The SMB Book thread

Just finished A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseni, possibly the most emotionally engaging book I’ve read since Cornac McCarthy’s The Road. Definitely worth a read if you haven’t already.

Now reading A Man Called Ove, bought for me by my wife, I think she thinks I’m a bit like Ove. She ain’t seen nothing yet
 


Recently finished Bad Blood about the Theranos scandal (basically a multi billion dollar technology company built on a fantastic new way of blood testing from a single drop which didn't actually work). It is both fascinating and terrifying at the same time, the founder and her partner seem almost sociopathic. Well worth a read if you are into non-fiction stuff.
 
Just finished A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseni, possibly the most emotionally engaging book I’ve read since Cornac McCarthy’s The Road. Definitely worth a read if you haven’t already.

Now reading A Man Called Ove, bought for me by my wife, I think she thinks I’m a bit like Ove. She ain’t seen nothing yet

If you enjoyed A Thousand Splendid Suns then would definitely reccomend 'Cutting for Stone' by Abraham Verghese
 
Stay Alive by Simon Kernick.

Cap doffed it's a page turner, but my word it was utter chod. There was even an almost repeated paragraph towards the end of the book so it looks like the proof reader gave up on it.
 
In a good way?
I find Booker winners to be hit and miss. Some I've loved and some I've hated, rarely is there anything in between.
The style of this one doesn't appeal but I'm willing to be convinced otherwise.

Thought this was a decent article on the Booker.
David Baddiel: reading a Booker shouldn’t be a battle

The style is challenging, I'll admit but the atmosphere of the community in the Troubles is fascinating and thought provoking. It is head and shoulders above most books.
It has many layers and has made me think more than most books. I only started yesterday and I'm halfway through.

I agree about the Booker winners.
 
Killing Commendatore - Haruki Murakami.

You should all know the drill by now. Lonely alienated 30s man goes on adventure. It's well-written and thought out, but the ending left too many questions and not enough answers.

8/10
 
Nearly completed Pale Fire. Not easy going, but enjoyable nonetheless. Nabokov’s genius is obvious and he has a mastery of the English language that is probably unsurpassed by any other 20th century writer (with the exception of Joyce, perhaps) There’s a lot of literary references, being a work of metafiction, most, I’ve understood and some I’ve had to look-up- which I enjoy doing, like poems by Goethe and I’d never heard of an Hudibrastic verse.
 
far as spy books go - what are the John le Carre ones like and is there a standout book out of his ?

also.. Has anybody read the Shardlake series of books ?

edit.. Cheers :D
 
In a good way?
I find Booker winners to be hit and miss. Some I've loved and some I've hated, rarely is there anything in between.
The style of this one doesn't appeal but I'm willing to be convinced otherwise.

Thought this was a decent article on the Booker.
David Baddiel: reading a Booker shouldn’t be a battle

A while back you recommended Donald Westlake and one other as having a similar style to yourself.

I’m well into my third Westlake, all excellent, ( Dortmunder series), however can you enlighten me regarding the other one you mentioned with a similar style ?
 
A while back you recommended Donald Westlake and one other as having a similar style to yourself.

I’m well into my third Westlake, all excellent, ( Dortmunder series), however can you enlighten me regarding the other one you mentioned with a similar style ?
I'm not sure I did, I don't think I've read him. Somebody else may have said he was or you may be confusing me with another SMB author, there's a few of them.
Ones I've been compared to are Caimh McDonnell, Colin Bateman and occasionally Tom Sharpe. I'd like to think I was similar to early Chris Brookmyre books and Charlie Higson before he started doing the young James Bond stuff. Obviously I'm not claiming to be as good as any of them but I write in a similar style.

I may have a look at Donald Westlake now that you've recommended him though.:lol:
 

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