What are you reading at the moment?

Kalimna

I very rarely read novels anymore (except when I revisit the Discworld), and the book I am nearly finished with is Leo McKinstry's 'biography' of the Lancaster bomber.
Whilst it is lighter on the development side of things, it is a truly fascinating insight into the operations of Bomber Command during the Second World War. In particular, the overbearing nature of Arthur Harris and his utter lack of willingness to consider any viewpoint different to his own. It also stands as a testament to the courage of airmen flying such planes into hell.
Fascinating.

Adam

CaseOfAce

Tales from the Colony Room

this notorious closed Soho private members club first came to my attention thru Toast of London / "Colonial Club". 
The Colony room was where the bohemian elite (artists, actors etc..) would gather on Dean Street in Soho and drink serious amounts of alcohol. Fascinating world - and not a place reading the book I would like to have gone to.
The book is a serious of interviews from the various regulars who frequented this hell hole.

ftumch

Finished the 'Gentleman Bastard Sequence' by Scott Lynch which I thoroughly enjoyed, then read the new Jay Kristoff 'Empire of the Vampire' (RIP Anne Rice) Now reading 'Dragon keeper Chronicles' by Robin Hobb which for some reason I never got round to reading although I've read all her other books.
Quite a large part of me feels like I'm just killing time till Patrick Rothfuss pulls his bloody finger out and gives us the third installment of the Kingkiller Chronicles.

ewal

Just finished: Nightblind - Ragnar Jonasson
Currently reading: All The Colours of the Town - Liam McIlvanney
Up next: Fallen Angels - Gunnar Staalesen

I have quite a regimented approach to book reading even going so far as having a Trello board to plan it out! However, I need to do more to incorporate more non crime fiction books...

chillidoggy

‘A Farewell to Arms’ - Hemingway. It’s hard work, but I’m persevering slowly.

merlin

"Death and the Penguin" by Andrey Kurkov. 

Short episodic chapters, simple but getting a little bit dark. Funny. 

CoolCat

IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment ... sad I know 

SteveRobinson

I've just read "Mrs Caliban" by Rachel Ingalls. It's from 1982 and the inspiration for the film The Shape of Water. 

An entertaining read all the way through but the ending is just phenomenal.  Recommended.

Fledermaus

PG Woodhouse, Jeeves and Wooster stories. Very funny. Inevitably I have Fry and Laurie in my head as I read :-)

westford

I’m reading The Chain by Adrian McKinty. Inevitably I have Fleetwood Mac in my head as I read.

Offset

Greatape

'Stoned' Andrew Loog Oldham

boogieman

Nearly finished Stephen King’s “Billy Summers”. One of his better books of late. It’s a non horror one, which I actually prefer as he’s excellent at character building, about a hitman who takes on an assassination of a bad guy then… he meets someone and well, stuff happens. It’s very good. 

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Currently reading The Talented Mr Ripley. I'm a bit of a latecomer to Patricia Highsmith, but have also read Strangers On A Train and Deep Water recently. Deliciously macabre thrillers. Really good fun.

Other books I've enjoyed recently:

• Bonfire Of The Vanities  Tom Wolfe
• The Echo Chamber  John Boyne
• The Searcher  Tanya French
  
• The Lamplighters  Emma Stonex
  
• Billy Summers  Stephen King
  

Books I haven't really enjoyed:

• Black Leopard, Red Wolf  Marlon James - couldn't get into it, gave up on it about third of the way through, something I almost never do!
• The Sea, The Sea  Iris Murdoch - Booker Prize winning novel? Really?!
  
• Stamboul Train normally a massive Graham Greene fan, but I think this is the weakest of his that I've read
  

boogieman

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

Currently reading The Talented Mr Ripley. I'm a bit of a latecomer to Patricia Highsmith, but have also read Strangers On A Train and Deep Water recently. Deliciously macabre thrillers. Really good fun.

Other books I've enjoyed recently:

• Bonfire Of The Vanities  Tom Wolfe
• The Echo Chamber  John Boyne
• The Searcher  Tanya French
  
• The Lamplighters  Emma Stonex
  
• Billy Summers  Stephen King
  

Books I haven't really enjoyed:

• Black Leopard, Red Wolf  Marlon James - couldn't get into it, gave up on it about third of the way through, something I almost never do!
• The Sea, The Sea  Iris Murdoch - Booker Prize winning novel? Really?!
  
• Stamboul Train normally a massive Graham Greene fan, but I think this is the weakest of his that I've read
  

Must admit I’ve not heard of the Graham Greene one. I read a lot of his stuff at one time, I need to go back to them. 

DavidRees

I can't remember who recommended it but I'm reading Victor L. Wooten's 'the music lesson' which once I've finished will be rapidly followed by his more recent 'the spirit of music' as I reckon a big dollop of musical inspiration is just what I need to kickstart my creation of musical mayhem ...

richman6100

As someone who's become rather set in his ways in recent years, predominantly reading thrillers and occasional music bios, I figured it was time I read more non-fiction. When I was a really young kid (around the age of five) I became obsessed with dinosaurs. So, as my 50th anniversary of being five years old happened earlier this year, I decided to read The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World by Stephen Brusatte. Whilst clearly aimed at the layman (fortunately), it has enough scientific detail and coverage of recent discoveries to make it a compelling read for anyone interested in the old beasties. Recommended.

Nitefly

I'm re-reading (for the first time in over 20years) "The State Of The Art" by Iain M. Banks. 

It's a novella in a collection of short fiction with the same name, in which The Culture are trying to decide whether or not to reveal their existence to the people of Earth circa 1976. 

Eerily prophetic, and highly recommended.

SteveRobinson

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

• Black Leopard, Red Wolf  Marlon James - couldn't get into it, gave up on it about third of the way through, something I almost never do!

Did you read his "A Brief History of Seven Killings"? I loved the Jamaica set chapters but thought it lost its way a bit when it moved to the USA. Was needed to form the conclusion though so I'll allow it.

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

SteveRobinson said:

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

• Black Leopard, Red Wolf  Marlon James - couldn't get into it, gave up on it about third of the way through, something I almost never do!

Did you read his "A Brief History of Seven Killings"? I loved the Jamaica set chapters but thought it lost its way a bit when it moved to the USA. Was needed to form the conclusion though so I'll allow it.

Yes, I enjoyed that. I don't normally do Fantasy genre, but I only gave Black Leopard, Red Wolf a chance because I enjoyed BHOSK so much. Shouldn't have bothered!