[s42blue]

We’ve had films,music and TV but I can’t remember one for books. I can’t search…I may even have started one!

Don’t have to be classics, critically acclaimed, popular or even ones read recently. Just books that you’ve enjoyed and have a special meaning.

Christine-Stephen King. The book that really got me in to reading in my early teens.

French Revolutions/ Tim Moore. A genuine LOL book that ignited my love of cycling and travel.

Danny Champion of the World- Roald Dahl a magical book from childhood that I recently reread.

Brave New World-Aldous Huxley. My first classic I read of my own choosing. Really recommend reading.

Deadkidsongs-Toby Litt. Well constructed story on many levels

I’ll happily read classics (struggled through some tbh), Grisham, King (sorry not Lee Child…I found him too cynical a marketeer) to NF books on The Holocaust, sports (A Life too Short is excellent too) and adventures.

[calvin plummers socks]

s42blue, on 08 November 2023 - 11:28 AM, said:

We’ve had films,music and TV but I can’t remember one for books. I can’t search…I may even have started one!

Don’t have to be classics, critically acclaimed, popular or even ones read recently. Just books that you’ve enjoyed and have a special meaning.

Christine-Stephen King. The book that really got me in to reading in my early teens.

French Revolutions/ Tim Moore. A genuine LOL book that ignited my love of cycling and travel.

Danny Champion of the World- Roald Dahl a magical book from childhood that I recently reread.

Brave New World-Aldous Huxley. My first classic I read of my own choosing. Really recommend reading.

Deadkidsongs-Toby Litt. Well constructed story on many levels

I’ll happily read classics (struggled through some tbh), Grisham, King (sorry not Lee Child…I found him too cynical a marketeer) to NF books on The Holocaust, sports (A Life too Short is excellent too) and adventures.

Danny Champion of the world is my fav too as it happens

[Wooden Spoon]

Berlin game. Mexico set. London match. Bernard Samson

These were then followed by spy hook, spy line and spy sinker - lastly faith hope and charity.


There’s also a book called winter, written after these but is a prequel

[s42blue]

I’ll give them all a look, thanks.

I’m not an audiobook fan. I’m more a visual learner and either drift or drop off! Thanks again.

[hilly81]

'Born to Run' by Christopher McDougall.

[The Earl of Chesterfield]

Quaker, on 09 November 2023 - 07:34 PM, said:

Did anyone ever go through the phase of reading Sven Hassell books in the mid-late 70’s? I remember them as being addictive.

>raises hand<

[Wooden Spoon]

Quaker, on 09 November 2023 - 07:34 PM, said:

Did anyone ever go through the phase of reading Sven Hassell books in the mid-late 70’s? I remember them as being addictive.

Yes I remember them. Legion of the damned

Set as a penal company in the German army

[Johnnyspireite7]

I've got the full set of Bernard Cornwall's Sharpe novels.

[Wooden Spoon]

Quaker, on 09 November 2023 - 08:23 PM, said:

They’re the ones. I think I read all of them.

I probably did as well, but as I recall legion of the damned was head and shoulder the best.


Turns out he was a bit of “criminal” with a dubious service history

[Siberian Spireite]

I once lent Arthur C Clarke’s 2001 to a colleague and when he returned it, he somewhat sheepishly told me it was ‘a beautiful book’. I agreed.

My favourite football book is The Far Corner by Harry Pearson- a magical, funny portrayal of football in the northeast at all levels.

The most stunning thing I’ve read recently is Peter F Hamilton’s Commonwealth Saga. Mind-blowing, thought-provoking, epic.

This post has been edited by Siberian Spireite: 09 November 2023 - 11:19 PM

[s42blue]

Siberian Spireite, on 09 November 2023 - 11:17 PM, said:

I once lent Arthur C Clarke’s 2001 to a colleague and when he returned it, he somewhat sheepishly told me it was ‘a beautiful book’. I agreed.

My favourite football book is The Far Corner by Harry Pearson- a magical, funny portrayal of football in the northeast at all levels.

The most stunning thing I’ve read recently is Peter F Hamilton’s Commonwealth Saga. Mind-blowing, thought-provoking, epic.

Will definitely take a look. Haven’t tried a AC Clarke book for years!

[Wooden Spoon]

Quaker, on 09 November 2023 - 09:20 PM, said:

Yep you’re right, he was a bit of a lad, I’ve just read his wiki page.

I never realised Legion of the Damned was written in 1953 I thought it was much later than that.

I may give it another spin when I go away in a couple of weeks.

As far as I read he talked with some of the SS Viking brigade after the war, got their experiences and then created the character of Sven Hassel and used these first hand accounts to write legion of the damned.


I don’t think it’s a coincidence that his first book was his best. He used first hand acounts and after that had to “fill in-gaps himself”


But legion of the damned is probably a reasonable account of discontent within the Viking regiments of the Nazi forces and its ppm

This post has been edited by Wooden Spoon: 10 November 2023 - 12:03 AM

[The Earl of Chesterfield]

s42blue, on 09 November 2023 - 11:23 PM, said:

Will definitely take a look. Haven’t tried a AC Clarke book for years!

Try his 'Time Odyssey' series co-written with Stephen Baxter.

And if you're a Sci-fi fan I'd also recommend Harry Harrison's 'West of Eden' trilogy.

Meanwhile the televised series doesn't even begin to reflect the depth of Dick's 'The Man in the High Castle'.

Superb...

[s42blue]

The Earl of Chesterfield, on 10 November 2023 - 08:22 PM, said:

Try his 'Time Odyssey' series co-written with Stephen Baxter.

And if you're a Sci-fi fan I'd also recommend Harry Harrison's 'West of Eden' trilogy.

Meanwhile the televised series doesn't even begin to reflect the depth of Dick's 'The Man in the High Castle'.

Superb...

Will do thanks. I’d probably say Fantasy is my least favourite with sci fi second but always willing to try again. Some of the Si fi I read seemed to spend too much time on the tech, or the back story of how the World or universe has changed or is different. That said i did get into PK Dick (you can obviously work out why being an 80s teen.

Thanks again. Keep em coming

[Middle East]

I've loved reading ever since being a kid and have varied tastes from the mainstream like Grisham, Baldacci, Smith, Child etc.

That said my favourite books tend to be historical fiction, so Conn Igguldens Emperor and Conqueror series about Julius Ceaser and Ghengis Khan are near the top of my list. C J Sansom Shardlake books are always decent as are Simon Scarrow and Stephen MacKay. Roman history and the Viking sagas have always fascinated me!

I've also read all the LJ Ross DCI Ryan series which if you like murder mystery are a great read. Oh and Val Mcdermind and Peter James work is always good too if detective novels are your thing!

Football autobiographies and the secret footballer books are always on the list but my favourite book of all time is still the lion the witch and the wardrobe... closely followed by stig of the dump!

Currently reading Nelson Mandela long walk home and just finished Drug War by Peter Walsh.

This post has been edited by Middle East: 11 November 2023 - 09:32 AM