2226 replies to this topic

[Santa]

Halfway through On Beauty by Zadie Smith. I do like her work but her prose is so distinctive that I really think she should write shorter books - I can take drinking only beer for the first few but then I need a bit of variety, if you see what I mean. At this stage I'm about Zadie Smith-ed out and need to hear a different voice.

[Thunderfinger]

Something by Dean Koontz.Don

[Pam Bouvier]

Just finnshed The Moneypenny Diaries. Loved it! Can't wait to read the 2nd one.

[Double-0-Seven]

Just finished Casino Royale. You can find my review in this thread.

[Qwerty]

Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie. About 1/4th of the way in and loving it so far.

[Bon-san]

Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie. About 1/4th of the way in and loving it so far.

I've read a slew of Christie's this year. Love them all. But I've still not read that one.


Right now I'm reading Ruth Rendell's A Sight for Sore Eyes. It's very good. This is my first experience with Rendell. I may be reading a lot more. She's apparently one of England's most highly regarded mystery writers.

[spynovelfan]

Do you mean Ruth Rendell, Bon-san? If so, yes, she is very wll known. That Almodovar film LIVE FLESH was based on one of her novels, oddly enough.

I've been reading Humphrey Carpenter's biography of WH Auden - fascinating stuff.

[Qwerty]

Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie. About 1/4th of the way in and loving it so far.

I've read a slew of Christie's this year. Love them all. But I've still not read that one.

I recommend it so far. I've been trying to read all 80 in order, and this is one of her last books I believe.

[Bon-san]

Do you mean Ruth Rendell, Bon-san? If so, yes, she is very wll known. That Almodovar film LIVE FLESH was based on one of her novels, oddly enough.

Ah! I didn't have the book at hand, and I somehow remembered it as Grendel. The joys of aging. (I've corrected my original post, accordingly. Thanks snf. )

I imagined she was well known in the UK. Perhaps she is similarly famous Stateside as well. Somehow, I've missed her, until now.

Interesting about the Almodovar film. I almost rented that once. Now, I'll have to put it back on the list.

[Qwerty]

The Golden Ball & other stories by Agatha Christie. Includes one with a main character named none other than James Bond.

[Lazenby880]

I imagined she was well known in the UK. Perhaps she is similarly famous Stateside as well. Somehow, I've missed her, until now.

Ruth Rendell is a consistently popular author here in the United Kingdom. I'm not a fan, although if you are you might enjoy this essay.

Edited by Lazenby880, 17 August 2006 - 01:56 AM.

[TortillaFactory]

Just finished the V for Vendetta graphic novel, with plans to watch the film tonight or tomorrow. It was really quite good. Three cheers for Alan Moore, eh? I have severe doubts that the movie will measure up.

[Harmsway]

Just finished the V for Vendetta graphic novel, with plans to watch the film tonight or tomorrow. It was really quite good. Three cheers for Alan Moore, eh? I have severe doubts that the movie will measure up.

The movie doesn't measure up. If you go into the film expecting a popcorn version of the graphic novel, then that's what you'll get. But there are still a lot of directly replicated sequences that will give you joy (the Valerie sequence, for one).

As for me, I'm reading Michael Chabon's Pulitzer-prize winning novel, THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER & CLAY. Pretty darn good thus far.

[Thunderfinger]

I

[Blonde Bond]

Last book I read was "Live and Let Die" and currently I'm almost finished reading "Diamonds Are Forever"

So for a while I haven't read anything but bond novels; CR,LALD & DAF.

[Agent 76]

I'm going to read Thunderball.

[Qwerty]

Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie

[Roebuck]

As for me, I'm reading Michael Chabon's Pulitzer-prize winning novel, THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER & CLAY. Pretty darn good thus far.

Hope you enjoy the rest just as much. Best modern novel I've read in the last couple of years.

Just finishing off 'Enzo Ferrari - A Life' by Richard Williams. Actually, the title is a little misleading. This book isn't as much a biography of Ferrari as it is a history of the racing team that bares his name. Instead of the usual pretty car photos, Williams' packs out his book with terrific anecdotes about the greats of Italian motorsport. There's enough drama and tragedy in these pages to keep even non-petrolheads entertained, backed up with interviews with the people who built and drove those classic automobiles.

[Jericho_One]

Taking some time off books to read all the back issues of National Geographic I left behind during the last months.

[Qwerty]

Licence To Thrill by James Chapman

[Matt_13]

LORD OF THE FLIES

I hate it, it's a school book, it makes no sense to me at all.

[Johnboy007]

LORD OF THE FLIES

I hate it, it's a school book, it makes no sense to me at all.

Never cared for it myself. Still, it's fun to see where Lost stole all of its ideas.

[James Boldman]

FYEO at the moment. I should be reading up for Uni...but no I'm reading Bond lol. Just finished RAVTAK and started FYEO. Before that I finally got through reading CR, after about my 7th or 8th attempt!

[Lazenby880]

Anthony Eden: A Life and Reputation by David Dutton.

A fascinating study of one of our most controversial prime ministers. Reading it one cannot help but acquire an empathy for Eden as a man; a man with a far more multifaceted personality than many accepted at the time or have accepted since. There is an undeniable feeling of tragedy that such an important political figure under Chamberlain and Churchill should be reduced to a punchline, his reputation shattered by the Suez crisis which was, whatever mistakes were made, a most complex issue.

A detailed and balanced examination that is definitely worth a read.

Edited by Lazenby880, 02 September 2006 - 04:15 PM.

[Jim]

Captain Aristide

Which I understand is about to be a film with Viggo Thing in it. Could be good - solid book for a quiet hour.

[Jericho_One]

The Shoes of the Fisherman, by Morris West.

Interesting book about a slavic cardinal coming from a gulag in Siberia to ultimately be elected Pope (interestingly, this was written some years before John Paul II's election) against the backdrop of the Cold War and an eminent world conflict.
It was made into a movie with Anthony Quinn in the main role back in the sixties.

Edited by Jericho_One, 03 September 2006 - 12:31 PM.

[Kilroy6644]

Ruled Britannia by Harry Turtledove. The Spanish Armada succeeded in conquering England, and now it's up to Shakespeare to write a play that will inspire the people to rise up against Spain. It's alright so far, but I'm having a hard time getting into it. I don't know why.

[DamnCoffee]

I cant get enough of CR at the moment so i'm reading that

[bond_girl_double07]

I'm reading about 15 different books right now (the price of working at a library ) but top of the list is "Turn of the Screw" by Henry James, "The Last Hero" (a Simon Templar novel), and a Teen book called "It's Kind of a Funny Story" (I work with high schoolers at the library, so it's kind of a work read..)

Ohhh, and "License Renewed" for the Blades

[Lazenby880]

"The Last Hero" (a Simon Templar novel)

Do let us know what you thought of that one. Quite different in style to the previous stories (in Meet