Jasper Fforde's, 'One of our Thursdays is missing'.
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Never heard of Jasper Fforde but just googled him and the Thursday Next books sound very interesting. Being Welsh I particularly like the fact that Wales is the independent "Socialist Republic of Wales"! Think I may have to check them out..
Just finished an unusual little book "Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend" by Matthew Green. Took me a little while to get into it 'cos, to be honest, I thought it was pretty ridiculous but it ended up being rather gripping and thought-provoking. Its not exactly a brain-strainer but definitely worth a read. Got Dawn French's novel next...
I just finished re-reading Lark Rise to Candleford after many years. Flora Thompson's book is a bit more gritty and real than the sugary telly series.
I've started on "The Divine Matrix" by Gregg Braden. I try to keep an open mind on the theory of others; even have a few of my own but no, I won't be writing a book about them!
In his book, Greg Braden "ventures beyond the traditional boundaries of science and spirituality to open the door to our greatest possibilities."
The more I experience of life, the greater my curiosity of it all. I do seriously believe we are much more capable of fulfulling our lives and using our experiences to enhance the lives of others without destroying ourselves with drink, drugs and the ugly hate that some people carry for their fellow man.
We don't need more money, more possessions, more power, but we do need to learn how to work with Mother nature and her bounties, to guard and treasure them and use them wisely.
We are on a fast train ride to goodness knows what and are neglecting to enjoy the world around us, right here, right now. We need to stop that train, look around us, nurture our children and I would like to think we could be bonding with like-minded souls to make the world a place to enjoy, not to destroy.
But.....I think we may be too late......methinks it is an impossible dream.....
Torvaig, what are you doing reading that crap lol?
Braden is a conman. Most of what he says about science is made up nonsense. Read his rubbish if you like, but you'll waste less time if you take my advice now rather than later. :cool:
I hear you s.i.s. and not being a scientific bod, I will take note. I enjoy reading books like his regardless of whether it is the truth or not as it helps to open the mind to more possibilities than the sweet idealism I was brought up on!
And I have nothing better to do just now I shall carry on with his book!
But thanks for your input; I appreciate it! ;)
Lol! I guessed you would say something along those lines. You must indeed have more time on your hands than is good for you.
For anyone who isn't familiar with the rubbish spouted by this money making charlatan, here is some of his nonsense:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x7nFIwBaPI
Here he is telling us about the Divine Matrix that he's just made up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sR0cO3wkmE
What he says about 20th century science in the first few minutes is false. There is no Divine Matrix anywhere other than in his head - and in his money-making machine. He's making it up. He's learned the word "entanglement", but he's conveniently forgotten to tell us (or himself) about "decoherence".
He's good at several things:
making things up and claiming science discovered them;
smiling whilst taking your money;
bullcrapping about things he doesn't understand whilst keeping a straight face;
taking incorrect things in one domain and extrapolating them to a different domain that's unrelated to the first one;
still smiling whilst taking even more of your money. :cool:
I think he's a slimy sleazeball - could women actually find him attractive? (Runs out of room to stick head in bucket.)
I usually don't read this much concurrently, I try to limit it to one or two books at a time but right now I'm part way through:
- The Ascendant Stars (Humanity's Fire, book 3) by Michael Cobley - Standard space opera stuff, nothing special but still interesting and enjoyable.
- Swords and Deviltry (Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, book 1) by Fritz Leiber - Started the whole sword and sorcery thing, also supposedly the inspiration for the Dungeons and Dragons stuff.
- Best of All Possible Wars (Man-Kzin wars compilation) by Larry Niven, Greg Bear, Jerry Pournelle, S.M. Stirling - Some pulpy adventure science fiction.
- Shōgun (Asian Saga, book 1) by James Clavell - Historical fiction about an English sailor shipwrecked in Japan.
I've got some non-fiction reading on the go also but I don't usually count that.
On a side note I'd recommend http://www.goodreads.com/ for getting book recommendations and keeping track of your reading list.
I really liked the Commonwealth Saga, I'm part way through the Void Trilogy and I still have to start the Night's Dawn stuff.
Currently about 75% through Irvine Welsh's latest "Skagboys" and thoroughly enjoying it. The usual blend of dark humour and tragedy found in its successors, Trainspotting and Porno, both of which I will be re-reading next. Just to get them in the right order, ye ken ?
Glad to see a few folks enjoying "How the Scots invented the modern world" which I read and enjoyed some years ago.
Just finished the 50 Shades of Grey-Darker-Freed trilogy....not impressed, but, as all 3 were downloaded as a trilogy I read them all.
Still wondering what the hype was all about....
Never read it but I'm wondering this too, it actually started out as Twilight fan fiction but was sort of popular with some people so the author swapped out character names and situations. I can't imagine the BDSM subculture would be impressed with all the poser it has to put up with now either. Just a standard romance novel with BSDM elements really.
Errrm...I think I have actually read better written Mills and Boons books......
Might just add I picked up a box of books at a carboot sale and read all of the books within.
I dont choose to read romantic fiction/trashy smutty stories .....now trashy westerns .....thats another thing...I picked up a load of Edge books at another carboot sale and they were good to lose yourself in for an hour or so each book!....light reading with violence....think I only spent a £5 on the whole lot.
Usually its crime fiction or vampire/werewolf or a good stephen king or pratchett I like to read and have just recently read the whole series of trueblood books which had better written sex scenes in than the 50 shades....which says a lot more about 50 shades than the trueblood series....as I didnt buy the trueblood for the sex, more for the vamp violence......
Thank goodness. I was beginning to think i was in the minority. I downloaded it because my friend said it was great. I can honestly say, it's one of the worst written books I've ever read. I shouldn't comment further as I forced myself to reach the first sex scene and then gave up. life's too short to read something that you don't enjoy. Wish i could get my money back. However, if you read all the reviews on Amazon, especially the one stars, you'll laugh your socks off! I believe there's going to be a 'take off' which should also sell a million. Heres her blog. http://cassandraparkin.wordpress.com...hades-of-grey/
'Before I go to Sleep'. A self published novel that's hit the big time. I can thoroughly recommend this. Started reading it, and didn't put the book down until I'd finished it!
If you can find any spelling or formatting mistakes in the ebook, complain and request a refund. It usually works.
I find myself wanting to supporting independant and self published stuff. It's hard to separate the good from the bad, I really wish there was s ome sort of unbiased website devoted to reviewing independant works.
The good thing is, you can download a free sample from Amazon. I ALWAYS do this now. There is a lot of rubbish simply fired out, but there are also some gems that are better than many streamline published books.
I do trawl those, and will post when I hit a gem!
If you are into romance, Pam Howes trilogy, Three steps to Heaven, set in the sixties against the backdrop of a struggling rock band, is well written, well edited and a recommended self published read.
Other SPs I recommend
I also enjoyed, 'Why don't you come for me' by Diane James, although there are a few inconsistancies and mistakes, they did not detract too much. The overall story is gripping.
Mrs Jones - by BA Morton - brilliant -The rather boring title does not do it any favours, but I loved it.
I tend to read various non-fiction books, Science Fiction (and subgenres), Fantasy (and subgenres), Horror, Historical Fiction and the odd mystery or detective novel provided it's decent. I've been building my own list of good indie/self published works but it's mostly limited to those genres.
On a side note I'd recommend http://www.goodreads.com/ for getting book recommendations and keeping track of your reading list.
Many thanks for the link, I am finding it a very good and useful site.
Just finished David Attenborough's " Life on air," good read that chronologues the trials and tribulations of his career as a broadcaster and the changes to that media over the years.
just finished "ME BEFORE YOU" great read and insight to a touch subject self euthanasia as the story of a guy who was in a accident and was made a quadriplegic ...highly recomend it