I’m in a slow reading phase right now. Maybe it’s the summer and the warm weather making me drink beers in the evening which make me sleepy at bedtime but it’s disturbingly slow.
Normally I could do a couple of books a week. Now I’m lucky to be doing a couple of pages a night. I’ve avoided fiction for the last little while though and I think that might be the answer. I was given a book called The Omnivore’s Dilemna which was really quite interesting, dealing with where our food comes from and all that, but after the 100th page dealing with corn and grass it got a bit trying.
At the moment I’m in the middle of a book about football tactics ‘Inverting the pyramid’ which again is really fascinating but I think all the real life facts and information so late at night make for eye-tiredness.
I need something fiction, a good story, a ‘real page turner’, if you will. Something that makes you think ‘Just one more chapter’ then I’ll put it down as you read with one eye. Any recommendations?
The Kindly Ones.
Old Filth by Jane Gardam
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Wolf Hall.
Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow. It’s written in free verse and is about a group of lycanthropes terrorising part of LA. It’s not much of a description, and I’ve probably made it sound terrible, but I really couldn’t get over how good it was.
always liked terry pratchett. very funny but lots of sharp insights into the real world. best of them were the first two, the colour of magic and the light fantastic
middlesex – jeffrey eugenides
stephen king books. gearlds game. The girl who loved tom gordon. if you want a good short page turner twenty, both typical king but completely different story’s or you could try one of his short story collections i recomend night shift containing the best story about quitting cigeretts iv ever read or nightmares and dreamscapes also a brilliant collection
Everywoman – Derek Llewellyn-Jones
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/5ac0e576-2262-11df-a93d-00144feab49a.html
Best book I’ve read in a while; scientific and irreverant humour in one. Excellent writer.
Has conversations between notoriously stubborn Canadian Geese
e.g.
Goose No.1 – “There’s a big plane coming towards us; should we move?”
Goose No. 2 – ” No fucking way. We were here first”
Goose No. 1 – “But it’s very big”
Goose No. 2 – “We’re not movi…”WHOOOSH” into jet engine
Along with some sparrows and a couple of other birds.
Also shows up the fact that the hero wasn’t the pilot, it was the design of the plane.
Cloud Atlas is very good. spanning 100s of years to a post apocalyptic future, seemingly unrelated stories ranging from diaries to interviews to 3rd general fiction style, it’s worth a look.
neilo sharp teeth sounds good but what do you mean by “free verse” – it’s not all rhyming is it?
Not sure its exactly the page turner type you’re looking for, but I’m reading Down and Out in Paris in London at the moment and enjoying it.
Just finished ‘Let The Great World Spin – Colum Mc Cann – its a good read
I’d second rapey’s Cloud Atlas recommendation.
Great value because it’s absolutely packed with story but at the same time quite an easy and fluid read.
for historical fiction, gordianus novels by steven saylor, or flashman series by george macdonald fraser both recommended
Max Brooks’ World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War (Gimme’s got a copy) or John Connolly’s The Book of Lost Things.
Anything by Dennis Lehane!
Cheers, that should be enough to keep me going till mid-August or so.
I second ‘Wolf Hall’ by Hilary Mantel as suggested by maggot … quite dark and gothic in places but its a book that takes over your mind by stealth…
Otherwise if you haven’t been there before then Neal Stephenson’s Baroque Cycle- there’s meat and drink in it and you’ll be left awestruck by the achievement…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Baroque_Cycle
“Not sure its exactly the page turner type you’re looking for, but I’m reading Down and Out in Paris in London at the moment and enjoying it.”
If you haven’t already read this, do so. It’s a truly brilliant read.
steven kings night shift had that story about the haunted clockwork monkey bosco? that put the shits up me big time – ridiculous as it sounds.
steven king is a better writer than most literary snobs (who wouldnt be seen dead reading him in the first place)care to admit.
all of orwell’s books are page turners – despite the generally heavy themes. road to wigan pier/down and out in paris and london are amazing, and sadly still very relevant
jugs!
“steven king is a better writer than most literary snobs (who wouldnt be seen dead reading him in the first place)care to admit.”
Maybe it’s just me but he’s lost it in the last few years. The early short stories were suberb, all the same.
The one about the swan dive in the haybarn, the one about the millionaire on the ledge in Chicago. Jesus, I think I’ll go rooting for Night Shift and Different Seasons again.
Brilliant short stories.
flashman is the dogs bollix porridge; reminds me of Tom Sharpe days; Porterhouse Blues, Wilt, Riotous Assembly etc
Ditto the Orwell suggestions. If you like your bleak Scotish whiskey-drinking divorced detective type character, then Ian Rankin’s Rebus series is also a pretty decent read, definitely a page turner.
Though for a really cracking book, I recently read the pseudonymous Luther Blisset book Q (drinking, fighting, fucking anabaptist characters up against the merchant-aligned Calvinists, monarchies and Papists). They use religious, political and economic history and thread their fictional story well through it, telling the story through the perspectives of an anababtist and a spy for a Roman Catholic cardinal who later went on to become Pope Paul IV (a right old cunt who advanced the Inquisition), though the novel doesn’t delve into that stage too much. The writing group went from four to five and changed their name to Wu Ming, and two more books have been translated from its original Italian, 54 and Manituana. Both are well written, though didn’t do it as much for me Q.
i completely agree razzer, the green mile, the shawshank redemption, carrie,the shining, the dead zone, children of the corn, misery, dolores claiborne,the running man, stand by me. all great movies based on kings books people really dont get that just cause he sells so many books it means he is not a great writer which he most certainly is, genius is what id call it
The best football books out there are
“Manchester United ruined my life” – Colin Shindler
and
“Only a Game?” – Eamon Dunphy
as real as it gets
jesus grover we agree on something for a change. bty dont forget skeleton crew, or four past midnight, more great king collections
The next book I’m going to read is ‘Phantom of the Open’ about an eccentric Englishman who was woeful at golf but managed to blag his way into the qualifying rounds of the British open a few times.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1291587/How-worlds-worst-golfer-gatecrashed-Open–truly-teed-men-blazers.html
tom sharpe, that’s who i was trying to remember. thanks itchy. just remembered another excellent series – father brown stories by gk chesterton.
and supergrover, if you like stephen king’s stories, you’ll just love hp lovecraft’s stuff. inspiration for king, koontz and the rest
Mark Haddon would be a good way out of your torpor. Quick and easy and very funny read is ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time’.
Also by him… ‘A Spot of Bother’.
Also ‘Mutant Message Down Under’ by Marlo Morgan. That’ll give you the serious travel itches.
Write a post about the inverted pyramid – please.
Last exit to Brooklyn – can’t read anything since. ( but it might be the beer too )
A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian – Marina Lewycka
Sniffle – I probably won’t write a post but I’d really recommend the book.
A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian – Marina Lewycka
Just the thing!
If you’re looking for something concise I’d go for The Mr. Men series.
When are you putting those back issues of big and bouncy on e bay ?
I have D&O in P&L and the Tractor one too if you want to give us your full name and postal address.
I read the short history of tractors book. It was a bit depressing, I found. But then, war etc… not so cheery.
I want the werewolf poem book! Sounds great. Thanks for all this. I’ve just read something shameful, but it was fun –
The host, by… ahem, Stephenie Meyer.
And now I’m reading The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver, which is excellent – set in mexico, has Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Trotsky in it.
And the football one by Terry Pratchett … something Academicals? borrowed from Tinman.
I love the summer for reading.
bosco – glad we agree and you’re right about the other two collections. but to be honest i don’t remember us ever disagreeing about anything? you’re not that prick from the queue in the supermarket the other day, by any chance?
porridge, i read a heap of hp lovecraft back in the day. great stuff with all the unnameable horrors etc but not sure i’ll be revisiting any time soon.
I’ve given up reading books altogether and just started listening to them. I keep falling asleep though and wake up hearing voices!
Recent listens:
Terry Pratchett: Going Postal and The Fifth Elephant
Max Brooks: World War Z (eagerly awaiting the movioe)
Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan: The Strain (read by Ron Pearlman) Fooking Deadly!
Get the unabridged versions if you buy!
There’s always Peig.
Plans for a racy version – Peig does Dingle.
They tell me Peig Sayers had a vocabulary of roughly 150,000 words available to her whereas most English speakers have about 70,000.
Only problem was Sayers was fucking tedious no matter what size her vocabularies were.
Peig Sayers Shtole My Good Razor.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Just read Chapter 2 (brief and stands alone nicely) in the bookstore then decide if you want more.
shantaram .thats all i can say
Em? *cough*
“The suspicions of Mr Whicher”.
Its fact, but reads like ficiton.
An incredible story, really well told.
The original big-house murder mystery – and a great ending.
Hmm, lets see… recently read American Gods (Gaiman), a few Michael Connellys (usually reliable) and I’ve just started a John Connolly this week. Besides that, when in doubt reach for Laurence Sterne.
Suspicions
fiction
*head – desk*
Two I’ve read recently and really got great satisfaction from:
Skippy Dies by Paul Murray – a very funny and moving novel set in a Dublin boy’s school. It’s nice and long, you can really sink your teeth into it.
Homicide by David Simon – if you’re a fan of The Wire, this is bliss. Even if you’re not, it’s still worth reading – he’s an excellent writer.
The Rooms by Declan Lynch is well worth your time, about an Irish alcoholic. Honestly, an Irish alcoholic. They do exist.
I’d second ‘Let The Great World Spin’ and raise you ‘The Gathering’ by Anne Enright, which is phenomenal.
CD my favorite michael connelly book is void moon’ could not put it down’ if anyone is going to thailand please please read PRIVATE DANCER
Try some graphic novels at bedtime instead, there are some absolutely class acts out there and you’ll finish them in no time:
The entire ‘preacher’ series, anything by joe sacco, waltz with bashir, persepolis, jar of fools, etc etc. Check chapters for a huge section.
Just finished The Phone Book. Turns out the Zebra did it.
I tried a couple of graphic novels just for a change of pace. Its not a bad idea if you can find a good series. The Sin City series was pretty good.
Transmetropolitan is OK, if a little fucked up.
Irvine Welsh books to transport self into a group of nutters or one depending on book.
Or John Irving for a much slower pace, set in New England but all the time building to a dramatic crescendo with pleasant scenery.
Any footballers book if you out of bog roll
“The Kite Runner’ by Khaled Hossein and bring a packet of kleenex to bed with you and no, it’s not a dirty book.
Porno (the sequel to trainspotting) is awesome. So is some porno.
Irvine Welsh is just someone who strings fucks, cunts, drugs and sex together. It’s not that hard to do. It’s like a double quarterpounder with cheese. It’s bold and naughty and you want it but anyone can make one.
I,Lucifer – Glen Duncan
Green River Rising – Tim Willocks
Best Short stories book I ever read, A Science Fiction Omnibus – edited by Brian Aldiss.
Page turner after page turner.Like The twilight zone,but good.
(I also second World War Z.It’s EXACTLY what’s gonna happen when the zombies take over.)
“Irvine Welsh is just someone who strings fucks, cunts, drugs and sex together. It’s not that hard to do. It’s like a double quarterpounder with cheese. It’s bold and naughty and you want it but anyone can make one.”
No.
Peig.
;-)
Brian O’Toole’s, “The Path To Power”,excellent read for a man of your intellect Mr Twenty.Or Johnny Fallon’s, “In His Own Words”.
For something short and funny, try ‘Abstinence’ by John Terry.
Hunger by Knut Hamsun
I thought Trainspotting was a masterpiece, but I was signigicantly less impressed with Porno. Underwhelming.
cork regatta pint of beer €7 breakfast roll €7′will we or they ever learn ‘greed showing its ugly head again’ fucking cunts
sorry. now back to books
Any book by Alan Furst
‘Bad Blood’ by Colm Tóibín
I second Maggot – the girl with the dragon tattoo (or indeed the whole Millenium Trilogy). I’m reading them at the moment and keep staying awake too late
http://www.stieglarsson.com/Millennium-series
Absynthe makes the heart grow fo…
Sorry,wrong blog..
“Charismatic Leadership” by Brian Cowen.
“Keep Fit, Look Good” by Mary Harney.
I can`t get a copy anywhere.
You talking about this dude filler?
http://www.nysun.com/pics/74.jpg
I’m really looking forward to this.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cartoon/2010/jul/13/steve-bell-peter-mandelson-memoir
test
He is a such a evil cunt.
out of print Fintan. Along with “It was my money” by Bertie Ahern
test
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid62612474001?bctid=111919480001
Any of John Conollys books, Dark Hollow, Eve ry dead Thing, The White Road. In fact all of them. Other than that, try a Mills and Boon, you only have to read the first two pages and the last one and you have the whole story. Simples.
Franz, Knut Hamsen’s Hunger is one of the best books I have ever read. Good call. To everyone else here, go buy this now. Don’t not buy it.
I find some of the old classics a good read, recently read The Catcher in the Rye after a twenty year gap.. it made sense this time round.
Holden Caulfield really is a Cunt!
for the craic.’The Dirt’,the Motley Crue story,you’l probably feel like a shower after each reading…but its great fun…
Thanks for all the recommendations. I’m off reading.
Next post October.
2014.
I agree with the 2 recommendations for Knut Hamsen’s Hunger. For added effect I recommend actually reading it in Norway.
I’m surprised no one’s mentioned Tana French, since she apparently lives in Dublin.
Her third novel “Faithful Place” has just been published, but if you haven’t already read her first “In the Woods” and second “The Likeness” then it’s probably best to read them in order.
They’re powerfully written and haunting psychological thrillers. I’m looking forward to reading the new one.
The New York Trilogy – Paul Auster
A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
Boom.
Andy I think if I have right writer Ms French’s new novel is reviewed in the New York Times last week and should be available online via the Herald Tribune website.
I did read the review and I don’t think its my kind of thing but each to their own … sounds a bit formulaic/twee Irish to me but I haven’t read any of her work so could easily be mistaken there…
Aye Andy here you go … wasn’t sure after last post whether I had the source right but here’s the Faithful Place review from the NYT/IHT
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/12/books/12book.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=tana%20french&st=cse
Brian Keenan – An evil cradling – about his experiences as a hostage is probably the best I’ve ever read.
The Ice Man – Richard Kuklinski.
You will be too scared to go to sleep.
Shantaram, Greg Roberts. Just read it.
Peig?
Christ, that takes me back. The old knacker.
The Ice Man, superb and chilling book.
on another note I hear Bock has a book coming out called “I didn’t write this book, show me where I wrote this book”
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith.
There is no crime in the Soviet Union.
Yet Children are disappearing.
Awesome book.
on another note I hear Bock has a book coming out called “I didn’t write this book, show me where I wrote this book”
Is somebody with Multiple personality disorder his own Ghost Writer ?
When you’ve read Hunger you’ll be wanting to read The Stranger (Camus), Nausea (Sartre) and then the Auster book. Ideally you will have a print of Munch’s ‘The Scream’ on your bedroom wall to complement the sleepy-time literary existentialism.
Child 44 is a class novel alright maggot- genuine page turner …
The Peoples Act of Love by James Meek…
Set in Siberia during Russian Revolution..featuring an escaped convict/ A Cannibal/ A Shaman/ A town of religious weirdos/ A lunatic Czech Army unit stuck in Russia … its fvckin epic..a modern Classic. Cormac McCarthy crossed with Dostoyevsky… historical fact mixed with cracking fiction and suspense.. absolutely unputdownable …that is all
on another note I hear Bock has a book coming out called “I didn’t write this book, show me where I wrote this book”
haha the comment deleting fucking prick
Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving. Classic Irving and you’ll be saying “I see what you did there….” at the end…
Anything by Declan Hughes or Arlene Hunt, both writing great crime novels set in Dublin…
Tom Sharpe is brilliant – think Wilt was my favourite.
Just finished “Bogmail” by Patrick McGinley. Very good, though the ending is a bit rushed.
Three Men in a Boat – Jerome K Jerome.
Quite enjoyed some of the Herbert/King/Koontz stuff a few years ago.
And anything at all by Clive Barker. The Great & Secret Show or Weaveworld being probably the best.
The IceMan … Richard Kuklinski the mafia contract killer … A nasty bastard … His ma was Irish
have you read “half asleep in frog pajamas” by Tom Robbins?(or jitterbug perfume)?Realy funny,witty and totally off the wall..