Books

[GK55]

Just finished 'Fire in the Night' - story of Piper Alpha - interesting read!

 

Next is George Bush auto

[phoenix]

'Behind The Bush' by Ivor Knickersdown

 

 

[Henry]

'Behind The Bush' by Ivor Knickersdown

 

'Taping and Filling for Beginners' by Phil McCracken.

[phoenix]

'Sliding Down The Bannister' by R. Stornaway

[Monkey]

Just finished reading "City of Thieves" by David Benioff.

 

Thought it wasn't a bad effort from a screenwriter.

[phoenix]

Nice work if you can get it:

 

Tony Parsons, the NME journalist turned bestselling author of Man and Boy, has begun a week-long tenure as Heathrow's writer-in-residence. From today, he will speak to passengers and security guards and venture into budget hotels and through customs control to inform a short story collection based on Heathrow, to be published in October. Parsons is following in the footsteps of the philosopher Alain de Botton, who wrote 2009's A Week at the Airport, as the airport's first in-house writer. "I loved the book that Alain de Botton wrote and the idea of writing some fiction about the airport just seemed very appealing," Parsons told The Independent. "It's a great opportunity and I hope I can do it justice."

 

 

 

 

"I think writers in residence have genuine artistic merit," said Peter Francis, Gladstone Library's warden. "We don't mind what they write; that's why they get chosen. We have to trust that during their time with us they will fulfil the brief."

 

 

A writer in the house

 

The Savoy, Fay Weldon, 2002

 

For three months Weldon became the hotel's first writer-in-residence. Her commitments included working on her new novel, speaking at three literary dinners and writing for the hotel's in-house magazine. In exchange, she was entitled to a

[Kilkito]

Just bought the clash of kings, don't want to wait a year after seeing game of thrones

 

I bought all 6 books, after seeing Game of Thrones, just finished the last one this week, fantastic escapism, now depressed I'm going to have to wait a few years for the next one to come out.

 

I usually read books about Scopttish history, mainly the Jacobite era, and historical fiction, on the Romans, Greeks, Hannibal etc

[amancalledbuck]

Nice work if you can get it:

 

Tony Parsons, the NME journalist turned bestselling author of Man and Boy, has begun a week-long tenure as Heathrow's writer-in-residence. From today, he will speak to passengers and security guards and venture into budget hotels and through customs control to inform a short story collection based on Heathrow, to be published in October. Parsons is following in the footsteps of the philosopher Alain de Botton, who wrote 2009's A Week at the Airport, as the airport's first in-house writer. "I loved the book that Alain de Botton wrote and the idea of writing some fiction about the airport just seemed very appealing," Parsons told The Independent. "It's a great opportunity and I hope I can do it justice."

 

 

 

 

"I think writers in residence have genuine artistic merit," said Peter Francis, Gladstone Library's warden. "We don't mind what they write; that's why they get chosen. We have to trust that during their time with us they will fulfil the brief."

 

 

A writer in the house

 

The Savoy, Fay Weldon, 2002

 

For three months Weldon became the hotel's first writer-in-residence. Her commitments included working on her new novel, speaking at three literary dinners and writing for the hotel's in-house magazine. In exchange, she was entitled to a

[phoenix]

Nae idea 'buck but he used to be married to Julie Birchill , as related in 'Man And Boy'...nae that I've read it but it got good reviews at the time.

 

Julie is a force of nature , I like much of where she's coming from but JESUS! She'd sook ye in and bla ye oot as bubbles.....as we used to say in the '60s.

[Monkey]

I bought all 6 books, after seeing Game of Thrones, just finished the last one this week, fantastic escapism, now depressed I'm going to have to wait a few years for the next one to come out.

 

I usually read books about Scopttish history, mainly the Jacobite era, and historical fiction, on the Romans, Greeks, Hannibal etc

 

Going by his normally speed of writing you'll be waiting about 5 or 6 years for the next book.

[Betty Swallicks]

'Sliding Down The Bannister' by R. Stornaway

 

 

[amancalledbuck]

I've just started Don Quixote.

[The Boofon]

I've just started Don Quixote.

 

 

Does it help with the cravings?

[Henry]

Just started 'Dog Training for Beginners' by Al Satian

[Pudgie]

I feel like getting Mein Kampf but nae sure if waterstones carry it. Might pop in by tonight and read that after I've finished with Keith Richards...

 

P.S, Anyone read Flood in the Bathroom by I.P. Squint?

[StandFree1982]

On holiday for two weeks from tomorrow, and need to free my mind of work. Just ordered the following from amazon in an attempt to achieve this:

 

1984 =

[dunc_afc]

Reading through House of Leaves just now. Good read but the writing style in some of it can be a bit annoying.

[StandFree1982]

On holiday I read/finished:

 

Iain Banks - Transition

Was close to finishing this novel before I went away, I prefer taking a "new" book away with me but decided to finish this as well. Not a bad novel, nowhere near as good as The Wasp Factory though! - 6/10

 

Philip K Dick - Man In The High Castle

A classic novel. Read it in a few days, after reading Do Anderoids Dream of Electric Sheep I felt a bit disappointed by this one. It's set in an alternative world where the war was won by the Germans. - 6/10

 

Sebastion Faulkes - Birdsong

Really enjoyed this one, I thought that he was able to describe the horrors of the First World War beautifully. - 8/10

[JFK]

I've just finished reading Kerouac's On The Road.

 

Next up are

 

Goodbye to All That by Robert Graves

The Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara

Homage to Caledonia by Daniel Gray

[Betty Swallicks]

 

Sebastion Faulkes - Birdsong

Really enjoyed this one, I thought that he was able to describe the horrors of the First World War beautifully. - 8/10

 

 

 

Great book!

Love, beauty and horror.

[Ke1t]

Usually I avoid fiction, preferring history books as my means of entertainment. But recently I read a scifi book called, 'Ender's Game'.

 

A little kid is taken from his family and placed in a military facility, and given the task of saving the human race. His training takes the form of a strategic team game, where two teams vie for control of an arena. The kid happens to be a military genius, but the people in charge take it upon themselves to pose a series of ever more difficult tests, each one less achievable than the last.

 

Eventually the 'Game' takes on a ridiculous aspect as the military attempt to beat Ender, doing whatever they can to load the dice against him.

 

Keep hearing rumours that its going to be turned into a movie... and if they can focus on the actual characters and the real meaning of the book then they can't fail. Unfortunately I suspect it'll be done like a f**king CGI karate spectacular, full of huge explosions and a 'love story' that was never in the book to keep the girlies happy.

[dj_bollocks]

How to talk to children by Peter fyall ?

 

Actually re reading John niven's books and a couple of bits and bobs - love the iPad when I'm traveling...

[phoenix]

Here's one I'd like to read , recommended by 'buck a few months back when he was still resident on AbMad , I believe.

 

I will resist the temptation to purchase given that I've so many books and not enough time.

 

I look forward to the day , coming soon , when we can strap on a high-tech 'skull cap' and download a book directly into our brain in seconds.

 

 

Or do I ?

[phoenix]

 

 

 

 

 

[The Boofon]

Anyone read anything decent lately?

 

Pete Postlethwaite book is ace.

 

Pete Postlethwaite

 

Reading through David Millar's one at the moment.

 

David Millar

 

Also reading all the Karl Pilkington ones for some light relief.

 

Karl Pilkington

[Bluto10]

i'm more into reference books.

[tup]

Biographies of old school footballers is what I'm reading just now.

[The Boofon]

i'm more into reference books.

 

Reference books of what?

 

That's what the thread is for.

 

Giving recommendations.

[daytripping]

The Bob Servant emails is pretty funny, all about a dude from Dundee who likes winding up African con men on the internet.

 

The One that got away is also good if you like SAS stuff, tells the story better than the fiction that is Bravo Two Zero.

 

I'm also into local crime and ghost books, some real interesting stuff happened in Aberdeen over the years.

[tup]

'Ghost crime' is a new one on me I have to admit, but something I'd be interested in hearing more about.

 

Are these ghostwritten?