Which Book Are You Reading thread

[Monoethnic Social Club]

This just turned up today.

Hitler

Finally, the one-volume edition of Ian Kershaw's defini…

www.goodreads.com

Can read about the real life Hitler whilst watching the orange version in real time.

What a time to be alive.

Does this version have the US Declaration of Independence and the pledge of allegiance in the front?

 

[petszk]

Started with the Audiobook of For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway, but after getting 4 hours into the 16 hour book, I've stopped (which is extremely rare for me to do with an audiobook).

It's just a very dry set of descriptions and conversations (maybe not surprising since Hemmingway was also a journalist) of the protagonist on his mission to dynamite a bridge during the Spanish civil war, and I'm yet to actually feel engaged by the story.

I was going to say I was surprised I was that bored by it, because I had enjoyed Of Mice and Men, but I've just realised that was John Steinbeck and I'm getting my first-half-of-the-1900s-American-authors muddled.


Switched over to Raised by a Serial Killer by April Balascio and vastly preferring this.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Started with the Audiobook of For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway, but after getting 4 hours into the 16 hour book, I've stopped (which is extremely rare for me to do with an audiobook).

It's just a very dry set of descriptions and conversations (maybe not surprising since Hemmingway was also a journalist) of the protagonist on his mission to dynamite a bridge during the Spanish civil war, and I'm yet to actually feel engaged by the story.

I was going to say I was surprised I was that bored by it, because I had enjoyed Of Mice and Men, but I've just realised that was John Steinbeck and I'm getting my first-half-of-the-1900s-American-authors muddled.


Switched over to Raised by a Serial Killer by April Balascio and vastly preferring this.

Hahahaha I never thought I would be some sort of literary guide to peeps on a soccer forum.. hahahahah thats made my day....

As for audiobooks, soz man, not my speed, have to read the word and "hear it in my own head" personally... Hemmingway is not for everyone ....

 

[RIMB]

Started with the Audiobook of For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway, but after getting 4 hours into the 16 hour book, I've stopped (which is extremely rare for me to do with an audiobook).

It's just a very dry set of descriptions and conversations (maybe not surprising since Hemmingway was also a journalist) of the protagonist on his mission to dynamite a bridge during the Spanish civil war, and I'm yet to actually feel engaged by the story.

I was going to say I was surprised I was that bored by it, because I had enjoyed Of Mice and Men, but I've just realised that was John Steinbeck and I'm getting my first-half-of-the-1900s-American-authors muddled.


Switched over to Raised by a Serial Killer by April Balascio and vastly preferring this.

The second half of the book became a story much more than the first half.

Hemingway made sure we understood why characters were behaving as they were by making us live their lives and live every breath for half a book first.

Unfortunately, to get the most out of the second half you do have to suffer the first half learnings and that is not going to be everyone's cup of tea.

I am with Mono on audiobooks - at least for heavy duty reading. There is something to be said about hearing the voices in your head () to truly see the people involved that I think you would lose being read to. With a lighter/easier style of writing I expect stories and characters can be clearly enough picked up by listening - just not something I have done yet and probably won't until they stop making the letters big enough to see with my glasses on.

Just as an aside - think about the poor bastard who was reading to you and is now stuck in limbo waiting for you to come back so he can finish before moving on to the next listener.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

The second half of the book became a story much more than the first half.

Hemingway made sure we understood why characters were behaving as they were by making us live their lives and live every breath for half a book first.

Unfortunately, to get the most out of the second half you do have to suffer the first half learnings and that is not going to be everyone's cup of tea.

I am with Mono on audiobooks - at least for heavy duty reading. There is something to be said about hearing the voices in your head () to truly see the people involved that I think you would lose being read to. With a lighter/easier style of writing I expect stories and characters can be clearly enough picked up by listening - just not something I have done yet and probably won't until they stop making the letters big enough to see with my glasses on.

Just as an aside - think about the poor bastard who was reading to you and is now stuck in limbo waiting for you to come back so he can finish before moving on to the next listener.

One thing I am proud of accomplishing in life is learning to read purely for pleasure..... Not for info, not for study, not for research but purely to sink into language and story... Not everyone's cup of tea I guess, but one of the finer things in life for me ... up there with a 3-1 win against the Knights at Lakeside

@petszk speaking of Steinbeck, wait till you hit the Grapes or Wrath, every second chapter is some flowery random vignette of ants humping bumblebees and grass growing in the moonlight.... lol.....

 

[Decentric]

Started with the Audiobook of For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway, but after getting 4 hours into the 16 hour book, I've stopped (which is extremely rare for me to do with an audiobook).

It's just a very dry set of descriptions and conversations (maybe not surprising since Hemmingway was also a journalist) of the protagonist on his mission to dynamite a bridge during the Spanish civil war, and I'm yet to actually feel engaged by the story.

I was going to say I was surprised I was that bored by it, because I had enjoyed Of Mice and Men, but I've just realised that was John Steinbeck and I'm getting my first-half-of-the-1900s-American-authors muddled.


Switched over to Raised by a Serial Killer by April Balascio and vastly preferring this.

Thanks. Interesting reviews, Petszk.

Was the last book non-fiction or fiction?

 

[Decentric]

One thing I am proud of accomplishing in life is learning to read purely for pleasure..... Not for info, not for study, not for research but purely to sink into language and story... Not everyone's cup of tea I guess, but one of the finer things in life for me ...

This is every teacher's dream - to foster a love of reading in all!

It has been one of the best things about retirement. It might look like I spend a lot of time reading and watching screen series, which is true.

It is a counterbalance, because I absolutely flog my geriatric body in the gym 5 - 6 days a week, plus walk the dog, swim in the sea for 6 months of the year. Moreover, I garden and do home duties - and hit the craft beer with mates! Reading is a welcome pleasure in most afternoons.

I also take my hat off to successful fiction writers. I'd hate to do all the work to write books - but love the fact that authors are driven to do it! A few mates have become authors in retirement.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

This is every teacher's dream - to foster a love of reading in all!

It has been one of the best things about retirement. It might look like I spend a lot of time reading and watching screen series, which is true.

It is a counterbalance, because I absolutely flog my geriatric body in the gym 5 - 6 days a week, plus walk the dog, swim in the sea for 6 months of the year. Moreover, I garden and do home duties - and hit the craft beer with mates! Reading is a welcome pleasure in most afternoons.

I also take my hat off to successful fiction writers. I'd hate to do all the work to write books - but love the fact that authors are driven to do it! A few mates have become authors in retirement.

We'll make a Socratic Greek out of you yet Decentric - "Νους υγιής εν σώματι υγιεί" - "Sound body makes for a sound mind"

 

[Decentric]

After reading other forum members reviewing Hemingway, Steinbeck, War And Peace, etc, I'm reading 'populist' crime fiction, historical fiction, interspersed with some domestic fiction and relationship fiction, some of it humorous!

I'm reading the first book I've seen in the Robert B Parker Spenser series, which is mystery/detective genre. It isn't in sequence - about the 5th book in the series.

SIXKILL : ROBERT B PARKER

There is a dead woman found in a hotel room, with a philandering movie star, Jumbo Nelson, the obvious suspect. The cops solicit Private Agent, Spenser, to investigate. They don't believe Nelson committed it. Can't remember the reason for the police contracting Spenser instead of themselves?

This is an entertaining book. There is some humour too. A bit shorter than most in this genre - under 300 pages. There is more dialogue in conversations between the characters and less narrative.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be trying to find more Robert B Parker books in secondhand bookshops.

 

[ashtongate]

I'm a fan of James Elroy's LA crime noir novels. Very bleak, violent and written in innovative style. The film "LA Confidential" was based on a couple of his novels. Some of his other novels deal with JFK assasination conspiracies etc.

 

[Decentric]

I'm a fan of James Elroy's LA crime noir novels. Very bleak, violent and written in innovative style. The film "LA Confidential" was based on a couple of his novels. Some of his other novels deal with JFK assasination conspiracies etc.

Interesting?

Is there any humour in Elroy's books? I'd like some level of positivity in most books I read. If there is some levity, I'll keep a look out for them in secondhand bookshops.

 

[ashtongate]

Interesting?

Is there any humour in Elroy's books? I'd like some level of positivity in most books I read. If there is some levity, I'll keep a look out for them in secondhand bookshops.

No, not much. Violent crime isn't really funny.

 

[Decentric]

MICHAEL CONNELLY

MC is an excellent American crime writer, based in Los Angeles. He has been a crime journo/reporter.

I've read many read of his BOSCH series. I think they have been excellent - and - his latest books are the best. The protagonist is Detective Harry Bosch.

I've looked at MC's Lincoln Lawyer series featuring defence lawyer, Micky Haller.

The MC books I've read featuring Bosch, with his half brother, Micky, also appearing, have been superb!

I've found the Lincoln Lawyer series have too much legalese in them - at this point in time. They might be more interesting for a lawyer, or law clerk, or crime writer.

There are two TV screen series. One streaming service has produced the Lincoln Lawyer ( Netflix), whilst another has the right to the Bosch series ( Amazon Prime). So unlike the books, the screen series never have both brothers Harry and Micky featured in the same episodes.

This is a real shame. I enjoy their interaction in the books, and complementary skills. Bosch is a crash hot detective/investigator, always running foul of the upper echelons of police authority, and Haller is a very successful defence lawyer, who sails close to the wind! Both have a strong sense of social justice.

I've really enjoyed both screen series - Bosch ( Amazon/SBS) - and -the Lincoln Lawyer( Netflix). There are more shooting and action scenes on the screen in Bosch than the books - to my better half's chagrin.

The courtroom drama on screen in the Lincoln Lawyer is more appealing than the legalese in spoken words in the books.

 

[Decentric]

DISHONOUR : GABRIELLE LORD

GL is an Aussie crime writer. In this book her protagonist is Detective Inspector Debra Hawkins.

There are crimes that migrants are involved in, joining the Aus crime underworld. Other family members want to get out of it altogether.

There are some interesting nuances in dealing with different cultural phenomena within migrant communities for Deb Hawkins. She emancipates some to the law abiding civilian world, whilst convicting perpetrators of crime within the same families in migrant communities. I learned a lot.

Much prefer the Deb Hawkins main character, to Lord's series featuring a senior forensic pathologist. I'm not sure GL has written more books with Inspector Hawkins as the protagonist?

DISHONOUR had a decent conclusion too.

DISHONOUR looks like a stand alone book and not one of her series.

 

[Lupi]

DISHONOUR : GABRIELLE LORD

GL is an Aussie crime writer. In this book her protagonist is Detective Inspector Debra Hawkins.

There are crimes that migrants are involved in, joining the Aus crime underworld. Other family members want to get out of it altogether.

There are some interesting nuances in dealing with different cultural phenomena within migrant communities for Deb Hawkins. She emancipates some to the law abiding civilian world, whilst convicting perpetrators of crime within the same families in migrant communities. I learned a lot.

Much prefer the Deb Hawkins main character, to Lord's series featuring a senior forensic pathologist. I'm not sure GL has written more books with Inspector Hawkins as the protagonist?

DISHONOUR had a decent conclusion too.

you do realise she's a Zio

 

[Decentric]

you do realise she's a Zio

Meaning Zionist?

Just looked up GL. She has addressed a hard right wing group in Aus.

I thought she dealt with sensitive issues diplomatically in Dishonour, but was surprised she elucidated them? Learning she has addressed the hard right group, doesn't surprise me in retrospect.

JK Rowling has angered a lot of young female feminist political activists I know, but she also has quite a lot of support for her views of transpeople using public toilets. When she articulates her views on videos, she seems eminently plausible. I'm trying to keep out of it.

 

[erogenouszone]

I have to reread this. He's a funny bloke.

 

[grazorblade]

It's a sick day so got to read most of Joe Gorman's "the death and life of Australian soccer"

It provides a pretty critical history of Australia's intolerance of any ethnicity that isn't scottish or english and gives a pretty impassioned defense of ethnic clubs as well as the reforms that led to the a league arguing that it reflected deep racism in society. It is a treasure trove of quotes from zillions of articles and the guy has a flair for writing as well as research. Here is a quote near the end of the book describing the reforms of the game

Almost every lesson of Australia's soccer hisotyr had essentially been a repetition of one uncomfortable truth: for as long as top flight soccer included ethnic clubs, most Australians would not support it. The mainstream media would not support it. Corporate Australia would not support it. State and federal governments would not support it. The Anglo identity that underpins these institutions requires a system of total domination to feel comfortable.

In the same chapter it quotes Lou Sticca comparing running a franchise in the same league as ethnic clubs as mixing dirty and clean water, the water is still dirty. It then quotes a newspaper that ran with the headline about the launch of the a league "Australian Soccer has a vision and it's not all Greek to me" and talked about how with new a league not only threw away the youth infrastructure of the old, but didn't replace it with anything (noting how many non-football people were involved) and how it ignored key pillars of both the crawford report and the pfa's report on the australian professional leagues

Given the book's perspective, I'm surprised you are critical of the book @Monoethnic Social Club ?

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

It's a sick day so got to read most of Joe Gorman's "the death and life of Australian soccer"

It provides a pretty critical history of Australia's intolerance of any ethnicity that isn't scottish or english and gives a pretty impassioned defense of ethnic clubs as well as the reforms that led to the a league arguing that it reflected deep racism in society. It is a treasure trove of quotes from zillions of articles and the guy has a flair for writing as well as research. Here is a quote near the end of the book describing the reforms of the game

Almost every lesson of Australia's soccer hisotyr had essentially been a repetition of one uncomfortable truth: for as long as top flight soccer included ethnic clubs, most Australians would not support it. The mainstream media would not support it. Corporate Australia would not support it. State and federal governments would not support it. The Anglo identity that underpins these institutions requires a system of total domination to feel comfortable.

In the same chapter it quotes Lou Sticca comparing running a franchise in the same league as ethnic clubs as mixing dirty and clean water, the water is still dirty. It then quotes a newspaper that ran with the headline about the launch of the a league "Australian Soccer has a vision and it's not all Greek to me" and talked about how with new a league not only threw away the youth infrastructure of the old, but didn't replace it with anything (noting how many non-football people were involved) and how it ignored key pillars of both the crawford report and the pfa's report on the australian professional leagues

Given the book's perspective, I'm surprised you are critical of the book @Monoethnic Social Club ?

Hi Grazor, I think you have somewhat misconstrued my take on Joe Gorman.

Yes he does indeed give a impassioned defence of the injustice faced by the ethnic clubs both pre and post NSL (from a self admitted outsider's perspective) yet postulates that moving forward in the Aleague era these very fans should forgoe their history to help shape the brand new world. Its been a good couple of years since I read the thing but my memory of reading it was one of disappointment rather than hope.

P.S yes THAT very quote fro Lou Sticca drives my hatred of the little toad and his WU franchise

 

[ashtongate]

Joe Gorman's book was a good read, but left me with an empty feeling. Interestingly, he moved away from writing about soccer and went on to cover other sports.
Paul Mavroudis, SMH fan, to this day has not attended an A League game.