What are you reading

[Tail End Charlie]

I've just finished The Duel by Joseph Conrad. Based on a true story where two French Napoleonic officers fight 19 duels between themselves over the course of 30 years. It's a short read covering the pointlessness of male ego.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

Actually writing the above has reminded me of a great book - The Last Duel by Eric Jager (about the last officially sanctioned duel in France in the 1400s). What a story, absolutely gripping. A film has been made of it, which I hadn't realised but staying in an Air BnB last year had it in and i watched it there. Not a bad film either. Must re-read the book - I have it on Kindle.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

Sorry to bang on about duelling, but what got me about The Last Duel is the level of detail about the final fight. Written at the time, it talks about one feinting one way the other goes for a right cut, one dodges etc etc. I'm always amazed that such records survive over the centuries.

 

[Reynard]

Sorry to bang on about duelling, but what got me about The Last Duel is the level of detail about the final fight. Written at the time, it talks about one feinting one way the other goes for a right cut, one dodges etc etc. I'm always amazed that such records survive over the centuries.

Somewhat unlikely the level of detail in the report is pukka. More than likely embellished for the benefit of the audience.

Ah yeah, and I used to fence with all three weapons. So know how quickly phases of swordplay can progress.

 

[matticus]

I've just finished The Duel by Joseph Conrad. Based on a true story where two French Napoleonic officers fight 19 duels between themselves over the course of 30 years. It's a short read covering the pointlessness of male ego.

19?!? They must have been terrible shots!

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I’m liberating a few books from my parents house, on each visit

I brought these home yesterday

It was a good series!

Ossett Station (near Wakefield) on the cover

 

[oldwheels]

Picked at random from the library
Rosewater by Tade Thomson.
Weird fantasy.

 

[Profpointy]

Bought it at the RSC a few weeks back, having gone up to see "Pericles"; a top show as always from them, and not a play I knew in the slightest: kind of episodic a bit like the Arabian Nights.

Anyhow, each of the book's ten chapters is by a different author, covering a different aspect of the evolution of Shakespearean performance eg building of the modern globe, Shakespeare on film, black actors over the years. Quite enjoyable and interesting and well worth the reduced price of a tenner, though later saw it locally for a mere fiver.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Book 2 of Game of Thrones.

Second time I'm reading it, it's been a slog to get through it. Not sure why as I really enjoyed it first time.

Preacher Omnibus 2

This is by the same guy that does The Boys, I actually prefer this comic to that one. It's also very violent and quite rude at times lol

 

[Profpointy]

I've just finished The Duel by Joseph Conrad. Based on a true story where two French Napoleonic officers fight 19 duels between themselves over the course of 30 years. It's a short read covering the pointlessness of male ego.

Filmed by Ridley Scott with Harvie Kietel and Keith Carradine as the officers. Quite a good film if I remember rightly

 

[Paulus]

I'm 10 books through a series of 14 by Steve Higgs, about a fictitious retired Detective Superintendent Albert Smith, and his ex Police Dog, Rex, and their culinary tour of Great Britain.
Quite easy read with humour, murders and recipes from around the country.

 

[Profpointy]

Also doing a bit of poker study. My occasional home game was a "cash game" (you put money down and play, and at home time you have more or less money) and I was doing OK at that, but my local pub poker night is a "tournament" where you "buy-in" for an amount and play till one person's left like in monopoly and divvy up the money for first and second place. Struggling a bit with that format

Anyhow, here's the game with me getting some help from one of the pub cats

 

[Reynard]

Currently reading Raymond Biggs' "Fungus the Bogeyman"

Haven't read it since I was in school, and there just happened to be a copy in the book exchange in the village this morning. And well, it's just a bit of fun, isn't it?

 

[Gunk]

Almost finished this, a present from my wife from Brompton Junction in Amsterdam, she must have guilty for leaving me at home for a week!

 

[stephec]

I like James Holland's style of writing, gives you all the facts in an entertaining way without going too far over the top like some other WWII writers.