Recent Books Read

[Christopher]

Haven't read those. Not all of his stuff has been published in the U.S. yet. I think it's just been over the last few years that his popularity started to rise here. It was nearly two years ago that I was introduced to his work by one of my professors. He loaned me Bite and The Woods Are Dark (which was a UK publication). I'd say The Woods Are Dark is the least impressive book I've read from him so far. It didn't seem to be as well developed as the others I've read.

[No,namedfan]

I agree. Island is the only book to make me jump. (I know that sound weird but it is true).

[GBU]

I just finished "A Scanner Darkly". Oh my God!! Probably the best book I've ever read. I highly recommend it.

They are also making a movie adaptation of the novel which looks amazing.

[KC]

I just finished "A Scanner Darkly". Oh my God!! Probably the best book I've ever read. I highly recommend it.

They are also making a movie adaptation of the novel which looks amazing.

They've made it, actually. It's in limited release now ...

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0405296/

[Gant]

Bought A Scanner Darkly for this weekends trip away.. Looking forward to it...

[Gant]

Not really my usual kind of reading tho' I still enjoyed it...

Just picked this up for holiday reading..

Lost Histories by Joel Levy



Looks like a fun read.. the author investigates some of the greatest mysteries of our past. Holy Grail, Eldorado, lost works of Shakespeare.. what happend to Amelia Earhart etc..

[Lin Sunderland]

Gant write a quick review when you get back and tell us what the book was like please.   Sounds interesting.

[Gant]

Will do 

[KC]

Who killed Olof Palme?

[Gant]

Dunno... but it Sounds like a botched  investigation to me..

[Hemlock]

It took me awhile to finish that Mosley`s Bad Boy Brawly Brown but I did.As usual it was great as all of the Easy Rawlins books have been.

Now reading:



James Ellroy`s second book.Good stuff too.

And now a bit off topic if I may:

I'm off to Finland for a few days next week.

So Gant how was your trip?

[Gant]

Fantastic. We played in Tampere and then drove up to Kemi (I think thats the spelling)... Then got a train back to Tampere which was great. Fantastic way to see all that beautiful countryside. Good audiences and the beer didn't seem as expensive as in the past. Maybe the rest of the world has caught you up in alcohol prices..
All in all.. a good trip.

and I read all the way..(just to keep us on topic) 

[dane with no name]

The pale horseman by Bernard Cornwell.

Second of a trilogy about the danish viking invasion of England in the late ninth century. The Danes have conquered almost all of Brittan through an combination of broken truces, deceit, and superior fighting power and strength.  Only Wessex remains (cornwall too, but they hate the saxons, and are considered an enemy) and the British king Edward (later the great) is hard pressed. We follow a young Saxon nobleman and warrior named Uthred of Bebbanburg (in Northumbria), who is landless due to his treacherous uncle. 

Assembling the Great Army, the Vikings have only one ambition - to conquer Wessex. When they (again) break the truce and attack Wessex, the arrogant Uthred finds himself on the pious Christian King Alfreds side though he is a worshipper of the Norse gods himself, due to his life among the vikings when he was a hostage in his earlier years  ( described in book 1 ; The last kingdome).
The two of them along with Alfreds entourage flee into the marshes where they forge an uneasy alliance.

From the marshes they spy on the vikings, do some sabotage, and try to assemble a Saxon army that can fight the vikings. The two great armies crash together in 878 on the hill of Ethandum ( possibly Brattom Camp) where the Danes had their first massive defeat.
 
I´ve read a lot of Cornwells books (most notably his books about Sharpe, a young British officer during the Napoleon wars) and even though these books aren't the best he´s written, they are definitely worth a try if you haven't heard of him.

What i like about Bernard Cornwell is that while he may have an vivid imagination, and a good way of writing, he always posts a historical note in the end of his books where he writes what is facts in the book, what is myth, and what he made up. A lot of authors who write books based on history could learn from that. 

[KC]

What i like about Bernard Cornwell is that while he may have an vivid imagination, and a good way of writing, he always posts a historical note in the end of his books where he writes what is facts in the book, what is myth, and what he made up. A lot of authors who write books based on history could learn from that.

A lot of authors who write HISTORY could learn from that too ...

[dane with no name]

A lot of authors who write HISTORY could learn from that too ... 

 
Well said, KC.
Especially whenever a big movie about some historical figure shows up, and book after book about him/her is grind ed out. I dread to think of all the books about iwo jima, i´ll have to push my way past when i enter my favorite bookshops next year (accounting for the standard danish lateness regarding moviepremieres).
 

[Conan]

and I finally finished...

[Lilly]

I am currently absorbed by Alistair Cooke's latest, posthumous offering: his account of America in 1941-2.  There is much less literature on the American home front than the British one, and it is interesting to learn about the effects of the war on U.S. soil.  It's a unique perspective; not many people were circumnavigating the lower 48 on the outbreak of war, much less with the access to people and places that Cooke's position afforded him.

It begins with his telling of being in D.C. on the day of infamy at Pearl Harbor.  It is wonderful to read of the atmosphere, and particularly his description of Roosevelt coming to the House.  I think his excellent style and observation is even better in this book than in his other work.

The American title is different to the British one.

U.S.:




Britain:



Yeah I know it looks like a bridge in Madison County, but apparently it's Wisconsin.

[Lin Sunderland]

Lilly yes there are a few covered bridges in Wisconsin I have seen them.

I like Alistair Cooke's style and enjoyed his 'Letter From America'  each week.   You have got me interested now and I will get a copy. Let you know what I think.

[Lilly]

Cool Lin!  Look forward to hearing your take.  Apparently the manuscript lay undiscovered in Cooke's closet for years, until his secretary turned it up just weeks before he died.  He was reportedly delighted that it had been found, and wanted it published.

[Gant]

A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L'engle.
I missed this one first time round so am now reading it with my son.