his over the last 3 years or so, hoping I get the bug and pick one of these 2 up in the next few days.

I know of Grisham but I’d like a few pointers if anyone reads his stuff, thanks.
 
Pablo76 said:
Thanks for the reply.

Yeah, the first 3 or so just totally gripped me like no other book ever had, I couldn’t wait for each subsequent release.

I must have missed out on a few of his over the last 3 years or so, hoping I get the bug and pick one of these 2 up in the next few days.

I know of Grisham but I’d like a few pointers if anyone reads his stuff, thanks.
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Read "The Firm", "Pelican Brief" and "The Last Juror", all very good.
 
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