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Old 18 March 2005, 11:01 AM
  #61  
philc
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surprised that nobody has mentioned John Fowles - especially The Magus or Daniel Martin ....

Only book that I've read more than once (voluntarily) is Dangerous Davies, The Last Detective by Lesley Thomas; just love his laconic style.
Old 18 March 2005, 11:35 AM
  #62  
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Q.Which book are you currently reading/Have just read?
A. Krakatoa by Simon Winchester - fantastic book that not only covers the erruption, but sets the whole social scene of the time as well.

Q. Which book couldn't you finish and why?
A. Ian Bothams autobiography - love auto's but he was such an arrogant **** that I just gave up.

Q. Which book did you enjoy so much, you might just read it again one day ?
A. Turquise Mountain - Brian Blessed. That man has SOOOOO MUCH zest for life - fabulous story about his first attempt on Everest.

Sadly, there will never be enough time for me to read all the books I want to. Most men worry about how many shoes their wives buy - IM worries about how many books I have!

Old 21 March 2005, 03:08 PM
  #63  
hail-hail
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Originally Posted by MJW
Currently reading - Porno by Irvine Welsh (the follow-up to Trainspotting). Nearly at the end now and its been excellent, as have all his other books I've read - all of em except Glue and thats on order.

Didn't finish - nothing ! I always finish them !

Would Read Again - probably Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson & Wuthering Heights

Any more book recommendations from anyone ? I've just ordered the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (as recommended by my mum !) and a couple of Chuck Palahniuk novels - 'Choke' and 'Survivor'
Your mum is spot on, the Alchemist is a great story, I have read all of Paul Coelhos books, some are really good, others are pants.
The Devil and Miss Prim is another of his better ones.
Old 21 March 2005, 03:18 PM
  #64  
messiah
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Have just started Gazza's autobiography that I got for Christmas. Tried reading Frank Skinner's but found it to be a pile of ramblings which weren't very funny so gave up halfway through.

Last book I finished was Lord Of The Rings - might read it again but not until I'm lying on a beach somewhere and the batteries to my minidisc have ran out. PS - I didn't manage the appendices...

John Grisham doesn't stand a chance - If the film versions are utter sh!te imagine how boring the books must be...

Quite fancy the Bill Bryson book - "A breif history of nearly everything" (?) and also the illustrated "A Breif History Of Time" - I'll need big piccies methinks...
Old 21 March 2005, 04:22 PM
  #65  
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Just finished reading "The Confusion" by Neal Stephenson and was giving myself a small break before starting on the last part of the Baroque cycle "The System of The World". Found out that the new Richard Morgan book "Woken Furies" had been released so I'm reading that at the moment.

Can't think of any that I haven't finished - tend to stick them out to the end just on the offchance they have a unexpectedly good ending Found "Johnathan Strange & Mr Norrell" by Susanna Clarke a bit like this - lived up to the title by being very strange

I'm generally too busy reading new books, but favourites I'll return to would be anything by Christopher Brookmyre - especially " A Big Boy Done It And Ran Away", or some of Terry Pratchett's stuff.
Old 21 March 2005, 04:29 PM
  #66  
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Q.Which book are you currently reading/Have just read?
A. Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time - Part 10 ( crossroads of twilight ). I started at book 1 just after christmas .....

Q. Which book couldn't you finish and why?
A. The Rotters Club - Jonathan Coe. I was halfway through it and *nothing* had happened. Life's too short...

Q. Which book did you enjoy so much, you might just read it again one day ?
A. Peter F Hamilton - Pandora's Star. Need to re-read it before the 2nd part comes out. Almost all my books get read and re-read tbh
Old 21 March 2005, 04:43 PM
  #67  
fitzscoob
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Q.Which book are you currently reading/Have just read?
A. Conn Iggulden - Field of Swords, latest in his series about Julius Caesar, cracking read like his others, cant put the thing down

Q. Which book couldn't you finish and why?
A. Tom Clancy - The Bear and the Dragon, Far to much attention to detail, bored me to death before I could get into it, his earlier books when they were more action and less politically orientated were better imo

Q. Which book did you enjoy so much, you might just read it again one day ?
A. Tom Clancy - Without Remorse, best book I have ever read, read it 3 times already and will do again, if you liked the character John Clark / Kelly, then this book is a must - this is what makes the man into the character he is in all other books he appears.
Old 21 March 2005, 04:46 PM
  #68  
Brendan Hughes
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Originally Posted by messiah
Quite fancy the Bill Bryson book - "A breif history of nearly everything"
I finished it and enjoyed it, but be aware that it's a readable history/explanation of science with humourous anecdotes, rather than a laugh-a-minute tome like his travel books.
Old 21 March 2005, 04:52 PM
  #69  
hail-hail
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Originally Posted by messiah
Have just started Gazza's autobiography that I got for Christmas. Tried reading Frank Skinner's but found it to be a pile of ramblings which weren't very funny so gave up halfway through.

Last book I finished was Lord Of The Rings - might read it again but not until I'm lying on a beach somewhere and the batteries to my minidisc have ran out. PS - I didn't manage the appendices...

John Grisham doesn't stand a chance - If the film versions are utter sh!te imagine how boring the books must be...

Quite fancy the Bill Bryson book - "A breif history of nearly everything" (?) and also the illustrated "A Breif History Of Time" - I'll need big piccies methinks...
"A Short History of Nearly Everything" btw and it's a good read and it pretty much contains what the title says.

I have started A Brief History of time 3 times now, 50 post it notes, cross referencing related pages and I still get lost, my heed must just be too wee
Old 21 March 2005, 04:57 PM
  #70  
hail-hail
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Since this thread started i have finished:

The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Five People you meet in heaven - Mitch Albom
One for Sorrow, Two for Joy - Clive Woodall

And I can highly recommend The Shadow of the Wind - great read.
The Five people.....is a bit simple, but easy reading.
One for Sorrow....is a strange one, based in Birddom, it's a story of the rise and fall of the evil magpies against the wise owls and brave Robins
Due to be made into a disney film, but I assume they will cut out the graphically described Magpie rape scene
Old 22 March 2005, 07:41 AM
  #71  
carl
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Originally Posted by fitzscoob
Q. Which book couldn't you finish and why?
A. Tom Clancy - The Bear and the Dragon, Far to much attention to detail, bored me to death before I could get into it, his earlier books when they were more action and less politically orientated were better imo
Agreed. I had exactly the same problem with this book. His earlier stuff was great, right up to Rainbow Six. Then things went badly downhill, IMHO.
Old 22 March 2005, 01:45 PM
  #72  
gregjd
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I've always got a book on the go on the train into London. Just finished "On Writing" by Stephen King. Part biog, part guide for aspiring writers. Well worth a read. I read a lot of Grisham, King etc but can recommend some Biographies too.. Try the Steve Mcqueen, Ian Fleming and Woody Guthrie ones
Old 22 March 2005, 01:53 PM
  #73  
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Q.Which book are you currently reading/Have just read?
A. Bruce Campbell: If Chins could Kill

Q. Which book couldn't you finish and why?
A. Will Self: Great Apes, The way he wrote it was too intricate to get into.

Q. Which book did you enjoy so much, you might just read it again one day ?
A. Irvine Welsh: Filth
Old 22 March 2005, 02:03 PM
  #74  
Chris L
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Currently reading: Martin Johnson's autobiograhphy

Couldn't finish: A Brief History of Time - I've tried, but I kept getting lost I am determined to read that book the whole way through....

Read again: Another Iain Banks fan here - his writing is excellent - the best the UK has produced in a long time. The Crow Road is a great read, as is Espedair Street and not forgetting The Wasp Factory.
Old 22 March 2005, 02:05 PM
  #75  
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The Wasp Factory is excellant.
Old 22 March 2005, 02:06 PM
  #76  
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Originally Posted by Chris L
Read again: Another Iain Banks fan here - his writing is excellent - the best the UK has produced in a long time. The Crow Road is a great read, as is Espedair Street and not forgetting The Wasp Factory.
What about "Excession"? I have a signed copy in my queue waiting to be read.
Old 24 March 2005, 07:48 AM
  #77  
Chris L
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True I've yet to read a bad book by Iain Banks - Sci Fi or otherwise. I have read some very strange ones though - Feersum Endjinn comes to mind
Old 05 May 2005, 04:35 PM
  #78  
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Has anyone here read Jonathon Strange & Mr Norrell Here Just bought it and its a monster of a tome, literally about 6 inches thick.
Old 05 May 2005, 07:40 PM
  #79  
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Plodding my way through the new Wilbur Smith, Triumph of the Sun. Maybe I've grown up now, but its not doing it for me like it used to.
Old 06 June 2005, 09:35 AM
  #80  
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Recently finished "The Bourne Identity" and "The Bourne Supremacy", now working my way through surprise surprise "The Bourne Ultimatum".

They are a little slow to get going and a little dated, the first being set in about 1978 but they are very hard to put down once you get going!
Old 06 June 2005, 10:47 AM
  #81  
Brendan Hughes
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I just read, for the first time, Orwell's "1984".

Wow...

To stop the population revolting, just keep them under the threat of a distant war and kill some of them occasionally. If the war never is won, but they often think it's about to be won, you can get away with anything.

Old 26 August 2005, 08:59 AM
  #82  
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Originally Posted by hail-hail
Magician ordered from Amazon, Replay is being re-released on May 12th so I have pre ordered. Looking forward to them already.

Well how did you get on with them? Let me know.......
Old 26 August 2005, 09:04 AM
  #83  
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2 weeks ago I read the Da Vinci Code and loved it...

so this week Ive been reading Angels and Demons, superb book. until you get to the last 50 pages, I cant believe I have lost interest with just 50 pages left. its been brilliant yet the "ending" seems to be dragging and I cant finish it....

Probably try Deception Point next
Old 26 August 2005, 09:09 AM
  #84  
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Finished James Patterson - "Kiss the Girls" last week, very good but a little too graphic for me.

Now reading Jeremy Clarkson - "The World According to Clarkson" Which definitely has it's moments
Old 26 August 2005, 09:15 AM
  #85  
Milamber
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I am partway through "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell" by Susannah Clarke http://www.jonathanstrange.com/

Her 1st book and now being made into a film, very impressive.
Old 08 September 2005, 10:08 AM
  #86  
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Currently reading Jack and Jill by James Patterson.

A Year in the Merde by Stephen Clarke is lined up next.
Old 08 September 2005, 10:23 AM
  #87  
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Been going through Bill Bryson's stuff. Keeps me amused.

Just finished 'A Walk In The Woods' and 'Notes From A Small Island' - both are excellent. Just started 'Neither Here nor There'
Old 08 September 2005, 10:24 AM
  #88  
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Year in the merde is quality .

Recently read The Algebraist (Iain M Banks) and thoroughly enjoyed it

Just finished the 4th in the Saga Of Seven Suns ( Kevin Anderson ) - Scattered Suns.

Complex, but if you like Alistair Reynolds or Iain M Banks then you'll enjoy.


I'm waiting on Judas Unchained ( Peter F Hamilton ) which is the 2nd half of the story that started with Pandora's Star .. released 7th Oct

Oh, and book 11 of Robert Jordan's 'Wheel of Time' epic which is finally out on the 11th Oct.


Steve
Old 08 September 2005, 10:29 AM
  #89  
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Just got "Velocity" by Dean Koontz but its in the pile until I finish Jonathon Strange and Mr Norrell.
Old 08 September 2005, 11:36 AM
  #90  
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Started reading Patricia Cornwells book about Jack the ripper "case closed" on holiday - not too bad but doubt I'll get to finish it now I'm back home!


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