If you have not read them couple of books worth a read: Conclave by Robert Harris. One of the best books I have ever read. Its about the choosing of a Pope and recently the book was made into a film of the same name. Have not seen the movie but hope its as good as the book The Power of One by Bryce Courtney. About South Africa, Apartheid and Boxing. Not a boxing fan but the narrative describing the fights is spellbinding.
Article in the Guardian this morming about Stanley Tucci's performance as one of the Cardinal (think it was Bellini). The critic said it was not a bad performce just that Stanley Tucci played Stanley Tucci in a Cardinals Robe.
Plugging two Hull writers who have books coming out next month, both lads are City fans and excellent writers so I know their next books will be great and I'll be buying. Cast No Shadow by Nick Quantrill The Crime Writer by Russ Litten.
Cough..... ALL PROCEEDS FROM SALES WILL GO TO DOVE HOUSE HOSPICE. In case you don't know some Dove House Shops have it. Also available on Amazon... Sorry, couldn't resist the urge.
Finally after a 4 year wait and something that started during covid, the Hull City chapter in the Oldskool series of football books has being published and i have my hands on a copy. The Hull section is written by myself with welcome additions from MD from Hull and IC from Brighton and is the 6th book in the series. For any one interested it can be bought from here https://clubmagshop.com/products/oldskool-part-6 https://clubmagshop.com/
Read Power of One as a kid (can't remember if it was on the school syllabus or just given to me by parents) but really enjoyed it. Currently reading through some Stephen King books - just finished The Dark Tower series which prompted me to read 'Salem's Lot which isn't too bad as a slow burn. Have The Stand on the list to read too. Balance it out with some non-fiction, David Mitchell's Unruly was quite a fun read.
I really enjoyed The Stand - if you should find it enjoyable and are tempted to watch the TV series of the book? DON'T - it's absolute garbage!
I find that's a common theme with a lot of King's work - was looking up Salem's Lot adaptations and they all rate lowly. I think it's because so much of King's writing is about the internal monologues in his characters to enhance their characterisation which just doesn't translate well on screen. IT worked but mainly because it also involved a lot of horror set pieces which did work on screen. The Shining, for instance, despite being a great film in its own right, just didn't land with me because I didn't find any of the characters sympathetic. Misery is actually another one I thought did work well on screen, but on a different level to the book which I think might be my favourite King work.
In The Shining Kubrick changed the characters of both Jack and Wendy Torrance to such an extent that it’s better to see the book and the film as two separate works of art which have a touchstone at their core. That way you can see them both having great merit without getting into the debate about which is better. IMO.
How many movies are as good or better than the book they're based from? I can only claim one that I know of, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, the 1984 film based on Arthur C. Clarke's 2010: Odyssey Two, his sequal to 2001: A Space Odyssey. The third book, 2061, was so bad no one wanted to make a movie from it.
If you like Murder Mysteries I can recommend "A Fatal Crossing" by Tom Hindle. Clever twist at the end
Story of a High Flier, Don Robinson's biography. Given that he had seven years with us, there's not that much about City in it. It also often goes off on tangents, not recommended. The views expressed in my posts are not necessarily mine.
