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Off Topic Art & Literature

Discussion in 'Southampton' started by Beddy, Nov 26, 2019.

  1. Che’s Godlike Thighs

    Che’s Godlike Thighs Well-Known Member

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    Personally I much prefer this to politics.
     
    #21
  2. tiggermaster

    tiggermaster Well-Known Member

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    Many of my favourites already mentioned. Would add Christopher Brookmyre.. Always amusing, always pertinent, always insightful. Lots to choose from... Favourites.. Early stuff..
    'Quite ugly one morning'

    Mid stuff..
    'The sacred are of stealing'

    Recent stuff..
    'Fallen Angel'
     
    #22
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  3. One of yer Norvern Saints

    One of yer Norvern Saints Well-Known Member

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    For crime stuff, DCI Banks series by Peter Robinson are in a class of their own. Great plot twists and really strong writing.

    Favourite author of any genre is A.M. Homes. She writes quirky stuff that leaves me astonished with its quality. As a half-successful writer her work just makes me want to give up. "This Book Will Save Your Life" is a great one to start with.

    Unfortunately, because I am a sports fan, I will be getting lots of ghost-written biographies of sporting icons this Xmas. People don't seem to get that much as I love, say, Mick Channon, his story is pretty dull!
     
    #23
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  4. The Ides of March

    The Ides of March Well-Known Member

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    Laurie Lee´s trilogy
    Cider with Rosie
    As I walked out one midsummer morning
    A Moment of War

    And if you go to a Christmas fete, there might be a Ben Elton novel. They are quite funny, and if stuck in a snow drift, then it will relieve the boredom.
     
    #24
  5. Che’s Godlike Thighs

    Che’s Godlike Thighs Well-Known Member

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    Was really impressed recently with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The book is very different from what you'd expect, and the monster is awesome; very intelligent and articulate. The way popular culture has morphed him into a growling bolt-necked zombie is unreal, and a real shame.

    As a bonus, Mary Shelley's own personal life is almost as f*cked up as the book itself (suicides and deaths aplenty), so make sure to research that too. And to think she was only 19 years old when she wrote it f*cking blows my mind.
     
    #25
  6. Le Tissier's Laces

    Le Tissier's Laces Well-Known Member

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    Likewise.

    Try ‘I Am The Messenger’ - it’s different but as good. His new one is good too, but not quite there with these ones.
     
    #26
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  7. thereisonlyoneno7

    thereisonlyoneno7 Well-Known Member

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    David Baldacci
    Lee Childs
    Jeffery Archer
    Jeffrey Deaver
    Ben Elton

    Guilty pleasures (Comes from living with 2 women):
    Sophie Kinsella
    Marian Keyes

    A few one offs as well Love Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny for instance :)
     
    #27
  8. ChilcoSaint

    ChilcoSaint What a disgrace
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    There’s a fourth Laurie Lee novel in that series called “A Rose for Winter”, about him returning to Spain 15 years after the Civil War, in the depths of the Franco era. Every word Lee writes in any format is a piece of heaven, but how he deals with the tragedy of Spain is heartbreakingly beautiful.
     
    #28
  9. SaintMarv

    SaintMarv Well-Known Member

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    There is an Author Called James Jackson who comes through the Train station I work at. He is a lovely guy and both him and his twin brother went blind at a young age. Anyway I always give him a bit of cheek when he comes through and he always threatened to give me one of his novels. Well recently he did and he told me to read what he had hand written on the first page. He put to Marvin bugger off James Jackson. Now as I said he is blind and he had the book the wrong way round and he has written it upside down on the last page of the story. I'm looking forward to reading it when I get the time. The book is called Treason.
     
    #29
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2019
  10. SaintLapras

    SaintLapras Well-Known Member

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    Terry Pratchett of course, rip.

    Also I read a Sci fi series by an author called Pierce Brown which was really good.
     
    #30

  11. Libby

    Libby 9-0

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    So are we allowed OT threads now then?
     
    #31
  12. TheSecondStain

    TheSecondStain Needs an early night

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    Indeed, let's unsticky this distraction.
    These days I pretty much read only reference/factual material. Even at work I'm reading the great Desmond Morris book from the early 1970s, Intimate Behaviour. But I always preferred that anyway. I do have an enormous collection of abridged/unabridged audiobooks, audio drama and comedy series, and isolated plays and comedies. Plus, loads of audio documentaries. Why do I do this? Because it's a way to distract me from the tinnitus at bedtime, and because it's way better than TV. Currently into an entire vat of P.G Woodhouse material, plus loads of interviews from prominent scientists and engineers.
     
    #32
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  13. Schrodinger's Cat

    Schrodinger's Cat Well-Known Member

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    Richard Adams, mainly for Watership Down
    Chris Brookmyre fav is "A Big Boy did it and Ran Away
    Neil Gaiman - American Gods is amazing
    Pratchett of course
    Clive Barker - Weaveworld is a splendid read
    Stephen King - The Stand, Hearts in Atlantis, most of what he did really bar Tommy knockers, Pet Cemetery and one or two others that just didn't cut it IMHO.
    Stephen Donaldson - The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever
    W P Kinsella - wrote the books that the film Field of Dreams was based on.
    Julian May
    Tim Powers...

    I could just go on and on :emoticon-0102-bigsm
     
    #33
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  14. Ivan Golac's shoe laces

    Ivan Golac's shoe laces Active Member

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    Read all of James Herbert's loved them all. Robert Ludlum and Larry Bond are other favourites of mine, as well as Clive Cussler.

    All time favorite book , On the Beach by Nevil Shute.
     
    #34
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  15. ChilcoSaint

    ChilcoSaint What a disgrace
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    No. We can leave it for now. In what way does this differ from the Music thread?
     
    #35
  16. RedandWhiteManofKent

    RedandWhiteManofKent Well-Known Member

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    J.R. Hartley
     
    #36
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  17. Kaito

    Kaito Well-Known Member

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    Just a guess but, no music?
     
    #37
  18. Schrodinger's Cat

    Schrodinger's Cat Well-Known Member

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    <laugh> there's always one
     
    #38
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  19. SaintinSerbia

    SaintinSerbia Annoying Twat

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    Do you want a stickied music thread ?
    Poll closed Jun 16, 2017.

    1. YES
      21 vote(s)
      72.4%

    2. NO
      4 vote(s)
      13.8%

    3. DON'T CARE
      4 vote(s)
      13.8%
     
    #39
  20. ChilcoSaint

    ChilcoSaint What a disgrace
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    If nobody posts on it for a few days we’ll unstick it.
     
    #40

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