Books for bedtime...

[Stolly]

Well I've just finished reading the Iliad by Homer - I actually take the odd book to work with me to read at lunchtime and the Iliad has sure as hell brought more than a few odd looks from work colleagues..... and comments like 'what are you reading that turgid crap for'

But I mean how often is it that you can read a story first written down what 2,700 years ago about an epic battle between the ancient world's super heroes 500 years before that with all sorts of twists of fate, brutal fighting and tragedy thrown in. And what's not to like about Alexander the Greats favourite book

[ZootHornRollo]

Well I've just finished reading the Iliad by Homer - I actually take the odd book to work with me to read at lunchtime and the Iliad has sure as hell brought more than a few odd looks from work colleagues..... and comments like 'what are you reading that turgid crap for'

But I mean how often is it that you can read a story first written down what 2,700 years ago about an epic battle between the ancient world's super heroes 500 years before that with all sorts of twists of fate, brutal fighting and tragedy thrown in. And what's not to like about Alexander the Greats favourite book

good on you Stoll, must've taken a fair few lunchtimes to get through that.

Am reading a cracking book at the moment:

A Radical History of Britain by Ed Vallance

Only one chapter in - which is about King John and the Magna Carta - but it's really gripped me. The book takes in the Levellers, Diggers, Chartists etc and tries to see if there is a defining characteristic of English radicalism, but it looks like it's just going to be a really good history of post-Norman England.

[woodlander]

I have nearly finished "The curious incident of the dog in the night time" by Mark Haddon. It's about a young boy with Aspergers syndrome,as well as being very well written it opens up your eyes as to what some people are going through.

I completely agree. I was very impressed with this book.

Currently reading Stay Fit After Fifty by Rozalind Graham.*

*unfortunately I don't find it riveting, some of the exercises look as if they'd wreck your kneecaps

[wheezing donkey]

Well I've just finished reading the Iliad by Homer - I actually take the odd book to work with me to read at lunchtime and the Iliad has sure as hell brought more than a few odd looks from work colleagues..... and comments like 'what are you reading that turgid crap for'

But I mean how often is it that you can read a story first written down what 2,700 years ago about an epic battle between the ancient world's super heroes 500 years before that with all sorts of twists of fate, brutal fighting and tragedy thrown in. And what's not to like about Alexander the Greats favourite book

But Stolly, did you read it in Latin; as we had to at LRGS in the 60's?

[Stolly]

But Stolly, did you read it in Latin; as we had to at LRGS in the 60's?

Nope fortunately; it wasn't in ancient greek either.

Achilles, who tends to get quite a lot of good press nowadays, comes out as a bit of a sod overall I think. Firstly he sulks because Agamemnon steals his slave girl (that he won fair and square by capturing an enemy town and taking as a spoil of war) and refuses to fight which almost leads to complete defeat of the greeks. Then when Hector kills Patroclus, Achilles goes mental, slaughters a shed load of trojans, chases down Hector, kills him, wants Hector's body to become fly infested, eaten by maggots and the innards eaten by the dogs and, at Patrocluses funeral pyre, he then kills two of Patrocluses dogs, a couple of his horses and executes 12 captured trojans all to be burnt at the same time as Patroclus. That sure knew how to have a good time in those days

[Stick]

Mike Cudahy's Wild trails to far horizons has got to be the bedtime book of choice for any aspiring fell runner. Especially a 1st edition copy. A proper fell running book by a proper fell runner (...apologies to those engaged in erm..."warmer" discussions on other threads!!)

Wonder if I can get one of those somewhere...I know, I'll have a look on the sales and wants section of the forum...

[stevefoster]

Mike Cudahy's Wild trails to far horizons has got to be the bedtime book of choice for any aspiring fell runner. Especially a 1st edition copy. A proper fell running book by a proper fell runner (...apologies to those engaged in erm..."warmer" discussions on other threads!!)

Wonder if I can get one of those somewhere...I know, I'll have a look on the sales and wants section of the forum...

Top marks for shameless advertising Stick ;-)

[Stick]

Top marks for shameless advertising Stick ;-)

who...me...???


(said in a scooby-doo accent which is quite difficult online !)

[woodlander]

This book is on my to do list.Talking of classic books, James Joyce's Ulysses is often cited as one of the greatest books of all time.I keep picking it up then putting it down at my local library.Has anyone here read it and is it as good as people say?

I've almost read this through a couple of times, but never got round to reading the final chapter. The first chapter is good, where the characters live in the martello tower on the beach at Dublin and also the chapter where they are hanging around the newspaper office and the pub and betting on horses. The rest of it you can take or leave. It has its high points. And also its low ones too. Variable I'd say. Depends on your taste. If you do read it you'll be moving on to Finnegans Wake. Now that's impossible to read. Although I did read it once. It helps if you've a copious supply Guinness , read it aloud, and have some knowledge of languages like German and places like Triest and Zürich. I've reviewed 'the Wake' in some depth on my blog http://poet-in-residence.blogspot.com but unfortunately not Ulysses. Prompted by your post I may try to read Ulysses again this winter and get to the end of it.

[woodlander]

Thanks Woodlander,I think i will give it a go.Some authors i really want to read but just cannot get into.Dickens is a good example,no matter how hard i try i just can't pick up the rhythm.

Good luck with it William.
I'm just about to start on Chris Rose's much acclaimed "1 Dead in Attic" (Simon & Schuster 2007).
It's about Hurricane Katrina and aftermath written by a journalist who lives in New Orleans.