2226 replies to this topic

[Jim]

Black Butterfly. Most jolly.

(and has a rather splendid Chopping pastiche cover - see link)

http://www.amazon.co...u...0029&sr=1-1

[Scrambled Eggs]

Black Butterfly. Most jolly.

(and has a rather splendid Chopping pastiche cover - see link)

http://www.amazon.co...u...0029&sr=1-1

Eh? A third Lucifer Box novel? When did this happen?

A trip to Waterstones beckons.

[Single-O-Seven]

The Chancellor Manuscript - Robert Ludlum. I've been told it's one of his best, and I could use some mindless thrills.

[Se7en]

To Kill A Mockingbird. I've been told it's one of the best books out there. I guess I will see.

[Blonde Bond]

Dan Brown - Angels & Demons


Long time coming. I managed to read 'The Da Vinci Code' just barely before the film was announced. So my mind wasn't corrupted by the images of having Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon. I'm not sure if I'm the only one who thought Jean Reno was a perfect casting. I mean as the French detective. From the start I had an image of Jean Reno in my head. I'm not sure how I imagined Robert Langdon. But Hanks wasn't bad either.

I've been trying to get this 'Angels and Demons' into my clutches for quite some time. Every library I've tried has always had the book in loan to someone not me! Anyway, since I know the movie is coming out soon, I want to read this novel before seeing it/any of the trailers that might ruin the reading experience for me.

[Athena3]

Dan Brown - Angels & Demons


Long time coming. I managed to read 'The Da Vinci Code' just barely before the film was announced. So my mind wasn't corrupted by the images of having Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon. I'm not sure if I'm the only one who thought Jean Reno was a perfect casting. I mean as the French detective. From the start I had an image of Jean Reno in my head. I'm not sure how I imagined Robert Langdon. But Hanks wasn't bad either.

I've been trying to get this 'Angels and Demons' into my clutches for quite some time. Every library I've tried has always had the book in loan to someone not me! Anyway, since I know the movie is coming out soon, I want to read this novel before seeing it/any of the trailers that might ruin the reading experience for me.

You're gonna enjoy it. I thought it much better than Da Vinci Code...I couldn't read it fast enough. But I'm wondering how they're gonna translate it to film. Wholly smokes..the Vatican will be pissed if they stay true to the book.

[Athena3]

Well, I'm multi tasking.
Reread the Star Wars Hand of Thrawn, two book series, and now moving into Outbound Flight for the first time, by Timothy Zahn. I've been told he's the best Star Wars author out there and I shouldn't even bother with anyone else. So I've stuck with Zahn...Wow, he is great The Heir to the Empire trilogy was phenominal! I'm telling you right now...he's the reason why The Creator doesn't want to make any more Star Wars movies...Lucas doesn't need to. That three book series of Zahn's says it all!

Also reading 100 Vicious Little Vampire Stories. A collection of vampire short stories by Robert Weinberg. Definitely no Anne Rice novel.

[Santa]

At the moment I'm reading Simon Schama's History of Britain Vol. 1, The Cleaning Bible by Kim & Aggie, and best of all, Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile. Usually for me the fun in Christie is working out who dunnit. I always think I've got it and I never, ever do. Yet with Death on the Nile I already know exactly what happens. I've seen the Peter Ustinov film of it so many times - and yet the book is still utterly compelling, which is a testament to just how well she writes. Very impressive. I've been reading a lot of hers lately but the one I've loved the most is Murder on the Orient Express. Wow, that really was fabulous. I still have a bit of a problem with her characterisation of women - in her world, beautiful women are always flawed. They may be arrogant/spoiled/stupid/shallow/selfish, or any number of undesirable elements. When she writes a woman who is truly good in character, they are always homely or dowdy. Has anyone else noticed this?
I'm hoping someone (Qwerty maybe?) can help me with a little Christie question. When I was young, under 10 I think, I saw a film version of one of her books. It was an old film, black & white and I think (although I'm not certain) that it was a Miss Marple played by Joan Hickson. I don't remember any details but I'm sure the story was about an old man who dies (I think he's pushed down stairs) but murder is suspected. The culprit turns out to have been a cat, who scared the old man. Does that ring a bell for anyone? If so, can you tell me the title of that book?

[Qwerty]

I'm hoping someone (Qwerty maybe?) can help me with a little Christie question. When I was young, under 10 I think, I saw a film version of one of her books. It was an old film, black & white and I think (although I'm not certain) that it was a Miss Marple played by Joan Hickson. I don't remember any details but I'm sure the story was about an old man who dies (I think he's pushed down stairs) but murder is suspected. The culprit turns out to have been a cat, who scared the old man. Does that ring a bell for anyone? If so, can you tell me the title of that book?

Sounds like the film in question is Murder At The Gallop made in the 1960s I think.

If so, then it is loosely based off the novel After The Funeral. I say loosely because Miss Marple is featured in the film, while in the novel, it's Hercule Poirot.

Hope that helps a bit.

[Santa]

I'm hoping someone (Qwerty maybe?) can help me with a little Christie question. When I was young, under 10 I think, I saw a film version of one of her books. It was an old film, black & white and I think (although I'm not certain) that it was a Miss Marple played by Joan Hickson. I don't remember any details but I'm sure the story was about an old man who dies (I think he's pushed down stairs) but murder is suspected. The culprit turns out to have been a cat, who scared the old man. Does that ring a bell for anyone? If so, can you tell me the title of that book?

Sounds like the film in question is Murder At The Gallop made in the 1960s I think.

If so, then it is loosely based off the novel After The Funeral. I say loosely because Miss Marple is featured in the film, while in the novel, it's Hercule Poirot.

Hope that helps a bit.

OK, I have After the Funeral but haven't read it yet. I'll start that one next. Thank you, Qwerty.

[Qwerty]

No problem. Let me know what you think of that one once you've read it.

[Jericho_One]

At the moment, The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova.

[Agent 76]

A Song of Ice and Fire - Book 1 " A Game of Thrones" by George RR Martin .

[BlackFire]

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer.

It's good.

[00Twelve]

Can't wait to pick this up, Star Wars kid that I am.

This has got to be the best cover art for a celebrity autobiography I've ever seen:

[Qwerty]

Now that I'm finally on break I can resume the gazillion books I've had waiting for me. Might start with Ian Fleming's Secret War first.

[AgentBentley]

I just bought Cormac McCarthy's 'No Country for Old Men.' I hope it's not as sparse as The Road.

[Harmsway]

I just bought Cormac McCarthy's 'No Country for Old Men.' I hope it's not as sparse as The Road.

It's not at all as sparse as THE ROAD.

But if you've already seen the movie, it reads like a novelization of the film.

[mrsbonds_ppk]

LMAO that is a great book cover 00twelve! Carrie Fisher is hilarious....

I just got my copy of The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones. Yes, I'm on a Indiana Jones kick and this book is great.

[Safari Suit]

A Bit of a Blur by Alex James

An entertaining and evocative read. I've read criticisms of this book because he seems to have actually enjoyed being a pop star rather than seeing himself as some kind of tortured artist. I'm no fan of decadance, but I would rather someone be honest about having enjoyed a life many people would dream of rather than indulge in gloomy, self-pitying posturing.

Also ordered Mike Oldfield's autobiography which I hear is highly critical of Richard Branson. Sounds like fun.

[Mr. Blofeld]

The Spy Who Loved Me, by Ian Fleming. A fantastic first-person read, and Vivienne's various lovers seem strangely autobiographical of Fleming. Still, the closest thing besides Quantum of Solace that we get to really touching ordinary people in the Fleming canon.

[Jeff007]

I just read Rich Dad Poor Dad. Quite an easy read and with some good information.

[Single-O-Seven]

Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything."
An engaging, informative, and very entertaining read.

[Kilroy6644]

The Goliath Bone by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins.

Not too bad so far.

[Captain Tightpants]

Divine Justice by David Baldacci.

For a while now, I'm afraid Baldacci may have piqued too soon. Total Control and The Winner were brilliant, while Saving Faith and Last Man Standing were enjoyable in their own right even if they were a little by-the-numbers. Split Second was exceptionally diappointing, but Hour Game made up for it by moving back into more familiar territory.

But then came The Camel Club, a story of a bunch of conspiracy theorists who somehow end up in the most confusing climax I've ever read under a CIA training facility. The Collectors was forgettable enough that I've actually forgotten about it, but Stone Cold showed the occasional moment of early Baldacci and managed to trim some of the more unneccessary characters out of the way. However, Simple Genius and The Simple Truth were terrible.

Divine Justice is the direct sequel to Stone Cold; in many ways, the closing chapters of Stone Cold belong here as it's six months after the main events of the story. Baldacci's Spartan story-telling method doesn't help that much: he's very bare-boned in his approach to descriptions, so if something gets a little more detail than everything else, you know it's going to be important. Honestly, I'm not buring through this one because I've seen a lot of it before. Baldacci was at his best when he was telling stand-alone stories like Total Control, so I'm thinking that if I don't enjoy this one, I might be done with him ...

[MadThing007]

My last book that I've read was from school: La Fée Carabine (I tried a
traduction:The fairy rifle.)

The scene takes place in a such a big city called "Belleville". And, a day, a young policeman, Vanini, was killed by..an old lady with a P.38. Why? The old ladies are killed in Belleville, and they're really nerveous. This book, written by Daniel Pennac, is so funny and the ending is really well written..but they're too many characters!

Edited by MadThing007, 06 January 2009 - 08:00 PM.

[Jose]

Slaughterhouse-Five. Some classmates recommended it to me after they told me my writing style reminded them of Vonnegut. Weird. After this, I'll read the lovely bones before the movie comes out.

[Johnboy007]

With the change in semester comes a change in books. No noteworthy books this semester, just science and numbers books.

So...

Personal reading: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carre

[Harmsway]

LOVE IN THE RUINS by Walker Percy.

[dodge]

LOVE IN THE RUINS by Walker Percy.

Don't you ever get tired of reading such fluff?