The Book Shelf

[tented]

Has anyone read Hilary Mantel's "Wolf Hall" and "Bring up the Bodies"? They're about Thomas Cromwell and Henry VIII, and both won the Man Booker prize.

I'm about halfway through the former. It's an excellent book. Even though it's historical fiction, and you already know the outcome of every character, it's thoroughly absorbing.

 

[Kieran]

Has anyone read Hilary Mantel's "Wolf Hall" and "Bring up the Bodies"? They're about Thomas Cromwell and Henry VIII, and both won the Man Booker prize.

I'm about halfway through the former. It's an excellent book. Even though it's historical fiction, and you already know the outcome of every character, it's thoroughly absorbing.

I haven't read them, but I recently watched the TV adaptation, which was brilliant. Apparently she has a third book due, to round things off. No pressure, but the first two each won the Booker Prize...

 

[tented]

Has anyone read Hilary Mantel's "Wolf Hall" and "Bring up the Bodies"? They're about Thomas Cromwell and Henry VIII, and both won the Man Booker prize.

I'm about halfway through the former. It's an excellent book. Even though it's historical fiction, and you already know the outcome of every character, it's thoroughly absorbing.

I haven't read them, but I recently watched the TV adaptation, which was brilliant. Apparently she has a third book due, to round things off. No pressure, but the first two each won the Booker Prize...

LOL, yeah, no pressure, Hilary. Don't even think about your two Booker Prizes. Just finish the book.

I haven't watched the TV adaptation, but I have recorded it on DVR to watch later.

I strongly urge you to give the books a try. At least the first one. It's one of the best written novels I've read in years. Seriously. It's that good. She has a unique style, which is part period, part contemporary, part documentary, and part gossip. I realize how bizarre that seems, but it all works beautifully.

 

[Kieran]

I can imagine./ They're on the list, trust me, and I'm sure I'll get to them...

 

[shawnbm]

Reading a nice little pamphlet by Thomas Merton titled "Praying the Psalms". What a read!

 

[Kieran]

Reading a nice little pamphlet by Thomas Merton titled "Praying the Psalms". What a read!

He's got some great books. I don't know that one, but Contemplative Prayer is a spiritual classic...

 

[britbox]

This thread is for book recommendations.. fiction or non-fiction, hardback or dog-eared paperbacks,  Kindle books etc...

 

[britbox]

This is probably the most useful book I ever read:

It was first published about 80 years ago and if you look hard enough you'll find an old online version for nothing.  The published versions are a bit better with the language updated etc... but the principles laid out in the book are terrific.

First Question: Somebody hands you a family photo... who's the first person you look for?

It's not one of those get rich quick books... it's a very pragmatic look at human nature.

 

[Jenny]

That sounds like a book that would be useful for them to have available in schools. With social media these days, it seems some kids/people have no clue how to develop connections with people in person.

 

I will look for that book. I'd like to see some of the principles it provides. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[britbox]

That sounds like a book that would be useful for them to have available in schools. With social media these days, it seems some kids/people have no clue how to develop connections with people in person. I will look for that book. I’d like to see some of the principles it provides. Thanks for the recommendation.

@Jenny - The book is very old - you can grab an original text from Project Gutenberg, but a lot of the principles still stand today.

By the way, I've been maxed out for a few days and haven't even started your book yet, but will get around to it - maybe next weekend when I've got a load of stuff finished off this week at work.

 

[Federberg]

I'm an avid book reader. Thrillers, sci fi, fantasy, classics, political history, just about anything but romance. Probably clear well in excess of a hundred books a year. If any of you are kindle freaks like me (the best thing since slice bread, and a life saver when I travel!), then check out the bookbub website. They make recommendations tailored to your specification for ebooks which are being offered for free or heavily discounted rates

 

[britbox]

I’m an avid book reader. Thrillers, sci fi, fantasy, classics, political history, just about anything but romance. Probably clear well in excess of a hundred books a year. If any of you are kindle freaks like me (the best thing since slice bread, and a life saver when I travel!), then check out the bookbub website. They make recommendations tailored to your specification for ebooks which are being offered for free or heavily discounted rates

Agreed @Federberg - Kindle is king for me too. I never thought I'd like reading on a handheld, but I've learned to like it and the convenience is the killer for me. Hundreds of Books in your pocket.

 

[Kieran]

True story, this. A couple weeks ago I was in the local public library when an old woman tugged my sleeve and held out a book: "this is a great book," she said, "you should read it." Dilemma, dilemma, but I didn't want to be rude so I thanked her and took it, carried it around the library while I searched, but thought I'd put it back on the shelf before I'd leave. Doubtless an old romance, I thought.

Well eventually I looked at it and figured, well I'm going away for a few days, it's a thriller, I'll take it home. I began it that evening. People, this book isn't a page-turner: you'll fricking rip the pages out trying to get to the next bit. It's a spy thriller and filled with great detail and action. Haven't read a thriller as good as it:

Kolymsky Heights, by Lionel Davidson.

I know. I hadn't heard of him either. I'm eagerly sourcing the rest of his books...

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Great story and tip Kieran. Always on the hunt for fresh blood.

 

[Horsa]

Charlotte Bronte's Villette

 

[britbox]

Charlotte Bronte's Villette

What's the crux of the story @EquineAnn ?

 

[Horsa]

It's a romance about a lady who moves to Belgium to become a governess & falls in love. Obviously, there's more to it than that but I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it. It's very heavy going on the vocab front but it's worth it.

 

[Kieran]

I'm back with another Lionel Davidson, The Chelsea Murders. It's hard to get this man's books! This one is about a serial killer, but although it starts in a macabre and chilling way, it swiftly heads into swift-moving narrative which is partly - imho - very funny satire of the usual murder mystery form, and now about two-thirds through I'm heading at breakneck speed through the pages wondering who the heck done it! Very good book, again, by Lionel Davidson. Not so brilliant as Kolymsky Heights - again, imho - but this one is less detailed and much more humourous...

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

I am about to finish The Martian, by Andy Weir. Really entertaining, well written book with a great sense of humor. I will watch the movie once I finish the book.

 

[Kieran]

Been binge-reading Raymond Chandler novels from the 30's and 40's, all of them featuring the hardboiled detective, Philip Marlowe. So far, I've read The High Window, The Big Sleep and The Little Sister. Next up will prolly be The Long Goodbye. They're excellent books, very witty and sarcastic, tough as teak too, for their time, and beautifully descriptive and tight, as narratives...