Books

[astfgyl]

I needed a break from reading some heavy stuff and am bursting through Small Gods by Terry Pratchett. I haven't read it since I was a teenager, I don't think, and it's a ripper. 

Started on a few Discworld the last while too, haven't touched some of them in 20 years or so. Forgot how much I love them, finding there's a lot of jokes and nuances I never got when I was younger but make sense now so it's nearly like reading them for the first time again

I love when I go back and reread those, as you say there is a lot of stuff in there that passed me by the first time. The last few suffered from a bit of a dip in quality but overall what a series.

[Thorn]

Currently reading 'The Forever War' by Dexter Filkins, a journalist who toured with the American troops during the invasion/liberation of Iraq.

So one of the key missions is to go into suspected enemy villages and raid the locals abodes to confiscate weapons. To accomplish this with a minimum of conflict one of the battalion commanders decided to have a blonde, female member of the company stand astride a tank in the centre of the village, take off her helmet and shake out her hair. Then it would be announced by the battalion that they were auctioning off this blonde girl to the highest bidder, knowing full well how irresistible this would prove to the local Iraqi men who are seemingly fascinated with blondes .

Sure enough,within minutes, the soldiers are surrounded by the village men offering money, land, livestock, even their wives and children for the chance to take yer one home. All the while they're bidding, more troops are going in the backs of their houses and seizing any weapons or bomb making equipment to be had. After all the houses are secured the poor Iraqis are told that none of their bids are high enough and the company moved on to the next village. Reckon they did it about 3 or 4 times before the word got out.

[O Drighes]

Picked up " The Gulag Archipelago"  by Alexandr Solzhenitsyn, which is regarded as the most influential book to have exposed the horrors of the Communist regime.

Really enjoying this.

Just past an account of a local district conference where an authority was being officialized as the replacement of another who'd been arrested. By the end of the conference an appraisal of Stalin was called for and the small hall rose to a standing ovation. Three minutes went by and the people remained clapping their hands not sure when to stop. They were afraid of being called out for disrespect and thrown into the labor camps. 8 minutes, people at the back resorted to clapping less enthusiastically but the ones in the front didnt have the same luck. No one, including people on the platform, knew when to stop while everyone hoped for someone to chance it first before they collapsed so the crowd could follow. At the 11th minute of insufferably silly applauses the paper factory owner stops in his business man attitude and the crowd follows. And this was how they discovered who the independent people were. The man was was thown into the gulag for a 10 year sentence, allegedly for another cause. But when signing the last document on his arrest his interrogator reminded him :"don't ever be the first to stop applauding".

Sheer insanity!

[Caomhaoin]

I've read 'a day in the life of Iván Denisovich' by him, which is quite short but startling. Similar to 'Angelas Ashes', it certainly makes you more appreciative of your grub.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

I have both of those here in the 'retirement reading' pile.

[astfgyl]

Picked up " The Gulag Archipelago"  by Alexandr Solzhenitsyn, which is regarded as the most influential book to have exposed the horrors of the Communist regime.

Really enjoying this.

Just past an account of a local district conference where an authority was being officialized as the replacement of another who'd been arrested. By the end of the conference an appraisal of Stalin was called for and the small hall rose to a standing ovation. Three minutes went by and the people remained clapping their hands not sure when to stop. They were afraid of being called out for disrespect and thrown into the labor camps. 8 minutes, people at the back resorted to clapping less enthusiastically but the ones in the front didnt have the same luck. No one, including people on the platform, knew when to stop while everyone hoped for someone to chance it first before they collapsed so the crowd could follow. At the 11th minute of insufferably silly applauses the paper factory owner stops in his business man attitude and the crowd follows. And this was how they discovered who the independent people were. The man was was thown into the gulag for a 10 year sentence, allegedly for another cause. But when signing the last document on his arrest his interrogator reminded him :"don't ever be the first to stop applauding".

Sheer insanity!

Fucking hell. Can you imagine the next round of clapping after word of that got out? You'd basically be clapping for your life

[Carnage]

That's the way of things in North Korea now, isn't it?

[Caomhaoin]

Eh? The boys look delighted to be there.

[mickO)))]

Picked up " The Gulag Archipelago"  by Alexandr Solzhenitsyn, which is regarded as the most influential book to have exposed the horrors of the Communist regime.


Sheer insanity!

Have had the audiobook for a few years now only listened to a bit but must get back to it. It is actually hard to get through because in some parts you think this has to be made up.  Sheer insanity indeed especially when you think this is the type of Government some people want to have back in power nowadays.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

[Scáthach]

Just finished the Silmarillion yesterday. An excellent read. The creation myth sections are beautiful, the song of the supreme deity brings existence into being. The songs and harmonies of the lesser deities shaping and supporting the creation of the world.
What is a bit more difficult is the start of the Quenta Silmarillion with all of its myriad names.
As a complete change of flavour I've started on Porno by Irvine Welsh. I already really like it, his narrative voice is great, immediately addictive.

[Scáthach]

*double post

[Eoin McLove]

Porno is great. Trainspotting is phenomenal if you haven't read it.

[Scáthach]

Ah yeah an absolute 90s classic. I read skagboys too when it came out. Somehow Porno eluded me for years. I also have The Blade Artist ready to go on the shelf for after Porno.
I feel like I need a wash after reading Sick boy chapters  dirty scheming bastard!

[ochoill]

Must pick up Porno actually.  Love a bit of Welsh, in particular Filth, The Bedroom Secrets of Master Chefs, and Acid House.  Have a couple others of his here on the shelf I still need to get through.