What are you reading now?

[Jushin-Thunder-Liger]

Out - Natsuo Kirino Excellent though I don't think it would be for everyone, maybe too depressing for some.

A gripping, dark and disturbing book.

I read that last year, it was pretty entertaining in a trashy way.

Not a bad holiday book, all in all

[Jushin-Thunder-Liger]

Kenneth as in former chancellor Ken Clark?

Aye shipmate, not for his policies (Right wing Voodoo economics aint my bag) but for his style

Give me a politician who wears a bowler hat and is never seen without a glass of brandy and a fine cuban cigar, over some 50 somthing in trainers anyday.

[wheelaa]

Bill Hicks: Agent Evolution. A great account of the life of the late, stand-up William Melvin Hicks.

Great book. Great man. Great shame.

[PeteJ]

Reading His Dark Materials at the moment, because of this thread. I'm near the end of book two. Wasn't so keen on it in the beginning, but when the story gets going about a third of the way into book one, I started to enjoy it more. From there, I'm liking it more and more with every turn of the page.

[ThoseOfTheUnlight]

Heading off on holiday and want to pick up a book tomorrow to read.

Anyone recommend me something nice and easy to read, yet highly enjoyable? I dont want to trawl through the whole thread!

I dont really mind what genre, I'm quite unfussy!

[Ish]

His books will do that to you, mate. Trust me...

I'm still thinking about it now. I found it really unsettling. There were a couple of characters and things in there that reminded me of recent events in my own life.

I'm looking forward to reading more of his - thats the first of his I've read. But I'm going to let this one get out of my system first.

For a change of pace I'm reading Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday. By god that guy was a bastard.

[Ady]

Norwegian Wood is his most conventional book. His others tend to skirt the lines between the real and surreal. 'The Wind Up Bird Chronicle' was my personal favourite and affected me much like Norwegian Wood did you.

I'm currently reading 'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood. Reductively, it's referred to as a "feminist 1984", but there's more to it than that.

[Ish]

Norwegian Wood is his most conventional book. His others tend to skirt the lines between the real and surreal. 'The Wind Up Bird Chronicle' was my personal favourite and affected me much like Norwegian Wood did you.

I'm currently reading 'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood. Reductively, it's referred to as a "feminist 11984", but there's more to it than that.

I literally picked up Norwegian Wood by chance. I do that sometimes.... just pick up a book I know nothing about and give it a go.

The Handmaidens Tale is a great book - rammed full of subtext! Oryx and Crane is not bad too - though not up to the standard of Handmaidens Tale.

[Kieran76]

I can't stand the Handmaidens Tale, it's about as subtle as a slap in the face and the ending is absolute toss. Then again I had to read it as part of my English Lit A-level and I don't think you really enjoy books you have to read.

[Ish]

I rarely enjoy anything I have to read. I like to read at my own pace (which admittedly is normally somewhat voracious!) and read something that I think will suit my mood.

I'm about half way through that Mao biography I mentioned earlier - well recommended. Its a really good read.

[segages]

For a change of pace I'm reading Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday. By god that guy was a bastard.

I have this next in line after I'm done with The Real Fidel Castro.

[Ady]

I'm reading "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt.

I'm enjoying it a lot so far, and certainly get the impression that it's building up to something huge (which it is).

Tartt is a great authour and I like her written style a lot.

[Kieran76]

Addicted by Tony Adams, picked it up in a car boot sale for 50p and it is reasonably interesting. Adams certainly doesn't pull any punches when describing some of the mess he was in.

[TonyDA]

Having been on something of a crime fiction phase recently - and I recommend Susan Hill's The Various Haunts Of Men to anyone who likes a good crime novel - I've just finished re-reading Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix in time for the release of The Half Blood Prince on Saturday.

It's the only one I've felt the need to read more than once, mainly because I couldn't remember a thing about it. Today I realised why: it came out two weeks after my father's death. Wonder why I wasn't concentrating when I read it!

Unlike a lot of people, I think the books have got better as they've got longer, although there did seem to be a lot of padding in Order of the Phoenix, especially second time around. Is anyone else looking forward to Saturday?

Tony

[cinabar]

Just finished 'Be My Enemy' by Christopher Brookmyre, which was kinda poor. Readable, but not good.

And I've just started 'Call After Midnight' by Tess Gerritsen which, as yet, hasn't pulled me in. I will continue with it though.

I do find most books I read to be poor, not a lot really grip me, sadly. Its just you never can tell if a book is going to be any good when you are in the shop. Even books by one particular author don't quite work, as I like other books Brookmyre. Ditto, reading is such a personal thing that recommendations from friends aren't necessarily a sure fire way of getting a good book either. (?Icarus? by Russell Andrews, my favourite book, gets mixed reviews on Amazon from other people).

Its such a hit and miss business.