What are you reading?

[Danger Man]

They're bloody amazing, those short stories. For the most part, any way.  Looking forward to reading your thoughts on "Answers To A Questionnaire."

EDIT:  Oh yeah, and "The Greatest Television Show on Earth."

The Index is the type of thing where you want to stand up and applaud after reading.

[saltysnacks]

Accidentally quoted my own post, ignore.

[Neville Chamberlain]

The Index is the type of thing where you want to stand up and applaud after reading.

I like the idea of standing up and clapping after finishing a book. I'll let you know how I respond.

[Artie Fufkin]

China Mievelle's The City & The City.
I've been meaning to read this for ages, and now they've done the BBC adaptation of it, I thought I'd read it before I watched it.
I'm vaguely aware of the 'situation' in the book. If I hadn't been, it would be a complete headfuck; 'I didn't notice the woman, and followed her to her flat' etc., WTF?
I've read one of his books; Perdido Street Station. He writes well.
His reboot of the comic Dial H was great, too.

[Famous Mortimer]

I only ever read his first novel and it bored me to tears (Mieville) although I quite liked Dial H. No idea why I never went back to his stuff.

[Ray Travez]

Backseat Bedroom- A Concise Guide to Living in a Car- Nick Andrews
It's ok. Probably too much autobiographical stuff about his girlfriends and music career, when I only really want to know where his feet and head go and how does he avoid freezing to death. Seems like a likeable chap. Style a bit breathless.

Jarhead- Anthony Swofford
Excellent. Philosophical, humourous, and pulls no punches. So different to my memory of the fillum, I'll have to watch it again. Probably better than the film, in a different way, but I highly rate both.

Sebastian Junger- Tribe
Interesting musings on why both civilians and combatants miss war. Some good stuff about PTSD, but very little in the way of solutions to the issues he raises. Makes some strong political points about the bankers who caused the world economy to crash, causing pain to many and loss of life, but still managing to evade all punishment. I'll have to read again to fully digest it. Ends very suddenly. You turn the page, and- oh! That's it. 

[Artie Fufkin]

Backseat Bedroom- A Concise Guide to Living in a Car- Nick Andrews
It's ok. Probably too much autobiographical stuff about his girlfriends and music career, when I only really want to know where his feet and head go and how does he avoid freezing to death. Seems like a likeable chap. Style a bit breathless.

Was gonna get this, then the blurb likened it to Bryson meets Clarkson.....

[Ray Travez]

Heh, I can see what they mean, though I liked him more than I like either of them. He can be pretty funny at times. Crucially though, the book is neither concise nor a guide, and doesn't really tell you anything about living in a car that you can't get from the web and youtube.

Happy to post it to you (free) if you'd like a gander.

[Famous Mortimer]

John Brunner - "Stand On Zanzibar" (in the car)
Good so far! Although I'm wondering if the plot is going to start soon, or even if there is one.

Brian Roper - "The History of Democracy: A Marxist Interpretation" (at work)
I've not even got to the ancient Greeks yet. But I'm sad at how it'll get better for centuries, then suddenly get worse and stay there.

[Artie Fufkin]

Heh, I can see what they mean, though I liked him more than I like either of them. He can be pretty funny at times. Crucially though, the book is neither concise nor a guide, and doesn't really tell you anything about living in a car that you can't get from the web and youtube.

Happy to post it to you (free) if you'd like a gander.

Ooooh. Ta v much.

[buttgammon]

Reading White Plains by Gordon Lish at the moment. It's a very uneven book, in that some of the pieces (I'm reluctant to call them short stories) are brilliant, but others are just bitter ramblings that sound like an old man shouting at the TV about how the world has changed.

He deserves credit for coining one of the best names I've ever heard: Morris Rigmarole, who changes his surname to Dictaphone.

[Dannyhood91]

I'm half way through Rum Diary by Hunter Thompson. I am enjoying it but you can tell it's an early effort as it is a touch bloated in parts and doesn't have the punch that FALILV has. That being said it has some beautiful passages in it and he really captures the feeling of a young mans lust coupled with the fear of failure/being over the hill. I purchased Lady Chatterleys lover this week for a cool three quid so I'll probably be reading that next. Then it's James Baldwin's Fire Next Time to read. Exciting times.

[buttgammon]

Reading White Plains by Gordon Lish at the moment. It's a very uneven book, in that some of the pieces (I'm reluctant to call them short stories) are brilliant, but others are just bitter ramblings that sound like an old man shouting at the TV about how the world has changed.

He deserves credit for coining one of the best names I've ever heard: Morris Rigmarole, who changes his surname to Dictaphone.

It seems I'm getting to the good bits now - there is a fantastic, almost novella-length section called 'Begging the Question' that I would highly recommend.

[Neville Chamberlain]

Just taking a break from the old Ballard right now to read Can: All Gates Open. Impressed so far, nicely written, quiet a few facts and factlets I didn't know. Feeling inspired to head to Cologne and the surrounding area on a quest to seek out the band's old haunts...

[buttgammon]

Just started Ladivine by Marie Ndiaye, which is about a woman who constructs a life away from her mother (a black housekeeper) but secretly keeps in touch with her. So far so good.

[zomgmouse]

Speaking of Ballard earlier, I recently finished Empire of the Sun, which until I started reading I thought was a memoir. It was very good in parts but he does have this tendency to spoil the atmosphere by spelling things out and telling you the often fairly obvious subtext. I still liked it overall.

Also read The Buddha of Suburbia which was a cracking read. Full of angst and alienation and self-discovery. Reminded me very heavily of Adrian Mole.

[buttgammon]

I read The Buddha of Suburbia about a year ago and really enjoyed it - it's very funny too.

[zomgmouse]

Oh yeah! Some proper laughing out loud on the train or at least mirthful smirking happening throughout.

[RoadMaintenanceTycoon]

currently getting into Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov, about a Russian landowner who procrastinates and sits around in his flat and can't bring himself to do any work. it's wonderful so far, very funny and humane and I can't help but love the faffing bastard.

if you decide to check it out here is an article comparing the english translations available (i went for Pearl)

[thraxx]

Thanks to whoever recommended Command and Control by Eric Schlossler.  Fucking brilliant account of the development and management of Nuclear weapons and a monument to both the bravery and stupidity of the human race.  I loved the paradox of trying to safely store a weapon that is designed to annihilate completely.  When you consider that it's just an American acccount and how many accidents they had, fuck knows how we weren't all blown to kingdom come, by accident.

[RoadMaintenanceTycoon]

Thanks to whoever recommended Command and Control by Eric Schlossler.  Fucking brilliant account of the development and management of Nuclear weapons and a monument to both the bravery and stupidity of the human race.  I loved the paradox of trying to safely store a weapon that is designed to annihilate completely.  When you consider that it's just an American acccount and how many accidents they had, fuck knows how we weren't all blown to kingdom come, by accident.

funnily enough I was looking into this too after I saw it recommended yesterday on this HN thread, sounds very interesting and farcical.

[thraxx]

funnily enough I was looking into this too after I saw it recommended yesterday on this HN thread, sounds very interesting and farcical.

It gets reasonably technical withput baffling you as it describes how rockets cuel works, fuzes, criticality, aircraft safety systems, some software, so you can understand the falibities in the systems that nearly kill us all. I loved it.

[marquis_de_sad]

On a similar note, the manga Ichi-F is a very detailed look at the nuts and bolts of the clean-up operation at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant. The artist actually worked there, so it's very much an insider's perspective. The narrative takes a bit of a detour in the middle, but overall it's good. You can read the first chapter here.

[Bogbrainedmurphy]

Ramping up my World Cup excitement now, so I'm a few chapters into Simon Hart's "World In Motion", the story of Italia 90. Enjoying it, there's a whole load of present day interviews with some of the main protagonists too which is good.

It'll have to go some to beat Pete Davies' "All Played Out" / "One Night In Turin" though. Still my favourite football book of all time. A sunny beach holiday read if ever there was one.

[Black Ship]

Currently reading the Lucifer Box trilogy by Mark Gatiss, The Short Stories of Anton Chekhov and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 72. In the latter finding some scary parallels between that and the current American political situations.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Whilst in hospital I got really back in to reading, and now I'm not smoking weed my attention span seems to have improved no end, which pleases. So I read:

Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said by Philip K Dick - The first Dick I've read as an adult and I quite enjoyed it. Some of the writing is a bit clunky but it played around with some interesting ideas, and even the slightly disappointing ending didn't bother me that much.

Barrel Fever by David Sedaris - I've read quite a lot of Sedaris, and aren't as fond of his recent collections than I am of his earlier work, but somehow had missed this completely. It's a great deal of fun though, and quite possibly my favourite book of his.

The Ringmaster's Daughter by Jostein Gaarder - Hadn't read anything by Gaarder before but I enjoyed this a lot. It's central character is pretty precocious but it's written in a really enjoyable way and I definitely plan to check out more of his work now.

This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay - Loved this. Shockingly bleak in places but also very funny, I read it in the space of two days as I was so gripped by it.

[Deyv]

I'm reading The Selected Stories of Mavis Gallant and thoroughly enjoying them. In the introduction she recommends not reading them in order or more than one in a session, advice I've taken. 'Luc and His Father' is the first one I read and it hooked me.

Currently reading the Lucifer Box trilogy by Mark Gatiss

I really enjoyed the first one, but the second one started off much stronger, in my opinion. I've got the third one ordered.

Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said by Philip K Dick - The first Dick I've read as an adult and I quite enjoyed it. Some of the writing is a bit clunky but it played around with some interesting ideas, and even the slightly disappointing ending didn't bother me that much.

Argh, I got halfway through this one but put it down, moved house, and haven't been able to find it since. I was enjoying what I read though so maybe I'll just bite the bullet and get it on kindle. Have you read Ubik? If not, I recommend that. Bit of a mind fuck.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Argh, I got halfway through this one but put it down, moved house, and haven't been able to find it since. I was enjoying what I read though so maybe I'll just bite the bullet and get it on kindle. Have you read Ubik? If not, I recommend that. Bit of a mind fuck.

I haven't but I shall definitely get it now as it sounds like my cup of tea, so thanks for the recommendation.

[zomgmouse]

Read four plays by Karel Čapek - R.U.R., The Insect Play, The Makropoulos Case and The White Plague. They are all very strange and explore cool human ideas; quite visionary in many ways. But they do tend to suffer from being very direct in their metaphor and imagery and often very clunky dialogue and characters as a result.

[Sin Agog]

You read Capek's The Absolute At Large, about a scientist who discovers how to rip apart atoms, thus releasing little fragments of God and creating religious hysteria amongst anyone who comes in contact with them?  I thought it was great.  I remember especially laughing at the one chapter with the postman battling through the driving snow.