New now reading

[Six String]

I wasn't aware of any of that. She brought it over the other day and mentioned she had just started it. I'll enquire more tomorrow when she comes over.

[Darkness_Fish]

Adam Kay's hilarious and poignant diaries of the life and career of an NHS doctor. I recognised almost everything he discussed, in particular the emotional labour and burnout to exhaustion in a system ill equipped to deal with the mental health of its staff.

My wife started reading that yesterday, after someone at work lent her a copy. She's been in the NHS for 20+ years, albeit from the admin side rather than patient care, I think there's a lot that resonates with her, too. She annoyed me no end by snorting with laughter at random occasions throughout the evening.

[Darkness_Fish]

I loved my rare foray into history with Berlin at War, it's not often you think of the horrors of German citizens suffering under Nazi rule, but especially towards the end of the war life sounded pretty horrific. 4,000 registered suicides in Berlin in April 1945 alone, and the figures for rape by Soviet troops were horrific.

Anyway, onto more pleasant subject matter, and safer, more familiar ground for me:

[Deebank]

I loved my rare foray into history with Berlin at War, it's not often you think of the horrors of German citizens suffering under Nazi rule, but especially towards the end of the war life sounded pretty horrific. 4,000 registered suicides in Berlin in April 1945 alone, and the figures for rape by Soviet troops were horrific.

I've mentioned it before on here but years ago I was sent a memoir written by a german chap who was a senior figure in the packaging industry and I worked on a magazine in that sector at the time.

In the book amongst the many packaging-based anecdotes he relates his wartime experiences. As s a teenager he was drafted into an anti-aircraft battery. One day they had to move their AA gun to the other side of the village they were based in. Transport was limited so the young future can maker 'borrowed' a wheel barrow from a garden to move some of the ammunition. As bad luck would have it some SS or Gestapo pitched up as they were getting set up. They asked who had looted the barrow. Just as he was about to own up to the 'crime' his sergeant (an old WW1 veteran IIRC) said that it was he who had pinched it. The SS strung him up from a lamp post. Grim and made all the grimmer by the 'matter of fact' way the story was told.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

Carrying on with my travel through 19C Brit Lit, it was Elizabeth Gaskell’s “Mary Barton,” which was a curious book, but one I enjoyed and trucked through during the end of the XMAS holidays. It is a little cumbersome and unwieldy, shifting back and forth from working class polemic (from a Christian viewpoint) to improbable pot boiler, but I suppose it was an early effort and fascinating in that regard.

I look forward to the improvement of this genre to come ... alas, I have some pressing deadlines for work so the reading will come to a crawl for most of the rest of winter and spring.

[mentalist (slight return)]

Carrying on with my travel through 19C Brit Lit, it was Elizabeth Gaskell’s “Mary Barton,” which was a curious book, but one I enjoyed and trucked through during the end of the XMAS holidays. It is a little cumbersome and unwieldy, shifting back and forth from working class polemic (from a Christian viewpoint) to improbable pot boiler, but I suppose it was an early effort and fascinating in that regard.

I look forward to the improvement of this genre to come ... alas, I have some pressing deadlines for work so the reading will come to a crawl for most of the rest of winter and spring.

I'd suggest Fanny Hill next. Ooo err missus.

[Jimbo]

Carrying on with my travel through 19C Brit Lit, it was Elizabeth Gaskell’s “Mary Barton,” which was a curious book, but one I enjoyed and trucked through during the end of the XMAS holidays. It is a little cumbersome and unwieldy, shifting back and forth from working class polemic (from a Christian viewpoint) to improbable pot boiler, but I suppose it was an early effort and fascinating in that regard.

I look forward to the improvement of this genre to come ... alas, I have some pressing deadlines for work so the reading will come to a crawl for most of the rest of winter and spring.

I'd suggest Fanny Hill next. Ooo err missus.

Better yet, Erica Jong's Fanny. A hoot and a half!

[Darkness_Fish]

[Deebank]

Read that some years ago now and still have it on the bookcase - I was hugely impressed. I may read it again following this reminder.

[Darkness_Fish]

Read that some years ago now and still have it on the bookcase - I was hugely impressed. I may read it again following this reminder.

Cool, I was hoping so. It was a random Christmas present from my wife, and looks to be a proper doorstop of a novel. I normally quite like these historical settings, so long as they get the atmosphere and mood right.

[`]

Read that some years ago now and still have it on the bookcase - I was hugely impressed. I may read it again following this reminder.

Excellent book. If you like that pastiche-type novels, you should really give Charles Palliser's Quincunx a go. At about 800 pages it's not only big, but very clever and addictive

[Darkness_Fish]

Excellent book. If you like that pastiche-type novels, you should really give Charles Palliser's Quincunx a go. At about 800 pages it's not only big, but very clever and addictive

Sounds interesting, I've never heard of it, strangely. I hope it's not too clever (and smug about it, if you know what I mean), but it certainly sounds my kind of thing.

[Deebank]

I think it reminded me - a bit - of John Fowles’s A Maggot but it’s been a while since I read either so probably mistaken.

Might read both again just to check!

[`]

Excellent book. If you like that pastiche-type novels, you should really give Charles Palliser's Quincunx a go. At about 800 pages it's not only big, but very clever and addictive

Sounds interesting, I've never heard of it, strangely. I hope it's not too clever (and smug about it, if you know what I mean), but it certainly sounds my kind of thing.

Well worth a read - very Charles Dickens. If you like FIngerpost, you should love it.

[Diamond Dog]

A few of you on here may be interested in this crowdfunded book, entitled "A Guide To Modernism In Metro-Land" by Joshua Abbott.
It's halfway to being fully funded so please take a look and sign up if you fancy a copy of the book.



Modernism in Metro-Land started as a website in 2011 and has grown to explore modernist buildings throughout suburban London. Inspired by John Betjeman’s Metro-Land (1973) television programme and the architectural books by Ian Nairn, the website examines the growth of the suburbs from the 1920s to the present day through its modernist designs. Featuring architects such as Charles Holden, Erno Goldfinger and Norman Foster, Modernism in Metro-Land also shows the development of modernist architecture in Britain from its introduction in the 1920s right up to the brink of the 21st century. As well as the website, Modernism in Metro-Land also hosts tours of the modernist stations of the Piccadilly and Central Lines, as well as being a fixture of the annual Open House London weekend with its Stanmore Art Deco house walking tour.

And, no, I'm not on commission.

I'm still not, but it's only 71% funded and I want my copy!

So.... take a look and see if it's something you'd be interested in.

I'd think John Coan and maybe The Modernist would be interested in it.

Well it's now fully funded and will be winging its way to me sometime soon(ish)

[Minnie the Minx]

I’ve started reading the Beastie Boys book. It’s superb.

[Diamond Dog]

"Rex Appeal: The Amazing Story of Sue, the Dinosaur That Changed Science, the Law and My Life " by Peter Larson & Kristin Donnan.

A fabulous book about the discovery in the Badlands of South Dakota of the most complete T Rex so far (called "Sue" after the person that actually discovered her) and the battle through the courts with the land owner and the FBI (and other Govt bodies).

I saw the documentary recently and it really is an astonishing story - the book goes into much more detail about this particular find, and the history of T Rex discoveries and paleontology generally. It also gives a searing account of how 'the authorities' did their utmost to punish Larson and his team, to the extent that a prison sentence was served.

[KeithPratt]

Probably worth reading Robert Bakker's "The Dinosaur Heresies" too.

[Diamond Dog]

Probably worth reading Robert Bakker's "The Dinosaur Heresies" too.

Cheers Toby.

[Darkness_Fish]

Finally getting around to this, a year later than everyone else.