Books

[Caomhaoin]

The Halford one's great, apparently.

Picked up a couple of Orwell books (The Road To Wigan Pier & Down And Out In Paris And London) for £2.25 each on Amazon, if anyone's looking for a bargain.

Both fantastic books!

[Necro Red]

The Halford one's great, apparently.

Picked up a couple of Orwell books (The Road To Wigan Pier & Down And Out In Paris And London) for £2.25 each on Amazon, if anyone's looking for a bargain.

Both fantastic books!

Down And Out is great alright. I will eventually read more of his material

[Carnage]

Yeah, I'm looking forward to both. All I've read by him is Animal Farm and 1984, I'm interested in checking out his nonfiction.

[Cosmic_Equilibrium]

The first half of The Road To Wigan Pier is one of the most searing accounts of poverty ever written. The second half is more of a debate about Orwell's upbringing and socialism and isn't as riveting but still an enjoyable read.

Coming Up For Air is one of Orwell's finest books but possibly one of the bleakest things he ever wrote and that's saying something.

[Caomhaoin]

Coming up for air is indeed miserably excellent.  I sent my auld lad a copy of TRTWP a few years ago, he rang me and told me it depressed him so much that he gave up on it after the first half.

A Homage to Catalonia is an absolutely riveting war diary, his ubiquitous preoccupation with snout is along the lines with the glory of the egg in Angela's Ashes. The republican side in the Spanish civil  war is a source of intense romance, even today, and it is a little saddening to see his disillusionment with it as the book progresses. I love that part at the start 'whenever possible, the business of today in Spain will happen mañana'

It's a 20 minute read, but his notes on nationalism is, although of its time, such a beautifully written, thinking mans bit of lectura.

Fuck it I'll read a bit of Orwell this morning.

[Eoin McLove]

Today's post:

The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World by Iain McGilchrist. I recently came across him on YouTube and have listened to a few of his discussions. I think this will be a fascinating read.

[Doctor Crippen]

Sticking with Antony Beevor and reading 'Stalingrad' again, so well written and great detail

[Carnage]

Hilary Mantel: The Mirror And The Light just landed today. Looking forward to that, the first two were fantastic.

I've hit a wall in Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. About halfway through, haven't looked at it for a week or two. Just not feeling it.

[boozegeune]

I liked Jonathan Strange... back when I read it, but over 10 years ago now I think. It's mad how she wrote that and then waited 16 years to write another novel, an absolute cracker, Piranesi. Read it at the very end of last year, strongly recommend it.

Mary Beard's Pompeii up next, really loved her SPQR.

[Carnage]

I went back to it this morning when I had the house to myself, got about 50 pages read while I had the chance. Just needed a break, I suppose, happens sometimes.

Does that happen to anyone else, incidentally? I go through phases where I can't even look at a book for 6 months, sometimes a year. Just lose enthusiasm for reading for long spells, and then it could swing back the other way to where I'm reading 2 or 3 books a week (my record is 3 in a night). It happens with movies/TV series too, I watched a film the other night for the first time in about a month.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

I saw the other day that Alan Moore has a new 5 book deal with Bloomsbury for a fantasy epic. Looking forward to Andy's review 

[Eoin McLove]

Lord almighty... I might return to Jerusalem and finish it at some point. Maybe...

[Doctor Crippen]

I liked Jonathan Strange... back when I read it, but over 10 years ago now I think. It's mad how she wrote that and then waited 16 years to write another novel, an absolute cracker, Piranesi. Read it at the very end of last year, strongly recommend it.

Mary Beard's Pompeii up next, really loved her SPQR.

Yeah SPQR is great, she has a great style of writing that just draws you in

[Doctor Crippen]

I went back to it this morning when I had the house to myself, got about 50 pages read while I had the chance. Just needed a break, I suppose, happens sometimes.

Does that happen to anyone else, incidentally? I go through phases where I can't even look at a book for 6 months, sometimes a year. Just lose enthusiasm for reading for long spells, and then it could swing back the other way to where I'm reading 2 or 3 books a week (my record is 3 in a night). It happens with movies/TV series too, I watched a film the other night for the first time in about a month.

I would be the same as that, i think its my work too, it can be intense for long periods and i lose the will to focus in on too much

[CorkonianHunger]

Anyone got any ways to get out of a reading block? Was reading mad a couple weeks ago but currently stuck on current book. Nothing to do with the book but had to leave it off for a couple days and haven't picked it up in weeks. Can't start a new one till I finish it either. I suppose the best thing to do is just pick it up and go.