What are you reading ?

[MaC]

I usually have a couple of books open and being absorbed. Pick up, read a bit, take it in, think it over, kind of thing.

Just now, the books that are opened are,

Herbal Remedies, by Christopher Hedley and Non Shaw.
I'm going to give their way of making apple vinegar a go

Patchwork of Magic; Living in a Pagan World, by Julia Day.
This is brilliant it is so true, it is very happy, sound, fun, and rock solid earthy

The last one is Folded Flowers by Kumiko Sudo.
Fabric origami with a twist of silk ribbon, and I'm having fun

M

 

[ElThomsono]

I'm reading another Sherlock Holmes novel, the smug git.

I've not read any of the short stories yet, frankly the novels are short enough?

 

[noddy]

Harold Nicolson’s diaries vol 1 (which is a work chore) and CLR James’s The Black Jacobins (which is great). I have been saving his Beyond a Boundary for a rainy day.

 

[Greg]

Reading through Bond at the moment, on For Your Eyes Only.

 

[GeoffW]

A few Icelandic crime books

 

[ElThomsono]

Reading through Bond at the moment, on For Your Eyes Only.

Yes, I'm familiar with how books work.

 

[noddy]

Are they any good now? I read a bnch when I was younger. Our eldest is looking for something to read that isnt quite as prudish as CS Forrester. I reread a few Montserrats a while back and have usually got a Le Carre half open somewhere

 

[CaptainBeaky]

Working my way through The Witcher books.

 

[Greg]

Are they any good now? I read a bnch when I was younger. Our eldest is looking for something to read that isnt quite as prudish as CS Forrester. I reread a few Montserrats a while back and have usually got a Le Carre half open somewhere

The Bond books? I think they are. If there’s no particular desire to read all of them then Moonraker or Dr. No would be my recommendation of a good place to start from the ones I’ve read so far.

 

[Saint-Just]

Are they any good now? I read a bnch when I was younger. Our eldest is looking for something to read that isnt quite as prudish as CS Forrester. I reread a few Montserrats a while back and have usually got a Le Carre half open somewhere

The Bond books? I think they are. If there’s no particular desire to read all of them then Moonraker or Dr. No would be my recommendation of a good place to start from the ones I’ve read so far.

They are very poorly written if that's what you're asking. Add to that a reasonably toxic mix of misogyny and racism (not unusual in Fleming's era but still) without the humour and distinction that Sean Connery brought to Dr No that defined the film franchise.
It is however undeniable that it makes for an entertaining read. Just don't expect Somerset Maugham's Ashenden-level of character study, or Graham Green style, or John Le Carré plot.

 

[MaC]

I think of the James Bond book as I do playboy......kind of sleezy and creepy, really.

Different times.

I like Kipling, yet he's absolutely blasted by so many now.

 

[Oldtimer]

Just finished "This Thing of Darkness", by Harry Thompson. A novel based on the voyage of the Beagle and the interaction between Fitzroy and Darwin. It is meticulously researched both from contemporary sources and personal visits to the locations described, and gives a vivid picture of both men's personalities and their lives and times. It accurately portrays the attitudes and beliefs of this period of exploration and social change. History and high adventure: learn while you're being entertained! Such a shame that Harry Thompson died shortly after writing this and that it his only book. He was a hell of a man.

 

[Saint-Just]

I like Kipling too. My beef with Fleming is that it’s genuinely poorly written, which is not a brush you can tar Rudyard with.

 

[MaC]

I like George MacDonald Fraser though, and he's the author of the Flashman books.
Right enough, it's the Dand MacNeill ones that I like, though the Flashman ones are superbly detailed.

M

 

[Fast but dim]

I'm working my way though "the secret barrister" an expose on the failing farce that is our legal system. It's hard work, but scarily informative.

I'm also "reading" Jaws on audible. It's an amazing book. Sexist, racist and homophobic, but it was written in simpler times.
Like most books,.knocks spots off the film.

 

[Oldtimer]

I like Kipling, yet he's absolutely blasted by so many now.

People who criticise Kipling shouldn't do so unless they have actually kippled.

 

[Andylaser]

I like Kipling too.

Exceeding good books.

 

[Greg]

They are very poorly written if that's what you're asking. Add to that a reasonably toxic mix of misogyny and racism (not unusual in Fleming's era but still) without the humour and distinction that Sean Connery brought to Dr No that defined the film franchise.
It is however undeniable that it makes for an entertaining read. Just don't expect Somerset Maugham's Ashenden-level of character study, or Graham Green style, or John Le Carré plot.

I find him an engaging writer.

I agree about the racism, misogyny and homophobia though. Some books are better than others but none of them are great. Goldfinger or LALD are probably the worst offenders so far, but you don't have to get very far into Casino Royale to get to the infamous rape quote.

 

[Saint-Just]

As I said, entertaining read. But what makes him fairly unique is that he glamourise the work of a secret agent, when Ashenden or George Smiley -and, in another genre, Pyle the "quiet American" or Maurice Castle "the human factor" are much more pessimistic and consider both the tediousness or their daily routine and the moral ambiguity of working in this spy business. Yet all 3 have worked for MI6, so write about things they know and elaborate from there on.

 

[noddy]

Just finished "This Thing of Darkness", by Harry Thompson.

I liked that more than I was expecting to. And Kipling's great.

 

[noddy]

If you like Bond and you like good prose and can take the period misanthropy, try Peter Cheyney or Georges Simenon. If you like all that without the casual meanness, Philip Kerr. The March Violets was good.

I went through a phase recently of Iain M. Banks's amiable sci fi stories. But, I think I prefer his darker mode, without the M

 

[Greg]

I read Jason Heaton's Depth Charge again recently, that's a fun adventure/intrigue/thriller romp. Not long either.

Prime Reading (included with Amazon Prime) has some good free books. I would recommend 'The Girl with Seven Names' for example, the story of an (accidental) North Korean defector.

 

[BorderReiver]

I like George MacDonald Fraser though, and he's the author of the Flashman books.
Right enough, it's the Dand MacNeill ones that I like, though the Flashman ones are superbly detailed.

M

I love his McAuslan in the Rough era stories.

 

[Brian T]

T.S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats." 15 wonderful poems about the inner workings of cats. The source of inspiration for Andrew Lloyd Webber's magnificent musical "Cats." Also the inspiration for my invention of the name "Rumpuss" for the nameless old cat that I have adopted.
As I've discovered, Eliot names a cat character Rumpuss-cat. 1935. Never would have imagined.

I'm finding each poem quite a lot to chew on. For just 15 poems, I'm not half way through my first reading of them.

 

[Nice65]

I’m still reading Derren Browns - ‘Happy’.

It’s a fascinating read, philosophical, lots of references to the Stoics. A general exploration of what happiness actually is, and why many of us are unhappy.

Expect lots of Epictetus quotes in the Philosophy thread