Question What are you reading?

[Jedi Shrimper]

Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan.Excellent jazz novel set (mostly)in pre-war (and wartime)Berlin and Paris along with the present day.Much of the jive talk between the band members is hilarious and the story is deeply moving.This should make a superb film.How many novels have you read where Louis Armstrong is one of the (minor)characters?:thumbsup:

Sounds interesting, will add to my 'to read list'. Louis Armstrong is a major charcater in Roddy Doyle's 'Oh, Play That Thing', you might like it.

Currently reading 'Brideshead Revisted' by Evelyn Waugh.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Sounds interesting, will add to my 'to read list'. Louis Armstrong is a major charcater in Roddy Doyle's 'Oh, Play That Thing', you might like it.

Currently reading 'Brideshead Revisted' by Evelyn Waugh.

Thanks for the tip.I've read a lot of early RD but haven't kept up with his later stuff.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Thanks for the tip.I've read a lot of early RD but haven't kept up with his later stuff.

It's the 2nd part of a trilogy, following 'A Star Called Henry' but I hadn't read that and it didn't make any difference to my enjoyment of the story, tbh it's the only Doyle book I've ever read.

 

[MK Shrimper]

It's the 2nd part of a trilogy, following 'A Star Called Henry' but I hadn't read that and it didn't make any difference to my enjoyment of the story, tbh it's the only Doyle book I've ever read.

Read that years ago, about the formation of the IRA, wasn't overly impressed. Plenty of great Roddy Doyle books - The Woman Who Walks Into Walls, Paddy Clarke...


After being disapointed by Chuck Palahuniak (Rant) and Bill Bryson (Seeing Further), I've started to read Murakami's After The Quake.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Dean Koontz -Relentless

This book is ****ed up!

 

[canveyshrimper]

This book is ****ed up!

Aren't they all mate.

I'm reading Blood Count by Robert Goddard. As ever well written and researched. I do like Goddard.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Aren't they all mate.

Koontz is substandard Stephen King IMHO.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

It's the 2nd part of a trilogy, following 'A Star Called Henry' but I hadn't read that and it didn't make any difference to my enjoyment of the story, tbh it's the only Doyle book I've ever read.

Read that years ago, about the formation of the IRA, wasn't overly impressed. Plenty of great Roddy Doyle books - The Woman Who Walks Into Walls, Paddy Clarke...


After being disapointed by Chuck Palahuniak (Rant) and Bill Bryson (Seeing Further), I've started to read Murakami's After The Quake.

Even better than the Roddy Doyle books that MKS mentions is the Barrytown triology:-

<The Barrytown Trilogy:
The Commitments (1987, 1991 film) — A group of Dublin teenagers, led by Jimmy Rabbitte Jr., decide to form a soul band in the tradition of Wilson Pickett.
The Snapper (1990, 1993 film) — Jimmy's sister, Sharon, becomes pregnant. She is determined to have the child but refuses to reveal the father's identity to her family.
The Van (1991, shortlisted for the 1991 Booker Prize; 1996 film) — Jimmy Sr. is laid off, as is his friend Bimbo. Bimbo buys a used fish and chips van and the two go into business for themselves<

 

[MK Shrimper]

Even better than the Roddy Doyle books that MKS mentions is the Barrytown triology:-

<The Barrytown Trilogy:
The Commitments (1987, 1991 film) &#8212; A group of Dublin teenagers, led by Jimmy Rabbitte Jr., decide to form a soul band in the tradition of Wilson Pickett.
The Snapper (1990, 1993 film) &#8212; Jimmy's sister, Sharon, becomes pregnant. She is determined to have the child but refuses to reveal the father's identity to her family.
The Van (1991, shortlisted for the 1991 Booker Prize; 1996 film) &#8212; Jimmy Sr. is laid off, as is his friend Bimbo. Bimbo buys a used fish and chips van and the two go into business for themselves<

Haven't read them but they've all been made into films, the most famous being The Commitments obviously.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Haven't read them but they've all been made into films, the most famous being The Commitments obviously.

They're all excellent but The Commitments(for any pop music fan or just for the dialogue)is by far the best.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Koontz is substandard Stephen King IMHO.

Who isn't a sub standard Stephen King?? :smile:

First Koontz book I've read and I like, cant obviously compare him to the great man yet though!

 

[Napster]

Who isn't a sub standard Stephen King?? :smile:

First Koontz book I've read and I like, cant obviously compare him to the great man yet though!

Koontz is great, but once you've read a couple, you've read them all. From the Corners of the Eyes is great if you like Relentless.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Koontz is great, but once you've read a couple, you've read them all. From the Corners of the Eyes is great if you like Relentless.

I'd agree with that. A work colleague was saying that Stephen King is writing a sequel to The Shining.

 

[MK Shrimper]

I'd agree with that. A work colleague was saying that Stephen King is writing a sequel to The Shining.

Is it called The Polishing?

 

[BrettieAngell]

Koontz is great, but once you've read a couple, you've read them all. From the Corners of the Eyes is great if you like Relentless.

Ok thanks, tbh I picked up the book in a charity shop for £1.50 along with a few others for the same price! :thumbsup:

 

[Uncle Leo]

Just finished Asterix The Gaul, the first of the Asterix albums. You have to love a book where one of the main characters is called Crismus Bonus. Asterix and the Golden Sickle up next.

 

[Napster]

Just picked up a few more from the library - including a biog of Caravaggio.

 

[Uncle Leo]

They're all excellent but The Commitments(for any pop music fan or just for the dialogue)is by far the best.

"I'm Joey The Lips Fagan"

"And I'm Jimmy The Bollocks Rabbitte."

I must have read The Commitments four or five times; highly recommended. It's mostly dialogue and only about 140 pages, so a very quick read.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I'm halfway through Ken Livingstone's excellent(and massive) autobiography You can't say that.There probably isn't a more honest man in contemporary politics.The early stuff about his south London background and hitchiking trip to Africa was fascinating..

 

[Rob Noxious]

I'm halfway through Ken Livingstone's excellent(and massive) autobiography You can't say that.There probably isn't a more honest man in contemporary politics.The early stuff about his south London background and hitchiking trip to Africa was fascinating..

Should have had a chapter in it called 'Have I Got Newts For You.' Chuckle.:smiles: