The 'What are you reading at the moment' thread

[boatman]

Is it any good? I've always fancied reading it Richard Jeffries house is not far from where we live.

I really enjoyed it and it is available online. Worth reading his Bevis and his Amateur Poacher as well. after London has been called Bevis for grown-ups but none the worse for that. Have you visited his museum near Coate Water? I hope it is still open.

Edit
Sorry, just realised that you mention his house so have seen the museum.

 

[treefrog]

Clash of Kings. Part of the series A Song of Ice and Fire - by George R R Martin.
(The first book 'Game of Thrones' made into a TV series which is also excellent)

 

[wattsy]

The Second World War by Antony Beevor.

Engrossing, provides more background information about the goings on in the far east before, during and after the war than books of this type usually do.

I have (or have had) a few Japanese friends, they're nice people. But reading through this I can see why some folks really really hate the Japanese.

you should read Berlin: The Downfall, Stalingrad and Crete by the same author cracking books

 

[wattsy]

Now that's a book with great reviews. I'll be interested in what you think of it. I've given up competitive chess, but the Chessgames.com forum is the only other forum that I visit apart from this one.

I'm really enjoying it my game is improving a lot and I'm only a couple of chapters in. the way concepts are taught is really informative a position is played through several times in several different ways so you can learn different strategies. I'd definitely recommend it

 

[rik_uk3]

I often have a couple or three books on the go, at the moment its The Minority Report, Phillip K Dick and Photoshop for Dummies.

 

[oldtimer]

Is it any good? I've always fancied reading it Richard Jeffries house is not far from where we live.

I like him, but I have a special interest in how 19C English and french artists viewed the development and effects of the Industrial Revolution. Some depicted it in a positive light by freeing rural workers from the tyranny of labour while others saw it as the desrtuction of craftmanship and the dignity of self-reliant labour. It's interesting to compare and contrast the French and english views.

Richard Jefferies is in the same camp as William Morris and the Pre-Raphaelites. "After London" has weaknessess in terms of literature, but is still very interesting on several levels. I'd suggest some influence on Tolkien, for example. The book is set in the Thames Valley at a time in the distant future after some kind of unspecified apocalyptic event where the middle ages appear to have retured with similar social structures- all knights, fair ladies, happy retainers and valiant deeds fighting a threatening underclass in the woods. It is the tale of a self-reliant young man who builds his own canoe to set off and seek his fortune to win the one he loves- real fairy tale stuff. Those who know the area can have fun reading the book with the relevant Ordnance Survey sheet at hand to try and trace his routes.

I think William Morris and Richard Jefferies would approve of Bushcrafters to judge from the interest in hand making and doing and self-reliance values so evident in the threads on the BushcraftUK site. The irony is, that having read Jefferies many years ago, I re-discovered him on Kindle where one can get his complete works free. I wonder what he would have thought of that?

 

[SussexRob]

As is usual for me, I have several on the go, and read them depending on my mood.

My main read at present is Prophecy: Death of an Empire by M K Hume. It's the second book of her take on Merlin's life. Her trilogy on Arthur was fantastic, and this one is not dissapointing either.

Others I have on the go are
Soldier 5 - Mike Coburn his version of the B20 mess.
Game of Thrones - G R R Martin
Treasure Island - R L Stevenson

 

[MartinK9]

I was reading the "Mod's lounge" page but SimonM grassed us up.

 

[JamesP]

"The Deerslayer" by James Fenimore Cooper.


....best read of the last couple of years in non fiction would have to be "The Unthinkable" by Amanda Ripley, i've read it 4 times in 2 years and am constantly dipping into it - fascinating book.

 

[shaggystu]

"the greatest show off earth" by robert rankin, not as good as his later stuff but still pretty funny

 

[John Fenna]

Finished "The Kraken Wakes" and have started "Day of the Triffids" supurb classics of the genre

 

[Gailainne]

As many others I have a few books on the go at any one time;
G.R.R.Martin A feast for crows
Mary Roach Packing for Mars
Orson scott Card Enders game
Piers Warren British native trees Their past and present uses
Plus a few wood carving books.

John, John Wyndham, I really enjoyed his books growing up, I'll need to look them out again

 

[ReamviThantos]

Have you read The Chrysalids yet John? Stange book for the time written and quite earie when read now.

 

[sandbender]

you should read Berlin: The Downfall, Stalingrad and Crete by the same author cracking books

Thanks, I have read Berlin: The Downfall and Stalingrad but not Crete, I should look it out.

 

[Harnser]

Coopers books are great have been through most of them in the leather stocking tales as free mp3 audio books from libravox, resently been listening during my drive to and from work.
Didn't get them in quite the right order as I started with last of the mohicans before I found out about the others.

 

[Harnser]

Currently reading The jim corbitt 1st and 2nd omnibus, its a collection of true stories about the experiences of a hunter turned conservationist in India 1906-1945 engaged in the hunting of man eating leopards and tigers. An exceptionally brave man who continually tries to outwit and second guess his targets using fieldcraft and stalking skills.
Its a difficult book to put down.

 

[John Fenna]

Have you read The Chrysalids yet John? Stange book for the time written and quite earie when read now.

I have read and re read all his work - Chrysalids is on my list for this current re-read session ... have you noticed how genetic manipulation crops up in his works quite a lot?

 

[oldtimer]

Robert MacFarlane may appeal to many members "The Wild Places" is a good start. If, like me, you frequently have the urge to get away from it all you'll find solace here. MacFarlane points out that wild places can sometimes be near at hand. He startled me by citing a wild place that I knew well within spitting distance of Cambridge, where I used to live. I find his books very uplifting.

 

[Swallow]

Just finished The Relationship Handbook by George Pransky.

Just restarted, "When All Hell Breaks Loose" by Cody Lundin. Got freaked out first time when I skipped ahead he described some of the most extreme things people have done in food shortages.

 

[lucan]

Just Finished The Road - Cormac McCarthy, Strange Book

Last Month i Read , The Journals of Major Robert Rogers, Found that a great read.