Best reads - Club Together Book Club?
Comments
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Jay, I see that the Tie-in to the Mary Queen of Scots film is available on Kindle for 99p at the moment. It looks another long read being 668 pgs but could well be worth it.
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Nellie - thanks for info but I'm not a Kindle user. Have read odd write ups about the New Mary Queen of Scots film - may see it sometime 'though some said it deviated from 'known history' in places. Am enjoying Dark Sacred Night (a good author for me) Waiting for the Spy and the Traitor to arrive at library.
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Not a fiction book but I'm sure many of you will have a copy of Wainwright's pictorial guides to the Lake Land fells.
There are now a third revised editions by Clive Hutchby published from 2015 onward. These are major revisions and with extra pages and diagrams added on certain routes.
It is really interesting when comparing the original with these new editions. Book one was written in 1954, a staggering 65 year ago. Of course the tops are essentially the same but the routes and paths have changed dramatically in some cases.
For example routes that were popular in 1954 has fell into decline and some gone, while routes that were not used or there in 1954 now have stoned (fix the fells) paths. Have these new routes become popular because he mentioned them. Car parks have appeared.
In essence the 1954 book is really now an historical reference of walking in 65 years ago.
Highly recommended.
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Indeed he was, read his biography by Hunter Davies, another good read, to see how 'bad' he was to some of his family.
But as you say we do owe him a great deal. Those books are still the best guidebooks in my view, especially his 'space station' diagrams of the routes of accent. And every page hand drawn - amazing
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Picked up a book in a charity shop that I read quite a few years ago but haven't seen for a while.
If anyone wants a Crime book that makes you laugh out loud in every chapter then pick up The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde. The lead detective is D.I.Jack Spratt who heads up the Nursery Crime Division at Reading police station.
There are only 2 of these Nursery Crime books, the other one being The Big Over Easy, where Spratt investigates the demise of Humpty Dumpty.
Both books are great escapist fun.
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Have just completed two Stuart McBride books, the stand alone Roberta Steel one....Now We are Dead.... and the latest of the Logan McRae ones.....The Blood Road. Both great reads.
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For fans of John Connolly's "Charlie Parker" series, the latest instalment "A Book of Bones" is just out.
Also to look forward to later in the year, the final episode of Kate Atkinson's "Jackson Brodie" series titled "Big Sky" and the latest of Time Weaver's "David Raker" series called "No One Home".
All 3 of these series need to be read in sequence though to get full appreciation so keep an eye out for old copies if you haven't discovered then yet.
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Now plodding my way through Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari. Even more thought provoking than his book Sapiens. If you enjoy a good mellon squeeze and a test of convictions I can well recommend both of these non fiction books. It's healthy to question!
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Just read Ben Macintyre's The Spy and the Traitor. Found it a good read. Cold War spy - well written, easy to follow despite the many names I could not pronounce.
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Finished the book, Nellie, and enjoyed it. I don't normally take to books that contain too much swearing but this one seemed to resonate with the Dublin I know and bump into on occasional family visits and none seemed gratuitous and the humour certainly helped.
Have to try and keep an eye out for the other 3 books in the trilogy. (Yes folks, there are 4 books in this trilogy.)
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Glad that you enjoyed it. If you sign up to the authors web site there are a couple of free books on there, with characters from the "trilogy" in them. Well worth the price!!
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I've just completed the first 4 of the DCI Matilda Darke series, by Michael Wood, which I did enjoy. These are all set in Sheffield and I guess use actual locations. Should be perfect for all those from the area that like crime fiction with actual places used.
PS. 3 of the four are at 99p at the moment and the other at £1:49, so a real bargain.
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For fans of Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series, I've just finished a very different offering called "Macbeth". Very cleverly written, a detective story which shadows the Shakespeare play all the way. Worth a read, but, if you know the play, the ending will come as no surprise!
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Love those books, AD. Do you have The Final Unfinished Voyage? That's the only one in the series that I've not got.
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Enjoyed reading 4 books in the 'Kingmaker' series by Toby Clements. Edward Fourth era. Novels follow 2 runaways from same priory (male & female) and their life together during this period. Legitimacy of Edward is central to the books.
Picked up Lambs to the Slaughter by Sally Spencer which I find well written so far. Detective/mystery novel based in Lancashire. Will probably look for others by this author featuring Monika Paniatowski.
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Just got it, thanks WN, also got the 4th in the series, The One From The Other, for the same price. Will have to keep my eyes open for 2 & 3 at that price now!!
I've just completed the the latest of the Charlie Parker series byJohn Connolly..The Woman in the Woods. However it does look as if I've missed the previous one.
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The first couple of Kerr's Gunther books haven't rounded the character out and smoothed off his rough edges but I still like his attitude.
Haven't tried the Charlie Parker books. Will try to find the first ones. Getting a bit of a backlog, but all good.
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You definitely need to read the Charlie Parker books in order as they follow on. There are some great characters but it's quite "dark". If I can find the first one I'll keep it for you, unless of course you get it first.
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Only just spotted your post, but fortunately it's still at 99p so got it tonight. Have also purchased the first 6 Philip Kerr books, and have nearly finished the first one. Thanks WN.
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I noticed that Philip Kerr passed away last year from cancer. He apparently managed to complete his valedictory Gunther book which is due out this year some time. The books do get more interesting as Kerr seems to get more confident in his ability to develop the character as opposed to trying to sound a bit like Dashiel Hammett would in the first couple of books. Certainly worth perservering with as you seem to be.
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Have finished the first one and just started on the second....will persevere with a few more I think.
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Nellie - there's a new Charlie Parker book just out, "A Book of Bones" - picked it up this morning from out local library. It's a big, big book though so I'm saving it for our next trip away. Also picked up the latest from Ian McEwan "Machines Like Me".
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Thanks, M. As our daughter is a fan I'm sure that she will have spotted it, and it will arrive at our house sometime with a load of others that she's bought and read.
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