OT. What is the best book you have ever read?

[Montysoptician]

The last book I read is usually my favourite.

I'm currently reading Once Upon a Time, about Bob Dylan, by Ian Bell ........ hard work but fascinating.

The previous was Mary Queen of Scots by Lady Antonia Fraser ..... biased as **** but I balanced it up by reading Elizabeth 1 by Anne Somerset.

Smug, you should read No Direction Home by Robert Shelton, he was part of Dylan's entourage in the early days and they fell out when he released this book. He talks about Dylan warts and all, but also has a few chapters talking about the meaning behind some of the early songs.

My favourite books are the original trilogy of Spike Milligan books about the war, Hitler my part in his downfall, Rommel, gunner who and Mussolini, his part in my downfall, hilarious

 

[Shameless]

The Power and Glory - Graham Greene.

Anything by Graham Greene

 

[MackemsRule]

The Power and Glory - Graham Greene
The Border Trilogy (it's actually three) - Cormac McCarthy
Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey series. Seventeen I believe, widely considered the greatet historical novels of all time.

Anything by Graham Greene

I've read a few of Graham Greene's, not all by any means.
I inherited my Mam's books when she passed away, my old man wasn't a reader.
A few Greene's plus loads of girly books and a load of Readers Digest condensed books.

The first one I read was "A Battlefield" and to be frank it seemed to take ages to get through the pages. I was having to concentrate too much.

I started on "The end of the affair" years later and was again struggling and only did a few chapters.
A couple of years ago I had ran out of reading material and gave it another chance, after all it should have suited me with it's sexism and God bothering.
Best decision I ever made top top book.

 

[Smug in Boots]

Smug, you should read No Direction Home by Robert Shelton, he was part of Dylan's entourage in the early days and they fell out when he released this book. He talks about Dylan warts and all, but also has a few chapters talking about the meaning behind some of the early songs.

My favourite books are the original trilogy of Spike Milligan books about the war, Hitler my part in his downfall, Rommel, gunner who and Mussolini, his part in my downfall, hilarious

Absolutely brilliant commentary on the madness of war and the gallows humour of the British in times of peril.

I'll check out the No Direction Home book, I think one of my sons has it, cheers

 

[The Outlaw]

I've read a few of Graham Greene's, not all by any means.
I inherited my Mam's books when she passed away, my old man wasn't a reader.
A few Greene's plus loads of girly books and a load of Readers Digest condensed books.

The first one I read was "A Battlefield" and to be frank it seemed to take ages to get through the pages. I was having to concentrate too much.

I started on "The end of the affair" years later and was again struggling and only did a few chapters.
A couple of years ago I had ran out of reading material and gave it another chance, after all it should have suited me with it's sexism and God bothering.
Best decision I ever made top top book.

Greene is brilliant. Try The Quiet American and Brighton Rock.

MR, the Power and The Glory would be right up your alley. The Whiskey Priest is the name of the protagonist and one of the great fictional characters ever.

 

[John Cardew]

I prefer fiction and suspense thrillers rather than non-fiction when it comes to reading. Not very intellectual but Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None had me hooked from first page to last. I wouldn't recommend any of her Poirot books though, read one you've read them all.

 

[LAMackem]

In Harms Way.....it's about the Captain of the USS Indianapolis taking the nuclear bomb from San Francisco to an Island not from Japan for the hit on Hiroshma. After dropping the bomb off the USS Indianapolis got torpedoed by a German Submarine. Because of the secrecy of the mission the survivors were all in the water and no one knew initially they were missing. I think the story is best known for sharks taking many of the lives but what comes out for the survivors is the test of human resolve against all the odds. I think the Captain was only American who was court marshalled in the second world war. My after thoughts were if ever there was a pardon to give someone it should have been this guy. When the **** hit the fan the higher ups hung him out to dry. The book starts where he walks out on his patio many years later and puts a gun to his head and kills himself.......brilliant, brilliant read....

 

[Dorty Dogbreath]

Shoot To Kill - A Soldiers Journey Through Violence by Michael Asher.

Pretty Boy by Roy Shaw.

The Guv'nor by Lenny McClean.

Not a big fan of fiction tbh.

The Guv'nor is a very good read, Billy. I followed that up by reading a book about Charles Bronson, the prisoner. It wasn't a patch on The Guv'nor.
Kenny Noye: Public Enemy No 1 by Wensley Clarkson is a good read if you are interested.

Animal Farm, All Quiet on the Western Front and Of Mice and Men are some of my favourite fiction books.

 

[MackemsRule]

Absolutely brilliant commentary on the madness of war and the gallows humour of the British in times of peril.

I'll check out the No Direction Home book, I think one of my sons has it, cheers

Had some of the funniest lines ever in them.
Not sure if this was Spikes or in Secombes book.
Spike lets his artillery gun fall off a cliff just missing Secombe in a truck below.
Spike sticks his head through the flap of the truck and asks "Anyone seen my gun?"
Secombe "What colour was it?"

 

[MackemsRule]

Greene is brilliant. Try The Quiet American and Brighton Rock.

MR, the Power and The Glory would be right up your alley. The Whiskey Priest is the name of the protagonist and one of the great fictional characters ever.

Read them mate.

I shall keep my eye open for Power and Glory.

 

[Dorty Dogbreath]

To the Tom Sharpe fans, I've got Riotous Assembly downloaded on my IPad but am yet to read it.

Can you believe last year I was on holiday in Lafranc, Spain where Tom Sharpe lived when he died. He'd been residing there as long as I've been visiting this resort (sixteen years) but I never got to meet him. I believe he used to visit the popular Hotel LlaFranch. Mind, he was a good judge living in this resort, it's beautiful.

 

[MackemsRule]

I read a lot of popular fiction too.
Loved Tom Clancys early books.

Deavers early Lincoln Rhymes novels. Loved "The Bone Collector" Especially.

Oh and believe it or not, I really enjoyed the Harry Potter books, apart from the last one, it was if she was just filling in till she got to the end.

 

[C19RK73]

our lass is an avid reader of books (i am not) she loves martina cole, maurers game being her favourite

 

[Nostalgic]

In Harms Way.....it's about the Captain of the USS Indianapolis taking the nuclear bomb from San Francisco to an Island not from Japan for the hit on Hiroshma. After dropping the bomb off the USS Indianapolis got torpedoed by a German Submarine. Because of the secrecy of the mission the survivors were all in the water and no one knew initially they were missing. I think the story is best known for sharks taking many of the lives but what comes out for the survivors is the test of human resolve against all the odds. I think the Captain was only American who was court marshalled in the second world war. My after thoughts were if ever there was a pardon to give someone it should have been this guy. When the **** hit the fan the higher ups hung him out to dry. The book starts where he walks out on his patio many years later and puts a gun to his head and kills himself.......brilliant, brilliant read....

Many were court martialled but Pvt Eddie Slovik was the only shot by firing squad for desertion/cowardice.

 

[Davie 1973]

Anything by Tom Sharpe or Ian Rankin keeps me happy.

The Throwback by Tom Sharpe had me crying with laughter on a plane one time , got some queer looks from the other passengers.

 

[Somebodys pinched my sombrero]

Terrace legends. I know quite a few of the people in that book.

 

[Smug in Boots]

Terrace legends. I know quite a few of the people in that book.

FW & GL fair enough but, if you know that bellend from Portsmouth, you should be banned off here for life

That ****ing idiot from Boro spoiled that book for me, absolutely full of **** stories.

I saw him **** his pants when we were abroad with England.

 

[C19RK73]

one of my best freinds, usher at my wedding

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mentions me at the end of that book

 

[Smug in Boots]

For anyone who likes American gangster stuff I'd recommend a mate of mine in Antibes, John Carbone ..... real name Frank.

'Last of the Good Guys' is a cracking read

 

[LAMackem]

Many were court martialled but Pvt Eddie Slovik was the only shot by firing squad for desertion/cowardice.

Here's the bones of it....good read.

http://www.ussindianapolis.org/mcvay.htm