What are you reading in 2015?

[Paul]

Current reading The Signal and the Noise: The Art and Science of Prediction. Interesting so far, it is quite amazing just how wrong some 'experts' can be about the future

[Jon]

Just started Brute Orbits by George Zebrowski. So far, so good. it's a sci-fi book dealing with orbital penal colonies

[Sophie]

Paul wrote: "Happy birthday for Sunday Sophie"

Thank you
Got some new books today which I can't wait to sink my teeth into - The Farm & The Devil's Detective and two new cookery books; Tea and Cake with Lisa Faulkner & A Bird in the Hand: Chicken recipes for every day and every mood woop woop!

Though it does now mean that I have been volunteered to cook a family meal for my parents, brother, sister and daughter!

[Cathy]

Happy birthday Sophie! Hope you get some time to sit down with your new books.

[Joy]

I've just started Elizabeth Is Missing. It's told in the first person by someone suffering from senile dementia and strikes me as so perceptive. However, it's also making me want to howl my eyes out, so not sure if I can carry on with it!

[Charlotte]

Just starting A Week in December by Sebastian Faulks. Looks very different to Birdsong, th only other novel I have read by him so kind of intrigued.

[Paul]

I read that earlier this year Charlotte. Thought it was pretty good.

[Jo]

I am starting Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.

[Paul]

Started The Marshmallow Test: Mastering Self-Control yesterday. It is looking at the correlation of children that cannot wait a specified time with how the perform and behave in later life. Fascinating stuff so far.

[Jason]

Sticking with the Oscar Wilde books. Lord Arthur Saville's Crime good so far.

[Jackie]

Just about to start One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis.

[Jo]

I've gone a bit random with my next audio book. Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Not really a natural read/listen for me, but I'm intrigued so will stick with it.

[Charlotte]

Jo wrote: "I've gone a bit random with my next audio book. Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Not really a natural read/listen for me, but I'm intrigued so will stick with it." Not quite as good as other John Green books. I think the two authors created their first chapters separately then brought their characters together through subsequent alternating chapters, so to me it felt less fluid and smooth. The characters aren't so likeable and the self -penned musical is a bit strange and unlikely!

[Lisa]

My graphic novel slot - the first Sandman book The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes unknown Edition by Neil Gaiman. A completely new genre for me (and one that seems a little hard to take seriously as a proper 'read', on the face of it), but so far it is compelling and very dark.

[Paul]

Lisa wrote: "My graphic novel slot - the first Sandman book The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes unknown Edition by Neil Gaiman. A completely new genre for me (and one that seems a little ..."

That is what I thought when I first started them Lisa. But they are definitely not comics

[Jackie]

Starting Red Joan by Jennie Rooney. Looking forward to this one as have heard its v good.

[Paul]

Just started American Gods. Great so far.

[Jon]

Just atarted Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Should be interesting since it takes place in an African society before and after the coming of Western missionaries

[Jon]

Paul wrote: "Just started American Gods. Great so far."

One of my favorite books.

[Cindy]

Jon wrote: "Just atarted Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Should be interesting since it takes place in an African society before and after the coming of Western missionaries"

I read this last year. It took me a bit to get into the story but it was one I'll probably never forget. Well worth reading.

[Paul]

Just started Engel's England: Thirty-nine counties, one capital and one man. Three counties down, 36 to go.

[Jackie]

Going to start Small Island by Andrea Levy.

[Jo]

About to finish Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, and really not sure what to read next. Possibly Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt or How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, which is on loan from the library so probably ought to be that next as I don't think I can renew it.

[amber]

I'm reading Orphan Train. Not sure what I think about it yet. It's easy reading, but there's something a little too YA about it.

[Lisa]

Can't read Sandman on my commute - definitely a dark, after-dark book - so started The Children's Act by Ian MacEwan tonight. Bit drunk though after an excellent night out with best friend, so may need to start again in the morning!

[Emma]

I loved Small Island Jackie.

[Emma]

Ha Lisa, I've done that before, started a book after a night out. I did have to go back and re-read it!

[Jo]

Lisa wrote: "Can't read Sandman on my commute - definitely a dark, after-dark book - so started The Children's Act by Ian MacEwan tonight. Bit drunk though after an excellent night out with best friend, so may ..."

That's classic, I've done that too.

[Tytti]

Emma wrote: "Ha Lisa, I've done that before, started a book after a night out. I did have to go back and re-read it!"

Me, too, actually, but with different results. There is this huge yearly student event here, like a pub crawl, where you have to visit a certain number of places and have a drink (or a glass of water) in four (or five) hours. When you do it for the third time it's 10 drinks for women and 12 for men. When I was doing that most of my group of friends had less so I visited a few more places with one guy. We both had the same exam the next day and he quizzed me something about it while waiting for our drinks. (I think we had shots so that doesn't last long.) So after I had done that and was home quite early, around midnight and moderately drunk, I did some more studying and passed the exam that was at 10 the next morning.

[Charlotte]

reading Dara o'briains Tickling the English....started it on holiday, and now home I picked it up at the library to finish but its not tickling my funny bone all that much. anyone else read it?

[Paul]

I have, thought it was reasonable.

[Lisa]

Great story, Tytti. I think people in their late teens/early 20s can get away with that. In my very early days working in publishing with silly deadlines, I used to work until 9pm and go and drink until midnight, and then get up and do it all again the next day. Definitely couldn't do that now!

Anyway - on topic... The Children's Act is quite powerful so far. Ian McEwan is such an incisive writer, doesn't waste a word.

[Paul]

Lisa wrote: "Anyway - on topic... The Children's Act is quite powerful so far. Ian McEwan is such an incisive writer, doesn't waste a word. ..."

I listened to the Radio 4 adaption Lisa. thought it was really powerful

[Tytti]

Lisa wrote: "Great story, Tytti. I think people in their late teens/early 20s can get away with that."

Except that I was neither, not even close... I also went to the last statistics lecture that started 8:30 after being home around 4 am after a Christmas party. I didn't go the Russian exam at noon, though. Writing in Cyrillic is hard enough even with enough sleep.

[Jo]

Lisa wrote: "Anyway - on topic... The Children's Act is quite powerful so far. Ian McEwan is such an incisive writer, doesn't waste a word."

I also listened to the R4 adaptation and let's say it made quite an impression. Quite shocking and yes, incisive is the word even in abridged form.

[Charlotte]

Paul wrote: "I have, thought it was reasonable."
hmmm...didn't laugh aloud once, or to be honest crack a smile. think something has gotten lost between his performance and the writing. Feels a bit cagey to put as a humour book on my full deck when it didn't amuse me! hehe

[Charlotte]

New read has me all excited...completing the Oryx & Crake trilogy with Maddaddam. I really enjoyed the previous two :D

[Jon]

Started A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

[Jackie]

Going to start Close My Eyes by Sophie McKenzie today.

[Jo]

I am listening to The Betrayal of Trust to feed my addiction to the Serrailler series (all Elizabeth's fault! ;-)) the sixth in that series.

I have just started reading How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia

[Joy]

I'm reading The Skeleton Road, a thriller.

[Paul]

Didn't get any time to read at lunch time today, so didn't get as far through The Dark Net: Inside the Digital Underworld as I wanted. Good so far, and terrifying at the same time

[Jackie]

I'm going to start reading The Night Falling by Katherine Webb.

[Jo]

I am listening to The Blue Afternoon.

[Sophie]

I'm just about to start All The Pretty Horses. I've got a bit of a thing about cowboys and their way of life at the moment!

[Jon]

I love All The Pretty Horses. It's my favorite of his books.

[Sophie]

I haven't read anything of his before but lots of people have said its good so I'm hopeful I'll enjoy it :)

[Paul]

Aiming to read these this week:
The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs
Happiness by Design: Finding Pleasure and Purpose in Everyday Life
Travels in Alaska
Uncommon Ground: A word-lover's guide to the British landscape

[Debbie]

Just started
Wild: A Journey from Lost to Found and The Humans by Matt Haig.
Also reading Awful Auntie to my daughters, which is hilarious x

[Paul]

Reading The Trinity Six at the moment. It is a truly excellent thriller.