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Profpointy

Legendary Member
Just bought the next volume of David Kynaston's series on post war British (mainly social) history

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Not read it yet, but have enjoyed all his earlier ones and the somewhat similar series by Dominic Sandbrook

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Yellow Fang

Legendary Member
Location
Reading
Are Hemingway’s books worth it or overrated? I tend not to like the stuff reviews normally rave about: Atonement was one of the very rare books I gave up on for example but I’m considering the Sun Also Rises

IMO overrated. I have read For Whom the Bell Tolls. The weirdest bit about that book was all the swearing was censored. I also read The Old Man and the Sea. My dad liked that book, but I didn't like it so much.
 

Yellow Fang

Legendary Member
Location
Reading
If
"Allan's Wife" H.R. Rider-Haggard

Not as objectionable as the Bulldog Drummond series (or at least, those of that that I've read) but still quite old fashioned in its attitudes. Nonetheless, I'm enjoying the Allan Quatermain series, attempting to read them in the chronological order suggested here. So far, they've rattled along in fine style, and are exciting and enjoyable enough that I find I can overlook their Imperial era outlook on the world.

"The Art of Capataincy"
Very readable book by Mike Brearley about cricket captaincy - some lovely anecdotes, and very readable, despite my being about as likely to captain a cricket team as I am to have the sort of adventure that Mr. Quatermain does.

"The Junkyard Dog" Robert Campbell
I love Robert Campbell's "Whistler" series, and wish that they were easier to get hold of. This book is the start of his Jimmy Flannery series, and so far has the charm and dry wit of the "Whistler" books. If you have a Kindle, this book was free when I got it, and the others appear to be available through the lending library.

If Rider Haggard is not as objectionable as Bulldog Drummond then Bulldog Drummond must be pretty objectionable.
 

stephec

Squire
Location
Bolton
Just bought the next volume of David Kynaston's series on post war British (mainly social) history

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Not read it yet, but have enjoyed all his earlier ones and the somewhat similar series by Dominic Sandbrook

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I've read the first one, stays just the right side of university text book for me, but I've never seen any of the others in the shops.
 

Profpointy

Legendary Member
IMO overrated. I have read For Whom the Bell Tolls. The weirdest bit about that book was all the swearing was censored. I also read The Old Man and the Sea. My dad liked that book, but I didn't like it so much.

I liked "To have and have not", a short novel said to be amongst Hemingway's worst for some reason. The film with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall is loosely based on it. Read For whom the bell tolls as a kid but don't remember much about it
 
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