What book are you reading atm??

Custardpi · 10-08-2012 6:49pm

Currently about half way through "This is a Call - The Life & Times of Dave Grohl" by Paul Brannigan, which I picked a few months ago as I quite like the Foo Fighters & love Nirvana. Really interesting reading about Grohl's upbringing & early days in the punk rock community in Washington DC, a world of chaos, energy, frenzied music making & "fanzine" printing which for all its creative intensity hardly registered in mainstream culture until the very late 80s/early 90s when grunge was born. Although he had toured Europe before as drummer with another band "Scream" his experience of music & indeed life in general consisted mainly of sleeping on floors, playing tiny (if very enthusiastic) venues & enduring cramped, long rides in the back of vans. A huge contrast to what life became when Nirvana were catapulted into the spotlight.

A great feature of the book is the numerous references to bands which influenced Grohl himself, Nirvana & other musicians which played a part in his story, will definitely have to check out groups like Black Flag, Bad Brains & The Melvins, which I'd vaguely heard of before but hadn't realised were so influential. Really enjoying the book overall so far.

Callan57 · 10-08-2012 11:20pm

Eclipse by Richard North Patterson

gothictwilight · 11-08-2012 12:33am

The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum, it's ok.
Pure Drivel by Steve Martin, brill:)

Rothko · 11-08-2012 12:44am

A book about Vincent Van Gogh, called The Passionate Eye.
http://www.amazon.com/Van-Gogh-Passionate-Discoveries-Series/dp/0810928280

mariano rivera · 11-08-2012 1:13am

HavingCrack wrote: »

Just barely managed to finish 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' by Hemingway. Awful boring, tedious book full of waffely rambling dressed up as literature. Out of all the classic authors Hemingway is a consistent let down. I have yet to find a book of his I enjoy but feel that I must be missing something somehow.

I dont think so

Hemingway was a bollix

Custardpi · 11-08-2012 9:36pm

mariano rivera wrote: »

I dont think so

Hemingway was a bollix

So the earth didn't move for you?

ScumLord · 12-08-2012 12:36am

Digital photography masterclass by Tom Ang. It's a heart warming tale about one man and his camera.

naughto · 12-08-2012 1:24am

bag of bones
by steven king
also

Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan - [The Strain 02]

riggerman · 12-08-2012 1:36am

A Dance with Dragons Part 1

Morag · 12-08-2012 12:23pm

De Valera , Fianna Fail and the Irish Press by Mark O'Brien
Bloody interesting read.

http://www.omahonys.ie/catalog/de-valera-fianna-fail-and-the-irish-press-p-103580.html

Red Hand · 12-08-2012 2:57pm

Here on earth by Tim Flannery. Haven't read a non fiction book in quite a while, this is absorbing stuff.

Sleazy Rider · 12-08-2012 3:42pm

Currently reading Gangster by Lorenzo Carcaterra. Enjoying it so far.

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

Fight Club - Chuck Paluhniuk

Enjoying this immensely, unsurprising as it's one of my favourite films. Picked it up last night and was half way through before I knew it (sure sign of a great book)

Just read that and found it a bit..meh. One of the rare occasions when the film is better than the book.

IrishExpat wrote: »

And while this may be worthy of a seperate thread ... but does anyone read while on the throne?

Everytime.

--Kaiser-- · 12-08-2012 3:52pm

Sleazy Rider wrote: »

Just read that and found it a bit..meh. One of the rare occasions when the film is better than the book.

I would fully agree, the Fight Club movie did improve on the book. The book is a bit disjointed and I think the themes and humour come across much better on film

Lorrs33 · 13-08-2012 8:27am

The Girl Who Played With Fire. Read the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo last year, only getting around to reading the rest now.

Northclare · 13-08-2012 1:09pm

Nostos by John Moriarty

Sykk · 13-08-2012 1:14pm

Molecular and Cell Biology for Dummies :pac:

nacho libre · 13-08-2012 3:56pm

Cuurently reading The Blind Watchmaker, having just recently finished the Selfish Gene and Cosmos.

by the way, which of these books should I get next? are there any not on the list that you'd recommend.
http://listverse.com/2012/07/02/10-great-popular-science-books/

Cokeistan · 13-08-2012 4:05pm

Reading Tough Sh*t by Kevin Smith, enjoying it at the moment

girlonfire · 13-08-2012 9:35pm

The Thing Around Your Neck, Adichie

Vinta81 · 13-08-2012 9:41pm

The Innocent - David Baldacci

nacho libre · 14-08-2012 12:27pm

nacho libre wrote: »

Cuurently reading The Blind Watchmaker, having just recently finished the Selfish Gene and Cosmos.

by the way, which of these books should I get next? are there any not on the list that you'd recommend.
http://listverse.com/2012/07/02/10-great-popular-science-books/

on reflection, I should have put the latter part of this post in the Sicence forum.

Eden3 · 14-08-2012 9:30pm

"Finding Mr. Flood" by Ciara Geraghty .... it's hilarious, warming + such an easy read for a Summer's evening .. can't put it down! Well worth the read. Like supporting Irish writers, have to say

beeroclock · 14-08-2012 9:37pm

nacho libre wrote: »

on reflection, I should have put the latter part of this post in the Sicence forum.

I read hyperspace and quantum and enjoyed both, I am more into the mathematical / physical sciences rather than the biological sciences and enjoyed them both - hyperspace deals with multi dimensional space and its applications to string theory, quantum deals with the Bohr v Einstein discussions regarding quantum theory. I read a brief (not briefer) history of time and Brian Coxs other works (enjoyed them all) so cant comment on those specific entries

Whatsernamex33 · 15-08-2012 2:26am

Starting to read Tess of the D'Urbervilles... Thomas Hardy. :P
Been meaning to read it since last summer.

fergiesfolly · 15-08-2012 3:59am

Lorrs33 wrote: »

The Girl Who Played With Fire. Read the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo last year, only getting around to reading the rest now.

I'm actually envious of you. Fantastic books.Can't remember a better trilogy. Going to wait a while and read them all again.
About to start Mike Scotts autobiography.

ButtersSuki · 15-08-2012 10:56am

Miles - The Autobiography of Miles Davis.

Pretty honest and open account from brilliantly talented but not the nicest guy on the planet Davis. Every second word is "Motherf%%ker" though!:rolleyes:

Yer_Wan · 15-08-2012 5:20pm

The second Hunger Games book.

Mars Bar · 15-08-2012 5:24pm

fergiesfolly wrote: »

About to start Mike Scotts autobiography.

Report back on that one will ya? Bit of a Waterboys fan here!

GLaDOS · 15-08-2012 5:28pm

Yer_Wan wrote: »

The second Hunger Games book.

What's the verdict on these? Bit curious about them.

Just started 'Reaper Man' by the great Terry Pratchett, not many people can make me laugh out loud like him

.

Custardpi · 15-08-2012 5:32pm

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Miles - The Autobiography of Miles Davis.

Pretty honest and open account from brilliantly talented but not the nicest guy on the planet Davis. Every second word is "Motherf%%ker" though!:rolleyes:

Read that a couple of years ago, I'm a big fan of his music. Amazing to discover just how prevalent "dope" use was among jazz musicians even back in the late 40s, I innocently assumed that sort of thing wasn't really common until the 60s. Another interesting aspect of the book is when he talks about how different the attitudes to black musicians like himself were in Europe compared to the States in the 50s/60s - he would go to Paris & have fit women throwing themselves at him & be treated with the utmost respect & admiration, then he would return to the US & be pulled over by the cops for driving a fancy car - people assumed that if a black man drove a nice car he must be a drug dealer. The book definitely doesn't show him as Mr Congeniality or anything but it's a fascinating accompaniment to the wonderful music he made.

What book are you reading atm??

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