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Author Topic: Book Suggestions  (Read 27191 times)
Jamier-Host
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« Reply #90 on: August 27, 2019, 12:22:08 AM »

I wonder how many people have read Papillon based on Tikay's original post about it several years ago.  I'm one of them, as I'd never heard of it before then, but I suspect there are a few others between myself and Stuart.

Slow off the mark here. 2/3 of the way through currently, after recently discovering i'd downloaded it onto my iPad but forgotten all about it.
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« Reply #91 on: January 02, 2020, 01:28:49 PM »

I read just two books last year.

This year, I am going to read more. Perhaps one a month, will see how we go. I have a few lined up and holding myself accountable, will post them here with a few thoughts after reading.

Would be good to see some others do the same.
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« Reply #92 on: January 05, 2020, 09:14:32 PM »

Shine: Rediscovering your Energy, Happiness and Purpose

In my mid twenties I used to be a bit of a self-help junkie. 7 steps, 5 habits, etc. etc.

As I have got older, my appetite for self improvement has waned but I do like to come back to a couple every now and then - usually when I am feeling especially glum or something is going on at work.

Shine is a really easy read, written in a relaxed conversational style without prescriptive lists to follow. The book does a good job of getting right to the point of self improvement, changing the way you perceive yourself. It is funny all the way through and doesn't take itself too seriously whilst still getting across some genuinely interesting ideas. This is a pleasant change compared to most in this genre which seem to be either too convoluted (The Chimp Paradox) or just plain dumb (The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**K).

It includes lots of profanities and some nice doodles but does lack depth. It has a "go and explore this yourself" type feel in parts and I would have appreciated a tad more guidance.  In general it is pretty good for getting a swift jolt of chutzpah to kick off a new year but don't expect it to turn you into a new man.

"You shine brightest when you're being your best self. Indeed, the quality of the relationship with yourself determines the quality of your relationship with everyone else."

6.5/10

Anyway, no more self help for a while. Up next, I have a couple of highly rated chunky novels that should keep me busy - A Gentleman in Moscow and The Poisonwood Bible.
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Jon MW
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« Reply #93 on: January 06, 2020, 01:38:51 PM »

Before we moved house I had a half hour on the train to work every day, which was great for reading.

The house we bought means the train journey isn't even 5 minutes now - I've clearly made a terrible mistake.

But I've been trying to still get about 20 minutes before work of reading, so I can still get through a few books.

I've just finished

War of the Wolf by Bernard Cornwell

Once you're this far into a series of books the quality can sag on occasions - and I think it did for a few books; but this one is back up to the normal Cornwell standards.

Love Bernard Cornwell, it's hard to think of many authors who do historical fiction quite so consistently well as he does.

8/10 (but on the basis you're reading the Last Kingdom series and like historical fiction).
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Jon "the British cowboy" Woodfield

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« Reply #94 on: January 06, 2020, 08:15:07 PM »

Love Cornwell too , my favourites are the Grail trilogy and Agincourt.
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« Reply #95 on: January 07, 2020, 12:39:07 PM »

The only historical fiction I have ever read is a book called Treachery.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Treachery-Giordano-Bruno-Book-4/dp/0007481225/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3FO4PIFPOGV1S&keywords=treachery&qid=1578400535&smid=A1G3UP32AZJ14F&sprefix=treacher%2Caps%2C424&sr=8-1

It didn't stick in the memory.

Have added The Last Kingdom to my wishlist. Looks interesting. 12 books in the series is a bit intimidating though!
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« Reply #96 on: February 02, 2020, 07:34:12 PM »

Finished reading Airhead by Emily Maitlis

 Click to see full-size image.


It's well written and it's got some interesting bits in it but it isn't a biography, it's written to show how what gets presented as news comes about and some of the inherent randomness involved.

The result of that is there's no over-arching narrative, you just get a series of anecdotes.

Each chapter is good but because of that lack of structure it really isn't very engaging - worth borrowing from the library and well worth reading a chapter if you come across it and that's all the time you have available but it isn't one I'd reccomend to go out and buy.
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« Reply #97 on: February 08, 2020, 02:36:57 PM »


I'm halfway through the 4th and last book in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books series by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and from struggling to get going  through book 1 The Shadow of The Wind and restarting it a couple of times, once I'd read the first book, I was hooked and have got to where I am now in less than a month. I can't put it down.

It's not one genre, it's a complicated relationship between historical fiction, a Gothic crime thriller with twists, love and a multitude of intermingled characters.

Set on the streets of Barcelona from 1945 onwards it goes forwards and backwards in time interlinking stories and characters.

It's a roller coaster ride of a read and an extraordinary piece of writing that I've rushed reading in places to find out what happens next that I regret so much I'm going to start again from book 1 and savour it slowly. It's the first series of books I've said that about. it is my favourite series so far.

The books in order are  The Shadow Of The Wind - 2001, The Angel's Game - 2008, The Prisoner Of Heaven - 2011, and finally The Labyrinth Of The Spirits - 2018.

It's a journey worth travelling and a set of great audiobooks on Audible too.

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« Reply #98 on: February 09, 2020, 10:37:18 PM »

Thanks for this. I read Shadow of the Wind towards the end of Uni and remember enjoying it. Had no idea there had been follow-ups since though, so will check those out now.  thumbs up
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« Reply #99 on: February 11, 2020, 10:38:23 AM »

Thanks for this. I read Shadow of the Wind towards the end of Uni and remember enjoying it. Had no idea there had been follow-ups since though, so will check those out now.  thumbs up

So pleased to find a fellow reader! I hope you enjoy them, I have much shorter nails now :-)
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« Reply #100 on: February 11, 2020, 11:23:52 AM »

Love Cornwell too , my favourites are the Grail trilogy and Agincourt.

One of my favorite series is the Sharpe set of books, have gone back to every 5 years or so and easy to complete a book over a weekend ensconced in a armchair  when wet and windy outside
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« Reply #101 on: February 11, 2020, 01:03:56 PM »

Love Cornwell too , my favourites are the Grail trilogy and Agincourt.

One of my favorite series is the Sharpe set of books, have gone back to every 5 years or so and easy to complete a book over a weekend ensconced in a armchair  when wet and windy outside

i have never been much of a reader but couple of weeks ago saw Sharpe's tiger free on amazon prime to read on kindle, so downloaded kindle app for tablet and now going through the series in chronological order. on  the 4th book now and enjoying them and slotting them in with the images of different characters from the TV series 
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« Reply #102 on: February 11, 2020, 01:10:21 PM »

yeah very good series, all follow the same basic construct of good vs evil (Frenchies obv being the Villains) hero wins and gets the girl to boot !! but he ties in well to historical battles.
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« Reply #103 on: February 11, 2020, 01:12:22 PM »

yeah very good series, all follow the same basic construct of good vs evil (Frenchies obv being the Villains) hero wins and gets the girl to boot !! but he ties in well to historical battles.

yeah all the battles are real and Sharpe gets moved to Units just to tie in with the real facts. I knew of the books and researched the TV series just never got round to reading the books before.
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« Reply #104 on: February 18, 2020, 11:06:25 PM »

Thanks for this. I read Shadow of the Wind towards the end of Uni and remember enjoying it. Had no idea there had been follow-ups since though, so will check those out now.  thumbs up

Just finished book 4 and I was sad that I'd finished and happy that I could read it again. I can't remember feeling like that about a book.

I'm going to read the Prince of Mist next which is the first book in the Niebla series by the same order along with a Monty Don book and the autobiography  of Stan Ternent. I'll also begin the Cemetery books again at some point.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the series Jamier.
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