THE DONSTALK BOOK CLUB

[baggy89]

Bleak is right.

The Road is both heartbreaking & fascinating. The style of writing, although obviously appropriate, rubbed me a bit but it's an amazing read that stays with you long after you've actually finished reading. :cliché:

 

Ha! Another one that I've been picking up and putting down since May, like you say the style of writing is the reason I put it down (and don't pick it up). After baggins's recommendation I've nearly finished Ghost, really enjoying it now, I may also force myslef to finish The Road as well now, on your two's recommendations. 

 

TF you need to get some John Connolly books. If you enjoyed the ones you've mentioned in your posts you will love the Charlie Parker series, and his others. 

[Dons_1903]

Ha! Another one that I've been picking up and putting down since May, like you say the style of writing is the reason I put it down (and don't pick it up). After baggins's recommendation I've nearly finished Ghost, really enjoying it now, I may also force myslef to finish The Road as well now, on your two's recommendations. 

 

TF you need to get some John Connolly books. If you enjoyed the ones you've mentioned in your posts you will love the Charlie Parker series, and his others. 

WARNING: SLIGHT SPOILERS

 

I've just gotten to the bit where they see three guys and a pregenant woman hobbling over a bridge.

 

What folllows is rather disturbing

[bazig]

It certainly is.

*Nom, nom, nom*

[Dons_1903]

Just finished it.

 

Enjoyable isn't the word, but it's a very good book. The ending was so-so, though!

[bazig]

I don't remember being disappointed with the ending.

[Kowalski]

Almost finished Sean Connery - "Being a Scot".

 

Its quite a read, and very in depth.  There's not much autobiographical content, but a whole heap about Scotland (history, royalty, sport, comedians, architecture, art, films etc...).  He's thrown his heart and soul into it, and its really rather good.

[KGB]

Just finishing Ian Rankin- The Falls Can't get enough of Rebus. I agree that the MacBride books are also excellent reads so will have to get his most recent offering.

 

Ive got 10 Michael Connelly books that I bought for a tenner from one of those round the office book club thingymefecks sitting to read so lets hope they're good.

[tlg1903]

Have read a lot of Christopher Brookmyre recently. Very formulaic, but enjoyable nonetheless. And he hates the Old Firm.

 

Got a copy of Irvine Welsh's new one today - 'Crime'.

 

Brookmyre is really good but truth be told his earler stuff is a bit snappier.  Just finished reading a snowball in hell and its highly enjoyable but just doesnt have the same punch as not the end of the world or quite ugly one morning

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

Just finishing Ian Rankin- The Falls Can't get enough of Rebus. I agree that the MacBride books are also excellent reads so will have to get his most recent offering.

 

Ive got 10 Michael Connelly books that I bought for a tenner from one of those round the office book club thingymefecks sitting to read so lets hope they're good.

 

If they're the Heironymous Bosch series you'll most likely enjoy them.

 

Just started a John Harvey book "Ash and Bone". So much for getting away from police procedural! 

 

Had a bit of spare time there and re-read The Acid House, god that is good.

[BigAl]

I read, on holiday, "The Power of the Dog" by Don Winslow. It's all about the American war on drugs set over 30 years. Winslow tells of the involvement of the DEA ,the Mafia, CIA, Mexican drug cartels by telling the story through the eyes of several different characters. Best book I've read in a long while.

 

Five Stars +

 

So glad I finally got around to starting reading this book, certainly didn't take me long once I started it. Talk about a story having twists in it. From start to finish, absolutely superb and the cause of a few late nights in the past week reading this.

Anyone read any other Don Winslow ones that they could recommend.

Next up is The Wheel of Darkness by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.

[ayrdons]

Danny Wallace - friends like these , good holiday read !

[tlg1903]

Danny Wallace - friends like these , good holiday read !

 

I've read join me and yes man, is this of similar calibre?

[Kowalski]

Anyone read this?

 

[rocket_scientist]

Anyone read this?

 

 

Read it? I fucking wrote it. Watch & Learn.

[Edinburghdon]

Anyone read this?

 

 

Shortest book ever?

 

Chapter 1 "I'm ALWAYS right, you don't count!"

[rocket_scientist]

Shortest book ever?

 

Chapter 1 "I'm ALWAYS right, you don't count!"

 

Never in the history of the internet has there been evidence to back you up.

 

For a start, with fitba forums being as they are, anyone can post as much or as frequently as they like.

 

If some are bludgeoned into an early grave, then they were wrong in the first place, or they failed to get enough support.

 

Confidence in having a view is a good thing, surely?

 

The insecurity of others in not challenging a view is another matter altogether.

[ayrdons]

Friends like these by Danny Wallace - really good book , easy to read and very funny , ive actually just went out and bought his other two books , Join me and Yes man , started to read join me and i can say that Freinds like these is in the same vein , definately recomend it .

[bilbobaggins]

I just finished Christopher Brookmyre, one fine day in the middle of the night. He's a laugh out loud author and I'll be reading the rest of his work ASAP.

 

Since I had nothing else I'm digging Kerouac's On The Road, again, Ah mmm.

[BigAl]

"An Ordinary Man" The True Story Behind Hotel Rwanda by Paul Ruseseabagina.

Superb account of the history of the historical events leading up to the 1994 genocide in this country, together with more detail behind how this remarkable man protected and saved the lifes of nearly 1300 of his countrymen.

 

Highly recommended

[tom_widdows]

Close to finishing Quintine jardine's latest - Aftershock

As usual after a slow start and middle its getting good towards the end.

 

Jardin is  ok but I dont find his main character Bob Skinner as compelling as Rebus.

Probably because hes an ACC and everyone loves him as opposed to rebus the Drunken DI who gets the job done his own way and usually against his superiors wishes.

 

Disappointed that Rankin wont be writing any more Rebus books. Have read them all and his other books just dont 'have it'

 

Soon as ive finished this one its back to searching out a cheap copy of 'Flesh House' (Macbride) or maybe even Brookmyre's latest ' A snowball in hell'

 

Recently read a couple of James Patterson's too. Nice and easy

[Superstar Tradesman]

Since I had nothing else I'm digging Kerouac's On The Road, again, Ah mmm.

 

I bought this in City Lights Bookstore in San Fran and left the fucking thing on a bus about 10 minutes later.  Returned the next day to buy another copy and managed to leave it on the plane, unopened, later that day.  I've never got round to testing the 'third time lucky' theory.

 

Recently I read a Johnny Cash biography which was quite nicely written.  I think he's written one before so this one he writes whilst on the road and only skips through his history from time to time focusing more on the main characters in his life.  I really enjoyed it as it was him, as an old man looking back, reflecting on his life and he sort of knew there wasn't much left in the tank but he wasn't regretting any of it.  He'd found peace with himself (man).

 

At the moment I'm reading Hannibal Rising by the Silence of the Lambs author Thomas Harris.  It tracks his up-bringing and goes a fair way to explaining why he became the serial killer with a taste for human flesh.  Think I read Silence years ago but I'll probably go back and read these in order now as this has been a good read.

 

Also bought a book called Elephants on Acid whilst passing through the airport yesterday.  My brain was a little fried after the weekend so I thought I'd best pick up something that was easy to read.  It's a catalogue of all the weird, strange and amusing experiments that scientists have done.

[bazig]

Stuart MacBride's Sawbones reads like My First Fisherprice Crime Story. Not good.

[baggy89]

I finished Ghost after being inspired here, flew through it, another good Harris book easy to see who some of the characters are loosely based on.

 

Didn't fly through it quite as quick as I did The Road when I gave that another go, difficult to understand how the boy could be compassionate about other human beings when all he has ever experienced was kill or be killed, but I suppose that was the point of the story. I didn't quite get the bit about the fish at the end, was it trying to say that there were places where the world was habitable and food was plentiful, or is it referring back to a time in the past? Or am I taking it a bit to literally.

 

Also read Graeme Obree's autobiography, I never realised how fucked up an individual he is, not surprising given his childhood and that so many people close to him lost their lives. Towards the end I kept thinking of Rocket Scientists rant about how people were either mentally strong and winners or mentally weak and losers. Obree in no way could be classed as a loser; two time world hour record holder, and two time world pursuit champion. I suppose you could argue that he could have achieved more if it hadn't been for psychological troubles but at the same time I think if it wasn't for his "demons" he would never have pushed himself as far or as hard as he did. Well worth a read anyway if only to discover a true Scottish sporting hero.

[bazig]

I didn't quite get the bit about the fish at the end, was it trying to say that there were places where the world was habitable and food was plentiful, or is it referring back to a time in the past?

I took the trout to be just a memory.

[Harcus]

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.

 

I was in the sport section of my local library and picked this up. While I found it OK, I would have preferred more of a 'story', and his wit was getting on my tits by the end.

 

Also read 'Those Feet' by David Winner, which was very interesting, charting the changing nature of English society alongside its style of football.

 

Currently reading Bill Murray's 'Old Firm' updated edition, which is very enjoyable. Have reached up until 1984 so far.

 

Next up is Bobby George's autobiography.