What is East Dulwich reading today?

[citizenED]

I've started a book about Summerhill School - the libertarian place where all the lessons are voluntary and is largely managed by the kids. I've not actually finished a book for a couple of years (since the snappers came along) so here's hoping.

[Asset]

Just started the new Iain M Banks 'Matter' - any other sci fi fans out there?

[lozzyloz]

SF? Yes, when I occasionally pick up a book. Really enjoyed Look To Windward when I read it a few years ago. Soon after that I read Richard Morgan's Altered Carbon. One of the most gripping SF books I've read in years.

[mockney piers]

CItizen, a couple of my friends went to Summerhill at the time of the famous documentary. They're still a bit bitter about the film makers who were everyone's best buds then obviously did some juicy editing to put the school in an iffy light.

I even met the lad who killed the wabbit!!

[snorky]

wee quinnie Wrote:

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> I am re-reading David Sedaris "dress your children

> in corduroy" which is totally HILARIOUS

Not as good as barrel fever

[capt_birdseye]

Keef Wrote:

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> Reading "Terrorist" by John Updike. Very well

> written.

I read that a few months ago. Let me know when you finish it, I need someone to hypothesise on the ending with!

[mockney piers]

Dan Simmons - Fall of Hyperion

You'd have thought that trying to base trilogies on Keat's Hyperion/Endymion cantos (you know the ones, a thing of beauty is a joy forever) and the illiad, not to mention the Canterbury Tales would be a recipe for a disaster, but the boy's very good.

[Keef]

Will do Capt. Mrs Keef read it before me and recommended it, but has kept quiet on what happens, so once I've finished I'll get her thoughts too.

[cdonline]

Of Human Bondage.

I thought it was a book I should probably read and I liked the cover.

[giddygecko]

Conversations with God 2 by Neale Donald Walsh for purely educational & emotional purposes, one must strive to enlighten & improve oneself..... AND Billy by Pamela Stephenson, it's a great insight to an emotional genius he is witty, troubled & hysterical.

[TillieTrotter]

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Very amusing and keeps you on your toes as all the characters through seven generations are called pretty much the same name. Recommended.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Dan Simmons! - I've not read his Hyperion works or any of his sci-fi (ditto Iain Banks) but I've loved his other books - Carrion Comfort in particular I remember enjoying

[giddygecko]

Hmmmmmmmm Finished Billy now & only have a about 10 pages of CWG2 left to go.... I bought & never read Vernon God Little so might start that one next but also have a insightful book about Aborignal Dreamtimes which I am looking forward to reading especially since Kevin Rudd gave a particularly eloquent & heartfelt Sorry speech which was long awaited in Oz. Listen to me anyone would think I was an Aussie... Hey when I marry/CP my Aussie Mrs does that make me half Aussie by default.... will I have to bleach blonde my hair & grow it into shaggy surf lox??? Hee hee sorry I went way off tangent there :-$

Oooop GG

[mockney piers]

I've heard Carrion Comfort is good. I read his other horror effort Song of Kali which was a bit so so to be honest.

Also reading a China Mieville book, Un Lin Dun, which only after buying did I realise was a kids book. Reading it is not unlike my one harry potter experience; it's a kids book. I'm sure kids will love it, but there's a reason its a kids book not an adults book which makes for an unsatidfying literary experience.

I can't say as I can understood the Harry Potter phenomenon among adults. Should I ever feel like finding my inner child I'll dig out Winnie the Pooh.

[Keef]

I read half of the first Conversations with God, but couldn't bring myself to carry on with it. A friend of mine has read them all though and thinks they're the best things since sliced bread.

[BJL]

I'll probably buy Peter Carey's new book His Illegal Self this week, even though the reviews have been mixed. Has anyone here read it yet? Opinions?

[Mark]

I'm in need of a good book to read whilst I'm travelling for a few days, so I would appreciate your recommendation? I like Douglas Coupland's work, I don't like reading anything too heavy (in the literary sense) and it should be available in an airport bookshop.

[Jah Lush]

I recently finished A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, which was the follow up to the Kite Runner. Both are set in Afganistan and they can be rather harrowing reads but beautifully written and you'll whizz through them. Get the Kleenex out though. Am now reading Charles Bukowski's Pulp which is pastiche of a detective story and quite frankly it's not one of his best.

[Brendan]

Speaking of Bukowski. I recently decided to re-read Post Office as I had enjoyed it so much as a teenager and I really didn?t enjoy it that much this time around.

[Keef]

capt_birdseye Wrote:

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> Keef Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Reading "Terrorist" by John Updike. Very well

> > written.

>

> I read that a few months ago. Let me know when you

> finish it, I need someone to hypothesise on the

> ending with!

Sorry Capt, completely forgot about this, I finished it ages ago, and enjoyed it. So, what did you want to talk about then?

[SteveT]

How about a book on scooter maintenance Mark;-)

[Jah Lush]

Or....Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M Pirsig.

[bignumber5]

I've read nothing but medical text books, menus and this forum since September, so can't really help. Have "The Once and Future King" lined up for the summer...

[Keef]

I've been reading the novels of Harlen Coben (who wrote Tell no one), as Mrs Keef got me a bunch of them from some insamely cheap book club thing. They're good if you like crime, murder mystery type things.

[capt_birdseye]

>

> Sorry Capt, completely forgot about this, I

> finished it ages ago, and enjoyed it. So, what did

> you want to talk about then?

When he realised he'd lost his god, and the teacher was behaving like a right arse, do you think the impression was that he was therefore going to blow himself up anyway?

Just finished Thousand Splendid Suns too and can heartily recommend it.