What Book Are You Currently Reading ... (And Why)?

[Psamathe]

Life is too short to be wasting time reading.
I like dipping in and of here and having a chat, but the idea of sitting down with a book bores me rigid.

I've been outside strimming the high banks in the garden, then up in the woods picking daffodils, and presently drinking a well-earned beer. Soon off into the kitchen and preparing the Sunday meal. Then it's tinkering with the bikes, and thinking about this week's riding.

Reading?
Maps and route planning.
That'll do me.

I think for some it's just a matter of finding the type of books that they find interesting and then they are avid readers. There are so many different types of book and so many books within each "type". I used to read lots of travel/exploration/research books many historic but some current, mainly about exploration of Africa and SE Asia and any Tropical Rainforest areas, mostly Natural History oriented. Trouble was that many of those books were hardback or large and not easy to carry around on your commute - so that sort of paused my reading back then. Modern equivalent books seem more about zip wires and more about the author's ego that the exploration or whatever so I've pretty much given up on such subject matter.

Also, these days it's so much easier to find books you enjoy. Years ago it meant a trip to a local bookshop who would always have a limited range (meaning you had to have broad taste), etc. These days with the dreaded online company, you can often find the exact book you are looking for (often for £2-81) - far wider range of books thus catering for much narrower tastes (like my own), all done from home at your convenience.

But I'd encourage anybody to try some different types of book and they might find some worthwhile and I'm sure they would then get much pleasure from reading (they particular genre) books.

Ian

[al_yrpal]

For several years I have used a Kindle App on my Android phone and tablet. A year ago I also purchased a Kindle which has a nicer screen and a backlight. I do read conventional books too. The advantage of an e reader is that it obviates the need to carry a stack of books around when you are away from home or on a train or plane. The books reside on the device, you don't even need wifi if you have the books already downloaded onto the device.

I have recently purchased 7 books from Amazon, many of them for 1p. They are on the works of Paul Hogarth and Roland Hilger. Not to read particularly but to enjoy looking at the works of these two great Artists.

Al

[Guy951]

I have one chapter left to read of Juliet Barker's well-researched and well-written "Agincourt: The King; The Campaign; The Battle". I am also about 2/3 of the way through Richard Moore's most excellent" Heroes, Villains and Velodromes - Chris Hoy and the British Track Cycling Revolution". And (yes, there's more) about 1/2 way through Michael Lane's "Burrell Showman's Road Locomotives", which is a bit dry in places but very interesting nonetheless.

[Spinners]

My book reading is confined to about 15-20 minutes at bedtime - usually a biography or sometimes a military aviation history book but I do enjoy a good novel whilst on holiday and the last one was 'Trigger Mortis' a James Bond book by Anthony Horowitz. Very good, very Fleming.

I've just finished the Trott and Kenny autobiography and found it to be one of the worst cycling books I've ever read but they are still two people I really admire.

Like many of you I also like to re-read a book with 'Kidnapped' and 'Out of the silent planet' having the most repeats but I've also re-read 'Foxbat' by Peter Cave - so much better that 'Firefox' by Craig Thomas and Hollywood definitely made the wrong film.

[661-Pete]

I've just finished the Trott and Kenny autobiography and found it to be one of the worst cycling books I've ever read but they are still two people I really admire.

If you want to read an amusing cycling-based novel of a totally different genre, different epoch, and purely fiction, try The Wheels of Chance by H G Wells.

You don't even need to buy the book, it's available online, for example here.

Interestingly enough, quite a lot of the route followed and described by the hero of the story, in a setting dated well over a century ago, is still cycleable today. Of course you might have to navigate around the odd motorway as you pick your way out of London....

It need hardly be added that H G Wells, a keen cyclist himself, is reputed to have originated the quote "Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race."

[Eammno]

Just finished reading a series of books by Robert Harris. The Imperium trilogy (Imperium, Lustrum and Dictator) which follows the life of Cicero the Roman orator and the rise of the dictator Caesar. Finally Pompeii, a story following the experiences of the Engineer in charge of the massive 140 km aqueduct and the destruction that followed the eruption of Vesuvius. Fiction, but based on fact and a fascinating glimpse into Roman life and politics. All gripping fast paced books that are hard to put down.
Al

I've enjoyed Robert Harris - Pompeii, Archangel, Ghost and recently finished The Fear Index, all very difficult to put down, to the point of being a liability!
I'm after a copy of Fatherland next, but I'm a charity shop reader so need to get lucky!
Currently reading, and very much enjoying Stephen Fry's The Stars Tennis Balls.

[Cyril Haearn]

My book reading is confined to about 15-20 minutes at bedtime - usually a biography or sometimes a military aviation history book but I do enjoy a good novel whilst on holiday and the last one was 'Trigger Mortis' a James Bond book by Anthony Horowitz. Very good, very Fleming.

I've just finished the Trott and Kenny autobiography and found it to be one of the worst cycling books I've ever read but they are still two people I really admire

.. .

That looks interesting, one of the w o r s t cycling books. What was so bad about it? I recommend Road to Valour about Gino Bartali but it tends to americanisms and is written so non-cyclists can understand it

[Cyril Haearn]

No need to be sorry for people who do not enjoy reading. Maybe they were stuffed with too much Shakespeare at school. I have never been able to get interested in the Bard, even decades later

[Mike Sales]

"War and Peace" because it is forty years since I last read it.

[Spinners]

That looks interesting, one of the w o r s t cycling books. What was so bad about it? I recommend Road to Valour about Gino Bartali but it tends to americanisms and is written so non-cyclists can understand it

I read the 'Road to Valour' last year and felt like writing to Spielberg or Eastwood and pleading with them to make the film! I am aware of the Italian language film but sadly for me it has no subtitles.

The Trott/Kenny book is just so dull with none of the humour of G's book and with almost no edge or revelations like Cooke or Pendleton's books.

[Cyril Haearn]

Waterlog by Roger Deakin (read it a while ago actually)

Swimming all over Britain and round the coast

[Stradageek]

'Out-bloody-rageous', the history of 'Soft Machine' puts all their music in context - must listen to more of the live recordings!

Am I on my own here?

[Cyril Haearn]

I do love short stories
Re-reading The Grim Smile of the Five Towns by Arnold Bennett, the J K Rowling of his day (claims the AB Society)

Actually Stoke-on-Trent includes the "Six Towns"

[bovlomov]

We are so lucky, there are so many books published in English and many more translated from other languages. Numerous books are translated from German into English for example but relatively few from E to G

For the fourth plinth at Trafalgar Square, they should put up a permanent statue to celebrate the Unknown Translator.

Those forgotten people have brought the world to us, and often I suspect that they have done a better job than the original author. I've always preferred reading translated books. Obviously that's because I'm pretentious. But I have settled on the excuse that I enjoy reading them because translators take more care over the words than do the authors. They convey ideas with brevity and clarity, where authors often get bogged down in stylistic devices.

[al_yrpal]

A biography of Captain James Cook by Richard Hough. A Christmas present from my daughter who knows I love true life derring do. She also bought me Cooks own log and the life of George Bass ( Bass Straight). Later I may seek out writings on Tasman. These people were incredibly brave and rescourceful.
I have interspersed reading about Cook's exploits with " Invasion1982:The Falkland Islanders Story" which tells about the build up to the invasion, the events of the invasion itself and the aftermath. A very gripping read.

Al