Ye Ol Written Word

Assuming any of you still read ink on paper aswell as font on screen?

What you reading now?

I tend to have a couple of books on the go at once. Not because I read alot or because I read fast, (infact it takes me a while to get through a book! Sometimes i'll leave it for weeks before returning to it!), but like one for home and another for work/trains etc....

Currently about a third of the way through Terry Pratchett "Feet of Clay". Having read a few Discworld novels now i'm working my way through the rest, in no particular order> It's the usual huMOur and goings on with weird and wonderfull characters. But with MOre of a "who done it" murder plot going on! As I said, I don't read loads, but Mr Pratchett is an author I like.

Also have Tony Hawks (not he of skating fame) "Round Ireland With a Fridge". Not started it yet but will do when on train home toMOrow and then back to work on wed's. Basicaly it's a true story about a drunken bet to hitch hike around Ireland with a fridge. Looks very funny

So, what you lot reading?

 

currently --

Down size this - Micheal Moore

C++ Block 3 Unit 3 - Open University

 

I won't embarass myself with my own reading matter, nor bore you with it at the same time, but bravo MO for the first book thread to grace our screens. I was feeling all left out with just films and music goings on.

Mr Pratchett is a fine authour BTW, particularly for the younger readers who are presumably his main target audience. I have about 15 or so somehwere of the earlier ones from my younger days. There are probably many more now i imagine. But they are good fun for readers of all ages. Rincewind - ahhhh and Ankch - Morpork or something isn't it. My memory is a bit sketchy. But good stuff. Some guy did a map of that city you know - i have it somewhere - it was an official release approved by the man himself. It was created after endless study of all the books, and it is interesting viewing and fun too.

He's made plenty of dosh too - isn't he the biggest selling author in this country? or at least until Harry Potter or whatever came along. Between you and me sir, our very own chieften is a closet Potter fan. . I couldn't comment - as i am admittedly and unashamedly to snobby when it comes to reading material to go near one.:MILD:

This thread should grow and mature like a great oak.

:bookworm: :bookworm: :MILD:

 

Funny you should say that! I'm sat at my girlfriends computer at the MOment. Just had a flick through her home study notes. Computeach Stage 2: Systems analysis and design

Innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnteresting

 

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

get yer money back from computeach
sorry to say it but they are bad, and full of BS

I had many problems with them
hence now im with OU to gain a recognised qualification

 

Nooooooooooooooooooooo...

Don't corrupt this thread with nonsense like that

 

Lol

sorry

On a book note, another one i really enjoyed recently -

Down Under - Bill Bryson

 

am reading the "farseer trilogy"-robin hobbs at the mo .
good read ,a bit dark , but still good .
i,ve read all the pratchetts , i really enjoy them , though they,re a bit short .
just finished re-reading "the wheel of time"-robert jordan(books 1-9) , as a refresher for his latest publication (t.w.o.t book 10)will the guy ever finish this book (about 8000 pages so far)
i tend to read fantasy more than anything else (must be something to do with me being out there with the pixies most of the time )

 

Nowt wrong wif `arry! Seen both the films after reading the books! Borrowed the first one as I had nothing to read on a train journey back from London to South Wales. Read MOst of it that night and went over town and bought the boxset on my way to work (didn't want to go without!) Easy, quick and fun! I've not read the new one yet as my girlfriend said she'd ordered me a suprise! GRRRRRR!!!!!! She hadn't updated my address on her amazon contact list and it's now sat at my old house waiting for someone to go and collect it! Well, that's assuming that's what she ordered? Can't really turn around and ask her, so don't know if I should buy the new one yet or not!

As for Discworld spin offs. There's maps, character profiles, companions, sciencs books, calandars, artwork books, and I've even seen ornamental figures! Erm... all sounds a bit "nerdy"

 

Just started "Dead Air" by Iain Banks. Read all of them (except Canal Dreams), and his Sci-Fi stuff under the nom-de-plume Iain M. Banks - devlish clever disguise heh?).

Always a bit of a stretch to work out exactly what's going on, but it normally all becomes clear in the last page or two. Certainly makes them all worth a 2nd read to re-evaluate what happens in the light of knowing what it's all about. Favourite ones by him are probably "Walking on Glass" - good bit of Peakeish weirdness in there - and "The Crow Road". "The Bridge" was interesting to start with - quite Brave New World or 1984ish - but went on a bit long. "The Wasp Factory" is just plain evil (maybe his take on "Lord of the Flies") - but a darned good read!

And for his Sci-fi side - "Use of Weapons" or "Player of Games" seemed the most interesting.

 

Currently reading, ahem, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Nearly half way through it and so far it's a cracker...

Also on the go, "O Monte Cinco" by Paulo Coelho (in the original Portuguese :MILD: ). Not enjoying it as much as "O Alquimista" (The Alchemist) which I also read in Portuguese (my first attempt to read a novel in Portuguese ) and thought was one of the best books I've ever read. Highly recommended.

Michael.

 

Also Harry Potter, plus Tom Clancy's "Red Rabbit", plus Barbara Tuchman's "A Distant Mirror" (a history of the 14th. century). Not to mention (too many to mention) professional journals and patents (zzzzzzzzzzzz)

 

Just finished this months 'Hustler', then I might just go on to re-read some early 'Club International' :bakeoff: :shame:

Sorry chaps, couldnt resist it.

 

LOL. Did you, ahem, "read" it from cover to cover, or just have a casual flick?

I'm reading John Updike's new novel, "Seek My Face". It's hellaciously dull, so I probably won't bother to finish it.

-- Ian

 

Just picked up Glen Gould - A life and Variations on a s/h stall for a £1 - i'm gonna post it to RDS for Christmas

 

ive just fineshed "teach yourself to read part 1"

 

the dying animal - phillip roth

 

Recent books for me:

Sons and Lovers - DH Lawrence
The Secret State - Whitehall and the Cold War (not finished this one yet)
The Illiad - Homer
The Dreadful Judgement - (The true story of the Great Fire of London) - Neil Hanson

 

last book a read - catface by clifford d simak.
grahamn,
have you read iain bank's complicity? a very dark book indeed. if you like that kind of thing.. american psycho by brett easton ellis and dead babies by someone who's name i forget grrr... but he wrote the rachel papers too. are also in the disturbingly grim category and damn good reads.

on the lighter side... he died with a felafel in his hand, and, the tasmanian babes fiasco by john birmingham are two of the funniest books i've ever read. if you've ever shared a house then there will be an eerie feeling of syncronicity.

microserfs and generation x by douglass coupland are also worth reading for that wonderful sense of enuii too.

cheers


julian

 

On the go at the mo:

American Pastoral: Phillip Roth
The Devil's Chaplin: Richard Dawkins

Also just finished a couple of novellas by the sci-fi writer Alastair Reynolds. Excellent stuff.