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Re: What are you reading just now?

PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:18 pm
by bill
Funny you should mention keeping in mind for Christmas present as I received it as a present in 1993,the year of it's publication.

This is my second reading and I would say you would have to have been a fan of The Corries,as I was,to enjoy.This is not a warts and all publication.Some may say it is a story told through rose coloured glasses. Roy comes across as a humble family guy, from a slightly well to do background,who was a talented painter sculptor and musician.

I particulary liked his thoughts on Flower of Scotland,

"One doesn't accept money for honour.If my fellow countrymen have chosen my scribbled thoughts and music for themselves then it becomes theirs".


If you were a fan of Roy and would like a look into his family life,on the road with The Corries, and family photo album then this is for you.That is if it is still in publication.

Re: What are you reading just now?

PostPosted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 2:23 pm
by A Horse called Juan Face
Went into El Borderos today and there was a sale on books, 3 for 2 so I pur chased both Khaled Hosseini's books and a biography on Shaky spear by Bill Bryson. I like the conspiracy theory that he didn't write anything and Francis Bacon and some other chaps used the name as a pseudonym. Bet the book doesn't cover that although, but at least I'll have something to wipe my arse with if I'm stuck in the bush and my socks won't come off.

Re: What are you reading just now?

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 9:24 am
by bill
The Downing Street Years...................Margaret Thatcher

Re: What are you reading just now?

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 11:12 am
by History
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini author of The Kite Runner

Re: What are you reading just now?

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 3:18 pm
by numberplease
Both absolutely brilliant books, unputdownable!

Re: What are you reading just now?

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 3:56 pm
by petewick
Gangs of Dundee

Re: What are you reading just now?

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:26 pm
by Govangirl
numberplease wrote:Both absolutely brilliant books, unputdownable!


I agree but have to say that I found A Thousand Splendid Suns a tad too depressing and grim at times whereas The Kite Runner had a more redemptive narrative. Both riveting but preferred the first.

Re: What are you reading just now?

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:45 pm
by A Horse called Juan Face
Not started either of them yet, will probably read the Shakespeare biography first to be honest. Went to visit a friend over here and he gave me a book called The Force Unleashed which I'm reading right now. That's right, it's about Uncle Darth.

Re: What are you reading just now?

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:58 pm
by numberplease
Has anyone read The Labyrinth by Kate Mosse? It was something completely different to what I usually read, but loved it, I`ve just read her next book, The Sepulchre, and enjoyed it equally.

Re: What are you reading just now?

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 9:40 pm
by WC1
I thought the Kate Moss stories were just a bit predictable and contrived, especially Labyrinth. Try Kate Atkinson for a good read. 'One Good Turn' is excellent, and 'When Will There Be Good News' even better. Both are crime stories set in Edinburgh but unlike Rankin's they crack along at a fair pace with a good deal of humour. Having said that, I'm looking forward to his new one, his first without Rebus. I had ordered it from Waterstones on-line before I realised it was going cheap in Tesco.

If you like police procedurals, Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano series puts an Italian (or more accurately Sicilian) slant on them. Well-paced mysteries, quite humourous, with great wee side-trips into the glories of Italian food. Peter Temple gives a cracking good read too, his stories being set in Australia, mostly around Melbourne.

Re: What are you reading just now?

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 10:35 pm
by Govangirl
WC1, I don't know if you read it but in this week's TES magazine, in the 'My Best Teacher' bit, it's Ian Rankin discussing his English teacher from Glasgow. He sounded like my kind of teacher, discussing classic texts alongside Dylan's lyrics - Rankin gives credit for inspiring his passion in English and encouraging him to study the subject at Edinburgh University. When he was 18 and studying the equivalent of A-level he and his friends would meet the teacher in the pub and spend hours talking about the poetry of W.B. Yeats (what bliss!). He reports that his parents were horrified at the idea of a teacher drinking with his pupils and he reckons if teachers did it today, they'd get kicked out the job.

Re: What are you reading just now?

PostPosted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 2:32 am
by A Horse called Juan Face
I don't really like Yeats, apart from The Second Coming. Someone had that as their signature on here once, maybe they still do. Then again I don't really like Philip Larkin or Ted Hughes either so what do I know?

WC1, I thought the Rebus books were fast-paced as well. I really like Rankin, although there are a couple of glaring mistakes. In one book, don't remember which, he doesn't end a particular storyline. Which one I can't recall either, I'm afraid. :oops:

Re: What are you reading just now?

PostPosted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 12:51 pm
by Ags
We have shelves full of Ian Rankin books as Mr Ags really likes him and is always giving me grief for buying books constantly without having picked up any of these! I will get round to them someday!
Funnily enough I have just ordered a book by Andrea Camilleri after it was recommended to me. It says on the front cover "a novel of food, wine and homicide"....Heaven :lol:
Kate Atkinson - I only ever read Behind the scenes at the Museum and didn't like it although it was so long ago I can't remember why!!!
Kate Mosse.....I didn't finish Labyrinthe :oops: but I know a few of my friends loved it!
Govangirl maybe one day you will have a famous author from one of your Higher English classes who will praise you for discussing classic texts alongside Springsteen lyrics :lol:

Re: What are you reading just now?

PostPosted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 5:23 pm
by WC1
When he was 18 and studying the equivalent of A-level he and his friends would meet the teacher in the pub and spend hours talking about the poetry of W.B. Yeats (what bliss!). He reports that his parents were horrified at the idea of a teacher drinking with his pupils and he reckons if teachers did it today, they'd get kicked out the job.


I suppose I should take a pejorative view from where I now sit, but I will confess to having done the same as a young teacher @$*! years ago. A strange admission for a geographer perhaps, but I love Yeats and better still Edwin Morgan, whom I had the good fortune to have as a tutor when I did English alongside the Geography at Glasgow Uni slightly more than @$*! years ago. You can open any of his books at random and find a gem. I'd even recommend 'King Billy' if I didn't think it would start a war on here!

Re: What are you reading just now?

PostPosted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 6:01 pm
by History
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