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Allan wrote: "Has anyone read Colin Broderick's memoir, Orangutan? I remember Caroline posting that she'd identified with his frustrations with the writing process, but already, 35 pages in I'm ready for putting..."

I recently created a shelf for books I couldn't finish (meaning couldn't bear to finish). If I find distortions or misinformation is any narrative, I cannot trust the other parts of that narrative. There are likely to be other untruths about incidents about which you have less information. I was looking at this book just this week - it may have been on sale as an e-book somewhere, but passed it up. I decided I have to read That's That first which I recently bought. And, other than library books, I am trying not to bring in more books to my home. I am making exceptions for books that are work-related which I will bring into my office:)

I have started a challenge with a friend, and its to read all Lisa Gardner books in the two series. Quincy and DD Warren. we're on the last book in the Quincy series, and will be moving on to the first in DD Warren. It's been a good series. :)

@Kat. Is this Quincu of the '80s TV show renown?

I hate admitting to ignorance, but I'd never heard of Lisa Gardener.

@Allan. Are you sure that that isn't your own review?

The reviewer seems to share all of your reservations.

It's a long time since I've read an autobiography or personal account. The last would have been Arthur Conan Doyle's. There were a lot of ommisions and wishy-washy justifications.

I promised myself I'd read another biography. I find him incredibly fascinating.

Doesn't Jean Luc have a biography out?

Oooh! I didn't know that, Susan. That would be tempting.

Wouldn't it? I'd read that.

I think I'll break my rule and read it.

Hopefully it won't open the floodgates. The last thing I need is another glut of books for my to-read pile

Allan wrote: "Barbara-having read several gushing reviews on That's That on the US Amazon site, I read this one, by someone called 'Texas girl'

'Just read this book. The writing itself was very good. However, i..."

I don't expect a writer to necessarily give an unbiased view, and am not even sure it is possible. But I do want the facts correct, and accurate. Many attempts to be unbiased are anything but that, and those news outlets that tout it the most here tend to be the conservative ones, that are often guilty of gross misrepresentations. I have more respect for people I disagree with strongly who are straightforward about their views. I sometimes get myself into trouble for criticizing liberals as sometimes I find them very inconsistent.

Allan wrote: "It's actually a review not of the book I'm reading, but of his latest-I'm not surprised by it though, having voiced my issues about the passage last night in this one.

I've absolutely no problem w..."

I read this post Allan, after writing my own. My goodness, I wrote almost exactly the same thing. I won't credit it to my gift of second sight which I definitely believe I possess.

I agree, Barbara. I think everyone is biased in one form or other, but I can't stand when a writer has an agenda to force-feed their biases onto the reader. Especially through lies, half-truths and omissions

I mentioned previously (in which thread I can't remember) that this is why I don't read autobiographies as they're often biased and self-serving.

Coming in on the hind legs of this discussion but I've always found it interesting how writers instill their prejudices or some other agenda into their work. Only humman nature, I guess. Interestingly, we tend to forget this has been going on since man was first able to put pen to paper. I was doing some research recently on some of the more ancient Irish documentation and even in works such as Senchán Torpéist's 7th century “Great Compilation' (parts of this are found in the Book of Leinster)it's obvious the author is pushing the political barrow of a particular Leinster dynasty at the time. The funny thing is that because the 'book' was so old, people automatically believed what was written as authentic history (until more recent tiems of course). Theoretically, I guess this means if you write some nonsense and leave it lying around long enough someone will eventually believe you. The potential fun is endless!! :)

Brian wrote: "Coming in on the hind legs of this discussion but I've always found it interesting how writers instill their prejudices or some other agenda into their work. Only humman nature, I guess. Interestin..."

Fascinating! Do you read old Irish or are you working in translation?

Allan- Your dad's take on Eden Hall is fascinating. I can't say whether this observation of mine holds in this situation but I often have chats with friends and family and it's amazing that they don't recall some of my most vivid memories,and V.V. So we end up saying that it's important to keep old friends and family around so when we put all our memories together, we have a full recollection. I recall a few years ago discovering a children's picture book about a snowy day when school was cancelled. The children in the story all attended parochial school (Catholic) and went sledding on a hill near the school. They were surprised to see the nuns from their school out sledding as well. I had a similar experience as a kid. When I was in 7th grade, I attended a 5 room Catholic school in northwestern Connecticut. Some of the nuns used to go sledding with us during recess (our recreation period) and in those days they had the ground length habits and veils. My brother didn't remember this at all. He is 4 years younger but I was still surprised.

Barbara wrote: "Brian wrote: "Coming in on the hind legs of this discussion but I've always found it interesting how writers instill their prejudices or some other agenda into their work. Only humman nature, I gue..."

Would love to be able to study Old Irish but unfortunately I've never had the opportunity. I've been working with translated versions for a book of my own (confesssions of a closet writer!)although I find that with the later literature, my Irish is good enough to get some additional sense from the original not transferred to the translations. It's all interpretative of course.

Allan wrote: "Those memories sound like outtakes from Nuns on the Run or something, Barbara! My mates would say I have a photographic memory when it comes to things we all experienced as kids, so if they can't r..."

Yes, it's interesting, Allan. I must admit I often have a complete different recall of events compared to that of other people who shared the event or were there at the same time. Human nature and the influence of the self-perspective, I guess.

Brian wrote: "Barbara wrote: "Brian wrote: "Coming in on the hind legs of this discussion but I've always found it interesting how writers instill their prejudices or some other agenda into their work. Only humm..."

I took Irish classes in Boston for around 5 years, including 3 weeks in Connemara (Lettermore near Costello). It's given me enough of a sense of the language to appreciate differences in translations - albeit short poems by Heaney and Ciaran Carson.

Hey y'all

I've been away for a few weeks. As ever the holiday book I started on the Kindle, and the actual paper back book I was reading remain unfinished while I easily got through a few audiobooks in the same time.

I really enjoyed Lost At Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries (Audiobook) - like Louis Theroux in print. Amusing to think that this was really a journalist reading some articles to me.

I enjoyed The Quarry (Audiobook) but considering it remind me of The Wasp Factory in parts, the ending seemed like a wet blanket in comparison.

Currently I'm really enjoying Life After Life (Audiobook)

On the kindle I'm still reading Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Once again I'm slightly annoyed to find myself reading a children's book. No one extolling this book mentioned that. So some of the writing is a bit dumbed down, and the story is a bit childish. But otherwise lighthearted fun, with some great photography.

I also finally finished Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease. Full review on

Welcome back, John. I hope your hols went well. It feels like much more than a few weeks since we've heard from you.

I like the sound of Lost at Sea. I want to add it but my to-read list is getting out of hand and I still haven't read The Psycopath Test, yet. Come to think of it I said I said I'd read the complete Iain Banks catalogue but seeing The Quarry in your list reminded me that I haven't even started that yet, either.

What did you make of Life After Life? I really enjoyed it. It was a nice change and I think resurrection/reincarnation angle appealed to my sci-fi/fantasy side.

Declan wrote: "Welcome back, John."

Thanks!

Come to think of it I said I said I'd read the complete Iain Banks catalogue

Yes, the completist in me wants to read them all now too. I just have Surface Detail and Stonemouth... oh and Matter. Hmm considering I'm pretty much gone off space opera sci-fi, and there are two I've not read, I'm not feeling so completist anymore.

What did you make of Life After Life?

Not quite halfway through, but really enjoying it so far. Im some ways, it reminds me of the Time Travelers Wife. Almost Sci-fi without being SCI-FI.

I still can't bring myself to read The Hydrogen Sonata. That'll be the end of the culture series, for me.

I've only read a couple of his non-sci-fi. I know it's weird, but I feel I owe it to him to read the rest of his books.

I'll be interested to know what you finally make of LAL.

Hi John

Welcome back, thought it had been quiet from you for a while.

I recently read life after life, I was a bit confused at first, but once I got the hang of it I really enjoyed it.

Kate

What would have been your favourite incarnation/s, Kate. Mine would definitely be London during the Blitz.

I liked the Germany and Eva Braun story, don't want to say much more, don't want to give away spoilers.

I did enjoy the London Blitz timeline, but I've read loads about London during the war and hardly anything about Germany during that same period, so I found the German bit a little more interesting.

I liked the German timeline for the very same reason. I dying to talk about it now, but I'm worried about spoilers, too.

I'm sure you could start a spoiler thread, there a few people on this site who have also read it.

Loved Life after Life .One of my favorite reads this year so far.Has anyone read ? That deals with Germany during the same time period.

@Kate. I'd be reluctant to.start a spoiler thread as it's nominated twice. It us very tempting, though.

@Colleen. I'd never even heard of it. There are just too many books out there to keep track of. I'd imagine that this would give much greater depth to that period of Germany's history?

Yes it does .I'm ashamed that until I read that novel I never really thought about the average German and what they were going though and being told by the Nazis.

I've added that to my to-read list, Collen. I've been trying not to add books, but as I haven't broken the 100-uread-books mark, yet, I'll try not to beat myself up.

@ Colleen

That book looks like a good read, it's sitting in my Amazon basket :-)

For something different, try Back to Blood by Tom Wolfe. It's so good it is almost Tom Wolfe doing a parody of himself. Setting is Miami, with references to the (Western) emphasis on Diversity that will eventually make everyplace part of the monotonous Same.

I've never read Wolfe, so I wouldn't understand this novel's place amongst his other works. Would this book be a good place to start, do you think?

Allan wrote: "The only Wolfe I've read, Declan, is Bonfire of the Vanities-it's an epic on the scale of Strumpet City, in the sense that it captures the state of the nation, in this case NYC in the 80s-it's a mo..."

I'll think I'll add BotV. It has modern-classic status, so It'll help me feel more like an intellectual. ;)

@ Allan & Declan, you're doing fine without me here!

Yes, BoftV would be a good start if only to get you familiar with his style. Not hard to read, just different. Also it has a similar approach to NYC at that time as Wolfe's latest set in Miami.

Whether he did "blow" or dope or acid back in the day is not known, but I really doubt it. ...Unlike Hunter Thompson.

The Bonfire of the Vanities

Thanks, J.S.

I went ahead and added it. What's one more epic read for 2013? :)

$7,000,000!!??

That's it! I'm writing a book. How hard can it be?

Declan wrote: "$7,000,000!!??

That's it! I'm writing a book. How hard can it be?"

He needs 7 mill to buy all those dapper suits he wears ;)

I could use some nice suits, actually. :)

Allan- Do you mean On The Road by Kerouac or The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I haven't read either though someone gave me a copy of The Road.

In my time in high school, it would have been considered too "counterculture" to be required reading.

We read "Catcher in the Rye" but not On the Road. I've never read it although I've heard about it enough.

I've only ever read King's Dark Tower series, but that's enough to know he can really set the scene for spookiness.

I've been wanting to read the dark tower series for ages, I've kept reading smaller fantasy series instead of it though I think I'm afraid to start something of its length. Is it really as great as a fantasy series as I've heard, would you recommend it highly?

Littlemissmuffet wrote: "Just started Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot' today, I think he really is a master storyteller- what an imagination. Don't know how I'm going to sleep tonight, think I might read a few chapters of some..."

I read Salem's Lot a few years ago. It definitely did give me chills. Very spooky. A year or so ago, I started an F.G. Cottam book and it scared me so much that I had to put it down. I think that was the scariest thing I've eve read--I'll have to go back to it someday.

Autilian wrote: "I've been wanting to read the dark tower series for ages, I've kept reading smaller fantasy series instead of it though I think I'm afraid to start something of its length. Is it really as great as..."

It's hard to recommend, Autillian. I quite enjoyed it, but it's quite strange. King does a lot of far-out stuff that I personally had to take with a pinch of salt. There were times I wondered why the hell I was investing so much time in such a gargantuan series, but I quite enjoyed it, in the end. The big appeal of it was the main character, Roland, and the almost chivalric code he lived by. The first book is only a couple of hundred pages long, and when King wrote it he no idea of where he wanted to take it, so I'd read the first book, if I were you, and get a taste of it. If you don't like it, take comfort in the fact that King wasn't sure where the hell he was going and let it be.

I hope that was helpful.