Book Recommendations

[The Good Michael]

Half-way point with Neal Stephensen's Anathem. It's darned good. The man can really write and make you work at your reading; really work.

450 pages to go...

Mike

[Celesta]

You also, David.

[DVV]

I recomment Michael Connelly "The Overlook". Not a thriller in the usual Connelly style, but a fascinating fable about Western paranoia (re terrorrism), and at the same time a seamless whodunnit.
Short and very pleasant.

...and while I'm here : best wishes Cel !

[Celesta]

I just finished The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale, about the Kent murder. I think it was a pretty worthwhile book, not just because of the way she discusses the investigation, but also how the murder influenced the writing of detective stories from that point on.

[c.d.]

Just finished "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls. Liked it a lot. It is a personal memoir of a (too put it mildly) highly dysfunctional family. Almost 1400 reviews on amazon.com.

c.d.

[Celesta]

Joan,

I copied the title of that book and will look for it.

I couldn't put The Doomsday Book down until I finished it! I read To Say Nothing of The Dog first, and it was hilarious, so I expected a similar tone in Doomsday. Was I ever surprised! I think it was this book that peaked my interest in midieval history. Passages is very good also. I just wish Connie would come out with a new one. It's been ages.

I also liked The Devil in the White City, and the way he contrasted the talented people who put on the Expo and the other that used his creativity for evil.

There's a nice website that provides a virtual tour of the Columbian Exposition. I'll post the link in another post.


Suzi, What's Private Peaceful about? Is it a war book?

[Suzi]

For a good old gut wrench- 'Private Peaceful'- by Michael Morpurgo

....and for total emotional breakdown - 'Birdsong'- by Sebastian Faulkes

Suzi x

[c.d.]

Yes, "Devil in the White City" was a great book.

c.d.

[Pippin Joan]

Connie Willis writes time-travel novels, among others, and I highly recommend To Say Nothing of the Dog. It moves from about the year 2050 to WWII to the Victorian Era. It's so well done and one of the most entertaining books I've read. I've given everybody who reads a copy for Christmas. The heroes are on a mission to rescue the Bishop's Bird Stump! She also wrote Doomsday Book, which is a sort of sequel but rather heavy, and Passage, which I could not put down until I had finished.

I love Connie Willis' books. The Doomsday Book is one of my favorite reads, as I am really into medieval history and time travel. I just finished Lincoln's Dreams, which I enjoyed very much. Now I'm reading The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, a very strange sci-fi book. Strange in a positive way. Awhile ago, I read Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City. Excellent. He is such a gifted writer. I often had to stop and just admire the way he described something.

[Suzi]

Hey all I posted a thingy in Non Fiction on the Books thread re A Child of The Jago.... Won't repeat it all here but it's EXCELLENT and although it should be posted under Fiction once you've read it maybe I was right!

:0 Suz xx

[Celesta]

Mikey,

I've found that the more one reads about a period in history the more one wants to read. Right now there are people here who evoke the names of the "founding fathers", to support their ideology, and do so in almost total error.

Cel

[mikey559]

It's a great book. He had such vision and I have really learned a lot about the revolution that I knew so little about before.

Mikey

[Celesta]

Hello Mikey,

I'm glad to hear that because I have been eying that book for ages! From the little I know of Adams, he was an interesting guy, who seemed at times to be eclipsed by more flamboyant folks like Franklin. Yet he was so important in the history of the Revolution and subsequent events. I hope to learn more about him.


Bestest,

Cel

[Mike Covell]

Hi Mike,

I'm sure I can speak for Alex and Christopher-Michael - Many thanks!

(My wife says I owe her a big thanks, as well )

Dave

I was chatting with your wife in the chatroom and told her about my passion for newspaper reports, I am currently transcribing the 5 Hull based newspapers from 1888 for a similar project, and at last count had 250+ articles, about 50% of which have been transcribed. When she heard I was working on the project she told me I simply must track down the book, which I duly did.

Your book is well written, well referenced, nicely footnoted, with some great commentary, and is one of those books that can be picked up and read anywhere. I also voted it "My ripper book of the week 14" on my casebook blog.

[mikey559]

Current read

I am currently reading "John Adams" by David McCullough. Fascinating! I didn't think it would impress me much as I'm not a big fan of U.S. History, but this book is really holding my interest.

Mikey