THE DONSTALK BOOK CLUB

First up, may I recommend Gary Sutherland's "Hunting Grounds":

http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/3370157/Hunting-Grounds/Product.html

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunting-Grounds-Gary-Sutherland/dp/1841585866/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198166624&sr=8-1

Its an excellent journey round all 42 Scottish fitba grounds in one season.  Detailing transport, pre-match venues for a pint, the quality of the pies at the ground, and a review of the performance of both the players and the fans.  He goes into some depth in his report for each ground.  Its rather witty too!

He obviously visits Pittodrie (2-2 cup game with Hibs last season), and also a Falkirk v Aberdeen SPL game where the away fans are praised.

Does it say what he made of the games?

Yep, each game gets a summing up and a gold star rating out of 10.

Is he the dude who visited Ibrox and couldn't believe how poisonous the place was / is?

Yep, each game gets a summing up and a gold star rating out of 10.

So you gonna tell us or do we have to read the book?! 

"How to pump teams oot the UEFA Cup" by J. Calderwood Esq.

Available in all good bookstores.

So you gonna tell us or do we have to read the book?! 

For all 42 games?  I think you should read the book.

The Dons games you clown! 

What did he make of our games as an outsider! 

I'm currently reading:

An Atlas of Europe.

7 stars I seem to recall.

Thought the pie was average.  Visited the Pittodrie Bar before hand.  He seemed reasonably complementary and didn't really have anything negative to say.  Full of praise for us when he went to Falkirk v Aberdeen, singling out the away support.

Just finished "Winter in Madrid" by CJ Sansom.

Nae my usual type of read but thoroughly enjoyed it

Brought a smile to my face all the references to Puerta del Sol

about to start on "Book of Fate" by Brad Mizer which probably is more my sort of book

Im currently reading 'God is Not Great' by Christopher Hitchens.

currently working my way through The Ball is Round: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ball-Round-David-Goldblatt/dp/0141015829/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198922613&sr=8-1

which is a global history of football.  Pretty good reading so far but will take me till the spring to finish it at my current rate.

Have If this is a man/truce by Primo Levi waiting once I'm finished

Ive just finished :

The Don - Willie Miller

Broken Skin - Stuart McBride

Exit Music - Ian Rankin

All great reads, a couple of great twists in the Rankin and McBride books, and its always good to be able to picture exactly where the story is set since they're based in Edinburgh and Aberdeen respectively.

Cant believe Rankin finished the Rebus series of books like that though, leaves you wanting another novel atleast!

Broken Skin - Stuart McBride

I've read the first two and just purchased Broken Skin.  I'll hopefully read it soon.  I hear AFC's star striker is involved in this novel.  Mackie??? 

I've read the first two and just purchased Broken Skin.  I'll hopefully read it soon.  I hear AFC's star striker is involved in this novel.  Mackie 

Have a think about that one.......

Just finished Hornblower Goes To Sea

I am on a bit of a Historical Fiction kick lately

Christmas=always good for books!!  Espesh books that you wouldnt necesaraly choose yourself. Currently reading Imperial Life in the Emerald City by Rajiv Chandreaskaran. Its about the charmed life that the service industry lead supplying Iraq whilst the country goes to shit.  Its a fascinating insight into the ignorance of america.  Its not that heavy a read, unlike some anti war material.

Currently reading two books:

Barca: The People's Passion by Jimmy Burns.  It's a bit of a dirge as far as football books go, overly descriptive of insignificant things and I'm having real trouble getting any momentum with it.

The World According to Jeremy Clarkson.  Thought seeing as I was being bored to death with the other book that I'd get something to make me chuckle from time to time.  It's typical Clarkson (love him or loathe him), taken from his Sunday Times columns.

I have Brave New World by Aldous Huxley sitting waiting to be read as well.

BTR, I read Barca a couple of years ago on holiday and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Having said that can understand why you find it a bit heavy in parts but felt it was necessary to present the full importance of the part the club plays in the history of the region and its people

BTR, I read Barca a couple of years ago on holiday and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Having said that can understand why you find it a bit heavy in parts but felt it was necessary to present the full importance of the part the club plays in the history of the region and its people

It may just have been the fist couple of chapters then Al, I read a couple of chapters last night that were far more interesting.  I then committed the heinous crime of hunting out a section on Steve Archibald towards the end of the book and read that bit as well.

Terry Pratchett - Making Money.

The Hiram Key - Robert Lomas

Very Enlightening 

The Hiram Key - Robert Lomas

 

Very Enlightening 

Indeed so, brother.

If you like that one, try The Temple and the Lodge by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh.

I'm currently readin the autobiography of John Peel. This was published after his death so was partly written by himself and also his family after he passed away. i've tried my best to read this for the best part of two years and i'm now about to read chapter four!!! So far it's not a book i would recommend that's for sure. When i read a chapter last night it did seem to be gathering some momentum which i was crying out for.

I've got a fair few others books which need looking at, mainly non-fiction by john simpson on his reporting across the world.

One book i'd recommend is  Nigel Benns autobiography. If you like boxing then this is for you. To some he may come across as an arrogant bastard but this is something i couldn't agree with when reading his life story. 

I read the Margrave of the Marshes (John Peel's autobiography) and thought it was superb!  Then again I'm a big music/Peel fan so found it a good read on both fronts.

I've found that the longer it takes to read a book, the less interesting it is and the harder it was to get into.  I've been reading 'Catch-22' for about 3 months now and only when I found myself with some time to spare sitting in airports this weekend, did I really get into it.

Anyway, during the festive period I bought Willie Miller's book which I'll read after 'Catch-22' and Paul Carter's follow up to 'Don't Tell Mum I Work On The Rigs' which is called 'This Is Not A Drill'.  Found it funnier than the first one and it had a nice twist into the bargin when he takes a trip into Bin Laden's backyard to show the nasty side of the oil industry.