Barefoot Gen - 10/10

I made the mistake of picking this up earlier, two hours later and I'm depressed (again), shocked (again) and generally upset (once more). What an incredible book. I also have volume two but haven't managed to face volume three yet.

Jez

I've just started reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon. Only up to Chapter 37* but already it is one of the most remarkable books I've read. For those who don't know, it is a detective novel told from the perspective and in the style of a 15 year old boy with some form of autism, possibly Asperger's Syndrome. Brilliantly conceived and written, I can't wait to see how it develops.


* - that's not as much as it sounds - the narrator, Christopher, numbers his chapters only with prime numbers.

Well it certainly didn't go where I expected it to. A very good read; in turns funny, sad, frustrating. You do get into Christopher's mind, but using your own mind and not his, which is where the frustration lies. You keep thinking 'Go on, get on with it, just do it' then remember he can't. Ultimately I think it was slightly disappointing, though explaining why I think so might spoil it for anyone who wants to read it. Still worthy of a 9 though.
 

8.5/10

Not as good as Are You Dave Gorman? but still very funny and entertaining.

Currently reading:

currently reading the True Blood books. Very basic reads but gives me something to talk about with the lasses at work plus the story line is not too bad.

Quality of the writing - 4/10
enjoyment of reading - 7/10

Waterlands - Charlotte Roche

7/10

Not a book for the faint hearted, or one to be read whilst eating if I'm honest.
It's a really gritty and graphic account of a young girls time in hospital. I won't go into too much detail as the book sort of does that for you. You certainly need to be open minded when reading this though.

Tolstoy - A Confession 8/10

A bit meandering but a great little guide to some of his guiding principles as he headed into the end of his career (post W+P and Karenina)

Currently tackling S/Z by Barthes on my travels and The Amazing Maurice at home.

Dead Run by PJ Tracy - 10/10
So I've had a bit of an obsession with their books lately, and this one is probably one of the best.

Jez; That book you've just read sounds outstanding.

not sure if it counts but i have finished the first book in Bolano's epic 2666 and it was an amazing read.

9.5/10 and looking forward to the second part.

sabbathbloodysabbath

not sure if it counts but i have finished the first book in Bolano's epic 2666 and it was an amazing read.

Meets my specifications

willow

Waterlands - Charlotte Roche

7/10

Not a book for the faint hearted, or one to be read whilst eating if I'm honest.
It's a really gritty and graphic account of a young girls time in hospital. I won't go into too much detail as the book sort of does that for you. You certainly need to be open minded when reading this though.

I've read a bit of this! I didn't have the money to actually buy it at the time though it looked really interesting in a slightly nasty sort of way. It was in the Cult section in Waterstones which I used to peruse a lot for more original things to read.

Running with Scissors...Augusten Burroughs
10/10
Fantastic book,  such a page turner. You just need to know what happens next. There isnt any kind of exact storyline he just highlights important, rather amusing points of his life. I'd suggest that most people read this with an open mind as alot of it is disturbing but in a fantastic funny way.

Roo.

willow

Waterlands - Charlotte Roche

7/10

Not a book for the faint hearted, or one to be read whilst eating if I'm honest.
It's a really gritty and graphic account of a young girls time in hospital. I won't go into too much detail as the book sort of does that for you. You certainly need to be open minded when reading this though.

I've read a bit of this! I didn't have the money to actually buy it at the time though it looked really interesting in a slightly nasty sort of way. It was in the Cult section in Waterstones which I used to peruse a lot for more original things to read.

Yeah that's where I found it.  I was browsing through when I had a spare 20 minutes (my downfall to my finances), saw it and thought "eurgh.....I must get this!".

Just finished Shutter Island. Can't wait to see the film and see what Scorcese has done with it! 9/10

The Book of Sand by Jorge Luis Borges. I'd give it a 8/10. For those of you who like metaphysical, unusual, thought provoking short stories, Borges is the author for you.

American Gods Neil Gaimen  10/10
3/4 way through Orcs Stan Nicholls so far so good
Anything by David Gemmel worth reading best author ever especially Legend series

Also recently read David Farland The Sum of all men,Brotherhood of the wolf & Wizard born if you are a bit bored of repetitve fantasy this series will reignite the flame as its awesome and compulsive reading ,

highly reccomended

James Clemens - Wit'ch Fire - 8.5/10

I've read it about a million times already, and it's the first in a series of five which I very rarely see over here in the UK. Published by Del Rey, meaning high fantasy which is a genre I'm fussy about.
Whilst all books in the series are pretty generic on the face of it, the writing itself plus the multiple plot strands and twists really made it stand out for me. It's not often I can re-read something so many times without getting bored, but I still get caught up in these every time, which is why I think they're so great.

Mrs Drafty
Currently reading:

Finished this the other day, 9/10. The part where Danny replies to all the letters that his childhood friend sent him when they were younger, only to find out that he died in a car crash 12 years earlier, saddened me.

Currently reading:

8/10
Really Weird So It Suits Me Perfectly!

I have Alex boese's book  Elephant's on acid -  I think it's wonderful :)
I also own his other two which are just as good ^_^ full of really ridiculous facts and experiments.