Last Book You Have Read
one night stand
Posts: 127MI6 Agent
I figured since there is a "Last Film You've Seen" thread, we could have one about books. We all just write in the last book or books we have read (including Bond ones) and mention if we liked them.
The last book I read was The Killer Angels by Micheal Shaara. It is about the battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War. It was an excellent, well-written book that takes you back to the battle that was the turning point in the war. I think everyone should read this book. It is preceeded by Gods And Generals and followed by The Last Full Measure which were written by Jeff Shaara, Micheal's son.
The last book I read was The Killer Angels by Micheal Shaara. It is about the battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War. It was an excellent, well-written book that takes you back to the battle that was the turning point in the war. I think everyone should read this book. It is preceeded by Gods And Generals and followed by The Last Full Measure which were written by Jeff Shaara, Micheal's son.
Comments
The last book I've read is Dragon Tears by Dean Koontz, not his best, but still a great read with enjoyable characters.
Last book I read was The Savage Tales Of Solomon Kane by Robert E. Howard. Correction, I reread, since this is a beautifully illustrated package.
however I am now engrossed in two other books - Elmore Leonard's - Rum Punch ( The original novel Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown is based on), and John Gardner's Licence Renewed - again.
It was an interesting tale - Here is a link that has reviews by readers -and well they are all pretty clear as to how they enjoyed this quirky author/song writer/ and cat lover's tale!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0571171923/qid=1090931221/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i6_xgl/202-3228413-9128642
It's about a woman teacher who has an affair with a pupil, as told by the teacher's spinsterish work colleague who turns out to be an unreliable narrator, ie you don't really trust her version of events.
It's a page turner but cops out a bit at the end. Good in terms of who do you trust, very topical in the wake of the UK Hutton and Butler report in a way.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Funny that, Gardner's Licence Renewed is the last book I read (just finished it last night.) And I have to say it was absolutely brilliant, imaginative, tense, thrilling, with plenty of memorable characters and much of it takes place in Scotland which is a quality in itself.
Before Licence Renewed, I re-read Bill Bryson's hilarious book Down Under, one of the most entertaining bboks I've read.
I am currently reading Tom Clancy's Red Rabbit, a flashback of the Jack Ryan character while the cold war was still hot. The only "Jack Ryan/John Clark" book I haven't read is the most recent one, Teeth of the Tiger; I've also read Red Storm Rising. I like Clancy's novels because of the fantastic plot elements that involve conflicts between nations that we wouldn't consider today as enemies of the United States, such as India and Japan; as well as Clancy wish fulfillments such as war with the USSR and the Peoples Republic of China. I also like the action. But nowadays, I am growing tired of the minutiae of these books, if not in technobabble, then in the overdone mental reflections the characters make, instead of just limiting these to a few for the sake of character development. The problem for me is that I'm hooked to Clancy's Ryan/Clark books and you have to read through the fluff in order to extract the kernels.
I hope that I don't sound like a commie, but I also think that Clancy instilled too much bourgious, yuppie 80's ideals into his main charcters. His hero is not an everyman. At least with Bond, though an eccentric hedonist and having a flair of being pampered, is a character who has flaws and a vulnerablity we can identify with. However, not only is Jack Ryan an intelligent CIA analyst, but he is a Wall Street millionaire married to one of the world's best eye surgeons! His best friend who was a navy pilot becomes an admiral. Ryan himself by a freak astronomically improbable national accident becomes... However, these aren't enough to stop me from reading these significant chunks of one's life (try finishing the Bear and the Dragon, and you'll see what I mean by this).
I've found this grand little shop that has a small collection of the Gardners and in hardcover. (yes) As a person who hasn't terribly read a lot of JG, which do you recommend first?
No More Deals Mr. Bond
Icebreaker
For Special Services
Sir Hillary, Hiasson's from Miami so what do you expect?
The last book I read was Tom Clancy's The Teeth of the Tiger. I read that immediately after reading Red Rabbit, which I consider to be the best Clancy I have read so far. And I found The Teeth of the Tiger to be a disappointment in comparison.
I read up to page 90 of Debt of Honour, the only Clancy I've yet to read. That was two months back. I agree with you, Superado, I also get very bored with all the techno and military babble in his books and that's why I've stalled with this one.
On your last point, I think that Tom Clancy's own conservative, right-wing and militaristic views soon become apparent when reading his novels. In this sense, Clancy can be compared to Frederick Forsyth, as The Fourth Protocol is quite a clear reflection of the author's own right-wing views.
You are very lucky Alex, as finding any Bond book other than the most popular Fleming titles is quite difficult here. As for Gardner, well I am just discovering the magic of his novels for myself, and look forward to getting started on For Special Services tonight. However, general consensus seems to be that Gardner's best is either FSS or Icebreaker, though someone may wish to correct me.
Someone with more experience of Gardner's work may be able to help you better, however as jetsetwilly eloquently explained in the literature forum it seems that most think you should probably avoid The Man With Barbarossa, even though Gardner considers it his best work himself.
Personally, I'm just hoping FSS and IB live up to the very high standard set by Licence Renewed, and will then try to get my hands on his other novels.
The BFG, by Roald Dahl. The 3rd book I read in my life, I rediscovered it at a bookstore. Just plain funny!
The last book? Don't laugh.
From Normandy to the Ruhr: With the 116th Panzer Division during WWII.
OK, I was really bored and it was in the library. It did give me an interesting perspective of a unit that struck fear into many Allied soldiers.
Next up will probably be one of Lee Child's 'Jack Reacher' thrillers.
I just started The Long Firm by Jake Arnott, as I have watched a couple of episodes of the TV series based on it and I'm hooked - I'm one chapter in and it already seems even better - such a rich and interesting world.
(I have a 30 minute train journey to and from work every day; as a result I read a lot!)
@merseytart
Besides the advanced anatomy/physiology I'm doing for my degree, I'm currently in the middle of Harpy Thyme, the 17th Xanth novel by Piers Anthony. I am also in the middle of The Vile Village, 7th in A Series of Ufortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (yes, it's a childrens book).
I just purchased The Hitchhikers Guide series, by Douglas Adams. I'm probably the only person in the Universe who hasn't read it yet. I'll get to it eventually. I have a big stack just waiting for me to find time. I need to go through the 5th Harry Potter once again too.
So many books and so little time! {[]
Thanks Lazenby, no problem, only way to solve is purchase all three. Although there's a good chance I'll be eating nothing but leftovers this week. I've heard FSS is regarded highly here, even though I was put off by another board, I think this one just might know a little more when it comes to, oh say, James Bond?
Looking forward to padding the shelf.
If you both liked Licence Renewed then I think you'll each enjoy For Special Services.It moves quickly and in this story Gardner addresses some elements of 007's past.And if you can find them,by all means check out Gardner's Boysie Oakes novels(The Liquidator,Amber Nine,etc.).These are parodies of the Bond series done with considerable flair.IMO anyway.;)
"The Haunted Hotel" by Wilkie Collins, which is an early whodunit, originally published in 1879. It was readable, but not necessarily recommendable.
The other book is "Hottentot Venus" by Barbara Chase-Ribaud, published this year. It's based on the true and tragic story about Sarah Baartman, a native of South Africa, who was showcased in various freak-show-type exhibitions in England during the 19th century.
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jfm
I have quite a small pile of WWII reference books, which includes an old Ballentine digest on Waffen SS divisions and another one on SS Armor. I've never really read any of these from cover to cover because the often fascinating photos of WWII subjects always get me off track, and I like skipping over to specific portions of these books for whatever is intriguing me at that point in time.
I tried to find this book while I was in the UK, and nobody had it! Not even the ever reliable Foyles in London!!
The last book I read was "Marilyn-The Last Take". A really great read too! It sheds some new light on her ill fated last film "Something's Got To Give" co-starring Dean Martin. It's a shame the studios treated her like dirt towards her final days. I would have loved to seen the footage that was completed (and has since mysteriously disappeared) of Something's Got To Give!
The book also talks a bit about the ill-fated "Cleopatra" (one of my favorite films!) and the behind the scenes drama of it's star, Elizabeth Taylor (who was never more gorgeous than she was in this film!)
I would recommend this book highly!
I'm also currently reading the wonderful James Bond serial novel by our own jetsetwilly called "While England's Dreaming" (GREAT STUFF!!!)
Try www.spyguise.com or www.bondbooks.biz both should have this book.
It was about a Phd student, his lovelife, his project and meeting up with a Professor to possibly change the course of histiry by use of a PC. Very well written and observed.
I tend to enjoy reading novels written by 'ex' comedians, eg Ben Elton, Hugh Laurie, David Baddiel.
Currently I am reading Live And Let Die and will probably read the Jason Bourne novels afterwards.