What are you reading now?

[John_fi_Skye]

I've taken up The Fatal Shore for another read ... It's brutally stark in it's description of the voyage and treatment of convicts ... and a fascinating and insightful rendering of part of Australian history by the author, Robert Hughes.

The Fatal Shore. The epic of Australia's founding, by Robert Hughes, published 1987 by Harvill Press, is a historical account of the United Kingdom's settlement of Australia as a penal colony with convicts. The book details the period 1770 onwards through white settlement to the 1840s, when Australia was established as a European outpost. The book explains many of the origins of the Australian character and being, such as the Australian support for Bushrangers, the underdog and the dislike between the English and Irish and their religions. It won the WH Smith Literary Award in 1988.

Great book.

"They ranked us up like horses, and sold us out of hand,
And they yoked us to the plough, my boys, to plough Van Diemen's Land."

(I can't remember how to spell Van Diemen.)

[Clinton Huxley]

The City Of Falling Angels by John Berendt. All about the fire that destroyed the Fenice opera house in Venice and the corruption and craziness that was laid bare by the event.

[John_fi_Skye]

Speaking of Australia, though, have you ever read The Songlines by Bruce Chatwin? Fab too, and very much the other human side of the coin.

[Svartalf]

Fin ished Dark Moon. I was disappointed overall. That book suffered from what I term the Stephen King Syndrome: Very strong on the opening and buildup, but pretty weak when it comes to climax and wrap up.
I'll read more Gemmell to see whether this is a youthful mistake or an actual trait of his writing.

[Rum]

Reading Steve Jobs' biography. I must say so far he comes over as a bit of a tit.

[Gallstones2]

A scifi series called "Starfist"

[Gallstones]

Reading Steve Jobs' biography. I must say so far he comes over as a bit of a tit.

Awww, he's like a little bird you mean?

[Rum]

Reading Steve Jobs' biography. I must say so far he comes over as a bit of a tit.

Awww, he's like a little bird you mean?

More like the celebrated Greater Twat Tit.

[charlou]

Speaking of Australia, though, have you ever read The Songlines by Bruce Chatwin? Fab too, and very much the other human side of the coin.

Thank you for the suggestion .. I will look that one up.

[Clinton Huxley]

Night Train by Martin Amis

[John_fi_Skye]

Speaking of Australia, though, have you ever read The Songlines by Bruce Chatwin? Fab too, and very much the other human side of the coin.

Thank you for the suggestion .. I will look that one up.

[John_fi_Skye]

I'm reading an interesting book about the mutiny on the Bounty just now. Contrary to the received stereotypes, Bligh was actually enlightened, relatively liberal and well-liked, and Christian and his co-conspirators seem really just to have enjoyed sunshine, indolence and the women of the south sea islands.

Fair enough, I suppose.

Do you know....I'm still finding this book interesting, but I need to share something with you. I know how tiresome it is for everybody else when an English teacher (current or retired) seems always to have the red pen out, BUT: yes, it's a really interesting book, and the author, Caroline Alexander, is allegedly a best-selling author. And, being an enlightened human being first and a retired English teacher second, I've been gritting my teeth and ignoring all the bad English up to now; but I can restrain myself no longer: within the space of a few pages, someone whose finances are going badly has been said to be "descending into pecuniary", and a ship has been described as "having got under weigh....with pendants flying"! I'm not sure I'm strong enough to keep reading without another dram.

[anna09]

Just had to stop reading Pride and Prejudice. Fucking boring.

Now onto The Mystery of Edwin Drood and another Hitchens book.

[Drewish]

Just finished Mind of the Market. Next I'm going to re-read a collection of Edgar Allan Poe works.

[John_fi_Skye]

Just had to stop reading Pride and Prejudice. Fucking boring.

Now onto The Mystery of Edwin Drood and another Hitchens book.

Is that CHARLES Hitchens, Alfred's brother?