Nollaig Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo that's awesome! I absolutely love airplanes. The usual flight path into Cork airport is beside my office so I see a few planes a day coming in to land out the window and I always watch them. The new job does sound like it's going to be very different! Good for you for taking it on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted August 29, 2016 Author Share Posted August 29, 2016 #24. Mexico Set by Len Deighton Blurb: A lot of people had plans for Bernard Samson… When they spotted Erich Stinnes in Mexico City, it was obvious that Bernard Samson was the right man to ‘enrol’ him. With his domestic life a shambles and his career heading towards disaster, Bernard needed to prove his reliability. and he knew Stinnes already - Bernard had been interrogated by him in East Berlin. But Bernard risks being entangled in a lethal web of old loyalties and old betrayals. All he knows for sure is that he has to get Erich Stinnes for London. Who’s pulling the strings is another matter… Thoughts: I will admit from the start that I had to go back and read the plot synopsis for the previous book in the series, Berlin Game, as I had completely forgot what happened. I tend to leave big gaps between reading books in a series so this isn't an unusual thing to happen to me. At the start I wasn't sure i would get on with this too well though. I love books set during the Cold war but Mexico felt like an odd setting for me, I am more used to Berlin being the stage. However I stuck with it for a bit and got completely sucked in. Although there isn't a lot of action I really felt the tension slowly increasing as the book progressed. The setting switches between Germany, England, Mexico and France which htrew some nice variety into the story. I found myself wondering if certain people could be trusted and what their real motives were before they were revealed in the story. This is a superbly crafted spy novel and I really look forward to reading the next book in the series, London Match. 5/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 That sounds exciting Brian, hope you get a start date soon and good luck! At least the flights aren't too long, so no jet lag hopefully! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 That sounds like a nice job, Brian. I hope you'll enjoy it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted August 31, 2016 Author Share Posted August 31, 2016 #25. Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller Blurb: Banned for almost thirty years in the UK and US after its original 1934 publication, this is a classic of erotic literature shattering every taboo on its frank, unapologetic portrait of desire. A fictional account of Miller's adventures amongst the prostitutes, pimps, and penniless painters and writers of underground Paris, Tropic of Cancer is an extravagant and rhapsodic hymn to a world of unrivalled sexuality and freedom. Thoughts: This book has been pestering me to read it for a very long time. It has sat on my bookcase trying to tempt me and I have always decided to read something else at the last moment. However, half way through my last book I decided that since my mojo was high it would be a wise time to tackle it. At first I wasn't sure Miller's style would sit well with me as it is quite 'wordy' but after 50 or so pages I settled into it and it was well worth the wait. There are paragraphs that are right up there with some of the best writing I've ever read. The book is coarse and littered with expletives but it suits the writing and the characters involved. There is something about books like this which really engage me as long as I don't feel they are trying to be shocking just for the sake of it. I can total see why some people hate this book and the introduction by Robert Nye at the start sums it up perfectly when he says "Probably it is no accident that nobody was ever indifferent concerning Henry Miller. There are those who love him and there are those who hate him. His work does not allow of the mild alternatives of liking or disliking." I really liked it and the only reason it doesn't get a 5 from me is that in some places the tangent he follows go too far off track for my tastes. 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted September 1, 2016 Author Share Posted September 1, 2016 After not taking another book with me to work I had a bit of free time on my hands so I read some more about Henry Miller. He led quite the life and chose to live the life of relative poverty in France that he did so he could concentrate on being a writer. Despite being an alcoholic he lived well into his 80's on his return to America and died the year I was born, 1980. I chose my next book last night, one I should have read a long time ago, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 I've had that happen before too, so whenever I'm getting close to finish a book, I generally take a second book with me. I hope you enjoy To Kill A Mockingbird, I really enjoyed it when I read it for my English class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexi Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 Sounds a very exciting time for you Brian! Hope you enjoy To Kill a Mockingbird. I'm eyeing Go Set a Watchman with some trepidation after enjoying the former so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 TKAM was one of the few books we had to study at school which I really enjoyed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted September 3, 2016 Author Share Posted September 3, 2016 About 100 pages into To Kill a Mockingbird and so far I am really enjoying it. I had hoped to read a bit more of it yesterday but I had a busy day at work and a fairly busy evening. I found out I will be working in Barcelona which I am very happy about because it is probably my favourite city. I have also been given a release date from my current job of the 18th September so things are now moving forward at a good pace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 Barcelona is lovely, lucky you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 I'm glad you're enjoying To Kill A Mockingbird. I hope you enjoy your time in Barcelona . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksyfullah07 Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Decided on my next read, The Wall by William Sutcliffe. I don't have a large physical TBR these days and this is one of those few books. I also kept The Wall by William Sutcliffe on to be read list...Inspired by you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted September 5, 2016 Author Share Posted September 5, 2016 (edited) #26. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Blurb: The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill A Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior—to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature. Thoughts: In a lot of ways I can't believe it has taken me this long to get round to reading this book as it tops most lists of 'must read' books. There isn't a huge amount for me to say about this book except that I really enjoyed the story and the writing. I don't think I could really say that it captivated me or amazed me but it does deal with some very tricky subjects in a very delicate way without avoiding them. 4/5 Edited September 5, 2016 by Brian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted September 8, 2016 Author Share Posted September 8, 2016 #27. Shadows on the Road by Michael Barry Blurb: In 2012, veteran cyclist Michael Barry announced his retirement from the sport after a celebrated fourteen year career. Weeks later he testified against his former team mate Lance Armstrong, as part of the USADA investigation.In a stunning piece of writing, Barry explores the dreams and passion of a young, idealistic cycling fan from Toronto - what it was then like to ride as a teammate alongside such giants of the sport as Lance Armstrong, Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome, and how those dreams were tainted early on in his career by a sport in crisis.But it's also the story of his eleven years riding clean, before and after his time in the notorious American Postal Team. What was it like to head for Europe at such a young age, and what was it like to escape the environment of doping, to try and start again, all the time aware that past actions may one day catch up with him? Thoughts: Not much to say about this book except that it was a decent read. Barry manages to capture some of the emotions behind the act of riding and racing bikes that other don't quite manage. There is no new scandal in the book as this has been covered at great length in the past by others. 3/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted September 9, 2016 Author Share Posted September 9, 2016 I'm glad you're enjoying To Kill A Mockingbird. I hope you enjoy your time in Barcelona . I'm sure I will, off for a quick visit to see the facilities next week. I also kept The Wall by William Sutcliffe on to be read list...Inspired by you I hope you enjoy it. Took a new book to work yesterday, Glow by Ned Beaumann but had to give up on it after 40ish pages. Life is too short for books you don't enjoy. Not sure what I will go for next, perhaps a bit of Hemingway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted September 12, 2016 Author Share Posted September 12, 2016 Still haven't started a new book even though I have had A Farewell to Arms in my work bag for the last few days. I am hoping to make a start on it later today when I've done all the little jobs I need to do for the day. I am off on my first work visit to Barcelona tomorrow to check out the facilities and get a rough idea of where I am working and staying while there. I should also get to meet a new guy who will be working out there together with me. It's all very exciting and I'm really looking forward to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Have fun and good luck in Barcelona ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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