March Reading thread

Message

bookshopboy · #16 Post by **bookshopboy** » Fri 05 Mar 2004, 4:42 pm

dizzy wrote: 'Making History' by Stephen Fry

This was the 1st book by Stephen Fry that I read. I think its his best novel.

PigletWildebeest · Fri 05 Mar 2004, 4:54 pm

bookshopboy wrote:
dizzy wrote: 'Making History' by Stephen Fry
This was the 1st book by Stephen Fry that I read. I think its his best novel.

I've most of his books I think... The star's tennis balls, The liar, Moab, Paperweight...
This one's definitely very good.
"Mikey"'s just woken up in the States..

bigboy · #18 Post by **bigboy** » Fri 05 Mar 2004, 5:00 pm

bookshopboy wrote:
dizzy wrote: 'Making History' by Stephen Fry
This was the 1st book by Stephen Fry that I read.

He lives around the corner from me. Big guy too.

PigletWildebeest · Fri 05 Mar 2004, 5:03 pm

bigboy wrote:
bookshopboy wrote:
dizzy wrote: 'Making History' by Stephen Fry
This was the 1st book by Stephen Fry that I read.
He lives around the corner from me. Big guy too.

say hi to him from a belgian lass.
On second thoughts, don't, he might move.

he's 6ft something isn't he...
Or are we referring to other things here, you big pervert?

dizzy · #20 Post by **dizzy** » Fri 05 Mar 2004, 5:22 pm

PigletWildebeest wrote:say hi to him from a belgian lass.
On second thoughts, don't, he might move.

he's 6ft something isn't he...
Or are we referring to other things here, you big pervert?

Congratulations to post number 11111

So far 'The star's tennis balls' is my favourite, I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know the ending

And what a great ending...

PigletWildebeest · Fri 05 Mar 2004, 5:28 pm

dizzy wrote:
Congratulations to post number 11111

So far 'The star's tennis balls' is my favourite, I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know the ending And what a great ending...

Oh me too! I started reading it on the train to a class and I didn't want to get off the train cos I'd have to put it down... it was hell!

bigboy · #22 Post by **bigboy** » Fri 05 Mar 2004, 7:22 pm

PigletWildebeest wrote: he's 6ft something isn't he...
Or are we referring to other things here, you big pervert?

Charmant!

amhilde · #23 Post by **amhilde** » Sat 06 Mar 2004, 7:36 pm

Lets see, I usually have quite a few going at the same time, so we have:

1) American Psycho- Bret Easton Ellis- I read this 400 pager straight through last weekend. I recommend not doing that- its emotionally draining!

2) The Oxford Guide to the First World War

3) The Disenchanted Isle- wow, Thatcher really WAS quite crap!- about the decline since 1945 of England and the lead up to why Thatcher did what she did

4) Dublin Tenement LIfe- Oral History book on well, Dublin Tenenment Life. Apparently was pretty grim

5) The Age of Illusion: Britain between the wars 1919-1939. Depicts the placement and social importance of popular figures like Lawrence of Arabia and John Reith.

6) Silver Linings- Travels Around Northern Ireland

7) The English Seaside Resort: A social history 1750-1914

Culture and Identity Politics in Northern Ireland

9) The Spinster and her Enemies: Feminism and Sexuality 1880-1930

10) Journey to the End of the Night- anothre WW1 book but this time its a novel

Dreamcatcher2003 · Sat 06 Mar 2004, 8:53 pm

Very nice topic, Jack! Thank you.

1. Stephen King- Wolves of Calla

No need to tell what it is like. Dark Tower afficianados might know very well about it.

2. John Le Carre- Absolute Friends

Wonderful- still the master of spy

3. John Grisham- The Last Juror

Iykk- second book by him after the Partner and it is worse....never to read him again

4. New Pearl Harbour: Disturbing Questions About the Bush Administration and 9/11

I have an advance copy of this and it is really disturbing---particularly recommended for the American friends here

Enough for the time being

Jack the Lad · #25 Post by **Jack the Lad** » Sun 07 Mar 2004, 12:38 pm

The Last Three Minutes: Conjectures About the Ultimate Fate of the Universe - P. C. W. Davies

Davies (natural philosophy, U. of Adelaide, Australia) presents a variety of scenarios for the ultimate fate of the universe. He describes theories such as the earth's predicted collision in 2126 with the Swift-Tuttle comet, Helmholtz's theory of the universe's slow disintegration by entropy, and speculations that the violent collapse of our universe may give birth through an umbilical wormhole to a new universe. Davies examines the scientific as well as the human implications of the alternative endings to our universal drama.

(the above was taken from amazon)

eventhough it's a bit outdated (published in 1994), it's quite interesting. well written.

Scandal · #26 Post by **Scandal** » Tue 09 Mar 2004, 9:22 pm

Status Anxiety by Alain de Botton.

Deschanel · #27 Post by **Deschanel** » Tue 09 Mar 2004, 10:07 pm

I really loved "How proust can Change your life" by de Botton..

I'm in a strong Virginia Woolf phase: Diaries Vol. 1 and 2 (1915-1925), the 1970 biography by Quentin Bell, plus excerpts of her novels in the "VW reader".

I also met a Woolf scholar last week! It's good to have someone to tawk to.

Also:"Serious Pleasures -A life of Stephen Tennant", about the reclusive aesthete who pretty much stayed in bed his whole life. Neil Tennant mentioned reading this a hundred years ago. (no relation).

Also "The Flaneur " by Edmund White, "Broadway" by Brooks Atkinson, "Book of Blues" by Jack Kerouac.

San Francisco has a superb library system- it's saving me a fortune too!

Pani · #28 Post by **Pani** » Tue 09 Mar 2004, 10:25 pm

Deschanel wrote:Virginia Woolf ...

I had a Woolf phase in 1989 and I have read "The Waves" and otheres.
I was inspired by Holly Johnson ... who has mentioned her and "The Waves" in an interview.
I have read her biography too.

bigboy · #29 Post by **bigboy** » Tue 09 Mar 2004, 10:28 pm

Deschanel wrote:Virginia Woolf

Some people are afraid of her, I think

Pani · #30 Post by **Pani** » Tue 09 Mar 2004, 11:01 pm

bigboy wrote:
Deschanel wrote:Virginia Woolf
Some people are afraid of her, I think

Liz Taylor?
Richard Burton?