What are you reading

[Mad Doug Biker]

This feckin' forum, duh!!

 

[John the Monkey]

Finished "True Grit", which I really enjoyed - if I had one criticism, I guess it's that the end seems to rush at you after a fairly sedate (but very enjoyable) build up. Portis' evocation of Mattie Ross' voice is wonderful.

Into the far future with the next read, Alastair Reynold's "Diamond Dogs", set in his Revelation Space universe.

 

[Hill Wimp]

Currently receiving a spiritual education from @Dayvo via

Only downloaded it Sunday evening now 3/4 of the way through.

By the end i will be redeemed

 

[Dayvo]

Currently receiving a spiritual education from @Dayvo via

Only downloaded it Sunday evening now 3/4 of the way through.

By the end i will be redeemed

Some good quotes to be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/4840290-siddhartha

Two of my favourites:

“My real self wanders elsewhere, far away, wanders on and on invisibly and has nothing to do with my life.”

“Writing is good, thinking is better. Cleverness is good, patience is better.”

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Sword Song. Part Four of Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Series. It is all starting to get a bit samey.

Anyone recommend me a decent, readable, popular history, biography of King Alfred?

 

[swee'pea99]

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Sword should have a leaf shaped tip, and a grip of wood, or other organic matter.

And holding it like that will have his hand off.

 

[swee'pea99]

Sword should have a leaf shaped tip, and a grip of wood, or other organic matter.

And holding it like that will have his hand off.

Quibble quibble quibble. He's a bleedin' KING, mate - the usual rules don't apply. He's made of royal stuff. Special like.

 

[John the Monkey]

Finished my Alastair Reynolds binge, taking in Turquoise Days, Grafenwalder's Bestiary, and Nightingale. His short stories have a sort of "Tales of the Unexpected" nature to them, so I'd not want to stack up too many at once, but I found these very enjoyable.

Next up, inspired by Gregry, is "Alfred: The White Horse King", which oddly, has a different picture of the Great king, but holding a sword in a similar manner.

One can only assume that people didn't sharpen the fortes before having a portrait done in them days.

 

[Hill Wimp]

I have just been hunting for this thread. I tend to have several books on the go at any one time. One book i started yesterday i think deserves a recommendation.

This has to be one of the most beautifully written books that i have read in a long time.

New Finnish Grammar by Diego Mariani translated by Judith Landry.

The story is about a mysteriously wounded man who is sent to Finland during WW2 to try to rebuild his memory and identity. The beautiful prose has kept me reading since yesterday morning and i really can't think that another book is going to get a look in until this is finished.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Finished my Alastair Reynolds binge, taking in Turquoise Days, Grafenwalder's Bestiary, and Nightingale. His short stories have a sort of "Tales of the Unexpected" nature to them, so I'd not want to stack up too many at once, but I found these very enjoyable.

Next up, inspired by Gregry, is "Alfred: The White Horse King", which oddly, has a different picture of the Great king, but holding a sword in a similar manner.

View attachment 128192

One can only assume that people didn't sharpen the fortes before having a portrait done in them days.

That sword would be cock all use in a shield wall. Far too long.

 

[swee'pea99]

That sword would be cock all use in a shield wall. Far too long.

Yeah but he wouldn't be in a shield wall would he? He'd be up on a nice comfy horse, going 'Stand firm chaps' and stuff like that. Maybe wave the sword around a bit for encouragement.

 

[John the Monkey]

Yeah but he wouldn't be in a shield wall would he? He'd be up on a nice comfy horse, going 'Stand firm chaps' and stuff like that. Maybe wave the sword around a bit for encouragement.

Having finished the book, I can tell you that it argues the opposite - an Anglo-Saxon noble would, apparently, be expected to stand shoulder to shoulder in the shield wall.

Anyroad, I have moved on to "Matter", by Iain M. Banks. Whilst I've had the usual 50 pages or so of struggling to find my Culture legs, I'm reading this at every opportunity now.

 

[KEEF]

The Passage Triology has my attention.............. Brain Soup

 

[Starchivore]

The McDougall quick and easy cookbook (I like to read these at bedtime),
and
Love's Executioner (tales of psychotherapy)

Both recommended!