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Which Book Are You Reading thread

RIMB said:
PS. "What Zidane could do with a ball, Maradona wished he could do in orange." -- RIMB Platini

Fixed!
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Your lucky Ive got a real football match to run off to... pfft how dare you blaspheme like that.

Have a good weekend mate.
 
Decentric said:
Picked up a gem of a secondhand book in a give away stall, Clifton Beach, just north of Cairns.

STANDING IN ANOTHER MAN’S GRAVE: IAN RANKIN

Genre : Crime/Murder mystery.

Setting: Edinburgh and Inverness in Scotland, about 15 years ago.

Length : 356 pages.

Why I chose the book? Have read quite a few Ian Rankin books prior.

Review:

A cold case comes back to life. Former Detective Inspector, John Rebus, is a civilian working in a cold case unit, and is used as an auxilary on the case. Rebus is out of date with the internet plus Facebook, Twitter used in investigations.

Most senior current cops don’t want Rebus involved with his maverick, anarchic style, except his old prodigy, now Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke.

He constantly annoys careerist seniors, and has to break rules and use his crim and old police contacts to solve the case. Rebus is a superb detective.

Clarke recognises Rebus’ innate talent and experience, plus his dogged persistence to recognise clues to identify the perpetrator, that no other working cop does.

A few cops are exposed as bent, and their cop colleagues are furious with Rebus for exposing their corrupt mates.

Rebus is constantly funny and makes witty comments. He and Clarke have a lot of witty dialogue. Love the humour.

Clarke is a bit of eye candy and attracts a lot of male attention, particularly senior male cops, who don’t like her working closely with Rebus.
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Brilliant book! Ian Rankin is unequivocally one of the best crime writers! His author peers adulate him.
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Rankin is on a level of his own....

While he’s often grouped with other fantastic crime writers, I think he's really has carved out a unique space that few others occupy.

There is a massive, incredibly loyal community of Rankin devotees out there.

Including me!!
 
Football us life said:
Rankin is on a level of his own....

While he’s often grouped with other fantastic crime writers, I think he's really has carved out a unique space that few others occupy.

There is a massive, incredibly loyal community of Rankin devotees out there.

Including me!!
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I think Rankin may have been the top crime writer in the English language, but IMO Robert Galbraith/JK Rowling’s Strike series may be even better.

Notwithstanding, many readers think Galbraith’s books are too long. I disagree. They are very entertaining. I don’t want them to end.

Michael Connelly, the LA based crime writer is very good in this genre, prolific, and is probably writing better than when he started.

I might be biased, but love the Edinburgh setting that Rankin uses, and usually Rebus and Clarke traverse Scotland - a county I’ve travelled all over and love - apart from the weather.
 
Decentric said:
I think Rankin may have been the top crime writer in the English language, but IMO Robert Galbraith/JK Rowling’s Strike series may be even better.

Notwithstanding, many readers think Galbraith’s books are too long. I disagree. They are very entertaining. I don’t want them to end.

Michael Connelly, the LA based crime writer is very good in this genre, prolific, and is probably writing better than when he started.

I might be biased, but love the Edinburgh setting that Rankin uses, and usually Rebus and Clarke traverse Scotland - a county I’ve travelled all over and love - apart from the weather.
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Another Scottish author I'm right into is John Niven.....

His writing is quite diverse and he's a bit of a 'black comedy' specialist. Almost in the Irvine Welsh variety!

He's alao done a couple of crime books but in 'black comedy caper'types of settings. He's a former music industry executive qho channeled his experiences into his breakout 2008 novel, "Kill Your Friends", a dark comedy which completely skewered the music business and which was made into a film.

He's also a highly in demand tv screen writer too.
 
Football us life said:
Another Scottish author I'm right into is John Niven.....

His writing is quite diverse and he's a bit of a 'black comedy' specialist. Almost in the Irvine Welsh variety!

He's alao done a couple of crime books but in 'black comedy caper'types of settings. He's a former music industry executive qho channeled his experiences into his breakout 2008 novel, "Kill Your Friends", a dark comedy which completely skewered the music business and which was made into a film.

He's also a highly in demand tv screen writer too.
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I’ve seen the name John Niven in secondhand bookshops.

Thanks!
 
After reading Ian Rankin's, Standing In Another Man's Grave, I've just read Ironbark, Michael Connelly, and,I'm currently reading Three Reasons For Revenge- Dervla McTiernan. It is rare to read so many high quality books in succession in the same genre.

I'll provide more detailed reviews of the latter two books soon.

Dervla McTiernan is an Irish lawyer, now author, who has moved to Perth. Before this current book, set in Melbourne, she chose to write in Irish and American settings.
 
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Got this on me Kindle and knocked it out in 4.days....

The book tells the story of the tragic 2020s through two young ladies, Rozhin Yousefzadeh, from Iranian Kurdistan, and Kosar Eftekhari from Iranian Azerbaijan.

A story providing a visceral understanding of how life is actually lived under a modern authoritarian state. An absolute harrowing story of power, corruption and greed and the brave individuals who fought back.
 
We are clearing out books at home.

If anyone is interested in Mr Cleansheets, written by one of the forum members, if cheap enough, I’m willing to post it to someone on the forum. Nobody off forum is interested.

I found it very entertaining, and, enjoyed the football elements. Most reading this love football. I don’t want to waste it by trading it in a secondhand bookshop.

If you are paranoid about anonymity, I can send it with your G and G user name, such as the name Lupi, then your address.
 
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Football us life said:
91BOaERW-YL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg


Got this on me Kindle and knocked it out in 4.days....

The book tells the story of the tragic 2020s through two young ladies, Rozhin Yousefzadeh, from Iranian Kurdistan, and Kosar Eftekhari from Iranian Azerbaijan.

A story providing a visceral understanding of how life is actually lived under a modern authoritarian state. An absolute harrowing story of power, corruption and greed and the brave individuals who fought back.
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It sounds interesting, but I don’t think I can buy it secondhand.
 
This next book probably isn't the genre many reading this on here usually read, but I've read a whole lot of historical fiction (verging on military fiction), action/thrillers and westerns of late, that are predominantly written for a masculine audience. So this ensuing book was a welcome diversion from battle violence and action.

INTERMEZZO: SALLY ROONEY

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Romantic Fiction.

Setting: Contemporary Ireland

Length: 426 pages.

Reason for choosing this book?
I've read 2 Sally Rooney books previously, Conversations With friends and Normal People, both shown as screen series too. Ditto my wife, and daughter, have read them too. Ms Decentric saw Intermezzo in an op/charity shop, and pounced!

Review:
The two protagonists are brothers, Peter and Ivan. Peter is circa 30 yo, and widely perceived as a successful lawyer. Ivan is a 21 yo student in the process of graduating. He makes a sketchy living by working as a financial analyst in an insecure work setting. Ivan is also a chess whizz of national acclaim.

Peter, is a victim of self-loathing. The brothers father has recently died. Both grieve - in different ways. The brothers' mother left them at an early age and moved in with her lover's family - who she prefers.

Peter has had a long term relationship with Sylvia, a uni lecturer of similar age, who has her own house. Unfortunately, she has suffered a major accident in the past, which has left her with chronic pain for weeks on end. Sylvia has urged Peter to find another girlfriend to copulate with. He establishes a casual relationship with 21 year old student, Naomi,. She makes him laugh as well as shagging Peter senseless. The relationship progresses and Peter showers her with money and gifts. When she is evicted from her student accomodation, he asks her to move in rent free.

Eventually, Naomi and Sylvia, who is still in an emotional relationship with Peter, meet and immediately establish a rapport.

Meanwhile, younger brother Ivan visits a provincial town and meets 36 yo recent divorcee, Margaret. She is a fine arts graduate, who is the public arts centre manager, where Ivan is the keynote guest for local chess club players to play and learn from. Margaret is also smoking hot, eye candy!

Their relationship works out well and continues despite the 15 yo age gap. Margaret feels guilty about the 15 year age gap, but is surprised how happy Ivan makes her feel.

Late in the book Margaret meets Peter and they establish a rapport, with potential to have future happier family get togethers.

Sally Rooney is terrific for shedding light on the complexity of relationships, their nuances, and how 2 different people involved have different perceptions, perspectives and insights of the same relationship.

Intermezzo is the best Sally R book I've read to date! The other two books were excellent too. I think she has won a lot of recent awards. Critics are lauding her work.
 
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erogenouszone said:
On the internet any book can be bought second hand.
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I'm trying to save money. I'm an aged pensioner now, but mainly a self-funded retiree.

I read so much these days that when I see $34.99 for paperback books that are fiction, it seems like a lot of money for one book.

Secondhand bookshops, and charity/opportunity shops, market stalls sell books between $2 and $10. K Mart sometimes have them for $18.

Thanks for the advice though, EZ. I was after a few Robert B Parker books, secondhand, and they would cost a fortune. What sorts of prices are you talking?

The more I keep looking at the last book review you posted, I'm really interested in the sociopolitical content of Stolen Revolution. Not sure of postage costs? I would be keen to buy it off you secondhand, if I can save money.

It looks like it has been published recently, so it is unlikely to be current in secondhand bookshops.
 
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