The Book Thread

[Henry]

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein

Widely regarded as one of the most prominent writers of science fiction in the 20th century, it's always been an oversight that I hadn't read Heinlein. Of his works I had been told that variously that this is the best and most accessible.
It depicts a future uprising on the moon against its colonial earth-based authorities. Our main characters, with the aid of a sentient computer (the most interesting personality in the book) begin a conspiracy to overthrow these authorities and establish their own state.
I didn't agree with the politics, which are a little idiosyncratic, based mostly on libertarian capitalism but which also seem to legitimise such things as rigging elections, terrorism, summary execution and so forth.
That said, the prose is quirky and interesting, and the unfolding revolution is quite thrilling to observe. Heinlein's quality is such that one finds oneself rooting for the participants despite the above, and also despite a couple of plot contrivances that are used along the way.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Mil...ary+Camouflage

Anyone want a free PDF copy?

I have to do a History book review (ugh) and this was one of the options. Downloaded a digital copy from the Uni Library and stripped it of the DRM so I could use it on any device.

[Spammer]

I'm alright, actually.

[Ian]

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There are some pretty awesome battles in addition to that too. It's a good book actually, quite a lot of cool stuff/moments/characters.

A few hundred pages in, nearly, and this is simmering away nicely.

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Karsa Orlong has landed in Lether, but more importantly so has Icarium and they're seemingly building towards some big shit with him. Mael / Bugg is shitting himself and there was literally a fucking Earth tremor when he set foot off the boat. This is gonna be sweet.

[Mike]

With Baz having a baby I get to buy all the best children’s books I know from work. She’s getting some right belters for Christmas. The Day the Crayons Quit being my favourite of the bunch.

[Henry]

Until Victory Always by Jim McGuinness

Jim McGuinness is a former player and manager of Donegal Gaelic Football team. As manager, he led them to great success in the 2010's, taking them from relative obscurity to win three Ulster titles and one All-Ireland title in a four year spell. This chronicles that period and parts of his previous life. The latter parts are extremely personal, focusing much on the deaths of two of his brothers by way of illness and a road crash.
His tenure as manager was an astonishing achievement yet there have been many criticisms of his methods (some of which I share) including the effect his negative tactics have had on the game as a spectacle.
So perhaps inevitably there is quite a lot of controversy - some biting back at the media criticism of his team, some criticism of the county administrators for their approach (which notably scuttled the teams prospects in 2013), and accounts of how he parted company with a player for providing inside information to a journalist and with his assistant, both of which have been the subject of high profile disputes.
I found some of his focus on the psychological approach to the game to be a bit overbearing - defeats are always chalked up to this being lacking. But the account is frequently exhilarating, engendering a lot of respect for both McGuinness and his players.

[AyDee]

Finished the main Malazan series at the start of last week. Feels weird to finally finish it. 3,325,000 words apparently in the main series, which is even more than Wheel of Time. Was definitely worth the time and is comfortably my favourite fantasy series that I've read, not that I've read all that many.

On to Sanderson's Mistborn series now. About 40% of the way through the first one and it couldn't be any more different from Malazan in terms of pacing. Has started well and both the plot and magic system are intriguing, so I imagine I'll blitz through the series.

[Ian]

I think I'll genuinely be sad when I finish Malazan. So much left.

[AyDee]

I think I'll genuinely be sad when I finish Malazan. So much left.

You've still got a lot of great moments to come. Enjoy.

Finished 'The Final Empire' (Mistborn Book One) this morning. Really, really good. Some interesting twists on some fantasy tropes, lots of character development (albeit mainly limited to a few characters) and a pretty interesting magic system. It had quite a few twists which were nicely done too. Looking forward to reading the second instalment.

[AyDee]

Finished 'Well of Ascension' (Mistborn Book Two). Again, a great book. I thought the first third or so was a bit slow but the rest was exciting and full of twists. Not as good as the first book imo but still enjoyable.

[Giggles]

Bought Philly McMahon's yesterday, got rave reviews everywhere.

[Henry]

Our Mathematical Universe by Max Tegmark

I had reacted with much skepticism when previously physicists raised the notion of parallel universes. If this is anything to go by, the idea is gaining at least some traction in the scientific world.
After the usual primer on both relativity and quantum physics, Tegmark launches into the core of his book - that our current theories imply several levels of parallel universes - those that are beyond our cosmic horizon, those that are in separate inflationary universes and those arising from the quantum wavefunction (the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics is increasingly being disregarded). Finally and most speculatively he asserts that these nested universes (and thus reality itself) rather than just being described by mathematics are in fact a mathematical structure, and that other such structures could also exist. In effect this means that everything that can be conceived does in fact exist.
Exploring the implications, Tegmark also runs into what's known as the "measure problem", concerning the calculation of probability when dealing with infinite universes - leading him to suspect that spacetime may not be a continuum (and thus may be granular at some level).
It remains very speculative but I was willing to give it more of a hearing this time. Tegmark writes well and leaves the reader with the suggestion that progress is being made on this stuff - which is probably why it's worth reading books like this every year or so even if a lot of the material is the same.

[Henry]

Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the new Millennium by Bart Ehrman

I'd missed this one when reading a couple of Ehrman's books at the start of the year. Whereas the ground covered in those concerned how Jesus became to be regarded as God and how the Bible has been changed as it has been passed down to us, this explores who Jesus actually was in a historical context.
Though there is a lot of debate about this stuff, Ehrman propounds pretty much the mainstream historical view. This amounts to his being an apocalyptic preacher, expecting the imminent end of the world. After limited local success in Galilee, his message that their rule is coming to an end runs afoul of the authorities in Jerusalem and they have him executed.
Having explored this subject in moderate detail now, I'm still not sure what to think of it. The various criteria used to examine historical sources are applied differently by Ehrman than the "Jesus mythicists". Chiefly in dispute is the criteria of dissimilarity. While he quickly eliminates obvious embellishment such as the nativity stories and the resurrection (despite repeated tiresome reassurances to believers who might be reading that historical investigations shouldn't affect their faith) Ehrman seems to grant most gospel traditions historical status to some extent - the faith healing, the twelve, the betrayal by Judas and so forth. All of this can be disputed - and Ehrman fails to much consider the writings of Paul (probably the earliest) in his reconstructions. To me it sticks out a mile that Paul's ideas are very different to that in other writings, so there's a piece of the puzzle missing somewhere.
This probably sounds critical - it's an enjoyable read but probably pitched too low for me at this stage - I don't need a paragraph explaining to me what a pagan is. My mind isn't made up on the historicity question. I suspect that the answer may lie somewhere in between the various approaches but given the difficulties it is probably best to keep an open mind.

[AyDee]

Finished the final book of the original Mistborn trilogy. Very satisfying read. Lots of twists once again, some I foresaw but others either happened differently to how I expected or were a complete surprise. I'd probably say that some of the book dragged a little bit but the character development was good once again. Sanderson's magic system is really interesting though and he fleshed it out appropriately in connection with the plot, as opposed to any info dumps.

Would highly recommend it. Not sure what I'll read next. The girlfriend has got me Elantris (another Sanderson book) for Christmas but won't be able to start reading that for a week or so After a year of basically just reading fantasy (damn Malazan), I may have to resort to non-fantasy for a little bit.

[Henry]

Silas Marner by George Eliot

As a prominent 19th century English writer, George Eliot is often compared to Dickens and so seems like someone whose work is worth the time. This is a short novel and seems like an easy way in, before hopefully tackling something like Middlemarch at a later point.
The story concerns the eponymous Silas Marner, an ageing miser expelled from a religious order and his new life in an unfamiliar village. It's a pleasurable read, and has a fable-like quality, perhaps deceptively so since it touches on themes ranging from religion to industrialisation to social class. The characters are arguably more rounded and realistic than in Dickens, their backgrounds and experiences determining their characters to a larger extent. I was impressed in particular as to how it convincingly portrays another place and time, a pre-industrial England that was rapidly disappearing.

[Spammer]

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Yeah, it's alright. He's still in his early twenties and there's too much info about him faffing about in Harlem for my liking, but I'm sure it'll get good as soon as he starts doing shit.

[Giggles]

I got this for Christmas, perfect type book for me.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'd love to be the guy who writes books like that. 32 NFL ones to churn out and put in different coloured covers. 92 football league clubs, 30 baseball teams, however many basketball teams, four golf and tennis majors, all the rugby playing nations, all the cricket playing nations. You'd never be out of work.

[phonics]

While the centralized nature of American sports does create this stuff, you also get the best sports documentaries because you only need permission from one source.

The NBA ones are fantastic.

[Giggles]

Yeah wouldn't work for soccer as they're all too separate as entities.

[Jimmy Floyd]

While the centralized nature of American sports does create this stuff, you also get the best sports documentaries because you only need permission from one source.

The NBA ones are fantastic.

There is that, but then on the flip side you have to take the 'Hall of Fame' deadly fucking seriously, so it's not all moonlight lambadas.

[Henry]

The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien

Flann O'Brien is a renowned Irish novelist, albeit someone I didn't know much about. I went into this expecting some gritty realism about 20th century Ireland in the vein of Joyce or Kavanagh. I was wrong.
The story concerns a young man who has committed murder for money with a colleague. Upon attempting to retrieve the loot, he begins a surreal journey - meeting characters including three policemen who (besides planning to hang him) show him all manner of miraculous things including a lift to eternity, a series of infinitely small boxes and bicycles that merge with their owners. Throughout our protagonist also holds forth on the works of de Selby, a philosopher/scientist with similarly bizarre beliefs. It ends with a twist of sorts, demanding a re-interpretation of some of what has gone on.
I didn't enjoy it. It's obviously aiming at absurdism, something like Kafka. But while the latter seems to have satirised life and the human condition, O'Brien seems to be making (among others) a special point about the uselessness of scientific enquiry. Or perhaps I'm not getting it fully. It is a complex and challenging work which others may have taken more from.

[Spammer]

Malcolm X has grown up a bit and now is mooching around with some nutter from the Nation of Islam, out to scourge the world of the 'white devil'. It's a fair bit more interesting than hearing about the minutiae of his hustling days, but I reckon it'll kick off good and proper when we get to the 1960's.

[Kikó]

I'm reading Freakonomics at the moment. It's really bloody good.

[Boydy]

@Henry did you read that because of the rubberbandits?

[Henry]

@Henry did you read that because of the rubberbandits?

No, did he mention it on the podcast or what?

[Boydy]

Not sure if he mentioned it on it but he goes on about Flann O'Brien a lot.

[Ian]

Reaper's Gale done and Erikson's consistency in the Malazan books doesn't let up. Brilliant stuff.

Dunno what I'm reading next. Shadow of War put me in a Lord of the Rings mood but come payday I'll probably get something else. And I might well just power on with more Malazan.

[Henry]

I think I'll give the first of those Malazan books a go.

[AyDee]

Reaper's Gale done and Erikson's consistency in the Malazan books doesn't let up. Brilliant stuff.

Dunno what I'm reading next. Shadow of War put me in a Lord of the Rings mood but come payday I'll probably get something else. And I might well just power on with more Malazan.

Some great stuff in RG.

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Beak's death is probably one of my favourite moments of the series. Erikson has such a great way of making the deaths actually feel tragic and that one hit me right in the feels. Trull's a legend in RG too.

[AyDee]

I finished reading Elantris (Brandon Sanderson) yesterday. Fair few similarities in the types of characters and plot mechanisms that he uses in the Mistborn series, but some pretty cool characters and an interesting magic system again. It was an enjoyable read but his Mistborn series is better for me, probably unsurprising considering Elantris was his first book.

Next up will probably be The Name of The Wind (Patrick Rothfuss).

[Jimmy Floyd]

The Road - Cormac McCarthy

Long and repetitive. Has its moments but I'm not sure I 'get' it. There's a lot of American literature I don't 'get'.

[Boydy]

I thought it was pretty dull too.

If you're end a post-apocalyptic mood try Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandell. It's way better than The Road.

[igor_balis]

I'm reading Freakonomics at the moment. It's really bloody good.

Yeah I really enjoyed it as well.

[Henry]

I think The Road is one of the best I've ever read. McCarthy rules.
Obviously not everyone will agree - but the post-apocalyptic setting is at least partially beside the point.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Why is it one of the best you've ever read? Was there a high allegory that I missed?

'A man loves his son', whilst nice, is hardly original. I just got complete fatigue from being told hundreds of times that things were black and burned and that they were carrying the fire.

[Ian]

I thought The Road was decent.

Blood Meridian might be the most pain-in-the-arse thing I've ever read.

Other than Rasselas, perhaps.

[Baz]

I thought it was pretty dull too.

If you're end a post-apocalyptic mood try Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandell. It's way better than The Road.

I’m all about The Passage.

[Ian]

I really enjoyed The Passage. Need to move onto whatever the sequel is called.

[Henry]

Why is it one of the best you've ever read? Was there a high allegory that I missed?

'A man loves his son', whilst nice, is hardly original. I just got complete fatigue from being told hundreds of times that things were black and burned and that they were carrying the fire.

Well, it's all in the execution, innit? I thought it was quite profound and evoked Melville and Hemingway. It's also the most powerful environmental message I've seen conveyed in a novel.

[CJay]

I have Audible versions of Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer (great read / listen about the Everest disaster in 1996), Alan Partridge: Nomad, and Klopp: Bring The Noise by Honigstein. Anyone want one? If you haven’t been sent an Audible book before you get your first one for free.

[Kikó]

I've listened to Nomad as well - it's great in 20 minutes doses.

I'll get Thin Air as my credit renewed today.

[CJay]

Audible really is terrific value - £7.99 for an audiobook every month. Just looking on iBooks the same ones go for at least £10 or more.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Audible and Spotify between them are the best value purchases I make every month. Quality of life + a lot.

[Spoonsky]

I thought The Road was decent.

Blood Meridian might be the most pain-in-the-arse thing I've ever read.

Other than Rasselas, perhaps.

By Samuel Johnson?

[Kikó]

Audible and Spotify between them are the best value purchases I make every month. Quality of life + a lot.

Replace Spotify with google music and I agree (for me).

I subscribe to the economist which is hands down the best mag out there for current affairs.

[Ian]

By Samuel Johnson?

That's the one. It's diabolical and an utter waste of time.

[Spikey M]

I quickly got bored of Spotify, but Audible is great. I have rinsed Stephen Kings back catalogue in it’s entirety (I think). Any recommendations for similar, lesser known authors?

[Spoonsky]

That's the one. It's diabolical and an utter waste of time.

What did you go and read that for?

We read an excerpt in my literature class last semester, it was interesting but not exactly the sort of thing you'd pick up for fun.

[Ian]

Read the whole thing (it's not very long) in English literature at school. He ends up going back to the fucking valley he spent 25 years wanting out of because he's a fanny.