NiceguyEddie Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 I've just finished The Confessions of Nat Turner by William Styron (author of Sophie's Choice). A deeply disturbing book about the first slave uprising in America. Nat led the uprising which resulted in the slaughter of every white person in a 20 mile radius. The book focuses on Nat's life up to the uprising and the barbaric treatment of slaves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted July 29, 2007 Author Share Posted July 29, 2007 I enjoyed Winter in Madrid. There were so many twists at the end that Harlan Coben would have been proud. A good insight into the Spanish Civil War (Sansom you may know is an historian) and well written. I was going to read On Chesil Beach, but the wife nabbed it the day before. Instead I've picked up Interesting Times by Terry Pratchett. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyB Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 Thanks for that NiceGuyEddie - I'd definately like to try this - my interest in the Spanish Civil War (of which I previously knew very, very little) was sparked by reading Shadow of the Wind. I'm reading Suite Francaise at the moment which is about the impact on the French when Germany occupied France. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted August 3, 2007 Author Share Posted August 3, 2007 Interesting Times is very funny with the satire I've now learned to expect from Pratchett. In a nutshell Rincewind is transported to another country to lead The Red Army against the rotten Emperor. In fact the whole thing has been set up by the evil Lord Hong who himself wants to be emperor (including sending a message to Vetinari) requesting the help of the greatest "wizzard". ............ OK, it's complicated and if I had the time I could write out a proper plot summary, but it was a good read. The horde were brilliant. I'll get my coat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted August 3, 2007 Author Share Posted August 3, 2007 I haven't picked up my next read yet, but I keep meaning to pick up The Talented Mr. Ripley, so that maybe next, or possibly All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 I read The Talented Mr. Ripley last year. I very much enjoyed it. It's a great little crime/thriller read and it completely had me hooked all the way through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 Well. What to do? This was a great crime novel. It was published in 1955 for the first time, but it "feels" very contemporary. Possibly the best crime novel I've ever read. There was suspense throughout as it seemed the police were getting nearer. It was not a moral novel, but why should it be? We're all adults, after all. This is what I bought: 185715262X So, will I be able to resist going straight on to the next one. Dunno yet, but I didn't want it to end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 With amazing will power I've started All The Pretty Horses and saved the next Tom Ripley instalment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted August 8, 2007 Author Share Posted August 8, 2007 With amazing will power I've started All The Pretty Horses and saved the next Tom Ripley instalment. And it's very good. Annoyingly, I bought the copy in my favourite second hand bookshop in Wantage and they had the second from "The Border Trilogy", also in hard back, but I didn't buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted August 15, 2007 Author Share Posted August 15, 2007 OK. All The Pretty Horses. The story is of two 16/17 year olds soon after WW2 from Texas who ride to Mexico. The main character's father has suffered badly in the war & his mother is uninterested in the boy - pursuing her new career on the stage. They meet up with a third mysterious & strange boy who they realise is trouble, but as he is younger, the allow him to accompany them. Trouble arises (caused by the third boy). It's a story of coming of age - some of the riding terminology went over my head, as did the Spanish dialogue that is sometimes used, but I would recommend it to any one. It's the first of the Border trilogy. I will be hunting down the remaining two. Next? Not sure. I'll maybe go back to the second in the Ripley series. I'll let you know tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted August 16, 2007 Author Share Posted August 16, 2007 On Chesil Beach I went for. It shouldn't take long as it's only 150 pages or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted August 18, 2007 Author Share Posted August 18, 2007 It only took three sittings. It was really good. Really good! In a sense it was a long sex scene (sort of) with no sex. The ending was very interesting and rocked my view of who was to "blame". I realise this will make no sense unless you've read it. A very interesting and clever novel. Has anyone else read it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted August 18, 2007 Author Share Posted August 18, 2007 Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted September 1, 2007 Author Share Posted September 1, 2007 This is a short review: Lunar Park - Starts as autobiography by Ellis. I'm sure Father Author knows more but it seems Ellis led a drug & drink addled life after the success of American Psycho. The start of the book describes that up to the point he marries a fictitious American actress and moves into her home. From then it is all fiction. The home is haunted and the novel moves into horror territory. Verdict - I really liked it. The last 150 pages I read at a hell of a pace as I couldn't put it down. I'll seek out a copy of American Psycho. Then moved on to Last Continent by Terry Pratchett. More when I've finished (about 40 pages to go). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted September 9, 2007 Author Share Posted September 9, 2007 I finally finished Last Continent last night. It enjoyable. Eventually I realised that the continent Ecksecksecksecks could be pronounce 4 Ecks and was in fact Australia. DOH! Some clever skits on Aussie expressions and their development.. you know the type of thing "E's as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike" etc. I've picked up, but not started The Information by Martin Amis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyB Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 I enjoyed Winter in Madrid. There were so many twists at the end that Harlan Coben would have been proud. A good insight into the Spanish Civil War (Sansom you may know is an historian) and well written. . I'm 50 pages from the end of this - stopped reading as there were too many things going on around me and I want to savour the end of what's been an informative and excellent read - I've learnt so much and it's certainly been compelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted September 19, 2007 Author Share Posted September 19, 2007 Goodness. I've been reading The Information for 10 days now! It is 500 pages, but it's informative to look at my blog to see how long it's taken. In my defence, I have been incredibly busy with work. It's a great read though. About the relationship between two authors - one successful & one not. Very funny in places as the unsuccessful one plots the downfall of the successful, yet untalented one. I've not read much Martin Amis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KW Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Mr. Ripley sounds like my kind of book...might check it out next, since my current read is a yawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted September 20, 2007 Author Share Posted September 20, 2007 Mr. Ripley sounds like my kind of book...might check it out next, since my current read is a yawn. I'm going to start the second in the series tonight as I've finished The Information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted September 27, 2007 Author Share Posted September 27, 2007 I'm going to start the second in the series tonight as I've finished The Information. And very good it was too. They're such immoral stories.... how can your sympathies be with a lying, cheating murderer? Unlike the Krays, he doesn't even love his mum! Well, guardian as was. I've started Framley Parsonage. I think it was the first book I ever bought from eBay. It's an old hardback, which I guess is about right. I've not read much Trollope other than the Barchester series & The Eustace Diamonds. I was going to read the new Pratchett, but it seems like I might be better to get hold of a copy of Going Postal to read first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 Framley Parsonage is the best book I've read so far this year. It's full of politics, religion and lurve. Quite simply I can't recommend it enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 Strange name! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted October 26, 2007 Author Share Posted October 26, 2007 I've been quiet of late, but I've been reading: In print I've read the second in the Ripley series, Richard North Patterson's Final Judgment & the last Rebus, Exit Music. A superb last (allegedly) Rebus. On audio I've listened to Up in Honey's Room by Elmore Leonard & Philip Margolin's Proof Positive. I'm currently reading Old World New World by Kathleen Burk. It's a history of the relationship of Britain & America. I rarely read non-fiction, but I bought this one because it's written by one of my regular customers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted October 26, 2007 Share Posted October 26, 2007 I'm reading The Talented Mr. Ripley at the moment - not bad so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted October 27, 2007 Author Share Posted October 27, 2007 It's very good isn't it? I ended up liking him. It's unusual crime fiction in that it's from the "villain's" perspective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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