Just finished - just started Showing 5,501-5,550 of 13,832

[Guy]

Recently finished Queer by William S. Burroughs. Not sure what's next. Possibly Cancer Ward by Alexsandr Solzhenitsyn as I really enjoyed The Gulag Archipelago and One Day in The Life of Ivan Denisovich.

[Karen]

Just finished and enjoyed The Janus Stone, a quick read! And now starting Shadow. Really loved her Missing so high hopes for this one.

[Jim]

Guy wrote: "Recently finished Queer by William S. Burroughs. Not sure what's next. Possibly Cancer Ward by Alexsandr Solzhenitsyn as I really enjoyed The Gulag Archipelago and One Day in The Life of Ivan Den..."

Cancer ward I enjoyed.
I also recommend First Circle

[Jud]

I finished Patrick Moore: The Autobiography and started Mighty and Strong

[Stuart]

Just finished Eight Men Out: The Black Sox and the 1919 World Series - review here http://stuartayrisblog.org/2013/07/09...

[Patti (baconater)]

I've read about two pages since we got off the train. :-(
looking forward to the week on the beach!

[Michael]

I've just finished The Dead Room, it's a good crime thriller.

And I'm now onto Abandon

[Karen]

Just finished Shadow, which I didn't enjoy - they were all such unsympathetic characters. Now, just to cheer me up... reading Ten Billion - or as he concludes 'we're all f***ed'.

[Kath]

Just finished George Hamilton's amazing Secrets From The Dust about the Aboriginal children who were stolen from their families in Australia and put with white families - either as foster children or just domestic drudges. Brilliant. It's on the blog!

http://ignitebooks.blogspot.co.uk/201...

[Karen]

That sounds fascinating, Ignite. Think I might have to get that one.

[Karen]

Just finished Ten Billion - a short bleak book, but you can't say you weren't warned. We just didn't want to listen. Too late now.
Now starting Prodigal Summer - I loved the Lacuna and enjoyed The Poisonwood Bible, so high hopes once again.
Now off to dig up the lawn to grow more food (see book above)...

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Didn't get to read quite as much as I would like while away, finally finished Deeply Odd, and now reading Soul View by Jeff Inlo, am 20% in but another hectic few days

[Jud]

I finished The Wicked, I do love that series I think I will have to get the rest of them. I'm going to read The Virgin Suicides next. It's my last 99p book the rest are 86p or under.

[Lorraine]

Finished Country Of The Blind,was a bit dragged out,but an ok story.Just starting bad blood by mark sennen,not on goodreads yet.

[Robert]

Just finished A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow, so now I'm pretty much caught up with the tv series. Having a gap before starting part 2, and I'm reading The Song of Achilles which is quite good so far.

[Debbie]

Just finished (at 4:30 a.m., with a few tears and an urge to drive to Everton) I Woke Up This Morning (FRUGALITY: Book 3 by Stuart Ayris - mind-blowing is all I can say. Read, read, read...

Just started (but possibly won't finish) The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde - there were World Book Night copies on the table in the staff room, so I grabbed one and made it to the end of Chapter One. Hmm.

[Kath]

Debbie, I've been feeling in a minority of one about The Eyre Affair. Most people seem to love it. It struck me as trivial and pretentious. Not a popular view here!

[Debbie]

Ignite wrote: "Debbie, I've been feeling in a minority of one about The Eyre Affair. Most people seem to love it. It struck me as trivial and pretentious. Not a popular view here!"

I'm definitely with you on that one - I was in a union meeting when I scanned over the blurb, and went on a rant to the other union rep about how books like this were the reason I switched from studying English Lit. to Social Science at university. Pretentious, middle class, would-only-be-read-by-Guardian-Review-readers clap-trap! (Sorry to the author and also to any true fans - I realise that this may be a little harsh, but it is only an opinion and I am but one - well, one of two, it would seem).

[Jim]

I might start to rant here so someone get ready with a bucket of water.
Trivial (of little significance) I don't mind in a book. I mean, I write fantasy.
It's the Pretentious side of it that gets me. Two quotes from The Screwtape letters came to mind.

You should always try to make the patient abandon the people or food or books he really likes in favour of the "best" people, the "right" food, the "important" books.


And now for your blunders. On your own showing you first of all allowed the patient to read a book he really enjoyed, because he enjoyed it and not in order to make clever remarks about it to his new friends.

Anyone who writes a book just to appear smart and 'right on' is lost for all time, sailing in ever decreasing circles in the dark waters of their own ego.
Someone who reads a book for the same reasons in doomed to forever follow them on their demented quest.

[Jim]

Right, I'll go and have a cold shower and a lie down now

[Kath]

You OK now Jim?
I've just finished A Kick at the Pantry Door by Philip Whiteland. If you're the right age you'll nod and cluck as you read. If you're young, go and talk about it to your Mam and Dad!

[Debbie]

I think I probably agree with that, Jim. Now I'm off to read some Joseph Conrad... ;)

[Jim]

A lot better. Anyway after seeing the photo patti had posted of herself on FB a cold shower seemed called for ;-)

[Lexie]

Don't get me started on Joseph Conrad, though!

Just finished The Island, Victoria Hislop. Yes, Ignite, it was terrific - the account of the leper colony and their mixed feelings at the possibility of a cure was fascinating. I still have reservations about the family setting it was framed with, but the island itself was worth it.

Haven't started anything new till I finish off a few of the other books I'm reading!

[Sam]

Debbie wrote: "Just started (but possibly won't finish) The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde - there were World Book Night copies on the table in the staff room, so I grabbed one and made it to the end of Chapter One. Hmm"

Strange how two different people can view a book in such different ways. And wonderful, too. If we all took the same thing from a book, or film, or song, or whatever, what a dull place this world would be. I really liked 'The Eyre Affair', but enjoyed the sequels more. And, no, I'm not a "Pretentious, middle class, would-only-be-read-by-Guardian-Review-readers clap-trap!" type of person. I'm a down-to-earth, rugby- and beer-loving Welshman, who occasionally reads the Sunday Times for the sport. Here's a question: why can't you just buy the sports section, instead of having to buy the whole caboodle? Does anyone (who doesn't work in the City) actually read the Business section?

[Stuart]

Debbie wrote: "Just finished (at 4:30 a.m., with a few tears and an urge to drive to Everton) I Woke Up This Morning (FRUGALITY: Book 3 by Stuart Ayris - mind-blowing is all I can say. Read, read, read...

Just s..."

Cheers!

[Jud]

I'm reading eulogy's secret and am surprised to find that the Irish man speaks with a Scottish accent!

[Robert]

Just finished The Song of Achilles. I didn't like it too much. My review -

http://manofyesterday.wordpress.com/2...

Going to start The Cure for Consciousness today as part of a review swap.

[Lorraine]

Finished Bad Blood,was a good read,a few errors missed by the proof readers but nothing major.Starting Boneyard in paperback.

[Robert]

The Cure for Consciousness was pretty good, black humour but with heart. Now onto Book 3 part 2 of ASOIAF

[Fiona (Titch)]

I have finished ReEmergent - A.M. Hargrove a couple of days ago and now I am reading Should've Known Better - Cassandra Carr.

[Stuart]

Just finished The Bank Manager and the Bum by Darren Sant (very good novella!) and just started Dracula

[Karen]

Just finished the wonderful Prodigal Summer - and having recently read Ten Billion, there were a lot of common threads.
Now off to start Safe House

[Lorraine]

Finished Boneyard,was a good thriller with lots of twists.Starting mels Impeding Justice.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

I've finished Soul View, quite enjoyed it. Now going to read Perfect People by Peter James

[Karon]

I've finished Hunpty Dumpty a pre-release read by Carolyn McCray and Ben Hopkin- really enjoyed it and will be looking out for more of their books.
I've started Winter of the Worldwhich although I enjoyed Fall of Giants I am struggling with. I'm finding the sentence structure very annoying, it seems to have lots of very short statements. I've not noticed this with Ken Follett's books before. I shall persevere though.

[Lance]

Finished Chasing Aphrodite: The Hunt for Looted Antiquities at the World's Richest Museum . It's one of the best true-crime books I've read, a thorough but engaging account of the many criminal and ethical train wrecks hidden behind the imposing façade of the world's richest museum. This could be the basis for a fine soap opera, or Law & Order franchise. Five stars.

Read the full review at http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....

[Joo]

I just started The Philanthropist's Danse
The first chapter is very intriguing.

[Kath]

Just finished a complication that I can't find here. It's a celebration of the 40th anniversary of Virago press. Some good stories, some true bio bits but some effectively just lists of influential authors. People were invited to contribute a piece on the theme of 40.

Just started Stealing Power - a new author to our group. By heck, that first chapter is a hook!

[Jud]

I finished Eulogy's Secret I enjoyed it although found the 'inappropriate' manner of speaking a bit distracting, it was very modern conversation at times, but that's just me being fussy. I'm now reading The Cambridge List which is promising to be very funny and original!

[Kath]

I really loved The Cambridge List, Jud.

[Elle]

been reading Sin City, Vol. 1: The Hard Goodbye

[David]

Just finished Beyond Eclectic Superb Tales of the Unexpected! Starting The Cult of Me

[Kath]

Loved both of those David!

[Natasha]

Just finished Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey by Alexandra Bogdanovic, memoir about discovering that the man of your dreams, your husband in fact, identifies as a woman and is planning surgery. My review.

Just getting back to the much neglected Vatican Cellars by André Gide.

[Jay-me (Janet)]

Ignite wrote: "Just finished a complication that I can't find here. It's a celebration of the 40th anniversary of Virago press. Some good stories, some true bio bits but some effectively just lists of influential..."

If its not too complicated you could put the details on here and I (or some other kind librarian) would sort it.

[Kath]

Haha! A complicated compilation! It's called Virago at 40

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Virago-40-A-C...

Ta chuck.

[Jay-me (Janet)]

Ignite wrote: "Haha! A complicated compilation! It's called Virago at 40

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Virago-40-A-C......"


Looks like it is already there.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18...

[Kath]

Oh, so it is. I couldn't find it. Looks as if others are as blown away by it as I was. Not very... The good bits were excellent. The rest was poor - lists of ferinstances and examples don't make a good anthology. Must get round to reviewing it. Thanks for tracing it for me Janet. :-)

[Mark]

Lorraine wrote: "Finished Bad Blood,was a good read,a few errors missed by the proof readers but nothing major.Starting Boneyard in paperback."

Hi Lorraine

Glad you liked the book. I'm not sure if you can remember where any of the errors were but if you can it would great to know so they don't get into the print edition (and I'll see you get a free paper copy sans errors!).

Mark Sennen