Reading Any Good Books ? (1 Viewer)

bringbackrattles · Jan 2, 2021

Always enjoyed a good read and my sister bought me 2 excellent books for Christmas. One is by Billy Connolly called Tall Tales and Wee Stories,and the other CULTS about 48 of the worlds most sinister sects and organisations. A good contrast there ! Also as they knew they were shutting down again,a charity shop I use for my football stuff contacted me, and they kept back a bundle of books. Great mixture of football and boxing,one is on Rocky Marciano, so well pleased by that.

Sky_Blue_Daz · Jan 2, 2021

I’ve got mike Tyson’s autobiography to start , also I picked up an old American wrestling ( don’t laugh really enjoyed it when I was younger ) commentator Jim Ross’s autobiography . And finished trainspotting, I also want to get the Begbie book The blade artist

LastGarrison · Jan 2, 2021

Sky_Blue_Daz said:
I’ve got mike Tyson’s autobiography to start , also I picked up an old American wrestling ( don’t laugh really enjoyed it when I was younger ) commentator Jim Ross’s autobiography . And finished trainspotting, I also want to get the Begbie book The blade artist

I wouldn’t bother with the Blade Artist, it’s probably his poorest book IMO.

If you haven’t read any of his others I would recommend Porno, Glue, Filth or Maribou Stork Nightmares to start with.

clint van damme · Jan 2, 2021

Just finished the Power of the dog trilogy by Don Winslow about the Mexican cartels. Fiction but steeped in real life events. Really enjoyed it.

Currently reading 48 laws of power by Robert Greene. Massive best seller and a beloved book of people in prison and basically a manual for how to get your way being a sneaky c**t - not feeling it.

Have books on Stoicism and creating a raised vegetable bed on order!

BodicoteSkyBlue · Jan 2, 2021

Was given David Jason’s biography My Life for Christmas, might start it this evening.

clint van damme · Jan 2, 2021

LastGarrison said:
I wouldn’t bother with the Blade Artist, it’s probably his poorest book IMO.

If you haven’t read any of his others I would recommend Porno, Glue, Filth or Maribou Stork Nightmares to start with.

I thought the Blade Artist was better than Skag boys.
I was stood next to Irving Welsh in a bar at a festival for about half an hour and didn't try and speak to him. No interest in meeting famous people but I now wish I'd made an exception in his case

bringbackrattles · Jan 2, 2021

Sky_Blue_Daz said:
I’ve got mike Tyson’s autobiography to start , also I picked up an old American wrestling ( don’t laugh really enjoyed it when I was younger ) commentator Jim Ross’s autobiography . And finished trainspotting, I also want to get the Begbie book The blade artist

Peter Blake the famous pop artist has written about his love of wrestling and I had one of his books once on his stories of the wrestling in the sixties. Great read but no longer have it so will try and see if I can get a copy.

bringbackrattles · Jan 2, 2021

BodicoteSkyBlue said:
Was given David Jason’s biography My Life for Christmas, might start it this evening.

clint van damme said:

Just finished the Power of the dog trilogy by Don Winslow about the Mexican cartels. Fiction but steeped in real life events. Really enjoyed it.

Currently reading 48 laws of power by Robert Greene. Massive best seller and a beloved book of people in prison and basically a manual for how to get your way being a sneaky c**t - not feeling it.

Have books on Stoicism and creating a raised vegetable bed on order!

Click to expand...

When I was inside most inmates used to read comics or westerns !

Wyken Sky Blue · Jan 2, 2021

Fancy downloading James Smith's new book called Not a Life Coach.

I'm a fan of self-help books and reading how to become more productive at work and life in general.

Two of the best books I have read are 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck' and 'No More Mr Nice Guy'

clint van damme · Jan 2, 2021

skyblue1991 said:
Fancy downloading James Smith's new book called Not a Life Coach.

I'm a fan of self-help books and reading how to become more productive at work and life in general.

Two of the best books I have read are 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck' and 'No More Mr Nice Guy'

Subtle art is brilliant though I would say it's a bit different to the rest of the genre - not that I've read that many.

Sky Blue Pete · Jan 2, 2021

Realised I’d never read all the Narnia books so grabbed it off the kids shelf and on Prince Caspian

Also about to start Strike and the Gareth Southgate one

Sky_Blue_Daz · Jan 2, 2021

I got a book about Stockholm syndrome. I started to read it and didn’t like it however by the time I’d finished it I loved it

LastGarrison · Jan 2, 2021

clint van damme said:
I thought the Blade Artist was better than Skag boys.
I was stood next to Irving Welsh in a bar at a festival for about half an hour and didn't try and speak to him. No interest in meeting famous people but I now wish I'd made an exception in his case

I just couldn’t buy in to the whole Begbie the successful artist in America story line. Just didn’t sit right and, dare I say, a bit far fetched.

clint van damme · Jan 2, 2021

LastGarrison said:
I just couldn’t buy in to the whole Begbie the successful artist in America story line. Just didn’t sit right and, dare I say, a bit far fetched.

it didn't bother me with regard to this book but it happens to me sometimes, particularly with TV and film where you just can't buy in to the premise even though there's stuff you get on board with even though it's even more far fetched.

Great_Expectations · Jan 2, 2021

Historical fiction is one of my favourite, anything by the below is recommended (favourites in brackets):

Bernard Cornwell (Warlord series - based on King Arthur, Saxon Series - based on Alfred the Greats reign)
Conn Iggulden (Emperor series - based on Julius Caesar, Conqueror Series - based on Genghus Khan)
Simon Scarrow
David Gemmel
Christian Cameron (God of War)

I also like fantasy type stuff (in similar veins to Game of Thrones):

Joe Abercrombie (First Law Trilogy)
Anthony Ryan

Brighton Sky Blue · Jan 2, 2021

Started reading the works of Lucian of Samosata, a Syrian who lived around the time of Marcus Aurelius who wrote the famous ‘Meditations’. All kinds of thought provoking things from rhetorical thought experiments to dialogues with the gods, to sci fi stories.

Wyken Sky Blue · Jan 3, 2021

Has anyone used audio books before? Keep seeing adverts for Audible

Sent from my I3113 using Tapatalk

Houchens Head · Jan 3, 2021

I picked up a book called "The History of Glue".
.
I couldn't put it down!

Si80 · Jan 3, 2021

Shoe Dog - Phil Knight is the story of Nike. It's a great read.

EalingSB · Jan 3, 2021

clint van damme said:
Just finished the Power of the dog trilogy by Don Winslow about the Mexican cartels. Fiction but steeped in real life events. Really enjoyed it.

Currently reading 48 laws of power by Robert Greene. Massive best seller and a beloved book of people in prison and basically a manual for how to get your way being a sneaky c**t - not feeling it.

Have books on Stoicism and creating a raised vegetable bed on order!

Sticking with the Mexican theme, I got American Dirt for Christmas. It's about a Mexican bookseller who flees to the US with her son to escape cartel-related violence and was recommended by a friend. Gonna start it this week.

I'm quite into US politics at the moment so read and have just finished Jim Comey's A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership about his times as the FBI Director and working with Trump. I enjoyed it and watched the dramatisation on Amazon Prime but know a lot of Americans hate him and blame him for Trump getting in in the first place.

For a change of scenery, I also read a cheesy romcom over Christmas called Flatshare by Beth O'Leary which was really good! Recommended by my wife, of course.

Earlsdon_Skyblue1 · Jan 3, 2021

I'll be publishing my novel in the next fortnight. Will post a link on here

PurpleBin · Jan 4, 2021

skyblue1991 said:
Fancy downloading James Smith's new book called Not a Life Coach.

I'm a fan of self-help books and reading how to become more productive at work and life in general.

Two of the best books I have read are 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck' and 'No More Mr Nice Guy'

Not a Life Coach is decent BUT if you've read books like the 4HWW or any of the Tim Ferriss books or Rich Dad Poor Dad type stuff it might leave you wanting a bit. It's still enjoyable though.

PurpleBin · Jan 4, 2021

skyblue1991 said:
Has anyone used audio books before? Keep seeing adverts for Audible

Sent from my I3113 using Tapatalk

Yeah, all the time. Prefer when it's the author reading it though. Not a fan of a random reading it you.

PurpleBin · Jan 4, 2021

Salt Fat Acid Heat. Amazing if you're into cooking. Not finished it but done most and it's a proper good reference.

Anthony Bourdain - Kitchen Confidential and a Cooks Tour also by AB. An amazing chap...probably the only celebrity who passed away which made me sad. Finished Confidential a while back and still reading a Cooks Tour.

Chamber Music - Will Ashon. Not long started that.

That will Never Work - Mark Randolph. Half way through...really good. It's about Netflix and how it started.

RegTheDonk · Jan 4, 2021

skyblue1991 said:
Has anyone used audio books before? Keep seeing adverts for Audible

Sent from my I3113 using Tapatalk

Quite a few, not via Audible but download from Radio4/Extra or other on-line places. Used to read a lot but eyesight and other distractions at home means it's easier to listen in the car than pick up a book.

robbiekeane · Jan 4, 2021

I am pilgirm is the best book i've ever read.

Currently reading women against feminism, decent read

mrtrench · Jan 10, 2021

I'm reading a 16th century history of the Kings of England. It starts from Egbert, the first Anglo Saxon King of (most of) England and runs to Elizabeth I (very little on her as the writer was aware of the political risk). There's one page also on James I, so obviously she died whilst he was writing.

Anyway, I've just finished Henry II (12th Century) and wanted to share a story. Henry didn't like his wife and was very lascivious, reputably having tens of concubines. The most beautiful was Rosamund Clifford, with a reputation across Europe as being 'The Rose of England'. Henry's wife was jealous and wanted to kill her. So Henry hid her in a building within a labyrinth so complex that he had to leave a path of twine so he could visit himself. Is this the source of the fairy tales of Rapunzel or The Sleeping Beauty?

There's a 14th Century extension to this story: Henry's wife found the twine, followed it and gained entry. She challenged Rosamund to take poison or the dagger. She chose poison and was buried nearby. Next to her coffin they placed her chest, which when opened displayed live birds, animals and fish. The modern editor has added a footnote - "there is no contemporary evidence of this. Rosamund died of natural causes."

Really enjoying the book; about halfway through now. What is striking so far is that every king spends so much time fighting Vikings (until William the Conqueror), France (after William) or is embroiled in civil war. Sons against fathers; brother against brother and king against king. And once the king takes power he's immediately facing insurrection by various Earls and Lords who constantly rise up against him. We're so lucky to live in times where for the most part borders are accepted.

mrtrench · Jan 10, 2021

Earlsdon_Skyblue1 said:
I'll be publishing my novel in the next fortnight. Will post a link on here

Good luck!

Sky_Blue_Daz · Jan 10, 2021

I got the latest Alan Brazil book as a birthday present to start this week

Sbarcher · Jan 11, 2021

One Two Three Four book about the Beatles by Craig Brown. A really good read.

PurpleBin · Jan 11, 2021

Has anyone ever read The Good Guys Wear Blue? By Paul Browning. About being a copper in Coventry (and his life in general) in the 90s. He's an old friend of my brother. Good read.

LastGarrison · Jan 11, 2021

PurpleBin said:
Has anyone ever read The Good Guys Wear Blue? By Paul Browning. About being a copper in Coventry (and his life in general) in the 90s. He's an old friend of my brother. Good read.

Just looked into this. Looks right up my street.

Will need to purchase it.

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