Do we read books?

[Charlotte]

Bathroom as in toilet?

 

I only read in bed, magazines for bathroom.

[tbourner]

Back of shampoo bottle for bathroom!!

[Bill Prawn]

Anyone else have a mini library in the bathroom?

No but I do have a few logs to look at;)

[Harps]

i might try that next as i'm into a bit of history at the mo.

 

Since leaving school many moons ago i've tried but failed to get into books until last summer i grabbed almost at random a book called The Field of Swords at the book store in the airport and was hooked on it all holiday.

 

unfortunatley i don't get much time to read but i've almost finished reading the Emperor Series by Conn Iggulden, based on facts of Gaius Julius Ceaser -fantastic and highly recommended. However, don't do what i did and read them in the order 3,2,1,4 as it gets a little confusing at times

 

http://www.conniggulden.com/

 

If you want to keep with Roman times, Simon Scarrow has a decent series about the Romans trying to keep control in Britain. Probably similar in style to Iggulden's (which I've not read, but will give a try), though from the point of view of a couple of squaddies

[Gaz Walker]

No but I do have a few logs to look at;)

 

Filthy animal!

[Suprasteve]

If you want to keep with Roman times, Simon Scarrow has a decent series about the Romans trying to keep control in Britain. Probably similar in style to Iggulden's (which I've not read, but will give a try), though from the point of view of a couple of squaddies

 

cheers mate i'll look out for it.

[Daston]

Currently re-reading the sharpe series as Cromwell has a habit of writing his new books to cover periods between his last ones so got to re-read them to remember what the hell is going on. Then got some Andy McNab ones to read and also waiting for the sequal of The Last Kingdom to come out in paper back (awesome book if you want to learn about england during the Viking invasion)

[Pixelfill]

Currently re-reading the sharpe series as Cromwell has a habit of writing his new books to cover periods between his last ones so got to re-read them to remember what the hell is going on. Then got some Andy McNab ones to read and also waiting for the sequal of The Last Kingdom to come out in paper back (awesome book if you want to learn about england during the Viking invasion)

 

I've gotta say that I really enjoy Andy McNab's novels. I was a little confused though, as after reading Bravo Two Zero and Immediate Action I started on the Nick Stone series, it took me a long way into the book to realise that it was fiction.

 

John Grisham is an accomplished writer too, haven't found one of his books I haven't enjoyed yet. Though I did shy away from Painted House, seemed a little thin compared to his others.

 

As for the Discworld. I found Mort fantastic, and the Colour of Magic was good too, but I've not been able to get into any of the others.

 

Mike

[Daston]

yep read the second of the nick stone ones thought it was very good just got the first one

[Tannhauser]

i might try that next as i'm into a bit of history at the mo.

 

A friend of mine is raving about Rubicon by Tom Holland, covering the early Roman empire. He's a bona fide historian, so his tastes might be a bit rarefied.

 

Here's some others:

 

I really enjoyed Byzantium: the early centuries by John Julius Norwich because I didn't know anything about that era. Count Belisarius by Robert Graves is the best historical novel I've read.

 

For specialist histories of 'things', Bill Bryson's Mother Tonguetraces the development of the english language and is funny and light. A higher form of killing by Jeremy Paxman and Robert Harris looks at the history of chemical/biological weapons and was an eye-opener.

 

For more heavyweight tomes , Norman H. Davies' History of Europe takes some beating - I retired defeated at page 600 last time and I'm on second attempt. But it's really good for that overview.

[Tannhauser]

With regard to the extremely silly Dan Brown, all I can say is this: if only we could harness that power from the thousands of historians currently spinning in their graves. It could run the national grid for decades.

[Ian C]

I ought to make you read Digital Fortress

 

History stuff and classical literature doesn't float my boat, 90%+ of my books are hard science fiction - if I want the real world I'll look out my window

 

Thorin - it's just all kicked off where Quinn has been posessed by the christ-knows-whats from christ-knows-what-dimension on Lalonde. Could shape up nicely Hope it's better than the disappointing Alastair Reynolds trilogy I just trawled through that started off so well and disappeared up it's own arse with books 2 and 3.

 

I read The Timetravellers Wife on recommendation by someone and it was suprisingly good, something I'd never have touched normally. Interesting how different people interpret the ending

 

My book recommendation is "Songs of Earth and Power" by Greg Bear (you can get it for peanuts from Amazon). It's how to do a "fairy story" properly I've read it three or four times now.

 

-Ian

[RedM]

Arrgh Greg Bear. A short section of one of his books was quoted on Horizon or Equinox once and I thought I'd check that book out. Sadly, I never wrote down the title or author. Nearly five years later I found Blood Music and could move on with my life.

 

Ian C: Did you ever watch the film 'Primer'?

[RIJ8631]

 

 

Empire (Niall Ferguson)

 

'Empire' - about the rise and fall of the British Empire -was unfailingly interesting and I recommend to anyone with even a vague interest in History.

 

[/i]

just renewing this older thread, due to tthe fact I bought and read this book on the recommendation of fellow members.

 

read it when I was on holiday - and really enjoyed it.

 

a very informative book to read if you are interested in British Military History.

 

thanks for recommending

cheers

Ian

[Rob]

Currently reading The Thin Yellow Line, about military executions in WW1. Absolutely insane that after the first day of the Somme a young lad was shot by firing squad for leaving the battle. As if enough life wasn't wasted that day. The lad in question actually got lost in the confusion and couldn't find his unit again.