What book are you reading?

[Benno]

Invitation to a Beheading- Nabokov

[Sportin' Life]

Invitation to a Beheading- Nabokov

Loved that book. And the happy ending.

[Irishbookish]

[O'Blivion]

The Steel Wave by Jeff Shaara.
Shaara writes historical fiction, history books disguised as novels. This particular book focuses on the lead-up to D-Day, and the invasion itself.


http://www.jeffshaara.com/the_steel_wave.html

Geez, I hope it's better than his Civil War stuff. His late father, Michael, wrote Killer Angels, one of the best historical novels ever, which was made into the absolute worst civil war movie ever (Gettysburg) by Ted Turner.


I believe it won an Oscar for "Worst Fake Facial Hair".


When it looked like they could make money on a sequel (actually a prequel), they asked Jeff, as executor of his father's will, to choose someone - anyone - to write it, and like Dick Cheney choosing a VP for W, he chose himself, despite his lack of any experience (I believe he was a coin dealer in his previous career). He dutifully churned out Gods and Generals, which was immediately made into the NEW worst Civil War movie ever.

That was some time ago. Maybe he's learned to write in the interim.



On vacation I read Ironweed by William Kennedy.
Fantastic, if bleak. Makes me wonder WHY Hector
Babenko's great movie of same - starring Jack Nicholson,
Meryl Streep, and Tom Waits - is not available on DVD.

[philipchevron]

Netherland Joseph O'Neill

Standard Operating Procedure: A War Story Philip Gourevitch, Errol Morris

[Shaz]

Netherland Joseph O'Neill

I ordered this from Amazon earlier today -- thought it sounded very intriguing.

At the moment I'm reading LORRAINE CONNECTION by Dominique Manotti -- dark French crime fiction.

[trashcity]

Just finished Death Message by The great Mark Billingham.

Now reading ACe Records - Labels Unlimited by David Stubbs.

[Clash Cadillac]

Among The Gently Mad - Strategies and Perspectives for the Book Hunter in the Twenty-First Century by Nicholas A. Basbanes

Just finished this and enjoyed it very much.

[Christine]

To continue the Fans of Irvine Welsh thread: there is quite a good little story in Vox 'n' Roll about a Christmas dinner - gone horribly wrong as you might expect. All the stories in this collection came from Filthy McNasty's series of readings some years ago.

I have tried Leonardo Padura Fuentes detective fiction but couldn't really get into it, sounded a bit waffly to me.

Instead, I really recommend Pedro Juan Gutiérrez, Dirty Havana Trilogy. It is a bit crass and depressing because of the poverty he is up against but has a beguiling tone and the (to me) new atmosphere of Havana makes an interesting read.

[kgrunt]

During my vacations I like to at least read a couple of books(its hard sometime with the kids, work and everything to get caught up).This year I have decided to focus on my wife’s favourite author Terry Prattchet, I have finished "the Truth" and I am halfway through "Thud".

About 12 years ago on a cold december night, I went to the bookstore (Coles/downtown Montreal) to pick up his latest book as a Christmas present for my wife. Sitting by the Fantasy section was Terry Pratchett. He was trying to explain to some young adult girls how he had resisted selling the movie rights to his books because he was afraid that the stories would be changed by Hollywood, It was a pointless conversation as the girls kept interrupting with their choices for the Witches characters (All their choices were Famous American female actors). When the girls were gone I sat with him and we just talked mostly about nothing for almost an hour (There was nobody else there). Eventually I had to go so I thanked him for his time, explained that he was my wife’s favourite and shook his hand. As I walked away he called to me and said that he could signe the book, if I liked Nice guy, smart, witty, very approachable. He signed the book: The Turtle Moves

Obviously he has become one of my favorites too.

[Sandyfromvancouver]

And here's a link to Montreal. I just finished Montrealer Rawi Hage's De Niro's Game. Mesmerizing, beyond sad.

[philipchevron]

American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America by Chris Hedges (Vintage)

[philipchevron]

Baltimore Noir Ed. Laura Lippman

[Shaz]

Baltimore Noir Ed. Laura Lippman

I'm reading Paris Noir, although it's not in the Akashic series. Lippman's a pretty reliable writer -- hope she has good taste as an editor! And she's married to David Simon, the guy behind Homicide: Life on the Street and The Wire.

[mike1]

Just read Redemption Falls by Joseph o Connor.......from Page 127.......

"O, the slaves clap hard, and the spalpeens blow their harps, and the ramblin boys of pleasure and the ladies of easy leisure are dancing the do-si-do."

Got my toes tapping and Fiesta in my head.