What are you reading right now! - Page 54

**The Flying Mouse** · 12 Dec 2012, 20:44

Taking another journey through It.

I read Insomnia recently, and it mentions many of the places and people from It, so it made me a little homesick for it

Cherry.Loaf · 17 Dec 2012, 11:59

Out of Oz the last book in the wicked year series by Gregory Maguire

Hypnobabe · 17 Dec 2012, 15:20

Still struggling through The Catcher in The Rye, but it's been elbowed out temporarily by The Psychopath Test, by Jon Ronson, the man who wrote The Men Who Stare At Goats - so far, quite an amusing read!

Dave · 17 Dec 2012, 19:16

Tales Of The City - Armistead Maupin

**The Flying Mouse** · 24 Jan 2013, 19:50

I finished re-reading It last week, and i've started reading Two Brothers by Ben Elton.
Fitting enough, I was given it for xmas by my brother

I'm about half way through at the moment, but just for japes I thought i'd look up a couple of reviews.

One review said that "Ben Elton fails as a history teacher" while the next review says that there was too much history included which slowed the story and obscured the characters

So there's either too much history, or not enough.
I suppose when you've got people saying both at the same time you must be somewhere near the middle, which is pretty much the ballpark you want to be in.

I'm not finding it a bad read so far.
It's not the best book i've ever read, but the premise of the book is interesting enough.

In Berlin in 1920 a young woman gives birth to twins, but one in stillborn.
The doctor tells her of a child who has been born the same day, but whose mother died in delivery. The doctor asks if she would consider taking the other baby as one of her twins had died.
You mind find that a little shocking, but you've got to remember the state of Germany at the time. With the war, the flu epidemic, and the constant political fighting (we're talking gunfire in the streets here) practical solutions were much more sought after than what could be classed as sentimentality.

So the baby is born, and the boys are brought up as twins.
But one is Jewish, and one is a Gentile.
With the growth of the nazi party, and as Europe is once more plunged into war, the two brothers find themselves fighting on opposite sides.

But i'm halfway through, and they are not on opposite sides, they're still in Berlin, still brothers, and there's still no indication of anything changing in the near future.

Oh, they're both in love with the same girl.
That's caused a few fisticuffs, but no big split.

The story bounces a lot between the 20s/30s and 1956, where one of the brothers in embroilled in a cold war storyline, in which he receives a letter from the girl who both he and his brother were in love with, and who is now apparntly a member of the East German Secret Police.
It's also been revelaled that the other brother served with the Waffen SS and was killed in action in 1943 (or was it 41?)

So we've yet to get to the point where the brothers are forced apart, and there's still going to be a lot of things to be resolved in 1956.

The brothers being on opposite sides of the war "premise" is losing pages here, and i'm not sure there is going to be much room to tell this part the tale which is supposed to be the hook

I'm enjoying the book well enough, don't get me wrong, but there is some baggage that could have been lost without losing anything in the book.
For instance, there is a story at one point about how their musician father, Wolfgang, finds himself becoming attracted to a woman who used to date his boss. There is a lot of talk about Jazz in general that really could have been thrown overboard with no great loss.
He likes Jazz, we get it.

There is supposed to be a great friendship between the boys, Dagmar (She's the one they're both in love. She's the jewish daughter of a wealthy shop owner, and has been taking music lessons from Wolfgang), and Silke (her mother worked as the maid for Wolfgang and his wife, until her mum's new nazi boyfriend made her leave her employment because he didn't want her working for Jews).

But the common Silke is constantly jealous of upper class and aloof Dagmar because the boys like her better.
She doesn't seem to like Dagmar at all, and now she's gone off into the BDM (Bund der Deutcher Madel - Nazi orginization for girls) it seems that the friendship isn't going to get much closer in the forseeable future

As a group of faithful and devoted friends, it seems terribly flawed and conflicted (but perhaps that's the point?)

Some of the language seems a little flawed. The way that Ben writes the diolouge of the West Indies lover of one of the brothers is particularly out of place. Never would I have thought i'd read the words "reefer" and "mon" in a story of Jewish persecution

It seems very forced.
But the language of the Germans also sounds wrong to my mind. It sounds too American or British in it's form and use of slang. I've read enough books set during the war, and I can't say i've ever felt that way about how German characters speak.

It sounds like I don't like this book at all doesn't it?

I'm sticking with it though.
The tale in itself is interesting enough to hold attention, and even the unneccersary sub stories (like Wolfgang's infatuation with the Jazz babe) are not too offensive (as long as you don't expect them to add anything to the plot, or perhaps it will later).

I just hope the pay off is worth it.

Prediction................

Hypnobabe · 24 Jan 2013, 22:01

After a conversation with Cathie the other week, I'm re-reading Dreamcatcher, by Stephen King.

Julie in the rv mirror · 25 Jan 2013, 04:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hypnobabe

Still struggling through The Catcher in The Rye, but it's been elbowed out temporarily by The Psychopath Test, by Jon Ronson, the man who wrote The Men Who Stare At Goats - so far, quite an amusing read!

God, I totally hated "Catcher"- had to read it for school. It's so much nicer when you can read what you want to instead of what someone else tells you to.

I just finished the new Springsteen bio, "Bruce" by Peter Ames Carlin. I thought it wasn't bad- I learned a few things I didn't know, but it's very heavy on the early years and skims through the later ones.

I'm almost embarrassed to say I'm reading "Fifty Shades Darker" (You know, the "Mommy porn" series?

). It's kind of like junk food for your brain- it's terrible, but it tastes good!

Hypnobabe · 25 Jan 2013, 08:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julie in the rv mirror

God, I totally hated "Catcher"- had to read it for school. It's so much nicer when you can read what you want to instead of what someone else tells you to.

I know what you mean, I'm glad I read it, but wouldn't bother again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julie in the rv mirror

I'm almost embarrassed to say I'm reading "Fifty Shades Darker" (You know, the "Mommy porn" series?

). It's kind of like junk food for your brain- it's terrible, but it tastes good!

It's what I call car crash reading, it's bad, and you know it's bad, but you have to keep going to see what happens!!

I'm reading Dreamcatcher, by Stephen King.

**Monstro** · 25 Jan 2013, 11:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hypnobabe

I'm reading Dreamcatcher, by Stephen King.

Good book, they didn't do too bad of a job with the film either

**The Flying Mouse** · 25 Jan 2013, 18:25

It's been a long time since I read Dreamcatcher.
I don't even think i've still got a copy.

One thing I really like about SK is how he often references his other works.
Place names and characters often crop up, but not intrusivly.
The mention of The Losers Club for instance.
I'm trying to remember, is it a trucking yard that's mentioned in Dreamcatcher? And if so is it the Trackers Brothers?
When I was re-reading It recently it mentioned the window that the boys would peek through, and I remember reading that in Dreamcatcher.

Like Mr M, I thought the film was pretty good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julie in the rv mirror

I'm almost embarrassed to say I'm reading "Fifty Shades Darker" (You know, the "Mommy porn" series?

). It's kind of like junk food for your brain- it's terrible, but it tastes good!

*Note to self - Don't moderate Julie, she'll only enjoy it*

*AndyK* · 25 Jan 2013, 19:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Flying Mouse

One thing I really like about SK is how he often references his other works.
Place names and characters often crop up, but not intrusivly.

Yeah I like that, there are some great references to his other books in 11.22.63, probably more than I realise as I've not read all his books.

LucyK! · 25 Jan 2013, 19:16

Yeah he's so good at that! I was reading Misery and it referenced the hotel from The Shining - scared me to death as I started to think it was all real!

Sebastian. · 25 Jan 2013, 19:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by LucyK!

Yeah he's so good at that! I was reading Misery and it referenced the hotel from The Shining - scared me to death as I started to think it was all real!

The Hotel is sort of real! I was going to visit in when I was in Colorado but went flying instead.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stanley_Hotel

LucyK! · 25 Jan 2013, 19:22

Ooohhh we are going there Andy!!!

Hypnobabe · 25 Jan 2013, 19:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Flying Mouse

I'm trying to remember, is it a trucking yard that's mentioned in Dreamcatcher? And if so is it the Trackers Brothers?
When I was re-reading It recently it mentioned the window that the boys would peek through, and I remember reading that in Dreamcatcher.

Like Mr M, I thought the film was pretty good.

Yep, that's the one...

I've never seen the film, will look out for it tho' :0)

**The Flying Mouse** · 25 Jan 2013, 20:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyK

Yeah I like that, there are some great references to his other books in 11.22.63, probably more than I realise as I've not read all his books.

How is that book?

Quote:

Originally Posted by LucyK!

Yeah he's so good at that! I was reading Misery and it referenced the hotel from The Shining - scared me to death as I started to think it was all real!

If you've read It, you may or may not remember that Dick Hallorann, the hotel chef in The Shinning, was also one of the black soldiers at The Black Spot when it burned down.

I wonder if it would make a good thread to post links from SK works?

I know there's a few SK fans amongst us.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sebastian.

The Hotel is sort of real! I was going to visit in when I was in Colorado but went flying instead.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stanley_Hotel

*makes chicken noises*

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hypnobabe

I've never seen the film, will look out for it tho' :0)

I remember it being pretty good.
Think i'll watch it again sometime in the next couple of days

*AndyK* · 25 Jan 2013, 20:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Flying Mouse

How is that book?

I really enjoyed it. A slow starter, that doesn't really become all that fast paced at all, but it keeps you interested, won't go into the bits I didn't like as they could become spoilers.

LucyK! · 25 Jan 2013, 20:53

I'm just coming to the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire....a year since I started at the first book! I miss having time to read!

Can't decide whether to carry on to the next Harry Potter book or take a break from them and head to 11.22.63

Julie in the rv mirror · 26 Jan 2013, 01:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Flying Mouse

*Note to self - Don't moderate Julie, she'll only enjoy it*

I used to like Stephen King, but then I got grossed out for some reason when I started re-reading "The Stand" several years ago, and so I haven't read him anymore.

My favorite author is Michael Crichton- pity he's passed away now.

I like Harlan Ellison a lot, as well.

Sebastian. · 26 Jan 2013, 14:49

All quiet on the Western Front. Been on my list for too long!

Very tempted to read some Sherlock Holmes as they're all free on Amazon.

**The Flying Mouse** · 26 Jan 2013, 15:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Flying Mouse

I remember it being pretty good.
Think i'll watch it again sometime in the next couple of days

I watched the movie last night.
I can't remember how faithful it is to the book because it's so long I read it.
I'm pretty sure it deviates quite a lot in places.

I won't post any spoliers, but i'd say that the alternate ending on the DVD is better than the one they went with.
But that's just personal opinion

chairboys · 26 Jan 2013, 19:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by LucyK!

I'm just coming to the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire....a year since I started at the first book! I miss having time to read!

Can't decide whether to carry on to the next Harry Potter book or take a break from them and head to 11.22.63

I read the first 4 quickly and then really struggled with number 5. It took me 3 attempts and many years to finish that instalment!! But, after finally wading through it, I had to complete the set, which I did in the summer. It made my visit to the studios much more enjoyable for the effort.
I have never been a prolific reader, but Miss Rowling has ignited this old codger into action.
I am currently on the third phase of the Hunger Games trilogy. I also have Seb Coe's autobiograhy to begin.
In an unashamed effort to plug a new book, may I suggest "Sunlight and Slumber" by Katie Stuart. She is a local High Wycombe lass who has very recently released her first novel on Amazon under the e-books kindle thing.
I only know her as a shop customer, but the few reviews available of her book seem like it's worth a try.
Mrs. Chairboys has downloaded it for me, but I fear it may be quite some time before I get round to reading it.
So, if any of you speedy readers can spare a day or two ( and a couple of quid!) to let me know if we are possibly the ones to kick-start a global phenomenom, I'd be very grateful.
If you didn't catch it initially then let me repeat - SUNLIGHT AND SLUMBER!

Hypnobabe · 27 Jan 2013, 11:35

Finished Dreamcatcher, moved on to Bag of Bones, as I saw the adaptation over Christmas...

Cherry.Loaf · 27 Jan 2013, 20:31

Still trying to get through the last Wizard if Oz book I'm finding it a real struggle to find time to read it and I'm a really fast reader!

Hypnobabe · 27 Jan 2013, 20:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cherry.Loaf

Still trying to get through the last Wizard if Oz book I'm finding it a real struggle to find time to read it and I'm a really fast reader!

Have you ready the Gregory Maguire books? Wicked and Son if a Witch being the ones I can remember? I loved the way he turned my perception of the Wicked Witch of the West completely upside down!

24 Jan 2013, 19:50	#1330
The Flying Mouse Armed ba$tard and Jo's other half. Join Date: 06.08.2002 Location: In the middle of nowhere near the end of the line. Posts: 16,104	I finished re-reading It last week, and i've started reading Two Brothers by Ben Elton. Fitting enough, I was given it for xmas by my brother I'm about half way through at the moment, but just for japes I thought i'd look up a couple of reviews. One review said that "Ben Elton fails as a history teacher" while the next review says that there was too much history included which slowed the story and obscured the characters So there's either too much history, or not enough. I suppose when you've got people saying both at the same time you must be somewhere near the middle, which is pretty much the ballpark you want to be in. I'm not finding it a bad read so far. It's not the best book i've ever read, but the premise of the book is interesting enough. In Berlin in 1920 a young woman gives birth to twins, but one in stillborn. The doctor tells her of a child who has been born the same day, but whose mother died in delivery. The doctor asks if she would consider taking the other baby as one of her twins had died. You mind find that a little shocking, but you've got to remember the state of Germany at the time. With the war, the flu epidemic, and the constant political fighting (we're talking gunfire in the streets here) practical solutions were much more sought after than what could be classed as sentimentality. So the baby is born, and the boys are brought up as twins. But one is Jewish, and one is a Gentile. With the growth of the nazi party, and as Europe is once more plunged into war, the two brothers find themselves fighting on opposite sides. But i'm halfway through, and they are not on opposite sides, they're still in Berlin, still brothers, and there's still no indication of anything changing in the near future. Oh, they're both in love with the same girl. That's caused a few fisticuffs, but no big split. The story bounces a lot between the 20s/30s and 1956, where one of the brothers in embroilled in a cold war storyline, in which he receives a letter from the girl who both he and his brother were in love with, and who is now apparntly a member of the East German Secret Police. It's also been revelaled that the other brother served with the Waffen SS and was killed in action in 1943 (or was it 41?) So we've yet to get to the point where the brothers are forced apart, and there's still going to be a lot of things to be resolved in 1956. The brothers being on opposite sides of the war "premise" is losing pages here, and i'm not sure there is going to be much room to tell this part the tale which is supposed to be the hook I'm enjoying the book well enough, don't get me wrong, but there is some baggage that could have been lost without losing anything in the book. For instance, there is a story at one point about how their musician father, Wolfgang, finds himself becoming attracted to a woman who used to date his boss. There is a lot of talk about Jazz in general that really could have been thrown overboard with no great loss. He likes Jazz, we get it. There is supposed to be a great friendship between the boys, Dagmar (She's the one they're both in love. She's the jewish daughter of a wealthy shop owner, and has been taking music lessons from Wolfgang), and Silke (her mother worked as the maid for Wolfgang and his wife, until her mum's new nazi boyfriend made her leave her employment because he didn't want her working for Jews). But the common Silke is constantly jealous of upper class and aloof Dagmar because the boys like her better. She doesn't seem to like Dagmar at all, and now she's gone off into the BDM (Bund der Deutcher Madel - Nazi orginization for girls) it seems that the friendship isn't going to get much closer in the forseeable future As a group of faithful and devoted friends, it seems terribly flawed and conflicted (but perhaps that's the point?) Some of the language seems a little flawed. The way that Ben writes the diolouge of the West Indies lover of one of the brothers is particularly out of place. Never would I have thought i'd read the words "reefer" and "mon" in a story of Jewish persecution It seems very forced. But the language of the Germans also sounds wrong to my mind. It sounds too American or British in it's form and use of slang. I've read enough books set during the war, and I can't say i've ever felt that way about how German characters speak. It sounds like I don't like this book at all doesn't it? I'm sticking with it though. The tale in itself is interesting enough to hold attention, and even the unneccersary sub stories (like Wolfgang's infatuation with the Jazz babe) are not too offensive (as long as you don't expect them to add anything to the plot, or perhaps it will later). I just hope the pay off is worth it. Prediction................ Paulus, the brother in England, suspects that Dagmar really is dead, and that the letter was sent by the Stasi to get him to go back to Berlin. But the letter has been composed by someone who knows him well. I think that's a good indicator that Otto was not killed in action, but instead either deserted to the Russians, or was captured. How Otto found himself in the Waffen SS is something i've yet to see. He's gone to work for the Russians, and his superiors have informed him that his brother is with the English foreighn office, and have ordered him to lure him back to Berlin for some devilish plot.

12 Dec 2012, 20:44	#1326
The Flying Mouse Armed ba$tard and Jo's other half. Join Date: 06.08.2002 Location: In the middle of nowhere near the end of the line. Posts: 16,104	Taking another journey through It. I read Insomnia recently, and it mentions many of the places and people from It, so it made me a little homesick for it

17 Dec 2012, 11:59	#1327
Cherry.Loaf Los Angeloser Join Date: 02.04.2010 Location: Bristol Posts: 1,072	Out of Oz the last book in the wicked year series by Gregory Maguire

17 Dec 2012, 15:20	#1328
Hypnobabe mszee's Mistress with sexy goddess boots Join Date: 13.07.2005 Location: Hitting the highway like a battering ram... Posts: 7,686	Still struggling through The Catcher in The Rye, but it's been elbowed out temporarily by The Psychopath Test, by Jon Ronson, the man who wrote The Men Who Stare At Goats - so far, quite an amusing read!

17 Dec 2012, 19:16	#1329
Dave Mega Loafer Join Date: 12.04.2002 Location: Southern Ohio - United States of America Posts: 2,564	Tales Of The City - Armistead Maupin

24 Jan 2013, 22:01	#1331
Hypnobabe mszee's Mistress with sexy goddess boots Join Date: 13.07.2005 Location: Hitting the highway like a battering ram... Posts: 7,686	After a conversation with Cathie the other week, I'm re-reading Dreamcatcher, by Stephen King.

25 Jan 2013, 19:16	#1337
LucyK! The Monster Is Luce Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: Posts: 7,547	Yeah he's so good at that! I was reading Misery and it referenced the hotel from The Shining - scared me to death as I started to think it was all real!

25 Jan 2013, 19:22	#1339
LucyK! The Monster Is Luce Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: Posts: 7,547	Ooohhh we are going there Andy!!!

25 Jan 2013, 20:53	#1343
LucyK! The Monster Is Luce Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: Posts: 7,547	I'm just coming to the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire....a year since I started at the first book! I miss having time to read! Can't decide whether to carry on to the next Harry Potter book or take a break from them and head to 11.22.63

26 Jan 2013, 14:49	#1345
Sebastian. Biggles Join Date: 15.02.2011 Location: Stratosphere Posts: 2,030	All quiet on the Western Front. Been on my list for too long! Very tempted to read some Sherlock Holmes as they're all free on Amazon.

27 Jan 2013, 11:35	#1348
Hypnobabe mszee's Mistress with sexy goddess boots Join Date: 13.07.2005 Location: Hitting the highway like a battering ram... Posts: 7,686	Finished Dreamcatcher, moved on to Bag of Bones, as I saw the adaptation over Christmas...

27 Jan 2013, 20:31	#1349
Cherry.Loaf Los Angeloser Join Date: 02.04.2010 Location: Bristol Posts: 1,072	Still trying to get through the last Wizard if Oz book I'm finding it a real struggle to find time to read it and I'm a really fast reader!