SPARKS

miss sparks · Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2023 1:17 pm Post subject: Books, what are you reading now?

Just finish reading Stunt Rocker, the many adventures of Andy Ellison. Who was the lead singer with Johns Children, Jet and Radio Stars. Book starts from his childhood, his time with various bands up to 2020. Very interesting read, would recommend.

highersynth · Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2023 2:42 pm Post subject:

Ah, my other obsession!
Terry Pratchett - Guards Guards.
If there were no other books, I would happily read and re-read Terry’a Discworld books until I die.
Apparently, other authors are available.
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Tomorrow I'll find out all I should know...

J. Prufrock · Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 9:41 am Post subject:

I recently finished This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You, and found it an interesting exploration of various aspects of music, how one develops preferences in music

and how preferred sorts of music can be found across various genres - though without mention of a certain band's MiniPop

example of making enjoyable music with great variety.

... I miss Sir Terry too, highersynth.

Alex Robertson · Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 4:11 pm Post subject:

Just finished the 3rd book in The Thursday Murder Club series...The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman. Comfy cosy murder solving with plot twists and nothing graphic...no wonder Spielberg wants to film this but then again remember what he did to Doctor Who.....
Prior to that I had read(re-read) Joseph Knight by James Robertson based on the true story of a slave who was brought back to Scotland by his "owner" and how he won his freedom.
Currently I am ploughing my way through I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes...ploughing being the operative word...started off what seemed like a gruesome murder mystery...but is diverging into so many back stories, the murder investigation, is a dim and distant memory...plus the protagonist is a bit full of himself and keeps banging on about how great he is....the only thriller you need to read this year according to The Guardian....I'll be hard pressed to finish it tbh

waterloosunset · Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 4:59 pm Post subject:

I'm reading Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for literature this year. It is a recasting of David Copperfield, but instead of being set in mid 19th century England, it's set in the poverty and drug addiction of Appalachia. The narrator is a young boy whose life is hellish, but it is told by the protagonist in such a way that you just want to keep on reading. Barbara Kingsolver is one of the best American authors of the past 4 decades.
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better drop the requirement that everything be great

highersynth · Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2023 10:50 am Post subject:

J. Prufrock · Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2023 11:18 am Post subject:

K.S. Villoso's fantasy books aren't funny like Pratchett's were, but I just finished The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng (last in a trilogy starting with The Wolf of Oren-Yaro.) Fantasy fans will find many of the common elements, but not in the usual ways; these aren't short reads but I found the trilogy satisfying.

Kermit! · Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2023 4:29 pm Post subject:

I'm reading 'Let's make lots of money' by Tom Watkins who was the manager for various '80s bands. Pet shop boys, Bros, E17 etc. It's a great tell all bitch about so many artists of the time. I first met Tom when he was involved in doing the artwork for the Frankie goes to Hollywood cover of the 'Relax' 12" which was all very controversial. He sadly died a few years ago but this is an easy fun read. We always got on well but if you got on the wrong side of Tom he could be a total bitch & then watch out.....he was never backwards at coming forward with his opinions & this book is full of loads of them.
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The fan formally known as kermit

The Future! The Future!

Spyke · Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2023 12:51 pm Post subject:

The British Library has published several collections of short stories in their 'Tales of the Weird' strand. The stories tend to be of the supernatural / spooky type from the 19th and early 20th centuries and each collection is themed - I'm currently reading their 'Cornish Horrors' book. Good stuff for a dark evening!
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"but we can hear what others can't hear..."

highersynth · Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2023 3:39 am Post subject:

I recently finished "Bodies - Life and Death in Music" by Ian Winwood.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bodies-Death-Music-Ian-Winwood/dp/0571364187

It wasn't always an easy read - some very stark stuff in there - but on the whole I enjoy his music-journo style, and found a lot of the content extremely eye-opening, as to how the music industry actually works.
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Tomorrow I'll find out all I should know...

jessie6413 · Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2023 8:02 am Post subject:

I'm reading Kathy Reichs' latest "The Bone Hacker" and it's not grabbing me. I'm more than a third of the way through. and after all these years of preordering her books, I think in the future I'll be waiting to see how they're rated before buying. If you don't know her, she is/was one of the few certified forensic anthropologists in the world for most of her career splitting time between teaching in NC and working in Montreal in the coroner's department. Her protagonist is based on herself.
And no, after trying the show Bones a couple times and never making it past about 10 minutes, I can't compare it favorably to the books. Not even the last few that have seemed stale.
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"Language, however, is not language"

J. Prufrock · Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2023 12:19 pm Post subject:

I was feeling some middle-aged angst (not the kind in one's pants) so picked up Congratulations, The Best Is Over! (R. Eric Thomas, 2023.) I found Thomas' stories about his own life events generally relatable and funny in that 'you gotta laugh to keep yourself from crying and/or cursing' sort of way, with much of it very much of this time -

Alex Robertson · Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2024 5:38 pm Post subject:

LOST DUNDEE... Dundee's Lost Architectural Heritage
This covers the building and demolition of once iconic buildings in Dundee, there were some still there in my early youth. So it's a bit of a niche read.

Crabby · Groupie Joined: 26 Feb 2024 Posts: 158 Location: Belfast

So, l've just finished reading Spaceman of Bohemia... Jaroslav Kalfar..
I'm not sure what l was expecting having read a bit about the film and seeing that it won the Arthur C. Clarke award for science fiction...... Well, there is a spaceman and an alien and quite a bit of outer space... But as some group once said, there is all that and more!
Much much more, l'd love to know how it transferred to the big screen and how the very detailed back story was treated.

I would definitely recommend it, and l think l feel the need to read his most recent book.
(much as l'd like to see the film, mostly out of curiosity l have a bit of arachnophobia so it might be a tough watch.... Unless the spider's called Boris)

Alex Robertson · Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2024 9:28 am Post subject:

Crabby · Groupie Joined: 26 Feb 2024 Posts: 158 Location: Belfast

I do hope you enjoy it, if you don't l shall hang my head in shame......(l'd be interested to know what you think about the 'hero' of the piece) . I'm off back to my film noir book now! Sunset Boulevard here l come.....

Buckeye Randy · Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2024 3:32 pm Post subject:

Crabby · Groupie Joined: 26 Feb 2024 Posts: 158 Location: Belfast

The one l have was also a present! It's the Taschen Film Noir, full of great photographs and really comprehensive, you wouldn't read it in bed though, if it fell on your head it'd kill you.........

deadcalm · Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2024 1:21 pm Post subject:

Picked up a copy of "The Armageddon Rag" in Sainsbury's today . George RR Martin before his GOT thing got started. Something about the 60s Rock scene as the plot.

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I Think that went very Well

Alex Robertson · Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2024 5:10 pm Post subject:

A Death In The Parish by the reverend Richard Cole ( formerly of The Communards game).
This is the second book in his "crime solving vicar" series.
I missed the first one but may look it out and read it in retrospect.
It's quite cosy in that Father Brown or Midsommer Murders way. Or as cosy as grisly death in England's green and pleasant can be. I can see this being made into a TV series, all in all a well written jolly who-dun-it.
I'd say if you like your murder mysteries not too serious, but still not too frothy, this is one for you to delve into with a mug of tea and a couple of Tunnocks Caramel Wafers.