The 'What Are You Reading?' Thread

Well. we've had music (obviously) and the 'movies' thread. I'm not really in to film (other than the Coen Brothers, Tim Burton, Terry Gilliam and Pixar movies).

So.........What's on your bedside table at the moment? What have you read that was 'unputdownable'? What was 'unpickupable'?

I'm currently wading through War and Peace. Someone once said of it 'The war bits are good. The peace bits are good but there's an awful lot of 'and''. I'm struggling I'll admit.

Thoroughly enjoyed 'The Book Thief' by Markus Zusak and just coming to the end of 'Gargoyle' by Andrew Davidson. I'd thoroughly recommend both.

I read a lot of 'classics' as well. I'm a big fan of Dickens and Anthony Trollope.

I'm really lucky and have just spent a week in Portugal - utter bliss - lots of sun, sea, etc.... and best of all, I had time to read. I ploughed my way through loads of trashy novels, gold embossed letters on the cover, with 'unputdownable - Daily Mirror' emblazoned on the front - pure decadence!

I also read Zadie Smith - White Teeth, which I thoroughly enjoyed, so I'm planning on starting 'On Beauty' by her now.

Inkheart at the moment. Then i'm going to move onto Dune Messiah.

actually right now im reading The Hippopotamus by Stephen Fry. I've read 3 other books of him (the liar, moab is my washpot and revenge) and I have to say I love his books! specially the Liar it is truly ace.

Actually got 2 on the go at the moment, Diego Maradona's autobiography and 'View From A Hill', which is basically the life story of Mark Burgess, the singer of now defunct Manchester legends (in my eyes anyway) The Chameleons and it's absolutely brilliant. It details the band's record company legal wrangles, divisons within the band, some 'trips' whilst on drugs and travelling amongst other topics. One of their comeback gigs was at Manchester Academy in June 2000, and is still my favourite of all time.

Just raided the library with my daughter this week, and came away with an armful of goodies. I have a book called Street Gang, which is a very well-researched and well-written story of the history and legacy of the kids' program Sesame Street. I am a mega Jim Henson fan - he, along with Walt Disney, John Lasseter and Hayao Miyazaki are pretty much my idols in the world of kids' entertainment. Fun fact I learned from this book - did you know that, not long before his death, Jim Henson was dating actress Daryl Hannah? Yeah, I got a little bit bugged out when I read that nugget of info...

Also finished both Persepolis and Persepolis 2 which are graphic novels detailing the childhood and young-adulthood of an Iranian-born woman, with the action taking place during the wars and the Islamic revolution in the 70's and 80's. It's already been made into a film, which I haven't yet seen, but probably some of you have. Heard it was a brilliant movie.

Last but not least, I have something that is just for fun - a book called Why We Suck, by the comedian/actor Denis Leary. It basically outlines, very humorously and with a great deal of profanity, what's wrong with America and Americans (Dr. Phil, McDonald's, stupid reality shows, Paris Hilton, both George Bushes, and general greed, gluttony, arrogance and sloth). It's hilarious, but also mostly true and therefore somewhat not hilarious as well. If that makes any sense!

I'm reading 'The Other Queen' by Philippa Gregory

As for my favourite book, it's 'Love in the Time of Cholera' by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
A wonderful tale of unrequited love in hot, tropical South America, where the hero finally gets his girl after 42 years of courtship!

I have read hundreds of books; some good, some great, some terrible but the one that has defeated me is 'The Unconsoled' by Kazuo Ishiguro. It's the only book I couldn't finish. I gave it a shot but after 250 pages I
still didn't know wtf the book was about!

Not reading anything until I clear out Waterstones Sunday Just read Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer. Alright actually. I am studying Hardy poems at college which i have fallen in love with, Neutral Tones is so brilliantly bitter.

Right now i'm reading the Eragon series on the latest one, "Brisingr" they're all really good, i'd recommend them to anyone. I assure you they're not entirely geared at children they're kinna a cross between harry potter and lord of the rings, but better than lord of the rings I'm afraid I don't have a favourite book, i just love words anything well written, generally

'Adventures on the High Teas' by Stuart Maconie.

Not loving it quite as much as 'Pies & Prejudice' but maybe that's because i'm a northerner and can relate to that one more. Having said that it's good none the less and kept making me snigger on the train back from Manchester last week!

Got a big pile to go at when I have finished it because I raided Waterstones last week!

Lord of the Rings > Harry Potter

(Mainly because all the good ideas in HP are directly nicked from LOTR... Dementors = Wraiths, Worm Tail = Worm Tongue, Giant spiders in a forest = Giant spider in cave, i could go on.)

Lord of the Rings > Harry Potter

(Mainly because all the good ideas in HP are directly nicked from LOTR... Dementors = Wraiths, Worm Tail = Worm Tongue, Giant spiders in a forest = Giant spider in cave, i could go on.)

At the moment nothing, but I think I will have to get me another Terry Pratchett before I get in hospital in June...

Two at the moment-Kenneth Williams Unseen by Wes Butters & Russell Davies and Moab is my washpot by Stephen Fry, got a real soft spot for old Stephen

I've just started Armadale by Wilkie Collins (He of Moonstone and The Woman in White fame)

2nd attempt. I got bogged down last time I tried as I was on holiday and needed someting lighter.

Oh, I like Wilkie Collins.
Must give this one a go, so.

al wrote:

Lord of the Rings > Harry Potter

(Mainly because all the good ideas in HP are directly nicked from LOTR... Dementors = Wraiths, Worm Tail = Worm Tongue, Giant spiders in a forest = Giant spider in cave, i could go on.)

I'm not talking about originality of ideas, i mean the quality of the writing, and, in that department, Harry Potter wins hands down i tried to read lord of the rings, but found it terribly boring... i didn't get past the end of the first book like the films, though

HP > LOTR in quality of writing??!? Anyway :-D

I've currently got 2 books on the floor of my bedroom partially completed.
Musicophilia, Oliver Sachs, talking about psychological aspects of music. Same bloke who wrote 'The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat.' A bit weighty and repetitive, but has its moments.

The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins, just started reading this tonight and i'm getting through it quickly - very challenging, straight-forward and interesting. Noone is more rational than Dawkins. :-)

Grant wrote:

al wrote:

Lord of the Rings > Harry Potter

(Mainly because all the good ideas in HP are directly nicked from LOTR... Dementors = Wraiths, Worm Tail = Worm Tongue, Giant spiders in a forest = Giant spider in cave, i could go on.)

I'm not talking about originality of ideas, i mean the quality of the writing, and, in that department, Harry Potter wins hands down i tried to read lord of the rings, but found it terribly boring... i didn't get past the end of the first book like the films, though

Like Steiny I'm going to have to disagree with you there. The quality of Tolkien's writing way surpasses that of Rowling IMHO. I couldn't get past book two of Potter. Rowling did a good job of getting kids (and especially boys) to read however.

al wrote:

Lord of the Rings > Harry Potter

(Mainly because all the good ideas in HP are directly nicked from LOTR... Dementors = Wraiths, Worm Tail = Worm Tongue, Giant spiders in a forest = Giant spider in cave, i could go on.)

Oh lord, this post really has nothing to do with me! I have no interest in reading OR watching LOTR, and Harry Potter is and always will be a book for children. Anyone with the "adult covers" should be ashamed. But anyway.

I've only read Stephen Fry's Moab is my Washpot, but it really is great! I'll get round to reading the rest one day. I'm currently reading from the great library of Sarah's Bookshelf and am working my way through Oscar Wilde's fairystories. Which, given that I was shouting at grown up people for reading Harry Potter, is a little bit hypocritical!

Trawled through Waterstones for an hour (not kidding.) I was gonna get Fatherland, then realized due to college I didn't have enough time to read it. I then picked up Vlad: The Last Confession, a fictionalized biography of Vlad the Impaler.

Has any book made anyone laugh out loud or cry

I sobbed when I read 'Grapes of Wrath' years ago.

Reading my first Stephen Fry 'The star's tennis balls. Love the man - he's my ring tone as well.

Laugh out loud - Terry Pratchett on a regular basis, especially Guards Guards (my favourite discworld novel). Also Jonathan Coe's What A Carve Up. I also find the Jeeves and Wooster stories by PG Wodehouse really funny.

Cry - The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck. The best novel ever written IMHO

WOBLEwoble wrote:

Has any book made anyone laugh out loud or cry

Douglas Adams - The Salmon of Doubt and Audrey Niffenegger -The Time Travelers Wife, in that order!

al wrote:

WOBLEwoble wrote:

Has any book made anyone laugh out loud or cry

Douglas Adams - The Salmon of Doubt and Audrey Niffenegger -The Time Travelers Wife, in that order!

Me too - the time travelers wife. big lump in my throat when I put it down.