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Post by viserys on Feb 11, 2019 9:12:22 GMT
Has anyone here read "Space Opera"by Catherynne M Valente? It may be the maddest book I've ever read, about an intergalactic song contest (clearly modelled on the ESC) and the hapless Earthlings getting caught up in it.
It's screaming for a stage adaptation that would probably be something of a love child of Eugenius and SpongeBob weaned on Acid and babysat by the Rocky Horror Show.
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2,302 posts
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Post by Tibidabo on Feb 21, 2019 9:41:19 GMT
I'm just coming to the end of Becoming by Michelle Obama. It's been a long, absorbing read and I will admit to putting it aside a couple of times in favour of some page-turning crime. It's split into 3 sections. The first is her early life, which is totally captivating. She's a working class child from Chicago's Southside who, through various twists, turns and support from family and teachers, gets into Princeton.
The middle section is duller for us Brits if you know nothing about American politics. But I didn't know that she really wasn't behind Barack going for president and only really agreed because she presumed he'd lose and they'd be able to get back on with their lives.
The final section is really fascinating, all about how she gets to grips with living behind bomb-proof glass in the White House with 2 little girls and what she decides to dedicate her time to. Definitely worth a read.
In other news - I'm excited to have been put into a closed facebook group for Clare Mackintosh's new book, After the End. She normally writes police procedurals, though I'm not sure whether this is or not. I'll get to read it and discuss it before publication. (I've never really used facebook and only signed up years ago to spy on my kids when they were teenagers,* so this will be a first for me!)
In other even more exciting news - today I am impatiently awaiting delivery of a book in which I am a named character, having won a Clic Sargent charity ebay auction 2 years ago. Can't wait to see what they've done with me.🤨
*Yes, it lasted about 6 weeks before they secretly beggared off to Snapchat.🙄
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230 posts
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Post by hal9000 on Feb 22, 2019 12:22:58 GMT
I found a pile of novels by Elizabeth Taylor * in a second hand book shop. I’ve been longing to read her for years. Two of her novels were adapted about a decade ago - ANGEL by François Ozon with Romola Garai and Michael Fassbender And MRS PALFREY AT THE CLAREMONT with Joan Plowright and one of the Ruperts. I loved them both so I can’t wait to tuck in.
*she who had the misfortune to publish her first story the year NATIONAL VELVET was released.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2019 13:44:15 GMT
I too am in the slightly duller part of Michelle Obama’s book. Despite half a degree in American politics it’s not really as engaging as the first part...but that’s a sliding scale as it’s still well written.
My Mother keeps trying to foist Lee Child novels on me...what say you Theatre book lovers? Worth a punt?
Also off the back of a conversation here I got and read “Thames Doesn’t Rhyme with James” by YA novelist Paula Danzinger the sequel to Remember me to Harold Square Which is one of my all time favourite books. And I was like a pig in mud reading it!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2019 15:56:07 GMT
My sister is obsessed with the Lee Child books, she was furious for YEARS when they cast Tom Cruise in the movie adaptation. Not read 'em myself, but she's a fairly reliable source for enjoyable tomes.
I'm currently considering going back and reading all the Discworld novels. I've certainly read most of them but there are so many that I can no longer remember which ones I never got round to. It is quite a considerable time (and possibly financial) commitment though...
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2,389 posts
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Post by peggs on Feb 22, 2019 17:22:40 GMT
@baemax will the library have discworld, mine does. Those are my reread books, love them, so if you have any questions about which was which happy to oblige.
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86 posts
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Post by confessor on Feb 23, 2019 9:26:02 GMT
I too am in the slightly duller part of Michelle Obama’s book. Despite half a degree in American politics it’s not really as engaging as the first part...but that’s a sliding scale as it’s still well written. My Mother keeps trying to foist Lee Child novels on me...what say you Theatre book lovers? Worth a punt? Also off the back of a conversation here I got and read “Thames Doesn’t Rhyme with James” by YA novelist Paula Danzinger the sequel to Remember me to Harold Square Which is one of my all time favourite books. And I was like a pig in mud reading it! I've read about 10 Lee Child novels, they're worth a go, easy to read but wouldn't recommend reading too many of them back to back as they're a bit too similar I've found. If you're looking for the book equivalent of an 80s' Schwarzenegger film, you can do a lot worse than this, but if you're looking for something a bit more believable and weighty then they're probably not for you. I've just finished Jasper Fforde's Early Riser, I normally love his stuff but wasn't so keen on this one, I've now moved onto Steinbeck's Cannery Row.
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1,177 posts
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Post by joem on Feb 23, 2019 11:20:44 GMT
Having read a bunch of Singaporean and Malaysian books in support of my recent holiday there, I have just finished "Knotted Tongues", a history of stammering/stuttering and on a medieval monk thriller "The Eye Stone" by Roberto Tiraboschi and Dickens' "The Mystery of Edwin Drood", now coming to the tail-end of my project to read all his works.
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Post by xanady on May 25, 2019 12:58:07 GMT
Have followed the monkey’s website for quite a while but only recently realised that there was also a published book as well.Excuse my ignorance! Have now read the book and it is an absolute gem! Indispensable! So much incredibly detailed research, lots of info that I never realised or had passed me by such as why the Donmar is called the Donmar and a great line in humour such as the comments about spotting low-flying aircraft in the balcony of certain theatres.Vertigo,indeed.Will take this with me on my trip to London this week. Well done,Sir.Sorry I am late to the party. Whilst talking books,I can also recommend Raynor Winn’s incredible and life-affirming ‘The Salt Path’ and Jason Fox’s honest and searing bio on suffering PTSD in ‘Battle Scars’.
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