TSF Book Club
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Unbroken by Laura Hildebrandt (sp), who also wrote seabiscuit. Cracker read. and another book along the same lines, can't remember the title exactly, but something like "The Man who broke INTO Auschwitz". Both prisoner of war books from WW2, one a Tommy who gets captured in the dessert and ends up in Germany, the other a Yankl Pilot who ends up in Japan. The parallels in the book are amazing once they are both repatriated. <br />
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Both read within days once started, really good hooked into books. -
[quote name='booboo' timestamp='1357806715' post='336525']<br />
Have just finished reading [i]Watership Down [/i]to my daughter.<br />
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A little way in and I realise it's a fairly grown up book - lots of violence, death and (later on) unmarried sex. (Quote from Ms boo jr when one of the rabbits mated with the new does pretty much straightaway "but they're not even married" ... my reply was along the lines that rabbits get married very quickly ... and often ... but I may not have added the last bit out loud ...).<br />
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Also lots of really "literary" decriptions of wind in the autumnal sunsets and leaves in hedgerows etc etc which got a little waffly and didn't impress her. So much more of an adult book than I recall.<br />
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So probably just a wee bit beyond a nine year old ... but I recall reading it myself when I was only a little older.<br />
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Otherwise she was hooked. Loved it. And frankly so did I. A great story, and at the end she said, half smiling, "I'm not crying! I'm not crying!"<br />
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And is still bringing it up in conversation ("what was your favourite part?", "which was your favourite rabbit?", "Kehaar was funny: '[i]all da leetle Peegveeg's runaway' [/i]".)<br />
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Fully recommend it to parents reading to kids (given appropriate "parental guidance") or just to read (or re-read) for it's own sake.<br />
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I read that a year or so ago and enjoyed it, but I just found another of his books and I have no idea if he ever reached those heights again. This ones about a huge bear. -
[quote name='booboo' timestamp='1357945138' post='336744']<br />
Have to say I've never read another book of his. But I reckon [i]Watership Down[/i] is a classic in the '[i]must[/i] read at some stage of your life' category.<br />
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The story of the flight from disaster and the heroic refugees in search of a new home is a timeless classic. Yep, probably my favourite children's book if it is a children's book at all. Adams borrows a lot of ideas and language from Virgil's Aeneid so it's no surprise some of the sex and violence crept in too. -
[quote name='Luigi' timestamp='1355356319' post='332394']<br />
MacBride has just released a couple of teaser short stories featuring Steel and MCrae to keep the pot boiling. I don't think it'll be long before he's back. And yes, the DI Steel character is pure gold.<br />
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[/quote]<br />
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Just downloaded one of these short stories for free from the Isle of Jura Whisky website. They run a writer's retreat which MacBride went to and wrote a short McRae story which he published there for free.<br />
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The new novel comes out in a few days and is set 2 years down the track from Shatter the Bones. -
A really good childrens book for boys is The Machine Gunners by Robert Westall . Read it again a little while ago and enjoyed it as much as I did thirty years ago . Also I still love to read Biggles books when the chance presents itself .
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[quote name='Cactus Jack' timestamp='1358240946' post='337479']<br />
A really good childrens book for boys is The Machine Gunners by Robert Westall . Read it again a little while ago and enjoyed it as much as I did thirty years ago . Also I still love to read Biggles books when the chance presents itself .<br />
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That brings back memories, " british boys use their fists" , sounds funnier when you're an adult. -
[quote name='Catogrande' timestamp='1357742312' post='336376']<br />
For those that are or about to become Cornwell fans may I suggest that you read each series in chronological order and don't bother with the later editions as they all follow a similar line;<br />
<br />- Tall, misunderstood, battiling adversity, hero.<br />
- Irish sidekick who is initially at odds with 1) (above)<br />
- Eventual triumph in bloody encounter<br />
- Rinse & repeat.<br />
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This said by something of a Cornwell fan. In general I read and like his novels, it's just that the earlier editions of any of the various series offer a lot more than the later ones.<br />
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I'd have to agree with that. I haven't read the Napoleonic stuff and started reading Cornwell with the Warlord Chronicles as I enjoy different takes on Arthurian legend. The Grail Quest 'Thomas Hookton' stuff was good for the first couple of books then it just got samey. I seem to remember wondering how I had already read one book that had just been released it was that similar to the previous.<br />
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If anyone else enjoys Arthurian based series I can recommend the Camulod Chronicles by Jack Whyte. He creates a good story in trying to provide a historical explanation around the creation of Camulod (Camelot) and the rise of Arthur after the withdrawal of the Romans.
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[quote name='NTA' timestamp='1358281949' post='337548']<br />
British girls like the pain?<br />
[/quote]I think the actual quote was "Brittish boys do not use weapons , they fight with their fists " . Or so the boy in the story was told after he gave the school bully a hiding with his gas mask case . -
[quote name='Crucial' timestamp='1358237414' post='337468']<br />
Just downloaded one of these short stories for free from the Isle of Jura Whisky website. They run a writer's retreat which MacBride went to and wrote a short McRae story which he published there for free.<br />
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[/quote]<br />
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That short story was funny as. Steel is in great form although she barely seems to be able to open her mouth these days without uttering pearls like "Sodding c*ck-flavoured 4rse monkeys!'. It's like reading pages of M4L's highlights. -
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I got Red Beards book and McCaw's book for my step father for Christmas and coicidently my misses did the same for me (She knows you from school RB)<br />
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Just read the part about Pelorus. It stills addens me there isn't a Prem team there any more. -
[quote][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]The Machine Gunners was my favourite book at Intermediate![/font][/color][/quote]<br />
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Reminds me of a book I read at primary school called War boy (or something like that). Must find it again..... -
[quote name='Cactus Jack' timestamp='1358288924' post='337585']I think the actual quote was "Brittish boys do not use weapons , they fight with their fists " . Or so the boy in the story was told after he gave the school bully a hiding with his gas mask case .[/quote]<br />
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Right that's the one where the pommy kids find a crashed plane and take one of the weapons out if it. -
[quote]I seem to remember wondering how I had already read one book that had just been released it was that similar to the previous.[/quote] I did the same! Had to check I was not re reading one of his books.<br />
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And Cato - yup, that's the Sharpe series in a nutshell. Just a good rollicking yarn, you're not going to rememebr the book 2 minutes later, but you will have enjoyed reading at the time! -
Reading "The Junction Boys" right now, about Paul 'Bear' Bryant and his coaching days at Texas A & M. Great read about a brutal coach learning probably as much about himself as about his boys. Jeez, you'd hate and love to have a coach like him - makes those Saffa training camps look soft. Went to Junction City with 111 boys for spring training, came back with 30 something. And the legend started then!
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[quote name='Cactus Jack' timestamp='1358240946' post='337479']<br />
A really good childrens book for boys is The Machine Gunners by Robert Westall . Read it again a little while ago and enjoyed it as much as I did thirty years ago . Also I still love to read Biggles books when the chance presents itself .<br />
[/quote]<br />
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I'm pretty sure there's a sequel to that book , the main character is a couple of years older. Then again I remembered that quote wrong.
