Books

[Carnage]

Started Watchers by Dean Koontz the other night, just read a few pages.

About a quarter of the way through this, haven't had much time with it. It's not the best TBH, the sort of thing I'd have loved in my Stephen King-obsessed early teens. Very '80s, very American, very clichéd.

When it came out, I was sold on the cover but never got around to reading it. Reckon I'd have enjoyed it more then.

[Caomhaoin]

Just finished 'Culloden' by Trevor Royle today, although the title is a bit misleading. That desperate, horrific battle is only the appetiser, it's more about the beginnings of the British empire and their endless humiliation of the French in North America, India and the Caribbean (and their self humiliation at the subsequent peace accord). Great story teller though, makes history books into page turners. His book on the conflict commonly known as the English Civil War was mighty.

I bought Danny Dyer's autobiography for a quid for the laugh last year, started it there now. Funny enough, he writes like he talks

[son of the Morrigan]

Finished reading Kim Stanley Robinsons Mars trilogy there recently.
Really enjoyed the first two, Red Mars and Green Mars. I didn't enjoy the third one, Blue Mars, quiet as much Though, I felt It was a bit draggy, but Its still a good read.
Some achievement by the author to cover 200 years of Martian settlement, terraforming and the creation of a Martian culture.
I'd recommend them highly.

[Carnage]

I read Red Mars years ago, I'll have to do it again before reading the other two. There's also a short story collection in the series, The Martians. Just in case you weren't aware of it.

[son of the Morrigan]

Thanks man, yeah I heard about The Martians allright, might give it an auld go at some stage.
I wouldn't be a huge science fiction reader to be honest, I'd usually prefer to read popular science when I'm in a sciencey frame of mind.
I've a few Harlan Coben novels lined up here now, sweet as a nut.

[StoutAndAle]

Just finished "I'm A Joke And So Are You" by comedian and brainbox Robin Ince,  a reflection on humanity and humor.

I'll be honest, I struggled with this. It's not that I didn't enjoy (some of) it but I just felt that Ince got mired in the psychology and minutiae of human existence rather than the humor bit. If i wanted to sit po-faced through a book about the human condition I wouldn't have read one by a comedian. 

Started Kevin Barry's "City Of Bohane" yesterday. I hear good things about him. Never read any of his stuff.

I'm having the same problem with reading fiction again after the last 10 or so being history/non-fiction books.

[CorkonianHunger]

Finished Blood Meridian again, in time for the "Notes on.." book to arrive. Looking forward to getting into that. Definitely one of the best books ever written.

Up next, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep".

A few arrived in the post, must get on them soon;
Moby Dick
A Congregation of Jackals
some Yukio Mishima books

Also got a new book from Stephen Graham Jones called "The Only Good Indians", seems to be a horror but looks good.

[Pedrito]

I'm on No Country For Old Men myself...what a fucking writer, just grabs hold of you and doesn't let go until the last word. Ordered the last 2 books of his I haven't read Suttree and Child Of God. Iight just take my time with them, spread them out over the next 6 months, because they're like bloody gold dust at this stage.

[CorkonianHunger]

I'm on No Country For Old Men myself...what a fucking writer, just grabs hold of you and doesn't let go until the last word. Ordered the last 2 books of his I haven't read Suttree and Child Of God. Iight just take my time with them, spread them out over the next 6 months, because they're like bloody gold dust at this stage.

Gold dust for sure, I've heard good things about those two so must get onto them next.

[Don Gately]

Good stuff lads.  I like Mccarthy alot.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Only one I ever tried was All The Pretty Horses, when I was about 19. Couldn't get past the grammarless writing, so never finished it and never tried anything else. Been meaning to give The Road a go for a couple of years though, since - like a total fucking pleb - I'd like to see the film.

[Eoin McLove]

The Road is savage as is No Country. 

[Caomhaoin]

Reading 'Ireland's Animals - Myths, Legends and Folklore' by Niall Mac Coitir there over the weekend.

Loads of cool tidbits to be found therein.

According to Brehon Law, if your dog took a shit on the neighbours patch, not only would you have to stump up butter, oats and whey in restitution, but you'd also have to tidy away the shite and get rid of it. That's the shot

[son of the Morrigan]

Funnily enough I've been dipping in and out of Irish Wild Plants - Myths, Legends and Folklore by the same Author Myself the last while.
Fierce interesting stuff and a mountain of well researched information to be gleaned from it.

[Caomhaoin]

Absolutely, extremely well researched and very pleasant reading of a Sunday evening,

Another Brehon law that I found amusing was that if your cat stole a neighbours bit of food that was careless left lying about, neither you nor your cat were liable One of my cats steals food constantly and unfortunately for him, Brehon law has no jurisdiction in my apartment and he is subject to the discipline of the boot up the hole if I can get a hauld of him.

Started Lolita by Nabukov for a bit of bedtime reading after a a false start last year. Gorgeous writing but I'll leave it for when I'm not getting heavy-eyed.