Question What are you reading?

[Tangled up in Blue]

Perhaps not quite as Facebook friendly as what music are you listening to but I imagine a few Zoners might be interested to know what their fellow Shrimpers are currently reading.
To get the ball rolling I'm presently enjoying Ian Sinclair's mammoth "Hackney,That Rose-Red Empire".
It's an excellent read for anyone familiar with Sinclair's work,Hackney or just lovers of good writing in general.
My brother ,who posts on this site as Shrimpero, used to live in a rented flat in the Borough before his move over to South London and then the Wild South West ie Cornwall.
So I have a working knowledge of the topography from quite a few extended stays there.In fact Rectory Road is even featured on the cover!
Certainly remember fondly a couple of Billy Bragg gigs at the Hackney Empire plus the Rock Against Racism march and subsequent Victoria Park, Clash and Tom Rob gig.
That serves as a good intro to Sinclair's first hand accounts of some of the characters who used to live in Hackney.
Even Astrid Proll lived there at one time.How's that for revolutionary chic? :-)

 

[MK Shrimper]

We do already have a couple of book threads. We're such a cultured lot ;)

 

[OldBlueLady]

And I can recommend the "Writers Bureau" thread ;)

 

[Uncle Leo]

Sex, Lies and Handlebar Tape - a biography about French cycling legend and world class shagger Jacques Anquetil. Only just started it, but it looks promising.

Just finished reading Pelé's autobiography. I think Pelé's a bit of a tit.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

And I can recommend the "Writers Bureau" thread ;)

Yeah I've had a look at it.In fact it's what prompted me to post this thread.
BTW, Writing and reading ain't exactly the same thing in my book.:)

 

[undercovershrimper]

Forgotten Voices of WW2. A very moving insight into what out brave lads and ladies did for us so that ve are not not speaking ze german!

 

[Rob Noxious]

Shrimpero Calling...

Perhaps not quite as Facebook friendly as what music are you listening to but I imagine a few Zoners might be interested to know what their fellow Shrimpers are currently reading.
To get the ball rolling I'm presently enjoying Ian Sinclair's mammoth "Hackney,That Rose-Red Empire".
It's an excellent read for anyone familiar with Sinclair's work,Hackney or just lovers of good writing in general.
My brother ,who posts on this site as Shrimpero, used to live in a rented flat in the Borough before his move over to South London and then the Wild South West ie Cornwall.
So I have a working knowledge of the topography from quite a few extended stays there.In fact Rectory Road is even featured on the cover!
Certainly remember fondly a couple of Billy Bragg gigs at the Hackney Empire plus the Rock Against Racism march and subsequent Victoria Park, Clash and Tom Rob gig.
That serves as a good intro to Sinclair's first hand accounts of some of the characters who used to live in Hackney.
Even Astrid Proll lived there at one time.How's that for revolutionary chic? :-)

By way of coincidence, I've just seen the film 'Radio On,' where the main man sets off on his journey west, through East London initially & the camera fixes on graffiti on a wall saying ''Free Astrid Proll''! AP reportedly found comfort amongst the comrades & sisters in 'The Norfolk' pub, near Hackney Market. Some great old boozers in Hackney (tho' I was only 20ish then), including 'The Chesham Arms' & an enduringly fine one down by the River Lea in Clapton, 'The Anchor & Hope,' still serving Fullers and not much changed since my day. I used a good Youngs hostelry on the river nearer Leyton prior to last season's game at Orient, but Korsakoff's has prevented me from remembering what it was called- 'Prince of Wales' maybe?

That area around Rectory Road had a clannish history- just off Evering Road, there was apparently a triangle of streets known as 'The Island,' which had a deep-rooted white working-class community until the advent of the tower blocks and its decimation by the '60s. When I was there in '81, the riots kicked off just up the road in Stoke Newington High St. and I remember seeing burnt-out cars near RR station- happy days!

Oh yeah, currently (still) reading 'My Life As A Shrimper'- just up to early 2004- which I'm enjoying hugely. As well as taking me back on certain trips I remember (the hassle of getting to Mansfield by public transport in the old days), it's filling in a few gaps for me during the mid-late '90s when I didn't see that many games having moved 'way out West.' Luckily, Newquay Airport's (sometimes fractious) relationship with Michael O' Leary has made my trips more 'do-able' in recent years, so I'm well looking forward to my first game at the Hall this season (v Carlisle) very soon... great thread idea, B(ig) B(ro'):) ps keep this book for me! :cool:

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Yeah, you'll enjoy it Rob.BTW Chris Pettit(the Director of Radio on which I have a video/DVD copy of)is name checked in Sinclair's book.They're big mates apparently

 

[Rob Noxious]

Yeah, you'll enjoy it Rob.BTW Chris Pettit(the Director of Radio on which I have a video/DVD copy of)is name checked in Sinclair's book.They're big mates apparently

Astonishing coincidence this one! Thanks Phil...

 

[manor15]

I am reading Football Fables by a certain Iain MacIntosh (aka Slipperduke). It's a great read, I would recommend it to everyone!!

 

[steveo]

Some rubbish thriller by Stella Rimington.

I usually like a read just before i go to sleep, but Ive been reading this for over a week and after a few pages I always doze off. Need to get a different book.

 

[Rob Noxious]

Some rubbish thriller by Stella Rimington.

I usually like a read just before i go to sleep, but Ive been reading this for over a week and after a few pages I always doze off. Need to get a different book.

What's it called, Steveo? My Charles N'Zogbia's terrible lately & the quack won't give me any more zopiclone :'(

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

The Cellist of Sarajevo - Steven Galloway
Night Train to Lisbon - Pascal Mercier


Both good, intelligent reads, with the latter being actively difficult and thought-provoking. Recommended for wannabe philosophers and people who don't know where the **** they're going in life. The former has a large basis in truth, and there's been an interesting real-life reaction to it from the cellist that the book's premise is based around. Well worth looking into that after reading the novel.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

The Cellist of Sarajevo - Steven Galloway
Night Train to Lisbon - Pascal Mercier


Both good, intelligent reads, with the latter being actively difficult and thought-provoking. Recommended for wannabe philosophers and people who don't know where the **** they're going in life. The former has a large basis in truth, and there's been an interesting real-life reaction to it from the cellist that the book's premise is based around. Well worth looking into that after reading the novel.

Surely you know where you are going in life?

Grimsby, Dagenham, Darlington, Lincoln, Aldershot etc

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

Surely you know where you are going in life?

Grimsby, Dagenham, Darlington, Lincoln, Aldershot etc

Nah. Grimsby won't stay up.

 

[Bluesmanager]

Just done Small Favour by Jim Butcher (being book 10 of The Dresden Files). Pretty good on the first reading, bit different to the rest, in that there's a distinct lack of action for long periods, but it fits the story.

Also finished Eoin Colfer's The Supernaturalist. It's certainly different to Artemis Fowl, and while it may seem that he can't decide just what the supernatural things do at first, it all makes sense in the end (one of those things where no-one's got all the facts). A very good read.

Next up, Under Enemy Colours, a naval story set in the napolionic wars by Sean Thomas Russell. Have to admit, I haven't heard of him before.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Chris Pettit

Astonishing coincidence this one! Thanks Phil...

BTW Chris Pettit has written quite a few excellent crime thrillers in his time.I recommend "Robinson" in particular based apparently on a real life East End gangster.It's full of "film noire" echos and has more than a touch of The Third Man about it.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Solzhenitsyn - Lenin in Zurich, a very good insight into Lenin activities during the war just prior to the 1917 revolution.

Tom Clancy - Cardinal in the Kremlin, hard going this one find myself picking it up occasionaly, persevering though because it 600 pages long!!

 

[steveo]

What's it called, Steveo? My Charles N'Zogbia's terrible lately & the quack won't give me any more zopiclone :'(

Its called At Risk. Its about a Pakistani terrorist entering the UK illegally with the help of an English girl who has turned to Islam. Should be right up my street but is so dull at the moment.

 

[Napster]

Just read Midnight Cab by James Nichol. Decent enough crime thriller. Now reading Supping with Panthers by Tom Holland, excellent Gothic-vampire thriller. Next on the list, Catch 22.