Books - what are you reading just now?

[backwoodsman]

Been reading mostly on Kindle in recent times, but Mrs B has instructed that I should clear (ie read) some of the backlog of hardback books bought over the last year - so currently going through Hilary Mantel's Bring Up The Bodies, with biographies of Stalin, Napoleon and Alan Turing to follow. Then a history of the Palestinian "problem". After that just another 20 or so to get through.

 

[rosecott]

Happy Old Me by Hunter Davies. Have enjoyed his writing for more years than I care to think about and this is a good as any. I just picked it up in a big pile of books I managed to book out very shortly before our County Council closed the libraries. When I started it, I couldn't believe that he was writing in a very entertaining way about exactly my personal situation - living alone in your 80s.

 

[pendodave]

Happy Old Me by Hunter Davies. Have enjoyed his writing for more years than I care to think about and this is a good as any. I just picked it up in a big pile of books I managed to book out very shortly before our County Council closed the libraries. When I started it, I couldn't believe that he was writing in a very entertaining way about exactly my personal situation - living alone in your 80s.

When I was a kid I used to go the library to keep warm and read back issues of punch. Always enjoyed 'fathers day', which he wrote for many years.

 

[rosecott]

When I was a kid I used to go the library to keep warm and read back issues of punch. Always enjoyed 'fathers day', which he wrote for many years.

I, too, was always an avid reader of Punch.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Just finished Scrublands by Chris Hammer. Great crime/thriller book set in a small town in Australia. I see it's only 99p now on kindle so if you have one and have a bit of spare time I'd really recommend it. You need to pay a bit of attention to the plot but that's not a bad thing. In a similar vein The Dry by Jane Harper (also set in Australia in the middle of a heat wave) is very good, as are her others Lost Man and Force of Nature.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Just finished Scrublands by Chris Hammer. Great crime/thriller book set in a small town in Australia. I see it's only 99p now on kindle so if you have one and have a bit of spare time I'd really recommend it. You need to pay a bit of attention to the plot but that's not a bad thing. In a similar vein The Dry by Jane Harper (also set in Australia in the middle of a heat wave) is very good, as are her others Lost Man and Force of Nature.

With Australia in mind and given the current crisis, I am rather avoiding re-reading Nevil Shute's On the Beach - hopefully our ending is better

 

[pendodave]

I, too, was always an avid reader of Punch.

I assume it's no longer published. I subscribe to private eye, which (at least in the back half) has supplanted it.
Also used to enjoy Alan Coren's pieces. An English teacher used to read from a selection of his pieces called (iirc) Golfing for Cats. Pretty certain it wasn't about golf or cats though...

 

[Hobbit]

Been reading mostly on Kindle in recent times, but Mrs B has instructed that I should clear (ie read) some of the backlog of hardback books bought over the last year - so currently going through Hilary Mantel's Bring Up The Bodies, with biographies of Stalin, Napoleon and Alan Turing to follow. Then a history of the Palestinian "problem". After that just another 20 or so to get through.

Looks like I'd have a field day with your collection. A very interesting read, if you haven't already, is Broken Vows, by Tom Bowyer. Certainly portrays Blair and Brown in a different light.

 

[rosecott]

I assume it's no longer published. I subscribe to private eye, which (at least in the back half) has supplanted it.
Also used to enjoy Alan Coren's pieces. An English teacher used to read from a selection of his pieces called (iirc) Golfing for Cats. Pretty certain it wasn't about golf or cats though...

No, long gone, sadly. I still go back to many of the old contributors. I recently finished Someone Like Me by Miles Kington. It was in the biography section but you could hardly call it an autobiography, more a bunch of tallish tales of his childhood.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Just finished The Human Factor by a Graham Greene

 

[larmen]

Without commuting, do people read more or less?
I usually read on the train and during lunch break, I haven’t touched a book in about 3 weeks now. I was struggling to find them next thing’ anyway, hopefully there will something once the world starts to turn again.

 

[Tongo]

From Spain to Norway on a Bike Called Reggie by Andrew Sykes at the moment. I do like a good bit of travel writing.

 

[Tongo]

Without commuting, do people read more or less?
I usually read on the train and during lunch break, I haven’t touched a book in about 3 weeks now. I was struggling to find them next thing’ anyway, hopefully there will something once the world starts to turn again.

Personally i'm reading more. Getting through a book every week at the moment but i did stock up before lockdown hit!

 

[USER1999]

I can't read during my commute, as I am driving, but I am listening to fewer pod casts.

 

[larmen]

I can't read during my commute, as I am driving, but I am listening to fewer pod casts.

I haven’t even thought about podcasts. I must have such a backlog going forward.

 

[Wolf]

Without commuting, do people read more or less?
I usually read on the train and during lunch break, I haven’t touched a book in about 3 weeks now. I was struggling to find them next thing’ anyway, hopefully there will something once the world starts to turn again.

I've increased my already prolific reading rate. Usually get through a book every 2-3 weeks normally which is around 17 books ish a year, but that's increased to 1 a week started and finished during lockdown. I've always been a bit obsessed with reading since spending loads of time in hospital as a kid and its a habit that's always stayed with me.. Plus I also have audio books on the go when running or driving.

Currently working my way through the Entire Tom Clancy back catalogue and there are some hefty books in that.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Halfway through Halidon by Robert Ludlum [Bourne Trilogy writer]
Really struggling with it to be honest, I was also not a fan of the Bourne films, probably just me.
I gave it a good talking to the other night and it seems to have picked up a bit since.
Two Rankin's and a Quinten Jardine sitting on the subs bench.

 

[SocketRocket]

My rekindled Kindle is serving me well. I do like historical novels especially the Anglo Saxon period. Currently working through the life of Earl Godwine and his sons leading up to the battle of Hastings. OK! I know, I know it's sad but it does push my boat out ?

 

[ferenezejohn]

I've just read the Knife Man, the life of John Hunter father of modern surgery, fascinating read.
What come across is how he had to battle the old school surgeons who's answer to everything was bloodletting, we also owe a dept to the body snatchers as that was the only way he could get cadavers to work on and teach students.
I'm also rereading Edward Jenner of Berkeley who discovered the vaccine for Smallpox, strangely he was a student of Hunter as was Joseph Lister.

 

[SocketRocket]

I've just read the Knife Man, the life of John Hunter father of modern surgery, fascinating read.
What come across is how he had to battle the old school surgeons who's answer to everything was bloodletting, we also owe a dept to the body snatchers as that was the only way he could get cadavers to work on and teach students.
I'm also rereading Edward Jenner of Berkeley who discovered the vaccine for Smallpox, strangely he was a student of Hunter as was Joseph Lister.

Theres a nice little museum for Jenner at his old house in Berkeley, Gloucestershire.

I read once that most surgery was first carried out by 'Barber Surgeons' who were not qualified Doctors and that's why Surgeons are called Mr and not Doctor. Just saying.