HIV is God's Blessing by Jarrett Zigon
Books The BOOK thread
- Thread starter Livvie
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Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" admittedly I picked it up because of claims on the coverpage as her masterpiece, and I couldn't agree more.. I wonder how I'll read off the rest of her books now that I've read the best of the best. Excellent mystery. Written in such simple language, but it was a thrill and major pageturner.
And then there were None is fantastic. It was the first AC book that I read.
How do you find the other AC books compared to it? A bit scared I might expect too much after reading the best first.
I still enjoyed most of them. For me the Hercule Poirot books were the best of the lot.
The Lady in the Tower by Alison Weir.
Anne Boleyn was framed, completely. And to think that, for decade after decade, the received wisdom was that she was a 'scheming harlot,' 'a witch,' 'a Jezebel'; what a terrible injustice...
Anne Boleyn was framed, completely. And to think that, for decade after decade, the received wisdom was that she was a 'scheming harlot,' 'a witch,' 'a Jezebel'; what a terrible injustice...
this one is fukin excellent
Holy crap. You're still around?
Got this 
I have weird taste, all the things you said are true except thats why I enjoyed it, I can’t really explain that, are you planning on reading Flashback - just out a few weeks ago? It was probably the most “moving along” book I’ve read from him
Moondust by Andrew Smith. Really interesting book.
Taken from an Amazon review:
'Moondust is an unashamedly subjective evocation of the Space Age that is both extremely interesting and often very poignant. Whether you remember the Apollo missions or not, it is facinating to read about an era that felt as if it was the dawn of a new 'Space Age' (indeed, many people quite reasonably assumed that if we could land a man on the moon in 1969, we'd have bases there by 2001).
In Moondust author Andrew Smith has interviewed many of the surviving astronauts who went to the moon and instead of asking the obvious question - 'What was it like to be on the moon?' - he is more interested in how they coped with returning to their lives on earth, knowing that the highpoint of their lives was probably behing them.'
Taken from an Amazon review:
'Moondust is an unashamedly subjective evocation of the Space Age that is both extremely interesting and often very poignant. Whether you remember the Apollo missions or not, it is facinating to read about an era that felt as if it was the dawn of a new 'Space Age' (indeed, many people quite reasonably assumed that if we could land a man on the moon in 1969, we'd have bases there by 2001).
In Moondust author Andrew Smith has interviewed many of the surviving astronauts who went to the moon and instead of asking the obvious question - 'What was it like to be on the moon?' - he is more interested in how they coped with returning to their lives on earth, knowing that the highpoint of their lives was probably behing them.'
You started Game of Thrones mate? Just near of the end of the first book, have to say, its brilliant! Looking forward to book two.
Reading A walk in the woods.
Any other Bryson books? Which one should I get next
Any other Bryson books? Which one should I get next
Has anyone read THE HUNGER GAMES? The author is Suzanne Collins and it is a young adult book. It was a very good read and it is a little hard to put down. Its the first book in a trilogy and the movie is coming out in March next year I think.
I loved that one - I'm actually reading another AT book right now, "Awol on the Appalachian Trail". Sadly after reading "A Walk in the Woods", this one comes off as a bit boring and too narrative.
Well I am done with the trilogy now. I liked all the three books. Lets see how the movie will be come March.
Reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, for the third time. An astounding book, easily the most magnificent history lesson I've ever received.
Mantel's Thomas Cromwell, the hero of this novel, is a man out of time, a modern man caught on the borderline between the superstitious Middle Ages and our more enlightened - but still angst-ridden - world. The very notion of Cromwell as an heroic figure goes against the grain, the received wisdom of standard histories in which the man is customarily presented as a ruthless schemer, an opportunist without morals or positive emotions; yet here he is, a sentimental family man, and not merely a first-class brain but someone with feelings and flaws, fully human:
Wolf Hall's story - that grand, bloodstained and unforgettable period of Queen Katherine's fall and Anne Boleyn's rise - is of course well known but very well told; in fact, I doubt there's ever been a better English historical novel. In truth, there's almost too much to praise: every character, no matter how minor, is memorable; there are subtle forerunners of future Royal tragedies, unthought of in the Tudor period (Katherine's tightly-bound bodice is 'bejewelled as if to ward off blows' reminding one of the tragic Romanovs' fates); there are sublime moments when we step outside of the story's main thrust - Shakespearean interludes when the reader can almost see the mist rising from the Thames, hear the cries of the boatmen, watch dandelion clocks borne on the summer breeze - while Mantel has Cromwell's thoughts tell us home truths that the sheer distraction of this world's 'show business' obscures:
The old cliché is nevertheless true of Wolf Hall: all human life can be found here, its good and its bad. The prose perfectly portrays those brutal, beautiful times, and is peerless. Forget the trashy Tudors and a thousand other bodice-rippers - Wolf Hall is everything that is brilliant and rewarding about the best stories, and this one in particular tells the most enticing truths and nontruths:
To the Blight (The eye of the world)
Awesome books
Awesome books
I just finished Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane, the last book of the Kenzie-Gennaro series. Or at least I hope so, because the quality took a nosedive so bad in this installment it really doesn't justify prolonging it. A far cry from Gone Baby Gone and his other previous works.
How good are the Game of Thrones books? My friend said the first book is good but the first couple hundred pages or so are a little boring. I am thinking if I should start reading the series.
I'm about to finish Sarah Vowell's last book, "Unfamiliar Fishes", its about Hawaii's annexation. Vowell has a very enjoyable, subjective view of history and she can make any historical figure relevant to current issues.
One of the best non-fiction writers, I loved all her books.
One of the best non-fiction writers, I loved all her books.
I found the first three books very good. A slight dip for the rest, but they're still good reads.
I didn't find the beginning of the first book boring at all, but I'd seen the television show so I was already familiar with the characters.
I'm on the second book and they are a great read. You have to pay attention as there are a number of characters and places however I'm enjoying them.
I loved Notes from a Small Island which is about Britain and is very funny and also Down Under, which surprise, surprise is about Australia. I'm just reading his biography of Shakespeare which is great.
I'm reading the Fever series by Karen Moning. Almost certainly aimed at women, and loads of flaws, but who cares...great entertainment.
Drood by Dan Simmons. So far, so good. If it's half as good as The Terror, I'll be very happy.
Jon Krakauer - Where Men Win Glory
all about Pat Tillman and his decision to leave the NFL and enlist in the Army to fight in the war on terror.
more than half way through it and it's been pretty good so far.
of course Tillman was great guy; family man, a man of books, all around nice guy. I don't expect to see anything in this painting him in a bad light.
can't say the same for the way the Bush administration and the Pentagon are portrayed. they come out looking pretty shitty.
all about Pat Tillman and his decision to leave the NFL and enlist in the Army to fight in the war on terror.
more than half way through it and it's been pretty good so far.
of course Tillman was great guy; family man, a man of books, all around nice guy. I don't expect to see anything in this painting him in a bad light.
can't say the same for the way the Bush administration and the Pentagon are portrayed. they come out looking pretty shitty.
I read it, amazing book. Mix of Battle Royale and real TV. The second book was ok but I felt let down by the third book.
I started Ender's Saga. The two first books were great even if I had a mixed feeling about the second one. I have a hard time believing something in the 3rd one.
The Irish Times are running a section on Flann O'Brien who was born 100 years ago today. It's good stuff:
100 Myles, A century of Flann, Myles and Brian | The Irish Times
100 Myles, A century of Flann, Myles and Brian | The Irish Times
The novels aren't all that (At-Swim-Two-Birds is easily the best). The Myles stuff is classic (some bastard nicked my collected works).
I'm reading Richard the III for University. Winter, Discontent, Cripple, Lady Anne, Cacodemon.
Have you started reading them?
Have you read The Poor Mouth? It's been overlooked, but it's one of his best. Far better then The Dalkey Archive for instance.
And I agree about the Myles na gCopaleen pieces for The Irish Times. There's something funny on virtually every page in The Best of Myles.
Yeah, I didn't think it was a good as At-Swim, Dalkey I didn't finish.
Paul Auster - The New York Trilogy, good read so far.
Gloria Gallagher ran a small flower shop in Athlone and had a small Honda van to do her deliveries. If she needed bigger transport for a major job she used a white van from the builder round the corner. This weekend she rang Dennis to ask if she could borrow the van on Saturday. 'Sick transit Gloria, Monday', he said.
Just started reading this:
Excellent so far; it really shows the terrific struggle women have had to be taken seriously by so-called 'gentlemen'.
Excellent so far; it really shows the terrific struggle women have had to be taken seriously by so-called 'gentlemen'.