View Full Version : What book are you reading now?
nicodemolga
26-10-09, 07:18
I'm just finished with "Mugabe" by David Smith & Colin Simpson (1981).
"Behind the Bar" by A.E.Bowker. The autobiography of a barrister's clerk.
Boomshanka
26-10-09, 14:02
Dan Brown - The lost symbol :eek:
Just finished The Mary Deare by Hammond Innes, a grand sea thriller of the old school.
If I remember correctly Innes made a packet out of this book and it gave him the cash to build an offshore racer called - Mary Deare.
Molecular Gastronomy by Hervé This, and The Science of Cooking by Peter Barham.
Presents to help keep my mind off grimmer things.
Excellent book -very well written, moves along at a cracking pace and leaves one with a head full of questions afterwards!
purplerobbie
27-10-09, 20:57
Legend. David Gemmell.
Rob
Lost Voices of the Royal Navy: Vivid Eyewitness Accounts of Life in the Royal Navy from 1914-1945, Max Arthur.
Very enjoyable accounts, different times! ;)
machurley22
30-10-09, 18:48
The Boys' Book of the Sea. "21 true stories chosen by Nicholas Monsarrat"
A Race Too Far by Chris Eakin.
Story of the 1968 Golden Globe, harrowing enough for me to have to put it down near the end of the book for a day or so before I could finish it...
Submarine : an anthology of first-hand accounts of the war under the sea, 1939-1945 / edited by Jean Hood.
First hand accounts of what it was like to be a submariner, of all nations, during the second world war. Just started this, but what a breed apart those guys were/are.
Steve
Just finished..A Rumor of War ( American spelling obviously)
Author Philip Caputo..ex US Marine (Infantry)officer Vietnam 1965.
From well intentioned patriotic youngster to disillusioned haunted 'old man' (early 20's) in sixteen months!!
Recommended
Just finished..A Rumor of War ( American spelling obviously)
Author Philip Caputo..ex US Marine (Infantry)officer Vietnam 1965.
From well intentioned patriotic youngster to disillusioned haunted 'old man' (early 20's) in sixteen months!!
Recommended
If you enjoyed A Rumor of War, try "A Bright Shining Lie" by Neil Sheehan. I can't help feeling that those currently involved in pursuing the war in Afghanistan would benefit from reading a book about someone who "....was critical of the U.S. military command, ..... and their inability to adapt to the fact that they were facing a popular guerrilla movement while backing a corrupt regime" (Wikipedia).
Those that do not learn from the lessons of history are fated to repeat them ...
If you enjoyed A Rumor of War, try "A Bright Shining Lie" by Neil Sheehan. I can't help feeling that those currently involved in pursuing the war in Afghanistan would benefit from reading a book about someone who "....was critical of the U.S. military command, ..... and their inability to adapt to the fact that they were facing a popular guerrilla movement while backing a corrupt regime" (Wikipedia).Seconded. It manages that rare thing of teaching you all about the history of a country while seeing it from the point of view of one real person (who happened to have been involved at all the major turning points, IIRC). A really good read
Three on the go at the moment
- John Otterbacher - Outrageous Grace
- Keillor Robertson - A bear called Euston (the evil twin)
- John Grisham - Ford County stories
Europe by Norman Davies.
A history of Europe from Stone Age to the end of the Cold War. I'm only up to the Roman Empire, very readable and never dull. Get someone to give it to you for Christmas. Miles better than the celebrity trash you'll get given instead.
machurley22
10-11-09, 22:19
The Boys' Book of the Sea. "21 true stories chosen by Nicholas Monsarrat"
Not recommended.
Published c 1947.
Superb account of how it used to be!
Here's an excerpt, which is now hard to credit, despite the spirit remaining the same, about the 1939 ROI:
"Humble yachts and expensive yachts, large yachts and small, fast and slow compete in the one great race , and all stand a chance of a prize; the handicappers see to that. Nearly eighty yachts cross the starting line, providing perhaps the finest yachting spectacle of the year."
Entrants 2009 1779!
guernseyman
30-11-09, 00:58
The End of Time, Julian Barbour - an independent physicist who has a theory that time does not exist. I'm sympathetic: it is surely in short supply, at the very least.
Storms and Wild Water, Dag Pike.
I read a great deal, and at some speed (must be something to do with being a librarian!)
In the recent past I have read - for leisure purposes.
All the Ransom "swallows and amazons" series
Most of the Alexander Kent novels
All of the Patrick O'Brian Aubrey series
and I am currently working my way through the "Sharpe" series by Bernard Cornwall.
Workwise - well, that varies a lot! and is not that appropriate here! But as a sample;things like the instructions for making the weirder bits in Excel work properly, British Standard for paint colours, Suppliers of bespoke brass castings by the lost wax process.
Ehbendisdonc
24-12-09, 14:10
A Fraction of the Whole (Steve Toltz). First 100 pages were a blast. Another 100 in and I'm a little less sure. Check it out if you've a slightly twisted sense of humour. (Edit - Finally finished it, and sorry to say it never really regained its initial momentum. Time to get back to some sailing autobiographies).
Also, I'm reading North U Trim by Bill Gladstone. My sailing club only presented prizes for 1st places this year so all those 2nd places counted for nought :-( . The pressure is on for 2010.
I've been saving Bill King's Dive and Attack for my Christmas read. I just had it signed by the great man himself at our Laying Up Supper; at 99 years old he even had a boogie on the dance-floor. If you've never read any of his books, I recommend you track down a copy of 'Adventure in Depth' on Ebay or Amazon for stunning writing about his submarine career and Golden Globe / circumnavigation adventures.
uncledekka
16-01-10, 13:48
Far be it from me to toot my own trumpet, but...
You might be interested in my new book, "Chasing The Horizon". It's about the 2008 Round Britain powerboat race, as seen from my, er, unique perspective. In a nutshell, MBY asked me to cover the race for them, and the end result was ten exhilirating days and sleepless nights as I hopped from boat to boat.
Have a look at my website for more info: http://chasingthehorizon.co.uk
Sorry for the shameless plug!
Derek
Ehbendisdonc
17-01-10, 08:21
Now reading 'Mischief in Patagonia" by HW Tilman. A thoroughly entertaining read so far.
Also, working my way through Moitessier's 'La longue Route'.
I'm sure most of you got sailing books for Christmas. Any good ones?
Blown Away, Herb Payson. Amusing
uncledekka
18-01-10, 17:00
I'm re-reading all of James Crumley's books- he's like a modern-day Hammett or Chandler. Absolute genius!
I have just started to re read the Wilber Smit "Courteney" series. I just find him to be a great storeyteller mixed with a little history!
"Spritsail Barges of Thames and Medway" by Edgar March
Recommended.
Ehbendisdonc
04-03-10, 19:23
Just finished 'Mischief in Patagonia" by HW Tilman. First book in a compendium of 8 sailing/mountaineering books. A very entertaining writer - thoroughly enjoyed it.
Today I finally got my grubby paws on a copy of David Blagden's 'Very Willing Griffin", the story of his Ostar race in a Hunter 19 (!). Boy am I looking forward to this!
Brain, Attachment, Personality
an introduction to neuroaffective development
Rather hard work!
Second to None, by A Kent...
I can't believe that Sir Richard Bolitho is gone:(.. a sad day for all Englishmen;)
Great series I must say..
Barry Jones
25-06-11, 23:14
Treasure Island - Free from Kindle; read on my iPod.
The Long Way by Bernard Moitessier. Loved The Logical Route a few years back, and this is as good.
'Dickens' - by Peter Ackroyd.
I have just finished 'Getting to know your wheelie bin' by Croydon Borough Council.
A Voyage for Madmen - Peter Nichols. (9 men race around the world) a good read.
Next up. Operation Mincemeat - Ben Macintire a true story that changed the course of World War 2 (Spy thriller)
guernseyman
26-06-11, 20:16
The Secret Life of France - Lucy Wadham. Really observant and interesting.
Treasure Islands - Nicholas Shaxon. About tax havens, and the harm they do.
"Nostromo" Joseph Conrad.
Reputed to be one of the best novels ever written. (Kindle) :cool:
Also reading about 2-3 cheap science fiction novels a week (Kindle) :eek:
Reverend Ludd
26-06-11, 22:08
Swallows & Amazons
Children of Cape Horn - Rosie Swale, found it in a marina book exchange, couldn`t put it down, if you hav`nt read it search it out. Definitely recommended.
ralfnalepa
30-06-11, 17:26
The Swarm - Frank Schatzing
Whales begin sinking ships. Toxic, eyeless crabs poison Long Island's water supply. The North Sea shelf collapses, killing thousands in Europe. Around the world, countries are beginning to feel the effects of the ocean's revenge as the seas and their inhabi-tants begin a violent revolution against mankind...
Scary, isn´t it? :eek:
Avoiding sailing yarns as such since I'm living on the boat and fancy a change. Read Millenium People by JG Ballard - an original notion, followed thro with intelligence. Just finished A High Wind in Jamaica by Richard Hughes; excellent read - an unsentimental view of children in it.....and of pirates.
Now reading something foreign and highbrow but think I'll give up.
Promising myself a revisit to Eric Ambler next. Quality thrillers with lots of Balkan atmosphere.
For those who like a detective story written the oldfashioned way (Mickey Spillaine) I came across an American Author "Robert Crais" and I think his books are brilliant. The advantage is that as they are a few years old, the paperbacks are as "Cheap as Chips" on Ebay. But a word of warning and a caution. Once you start reading you end up waiting for his latest book which you end up buying the hardback as soon as it comes out. And the caution, they run in order and try and start at the first book. The film "Hostage" with Bruce Willis was a Crais story and he was a writer on "Hill Street Blues.
Try.
Rum_Pirate
02-07-11, 01:20
Somalia pirates etc.
A ripping yarn so far.
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