The Book Vipers discussion

Finished A History of Britain in 21 Women - five stars. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

If you loved Stoner, then you might want to try more John Williams. Just finished Butcher's Crossing, which is very different but like Stoner, got a five star review from me: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

I have now completed the third book in Stephen King's Bill Hodges Trilogy, End of Watch. Not my most favorite King, that honor still goes to It. Still, well worth the time if you like his more general fiction work.

Just finished H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald well written and very moving. 4 stars from me.

Jackie wrote: "Hiya Pamela,.......Is the book you have very long?."

Sorry Jackie, missed your question. It's much shorter than yours at 340 pages. I'm going to try to move it to the top of my list soon.

Wendy wrote: "Just finished H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald well written and very moving. 4 stars from me."

It is a lovely book. The Wainwright Prize has lots of books similar to this Wendy

Ooo let us know whether it's any good, Pamela :)

Just finished reading Tuesday's Gone by Nicci French. Loved it & look forward to reading the next in the series.

Paul wrote: "Wendy wrote: "Just finished H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald well written and very moving. 4 stars from me."

It is a lovely book. The Wainwright Prize has lots of b..."

Yes, I like the look of a couple, particularly The Outrun but when I will get chance to read them I have no idea! :)

I thought Not Dead Yet was a good thriller, in the Roy Grace series.

Wendy wrote: "Paul wrote: "Wendy wrote: "Just finished H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald well written and very moving. 4 stars from me."

It is a lovely book. The Wainwright Prize ..."

That is my problem too Wendy. I have three left to go and then i have read the past three years long lists

Just finished Hell of a Journey: On Foot Through the Scottish Highlands in Winter. it is a very goo book of the authors walk across the Scottish mountains during the winter. My review is here.

Finished two non fiction books this week, the first was Snow by Marcus Sedgwick. It is a short but beautifully written book on the white stuff, my review is here

The second was The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land In Between. Completely different to the first, it is a book about Hisham Matar's search for his father who was abducted in 1990 and handed over to the Libyan authorities. Eloquent and painful at the same time. My review is here

Lagging behind in my reading. Finished Ready Player One and followed it up with The Handmaid's Tale. In the midst of that I went and voted, early, so I could get it over with. I don't know if our presidential campaigning and upcoming election made the books seem more frightening, or if it was the other way around. Enjoyed both books, dreading the election.

I may have to move to Canada after the election. ugh....

Paul wrote: "Finished two non fiction books this week, the first was Snow by Marcus Sedgwick. It is a short but beautifully written book on the white stuff, my review is here

Th..."

I've added the Snow book to my "want to read" list. I LOVE snow and now live in an area than never sees the real stuff.

Sandy wrote: "I may have to move to Canada after the election. ugh...."

I don't envy you Sandy.

If no one voted what would happen? I think this is first time in my life that my American friends are torn between the devil and the deep blue sea. Good luck. Choices in Blighty aren't much better but I would like to think the politicians may be ( slightly) less corrupt. Maybe I live in a dream world. Hope it all goes as well as can be expected. For all of us outside the States too.

Finished Matt Gallagher's Youngblood, a strong and moving novel about the Iraq War:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Just finished and very much enjoyed The Essex Serpent.

I've just finished The Girls - it was really, really good.

Two recent five star reads to recommend. Colm Toibin's The Heather Blazing: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

And Anne Tyler's The Accidental Tourist: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Paul wrote: "Finished two non fiction books this week, the first was Snow by Marcus Sedgwick. It is a short but beautifully written book on the white stuff, my review is here

Th..."

Really keen to read that Hisham Matar book Paul. Glad to hear you got so much out of it.

It is not a comfortable read Richard, but his honesty in the dealing with the Libyan authorities to find the truth makes it such a worthwhile read.

I finished The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet a few days ago. It was a good space adventure, though rather episodic, and I found myself more bound up in the story as I went along.

Yesterday I read a play ( don't often do this as I prefer to see them in performance) - Enter a Free Man. I enjoyed it, though obviously a bit dated. Not the wonderful wit of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.

Finished Heart of Darkness yesterday, now on to Great Expectations!

This weekend I finished A House for Happy Mothers and The Light Between Oceans--lots of miscarriages and UNhappy mothers! I didn't plan to have that kind of a reading weekend, but the books were both very good. I hadn't heard very good reviews for the movie of The Light Between Oceans, but the book was excellent. Think I'll skip the movie on this one.

Just finished East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity. Excellent book where Philippe Sands weaves together a personal story of the holocaust with the legal team that brought the highest possible justice to those at the Nuremberg trials. My review is here

Finished George Saunders' The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil, a savage and funny political satire/allegory about Phil, an opportunist and demagogue who rises to power by appealing to nationalism and scapegoating immigrants. The book is best described as Douglas Adams on acid with more than a trace of Animal Farm tossed into the mix:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Recently finished A Tale of Two Cities seen more Dickens TV adaptations than I can remember but had never actually read any of his books. Surprised myself by really enjoying this one despite, or perhaps because of, the huge amount of detail!

Finished Michael Ian Black's You're Not Doing It Right: Tales of Marriage, Sex, Death, and Other Humiliations. Black is a comedian and the book is a memoir that touches on dating, marriage, and parenthood. Lightweight, but an amusing and fun read:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Just finished Ruby by Cynthia Bond. A first-time author. the subject matter is tough, but she is a real talent. If you can cope with what it throws at you, it repays the effort. My five star review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished the Baillie Gifford shortlist a few days ago, and all my reviews are here:

http://nudge-book.com/blog/2016/11/th...

Paul wrote: "Finished the Baillie Gifford shortlist a few days ago, and all my reviews are here:

http://nudge-book.com/blog/2016/11/th..."

I'm going to repeat the questions I asked in the other group here as not everyone belongs to both.

Which do you tip to win Paul? And do you have a favourite among the four?

My money would be on East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity Annie

If you decide to read The Girl on the Train hoping it will be like Gone Girl, then you may be a little disappointed. Out of the 395 pages, the last 50 held the most interest. Throughout a majority of the book, I just felt like I was reading the same plot points and character development again and again.

I do acknowledge that this is/was a best seller and that a lot of people read it. However, like wine, what is a good book to some, may be kind of vinegary to another.

I listern to the radio adaption of The Girl on the Train, and it was quite the most unthrilling thriller that I have come across Kevin.

I agree. It was fine. But just fine.

Paul wrote: "My money would be on East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity Annie"

Interesting. Of the four on the shortlist that's the one I'm most interested in. I was sorry to see the two I least liked the look of on the long list make it to the short list.

It won!

Hurrah!

My husband's parents were Catholic Poles from villages then in Poland not so far from Lviv. They were sent to labour camps in Siberia with their parents when they were just children. There is much to interest me personally in this book.

I just finished readingWinter Garden and loved it. Very powerful story of relationships written against a backdrop of the siege of Leningrad. Still feeling the heaviness of it.

Just started and finished

So far 2 books ahead of schedule on my goodreads yearly challenge too :D

Well done Toyah. I have 22 to go

Paul wrote: "Well done Toyah. I have 22 to go"
Wow! 190 in 12 months, and I thought I was an avid reader! :D

Toyah wrote: "Paul wrote: "Well done Toyah. I have 22 to go"
Wow! 190 in 12 months, and I thought I was an avid reader! :D"

That is what I can comfortably manage.

Paul wrote: "Finished Uprooted by Naomi Novik a day or so ago. Really good and original fantasy that is drawn from European folklore in the forests. My review is here"
Interesting review Paul. The book sounds different. I'm hoping to read some fantasy as my next reads, I'll try start with this one.

And 190 books in a year! Whoa!! That's some achievement! Congratulations! I can only dream of such things!

thanks Arefin. I know I can comfortably manage that in amongst everything else

Neglected to post this: "The Sea Wolf" Jack London (review):
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I found Rubbernecker a real page-turner. It has a different style to the author's Exmoor series of thrillers - this is a quieter, more character-led mystery.