What Books Are People Reading Now ?

[BookMan]

Fantasy genre I presume?

Mixture of fantasy, comedy, satire and tragedy all rolled into one.

[StreetCowboy]

Fantasy genre I presume?

Mixture of fantasy, comedy, satire and tragedy all rolled into one.

all the ingredients of a great TV post...

SC

[BookMan]

Fantasy genre I presume?

Mixture of fantasy, comedy, satire and tragedy all rolled into one.

all the ingredients of a great TV post...

SC

[londoedan]

has anyone read EL James 'Fifty Shades of Grey'?

http://en.wikipedia...._Shades_of_Grey

Apparently it has now sold 30 million copies!!

I had a friend in the book selling trade who read it and thought it was rubbish.

Be interested if anyone has cast their eyes through it. Ill be giving it a read when it comes through my way.

the article is here:

http://www.smh.com.a...0728-231sr.html

Judging by your avatar name, I don't think your in 50SOG's target audience

It has been banned in a number of US states this year - see this list: http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/top-10-banned-books.html

Number of interesting books in the list - I've not read Ulysses - not sure I'm up to it, though I liked Dubliners and Portrait.

[DMC1]

Peter James's Brighton (UK) detective series. Enjoyable, mentioned above.

Anything by Cormack McCarthy. Enjoyable, different style of writing.

What about anyones thoughts on really over rated books? Apart from The Bible.

[BookMan]

Peter James's Brighton (UK) detective series. Enjoyable, mentioned above.

Anything by Cormack McCarthy. Enjoyable, different style of writing.

What about anyones thoughts on really over rated books? Apart from The Bible.

I would second Cormac Mccarthy. The Road and No Country for Old Men are excellent. Both are bleak and dark in parts, but those stories stay with you for a very long time.

Over rated books?

Harry Potter? Personally i enjoyed this series, but many sure did not

Da Vinci Code? Again i enjoyed this book, but many loathe it

[richardjm65]

I read The Da Vinci Code a long while back and found it trite. Just completed his Lost Symbol and regret wasting my time with it.

I keep all of the John Le Carre books for frequent re-reads. Great stuff - believable characters, good plots.

Most of Graham Greene's stuff is good, but some books are a bit dated with unlikely dialogue.

Paul Theroux's travel books - great, his railway journey's especially.

James Lee Burke writes well and gives an insight into southern US characters and locations - interesting plots, too.

Who'd be without books?

[GarryP]

Peter James's Brighton (UK) detective series. Enjoyable, mentioned above.

Anything by Cormack McCarthy. Enjoyable, different style of writing.

What about anyones thoughts on really over rated books? Apart from The Bible.

I would second Cormac Mccarthy. The Road and No Country for Old Men are excellent. Both are bleak and dark in parts, but those stories stay with you for a very long time.

Over rated books?

Harry Potter? Personally i enjoyed this series, but many sure did not

Da Vinci Code? Again i enjoyed this book, but many loathe it

Liked most of the Harry Potter books, but I fall in that group that hated the Da Vinci Code. The underlying story was interesting and the plot was good, but it was so poorly written I do no know how the publishers let it go to print without some really good editing. Of course, it was a best seller and not something I could have done, but armchair critics and all that.

What is amusing, at least to simple minded people like me, is that I submitted something I had written to one of those "Who do I write like?" websites and it claimed I wrote in the style of none other than Mr. Dan Brown himself. Now there's a kick in the <deleted> for you!!!!!!

[BookMan]

Peter James's Brighton (UK) detective series. Enjoyable, mentioned above.

Anything by Cormack McCarthy. Enjoyable, different style of writing.

What about anyones thoughts on really over rated books? Apart from The Bible.

I would second Cormac Mccarthy. The Road and No Country for Old Men are excellent. Both are bleak and dark in parts, but those stories stay with you for a very long time.

Over rated books?

Harry Potter? Personally i enjoyed this series, but many sure did not

Da Vinci Code? Again i enjoyed this book, but many loathe it

Liked most of the Harry Potter books, but I fall in that group that hated the Da Vinci Code. The underlying story was interesting and the plot was good, but it was so poorly written I do no know how the publishers let it go to print without some really good editing. Of course, it was a best seller and not something I could have done, but armchair critics and all that.

What is amusing, at least to simple minded people like me, is that I submitted something I had written to one of those "Who do I write like?" websites and it claimed I wrote in the style of none other than Mr. Dan Brown himself. Now there's a kick in the <deleted> for you!!!!!!

. Maybe you didn't like him because he reminded you of your own style?

I have not met a lot of people who enjoyed the da Vinci code, but ill stand by it! It was one of those books I wanted to keep reading to the end and stayed up till the early hours doing so.

I tried his Lost Symbol, as richardjm65 mentioned and that was about 10 pages in and i gave it away

[BookMan]

Gore Vidal is dead!

Just read on another thread that Gore Vidal has died.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19074230

[Gaccha]

Just finished Machiavelli's The Prince. Quite a let down. I expected stunning insight, instead I got discussions of forts and mercenaries.

By way of contrast, Clausewitz's On War was superb. He is more quoted than read. And those who quote him just don't get it.

I'm now reading De Tocqueville.

I am not sure I've had such a cheap run of books before. All free.

[BookMan]

Just finished Machiavelli's The Prince. Quite a let down. I expected stunning insight, instead I got discussions of forts and mercenaries.

By way of contrast, Clausewitz's On War was superb. He is more quoted than read. And those who quote him just don't get it.

I'm now reading De Tocqueville.

I am not sure I've had such a cheap run of books before. All free.

There are some great books for free out there now! I presume you are using an e-reader of some type?

Where do you access your free titles from?

[Gaccha]

Despite my age I am quite old fashioned. I prefer paper.

Some works are here as new versions that are very readable: http://www.earlymoderntexts.com.html

I recommend Hume's Enquiry.

I simply get them printed out as books at 30 satang a page.... Meaning when I want to read them they are not quite free.

I get the other books from the university libraries (e.g. Clausewitz) and the libraries will photocopy as complete books within the library. I never borrow as I want to scribble my thoughts on them. Costs around 75 satang a page (including cost of book binding). This is all legal.

Next intended read is Nietzsche's Dawn.

[BuckarooBanzai]

Just got done with Deception Point by Dan Brown and found it an enjoyable read on my kindle. Good twist in the plot pretty much killed my sense of superiority of knowing how the book would end. Pretty short book so a quick read. Have not read any of his other books so do not know how this compares for those who already have opinions based on his other offerings.

[segedunum]

The Taliban Cricket Club by Timeri N. Murari.

An insight into the scary world of the Taliban and the consequences for Afghan people. Especially Women.

[BookMan]

Just got done with Deception Point by Dan Brown and found it an enjoyable read on my kindle. Good twist in the plot pretty much killed my sense of superiority of knowing how the book would end. Pretty short book so a quick read. Have not read any of his other books so do not know how this compares for those who already have opinions based on his other offerings.

I really enjoyed the da Vinci Code. One of those books you want to keep reading until 4am till it finishes

[Gladiator]

Another couple of books which I have just read, Difficult to get into but the reward is astounding:

The Shadow of the Wind

by Carlos Ruiz Fafon

Transated into English language and

Imprimatur

by Monaldi and Sorti.

Translated into English language

Difficult in a short place and space of time to describe the plots. Both are 'Faction' - Is that the correct word? But if your are serious about reading then I commend them and I hope that you will enjoy.

Gladiator

[BookMan]

Despite my age I am quite old fashioned. I prefer paper.

Some works are here as new versions that are very readable: http://www.earlymoderntexts.com.html

I recommend Hume's Enquiry.

I simply get them printed out as books at 30 satang a page.... Meaning when I want to read them they are not quite free.

I get the other books from the university libraries (e.g. Clausewitz) and the libraries will photocopy as complete books within the library. I never borrow as I want to scribble my thoughts on them. Costs around 75 satang a page (including cost of book binding). This is all legal.

Next intended read is Nietzsche's Dawn.

Thanks for that link.

You are certainly getting into some meaty classics.

[Gaccha]

You prompted me to find out who is behind these fantastic new versions of classic works. Turns out it is an ex oxford philosophy prof.

I wonder if he takes requests...

[MAJIC]

Just finished the moons a balloon,David Niven.

Very funny!

So is his second book "Bring on the empty horses"

[David006]

Peter James's Brighton (UK) detective series. Enjoyable, mentioned above.

Anything by Cormack McCarthy. Enjoyable, different style of writing.

What about anyones thoughts on really over rated books? Apart from The Bible.

I would second Cormac Mccarthy. The Road and No Country for Old Men are excellent. Both are bleak and dark in parts, but those stories stay with you for a very long time.

Over rated books?

Harry Potter? Personally i enjoyed this series, but many sure did not

Da Vinci Code? Again i enjoyed this book, but many loathe it

Liked most of the Harry Potter books, but I fall in that group that hated the Da Vinci Code. The underlying story was interesting and the plot was good, but it was so poorly written I do no know how the publishers let it go to print without some really good editing. Of course, it was a best seller and not something I could have done, but armchair critics and all that.

What is amusing, at least to simple minded people like me, is that I submitted something I had written to one of those "Who do I write like?" websites and it claimed I wrote in the style of none other than Mr. Dan Brown himself. Now there's a kick in the <deleted> for you!!!!!!

Interesting isn't it..the more one reads one tends to be more critical or discriminating of style and story line....

...often pick up a used book that looks interesting get a few page into it and "oh no here we go again!"....starting to avoid #1 best sellers featuring quintessential descriptions of Gucci dressed female detectives etc, sipping on overpriced coffee, descriptions of side arms , high tech stuff etc etc....all a bit of a yawn...same same...not that I did not enjoy them at one time though.

Just read a couple of British cop crime thrillers by Boris Starling..Messiah and Visibility....real down to earth stuff, easy reading and very funny in parts...great characters..Also Stewart MacBride's Blind Eye...same genre .....worth a read...

[BookMan]

You prompted me to find out who is behind these fantastic new versions of classic works. Turns out it is an ex oxford philosophy prof.

I wonder if he takes requests...

What would you like to request?

[GarryP]

I've read a lot of Irvine Welsh's stuff and always found it entertaining, but sometimes found it quite heavy trying to understand the vernacular used. Plenty of delayed laughter.

Carl Hiaasen is also hilarious.

For travelogues, Paul Theroux is great. Some of Bryson's stuff is good too. Very different styles but both eminently readable. Michael Palin's books were interest holding but for me not as enjoyable.

For the horror genre I like Clive Barker, who has a weird and wonderfully malignant sense of evil.

Just finished Stephen King's latest and enjoyed that. I'm going to the bookstore in my lunch break to pick something up. No idea what, but that is half the fun of going.

Contemplating Kindle but when I asked staff in B2S at Central Bang Na yesterday, it took four staff to determine thay they did indeed sell them but no one knew where they were. Finally, a single display model was located, but I had, by that time, lost the desire to spend money at that branch.

[GarryP]

A number of posters bang on about the Flashman series, so I have just bought Flash For Freedom to test the water. I also bought Zero Day by David Baldaccci.

[BookMan]

A number of posters bang on about the Flashman series, so I have just bought Flash For Freedom to test the water. I also bought Zero Day by David Baldaccci.

I have also put two Flashman books aside this very day! I have added them to my reading pile for the week that is coming

[Rsquared]

Just followed DMC1's advice and downloaded "Fooling Houdini".......1/3 of the way through and a very interesting read, especially about the world renowned card expert who is .........blind.

Amazing stuff.

[baboon]

I've read a lot of Irvine Welsh's stuff and always found it entertaining, but sometimes found it quite heavy trying to understand the vernacular used. Plenty of delayed laughter.

Carl Hiaasen is also hilarious.

For travelogues, Paul Theroux is great. Some of Bryson's stuff is good too. Very different styles but both eminently readable. Michael Palin's books were interest holding but for me not as enjoyable.

For the horror genre I like Clive Barker, who has a weird and wonderfully malignant sense of evil.

Just finished Stephen King's latest and enjoyed that. I'm going to the bookstore in my lunch break to pick something up. No idea what, but that is half the fun of going.

Contemplating Kindle but when I asked staff in B2S at Central Bang Na yesterday, it took four staff to determine thay they did indeed sell them but no one knew where they were. Finally, a single display model was located, but I had, by that time, lost the desire to spend money at that branch.

Why not just order one direct from Amazon? Go on, you know you want to....

[DMC1]

Just followed DMC1's advice and downloaded "Fooling Houdini".......1/3 of the way through and a very interesting read, especially about the world renowned card expert who is .........blind.

Amazing stuff.

I loved the book and I've got to admit afterwards I spent a lot of time on youtube looking at how the heck some of these guys do these card deals, tricks and sleights.

Edited August 4, 2012 by DMC1

[londoedan]

B2S at Central .

This book-shop in Central Pattaya was by far the biggest and IMHO the best, but last month they were having a huge sale of all of their English language titles and I got the impression that they were closing this side of their business (in Pattya at least). There are a couple of Bookzine shops in town but they are fairly small - looks like I'll need to go to BKK in future to stock-up

[Rsquared]

Just followed DMC1's advice and downloaded "Fooling Houdini".......1/3 of the way through and a very interesting read, especially about the world renowned card expert who is .........blind.

Amazing stuff.

I loved the book and I've got to admit afterwards I spent a lot of time on youtube looking at how the heck some of these guys do these card deals, tricks and sleights.

Yes I love magic tricks.

For me knowing how it is done does not take away any of the "magic", it only makes me respect the skills of the magician even more.