julie Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Brian I actually have that book (Snow) .Found it at the bookstore next town over. I had no clue what it is about, just grabbed it . I sometimes like doing that if they are used and not full price ,just to get a surprise . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Andrea~ Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Hi Andrea, I've been meaning to read Crime & Punishment for a whilenow but I'm a little intimidated by the size and high esteem its held in. Who was the reader in the audiobook version you listened to? Oh golly I am a little late in replying to this, sorry - it was Alex Jennings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Amsterdam by Ian McEwan Synopsis When good-time, fortysomething Molly Lane dies of an unspecified degenerative illness, her many friends and numerous lovers are led to think about their own mortality. Vernon Halliday, editor of the up-market newspaper The Judge, persuades his old friend Clive Linley, a self-indulgent composer of some reputation, to enter into a euthanasia pact with him. Should either of them succumb to such an illness, the other will effect his death. From this point onwards we are in little doubt as to the novel's outcome--it's only a matter of who will kill whom. In the meantime, compromising photographs of Molly's most distinguished lover, foreign secretary Julian Garmony, have found their way into the hands of the press, and as rumours circulate he teeters on the edge of disgrace. (Taken from Amazon) My Thoughts The best way I can describe my feeling towards this book is 'meh'. Its just as well its a short book as I think I would have discarded it before the end otherwise. I picked it up because of some of the reviews I had read and whilst it wont put me off McEwan's work I just wasn't feeling it. I didn't really engage with any of the characters and apart from being horrified that Clive stood by whilst a woman was attacked it didnt move me at all. The ending came as a little surprising but not enough to cause me to change my opinions on it. I'm sure that this book isnt bad, its just not for me. If anyone wants this let me know, its up for grab. 4/10 Must post these more frequently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Junky by William S. Burroughs Synopsis Burroughs’ first novel, a largely autobiographical account of the constant cycle of drug dependency, cures and relapses, remains the most unflinching, unsentimental account of addiction ever written. Through junk neighbourhoods in New York, New Orleans and Mexico City, through time spent kicking, time spent dealing and time rolling drunks for money, through junk sickness and a sanatorium, Junky is a field report (by a writer trained in anthropology at Harvard) from the American post-war drug underground. A cult classic, it has influenced generations of writers with its raw, sparse and unapologetic tone. This definitive edition painstakingly recreates the author’s original text word for word. (Taken from Amazon) My Thoughts This is another book I bought on the strength of it being in '1001 Book to Read Before You Die'. I've wanted to get into some of the works of the 'beat' writers of the time and this seemed to be a good way in. Plus I do love collecting the Penguin modern classics. Usually I don't think the foreword add a huge amount to these books but I found this to be the exception. I really enjoyed the description of how the different editions were published and it seemed fitting that initially it was printed as an Ace Double. I really liked the tone taken by Burroughs in the text, somehow managing to sound autobiographical and not at the same time. His dry and straightforward observations fit perfectly with the subject matter. There is no pity asked or expected, everything is just laid out as is. The almost off hand way he deals with his homosexuality is striking, more so given the period of history it comes from. Its difficult to say how true to the time this is but it would seem that certainly in the early parts of the story drug use was rife and almost accepted as a norm. As the Feds step up the locking up of junkies you can feel the change of attitude from Burroughs. In one hand he hates it but in the other he comes across almost relieved at being almost forced into rehab. The coverage of the time spent in the Sanatorium is in equal parts fascinating and horrifying. I loved this book and really look forward to reading 'Queer' and other 'Beat' classics. 9/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 Cold War by Jeremy Isaacs & Taylor Downing Synopsis Cold War is the story of the half-century since the end of the Second World War - the story of our lives. Its framework is the confrontation, military and ideological, between two great powers that dominated the world during these years. It is a story of crises and conflict on a global scale: from the Berlin Blockade and the Cuban Missile Crisis, to the tanks in the streets of Warsaw, Budapest and Prague, to spies, student riots and encounters in space. In Cold War, Jeremy Isaacs and Taylor Downing record epic history through the detail of individual human experience: the recollections not only of statesmen whose decisions led to these momentous events, but also of the ordinary men and women whose lives were bound up in these years of conflict. Cold War is the first comprehensive history for the general reader to benefit from the recent opening of Soviet, East European and Chinese archives as well as formerly classified American documents. In a driving narrative that it both gripping and informative, the true story of the Cold War can at last be told. (Taken from Amazon) My Thoughts This is a very readable account of the Cold War and as I found out after I had read it, tied in with a TV series. Books on this kind of subject can be pretty hard to get through, especially being politcally based rather than 'war based. This book however is very easy to get through if a little simplified and American centric at times. I really liked the way that its split into a roughly chronological order but with each section focusing on an event rather than a rigid time line. I vaguely remember the wall coming down but my knowledge of the Cold War was limited to that prior to reading the book and I'm glad to say that my lack of knowledge didnt impede my reading of the book. Its a period of time I find fascinating so being able to flesh out the little bits I knew was great. I would have liked more photos in the book. There are a few black and white images printed throughout the book but no glossy colour photos in the middle like most non-fiction titles I read. Also throughout the book are notes detailing important people or events in a very succinct way. They werent really needed in my opinion but might prove useful for people who know nothing about the cold war. A fascinating read. 8/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Butter Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 That's just gone on my Christmas list. What I most remember is wondering if we'd get through the Reagan-Thatcher era without the Third (and what would definitely have been the last) World War! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted November 24, 2011 Author Share Posted November 24, 2011 That's just gone on my Christmas list. What I most remember is wondering if we'd get through the Reagan-Thatcher era without the Third (and what would definitely have been the last) World War! In my very humble opinion you will really enjoy it. If for some reason you don't get it let me know, I'm willing to swap it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted November 25, 2011 Author Share Posted November 25, 2011 Lustrum by Robert Harris Synopsis A historical novel that cannily utilises elements of the thriller but attempts something far more challenging than most proponents of that genre. Harris’s continuing theme is the battle for power, and this Rome-set narrative deals with the years around 63BC when Cicero was Consul of Rome, building to the unstoppable accession to power of the canny and ruthless Caesar. Rome, in the process of consolidating its massive empire, resounds to the sounds of a no-holds-barred struggle for influence. The protagonists here are the canny consul Cicero, the equally Machiavellian Caesar, the Republic's eminent general Pompey and the hyper-rich Crassus. These real historical figures (and others, including the psychopathic Catilina) are stirred into a very heady brew by Robert Harris, beginning when the body of a child, grotesquely mutilated, is discovered. The trial and execution that follows plunges the city of Rome into a ferment as destabilising as anything it has faced. (Taken from Amazon) My Thoughts A word of warning to start with, this book is known as Conspirata in some countries and this has caught some people out. Harris has intended for there to be a trilogy in this series of books. The first one is 'Imperium' and this (Lustrum/Conspirata) is the second. The third is on the way, I wish he would hurry up but I understand that Harris' research takes a long time and he has just finished 'The Fear Index'. I would recommend reading 'Imperium' first although it is not required, in fact there has been a considerable time between my reading 'Imperium' and 'Lustrum'. So onto the book, it continues the tale of Cicero a Roman politician and his struggle for power in a very unstable time in Roman history. Cicero is an instantly likeable character in no small part to the fact that the story is told by his secretary and chief note-taker Tiro. The use of Tiro to tell the story is a very good move in my opinion because he is a humble narrator with little in the way of an agenda. One of the other instantly likeable aspects of the story is that unlike the first book, Cicero makes mistakes and is prone to mental meltdown and mood swings. He also gets carried away with his own power, in some respects turning into what he dislikes most about Roman society. To me this indicates the severity of the struggle he faces in comparison to the first book. I am not expert on Roman history but by using real people like Caesar it helps cut down the time and pages spent going over a back story. Even with this fact a knowledge of Roman times and customs is not required as everything just seems to fit and makes sense. Due to the deviousness of his enemies there is always something going on in the background. As the story went on I found myself wondering who was responsible for what and what plans were being thought of next. I read through the 450 pages of this book in 2 days, something I very rarely manage to do and I simply couldn't really put it down. Plot twists come thick and fast and there is always something going on. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. I can't wait for the last one to come along. 9/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted November 28, 2011 Author Share Posted November 28, 2011 On the Road by Jack Kerouac Synopsis On The Road, the most famous of Jack Kerouac's works, is not only the soul of the Beat movement and literature, but one of the most important novels of the century. Like nearly all of Kerouac's writing, On The Road is thinly fictionalised autobiography, filled with a cast made of Kerouac's real life friends, lovers and fellow travellers. Narrated by Sal Paradise, one of Kerouac's alter-egos, this cross-country bohemian odyssey not only influenced writing in the years since its 1957 publication but penetrated into the deepest levels of American thought and culture. On the Road swings to the rhythms of 1950s underground America, jazz, sex, generosity, chill dawns and drugs, with Sal Paradise and his hero Dean Moriarty, traveller and mystic, the living epitome of Beat. Now recognized as a modern classic, its American Dream is nearer that of Walt Whitman than Scott Fitzgerald, and it goes racing towards the sunset with unforgettable exuberance, poignancy and autobiographical passion. (Taken from Amazon) My Thoughts I've had this sitting on my shelf for a little while now and pushed on by my enjoyment of Junky by Burroughs I decided it was time to give it a go. I actually also have 'The Dharma Bums' on my shelf but decided to go for this as its longer and also Kerouac's most famous work. As usual with the Penguin Modern Classics series there is an intro about the author and the book itself. This section of the book adds some interesting background to the story, especially the fact that he wrote it all in a 3 week burst on a single roll of paper. I have a rule where any book I pick up gets 100 pages to draw me in and gain my interest. If it fails to do this I tend to hand it away to anyone who wants it. So far this rule has served me well, I have only given up on a couple of books. Initially I thought that this book was going to be a disaster, I just couldn't get into it. I found the prose hard to follow in places, in particular because of Kerouac's tendency to insanely long sentences. I couldn't wait to hit page 100 knowing that I could put the book aside but at the same time feeling sad that a modern classic had passed me by without effect. Eventually though this changed and I started to find myself being drawn in and wanting to read on. The prose was still a pain to navigate at times but it has an energy to it. There is some real zeal to the writing especially in places where Moriarty is in a frenzied state of excitement. This is very evident when he is caught up in a new exciting place such as New Orleans or when they are watching Jazz musicians perform. During these parts I saw a glimmer or what caught the imagination of people when the book was first published. I could feel the excitement that the book would have created for young men wanting to travel carefree across America and beyond. I really liked Sal Paradise (Kerouac) although found his looking up to Dean Moriarty (Cassady) a bit bewildering. Moriarty didnt appeal to me, I understand being carefree and wanting to live the simple life but criminality stretches it too far for me. As the book progresses you can feel Moriarty starting to lose grip mentally. He starts off as a bit of a likeable pain and slowly becomes an asshole (excuse my language). Overall I liked the book, I found some of the prose great and some of it really self indulgent drivel. I had hoped it would be more like Burroughs in Junky and it was quite different. I don't think its a book I will return to, I think I may have come to it too late in life to full appreciate it's gift. I am however very glad I stuck with it, its not a book that I will instantly forget. I suspect I will read 'The Dharma Bums', just not for a while. I am more likely to read more Burroughs next time I am in a 'Beat' mood than Kerouac. 6/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted November 29, 2011 Author Share Posted November 29, 2011 The Hacienda, How Not to Run a Club by Peter Hook Synopsis Peter Hook, as co-founder of Joy Division and New Order, has been shaping the course of popular music for thirty years. He provided the propulsive bass guitar melodies of 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' and the bestselling 12-inch single ever, 'Blue Monday' among many other songs. As co-owner of Manchester's Hacienda club, Hook propelled the rise of acid house in the late 1980s, then suffered through its violent fall in the 1990s as gangs, drugs, greed and a hostile police force destroyed everything he and his friends had created. This is his memory of that era and 'it's far sadder, funnier, scarier and stranger' than anyone has imagined. As young and naive musicians, the members of New Order were thrilled when their record label Factory opened a club. Yet as their career escalated, they toured the world and had top ten hits, their royalties were being ploughed into the Hacienda and they were only being paid GBP20 per week. Peter Hook looked back at that exciting and hilarious time to write HACIENDA. All the main characters appear - Tony Wilson, Barney, Shaun Ryder - and Hook tells it like it was - a rollercoaster of success, money, confusion and true faith. (Taken from Amazon) My Thoughts I decided this afternoon that after the slightly laborious 'On The Road' that I needed something lighter to read and plucked this off the shelf. It had been recommended to me by a couple of my friends, one who was into the club scene at the time and a few who werent. On starting it I was glad that Peter Hook doesnt spend any time talking about his life as a kid or anything prior to Joy Division. I bought the book to read about the Hacienda and have been disappointed about with tedious details about childhood in previous biographies. Joy Division is only briefly covered and there isnt a huge amount of detail about New Order, so its probably best to go elswhere if you want more about this. The book is broken up into chapters for each year of the Hacienda with some details about the accounts for that year and meeting minutes at the end of each one. In the middle of the book there are 8 pages of glossy pictures. The one thing that is really striking throughout the story is the mind staggering amount of money that was wasted during the time of the Hacienda. Its a surprise that it wasnt closed much earlier than it was. There is the inevitable drug and alcohol use throughout the story and towards the end, the violence that paid a huge part in the downfall of the club. I found myself not really feeling too much sympathy with anyone from the story except for Ang Matthews who was an assistant manager from 1989. She is cast as a bit of an unsung hero of the club. She stuck through with it until the end standing to gain not a great deal but exposing herself to a myraid of dangers. I would say this book is worth a read to anyone who is interested in the Hacienda, I got through it in no time at all. 7/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 Bit undecided what to read next, here is a short list of what I'm looking at. Anyone wish to offer any input as to what I should go for? The Prince - Niccolo Machiavelli Cat's Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini Age of Reason - Jean Paul Sartre Snow - Orhan Pamuk All Quiet on the Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway Slave Girl - Sarah Forsyth It's So Easy - Duff McKagan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Out of your list I've only read The Kite Runner but I enjoyed it very much so would definitely recommend it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 Thanks for the reply Kidsmum, I shall take your advice and go for The Kite Runner. Not sure where I got it from, it looks a bit battered so it may have come from one of the few successful BookMooch swaps I did. I've decided to give the 30 day challenge question thing a bash so I'll start with #1. Day 01 – Best book you read last year Seeing as though the year is almost up I'm going to go for one from this year and a book that has just won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year. A Life Too Short: The Tragedy of Robert Enke by Ronald Reng. Given the recent tragic news of the suicide of Gary Speed its a very timely book. Its the story of Robert Enke, a German international goalkeeper and his battle with depression. Things got too much for the poor bloke and he killed himself on 10th Nov 2009. Ronald Reng had become good friends with Robert over the year and the book has been constructed with the help of Enke's wife, friends and his diaries. The story is handled with supreme care and thought by Reng and as he regularly reminds people, its not his book, its Roberts. Its a book I would recommend to everyone, even those with no interest in football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sofia Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 The Kite Runner was a great book, but I am interested in knowing how Snow is...start with that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 (edited) I'll toss in my vote for Kite Runner also . I bought it awhile back and kept wondering what possessed me to do so . I guess I never thought life in Afghanistan would have much interest or appeal to me, but I ALWAYS get sucked in if a book wins an award or has Bestseller !!! plastered on the front . Boy ,am I glad I read it . SO very good,but also so very heartbreaking . Wonderful book .So,I went right out and got 1000 Splendid Suns and loved it too. It seemed to hit home even closer,maybe because it told more about the women's lives .... horrendous to even imagine living under those guidelines . ** I have the book, Snow, so if you choose it, I'll be watching to see what you think . Edited December 1, 2011 by julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 (edited) I'll start with The Kite Runner and then go for Snow, sounds like a good plan to me. Edited December 1, 2011 by Brian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 If anyone wants the swap I'll be adding it to my swap list soon. 9/10 Re: our PMs regarding book swap: See, you liked this book and still you are willing to swap it for some other! I could never do that, but I admire your willingness to let go and venture on new books I have to ask: are there books that you do keep? My Thoughts This is another book I bought on the strength of it being in '1001 Book to Read Before You Die'. I've wanted to get into some of the works of the 'beat' writers of the time and this seemed to be a good way in. Plus I do love collecting the Penguin modern classics. Usually I don't think the foreword add a huge amount to these books but I found this to be the exception. I really enjoyed the description of how the different editions were published and it seemed fitting that initially it was printed as an Ace Double. I'm not sure if I knew you were doing the 1001 challenge, but anyways, nice to see other folk who are participating I've wanted to read beat authors as well, for a while now, but have only managed to read On the Road so far (which I enjoyed, and you didn't ). I really liked the tone taken by Burroughs in the text, somehow managing to sound autobiographical and not at the same time. His dry and straightforward observations fit perfectly with the subject matter. There is no pity asked or expected, everything is just laid out as is. The almost off hand way he deals with his homosexuality is striking, more so given the period of history it comes from. This sounds good, autobio and yet not. I really need to bump this novel up on my list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 Re: our PMs regarding book swap: See, you liked this book and still you are willing to swap it for some other! I could never do that, but I admire your willingness to let go and venture on new books I have to ask: are there books that you do keep? I'm not sure if I knew you were doing the 1001 challenge, but anyways, nice to see other folk who are participating I've wanted to read beat authors as well, for a while now, but have only managed to read On the Road so far (which I enjoyed, and you didn't ). This sounds good, autobio and yet not. I really need to bump this novel up on my list. There are books I keep, in fact pretty much all the books I've bought. I've been trying to trim numbers for a while without just giving them away. I had a go at BookMooch the other year but there was little of interest in there. I sent away about 10 books and picked up Robinson Crusoe, The Kite Runner and The Shipping News in return but then ran dry. I ended up closing my account and giving the Mooch points away. I don't re-read books as a general rule so they either take up space or I end up giving them to people. I would much rather swap them for something I havent read than for them to sit looking pretty (and they do look pretty) on my bookcases. There are of course books I wouldnt give away. I have a lovely hardback complete works of Conan Doyle which was bought as a gift that I'll never give away for example. I only really started to read fiction about 18 months ago, before that I was pretty much a non-fiction only reader. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley changed all that. I bought the 1001 Books book as a way to find new stuff to read so have been dipping in and out of it since. Its certainly made me try stuff I would never had read otherwise. As for the Burroughs book Junky, its great if a little short. It mixes themes of post war America, Nomadic ways and realy gritty writing that appeals to me. Themes that are covered in On The Road but I just found Kerouac's writing style a bit difficult to work with at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted December 2, 2011 Author Share Posted December 2, 2011 Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times This one is a little tricky as I rarely if ever re-read books. Its going to have to be a non-fiction title, Buddhism Without Beliefs by Stephen Batchelor. This was the first book about Buddhism I ever read and picked it up purely on a whim. At the time it was probably the ideal introduction to Buddhism I could have read as its very simply laid out. There is little to no dogma in it, everything is tailored to a modern setting. If I had to put a number on it, I've probably read it half a dozen times and given away just as many copies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted December 3, 2011 Author Share Posted December 3, 2011 Day 03 – Your favourite series Almost all the book I read are individual and not part of a series so this make my choice a bit tricky. I've only read 2 series off the top of my head, the Cicero series by Robert Harris and the Millenium trilogy by Steig Larsson. So far I've enjoyed the Cicero books, I'm eagerly awaiting the third book to come along. I have to choose The Millenium Trilogy by Steig Larsson. I had some doubts over whether it would be for me but I really enjoyed it. I was initially also put off a bit by the increasing size of the books but found it to not be a problem after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted December 3, 2011 Author Share Posted December 3, 2011 The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Synopsis Twelve-year-old Amir is desperate to win the approval of his father and resolves to win the local kite-fighting tournament, to prove that he has the makings of a man. His loyal friend Hassan promises to help him - for he always helps Amir - but this is 1970s Afghanistan and Hassan is merely a low-caste servant who is jeered at in the street, although Amir still feels jealous of his natural courage and the place he holds in his father's heart. But neither of the boys could foresee what would happen to Hassan on the afternoon of the tournament, which was to shatter their lives. After the Russians invade and the family is forced to flee to America, Amir realises that one day he must return, to find the one thing that his new world cannot grant him: redemption. (Taken from Amazon) My Thoughts First of all I have to say thanks to Kidsmum, Sofia & Julie for suggesting that I go for The Kite Runner otherwise it may well have sat on my bookcase unread for another year. Its a pretty well read copy I have, it must have been one of my few BookMooch successes. Its been sitting on my bookcase for at least a year maybe more. Onto the book, I absolutely loved it, I've never had a book get to me on an emotional level as much as this one did. Despite trying to avoid anything to do with the book I knew the fate awaiting Hassan as a boy as it has caused some controversy. I thought that Hosseini handled this very well, little to no graphic detail, its all left up to the reader. The first part of the story is beautifully written and it made me a little sad knowing that the good times wouldnt last. The rest of the story pulls the emotion in just the right areas, the good times rise gently but the lows crash in devestating fashion. I like to think I am a good judge of what's going to happen in a books but more than 1 of the plot twists caught me completely off guard. Occasionally they feel a little contrived but not to the point where the story is spoilt. I'm trying to be very careful about not posting any plot spoilers so that I don't spoil it for other people. To this end, I'll skirt over the ending a bit and just say that I thought the ending was perfect. Had it been done in another way I think it would have spoiled the overall tone of the book. This makes me really want to read A Thousand Splendid Suns because I've read that a lot of people think it's even better. Best fiction book I've read this year. 10/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted December 4, 2011 Author Share Posted December 4, 2011 Day 04 – Favourite book of your favourite series It has to be the first book in the series The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. All 3 of the books I really enjoyed but the first one laid down a great foundation and I thought the story line just worked. In the other 2 books I felt there was a little un-needed filler in both, especially at the start of the books. The first one also took the least amount of pages to hook in me in where as some of the others took 150 odd pages to grab me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Day 05 – A book that makes you happy This one is easy for me, Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera. Its a great little book about a girl who wants to become the chief of her tribe. The big issue is that her grandfather believe that tradition dictates that the leader should only be a male. It's one of the few books I've read where the movie was as heart warming as the book. ----------------- On a different note I did something for the first time today, I went book shopping in a charity shop, well two. I don't know why it had never occured to me in the past but for some reason it hadn't. In the end I picked up 7 books for less than £9. I, Robot - Isaac Asimov Smiley's People - John Le Carre Moth Smoke - Mohsin Hamid Fremder - Russell Hoban (picked this up on a whim, sci-fi) White Noise - Don DeLillo Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden Foucault's Pendulum - Umberto Eco It's been a good morning so far. Made a start on Snow by Orhan Pamuk last night, I don't think it's going to be a quick read but I think I'm going to really enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 So glad you enjoyed Kite Runner Brian & I agree with Julie A Thousand Splendid Sons is just as good Great haul from the charity shops , I've had Memoirs of a Geisha for awhile now but haven't got round to reading it yet but it always seems to get good reviews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 I loved Memoirs of a Geisha, I didnt think I would, but it was my favourite book of last year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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