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.