h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Welcome to the Aroma Cafe Book Club Forum!

If you have linked here through Forums, take a moment to check out your surroundings here in the I.W. BooK NooK at http://www.h2g2.com/A229943 !

Take a seat, have a coffee (Im sure Helena is around somewhere), and tell us what you're reading!

~Beeblefish (Aroma Cafe Irregular)

Hi !
I've just read Tom Wolfe's book "A man in full", and I am not sure wether I liked it or not!
First I thought that the caracters were very annoying but then I saw that he was presenting the caracters the way men and women has been described all through the 90's. And I don't think I like the people of the 90's (in litterature that is!)
Has anyone else read this book?
I have also started on the third book in Peter F. Hamiltons trilogy (can't remember the name of it right now) The book is called "The naked god".
-B-

I read "A star called Henry" by Roddy Doyle on the plane home for Christmas. It must have been quite good, as I was the only person who didn't notice that the plane was pitching and yawing like a dolphin with St. Vitus dance - judging by the state of my luggage.

It's not humourous, so those coming to it from "The Van" or "The Commitments" may be a bit dissappointed...but give it a go none the less.

Hey, new faces! Welcome, Duncan and bumblebee.

I read A Man in Full this summer; I had been given it for Christmas in 1998 and somehow couldn't get a read-me-now vibe off it, so I kept walking around it.

I didn't like any of the characters, either, but I recollect feeling that way about Bonfire of the Vanities as well. Perhaps Wolfe is an authority on a**holes. No wait: I did feel empathy for the guy with the big hands who escapes from prison. I was always eager to get to the plot thread that was about him.

Regardless of the plot or the message, it is hard to get involved with a book when you don't like the people who animate it.

Duncan, I have never heard of Roddy Doyle. What genre is this latest read of yours? Are you talking about the Commitments the group that the art movie was about?

Lil

Hey Hey kids -- Terry Pratchett, wow, I just have to say, his Discworld novels are an essay on Magic, its truly wonderful.

Was Roddy Doyle the one who wrote The Snapper and um The Woman Who Ran Into Walls, I think it was called? Ive wanted to read some of his work (whoever that is anyway)

Oh, and smile kids .. the I. W. BooK NooK has made the 'Buissiest Forums' List Woo Hoo!

*Pops open some of the champagne early*

*look of surprise ... well not really*

WOW Beeble .... great job. Welcome to the newcomers it's great to have you.

I'm in the middle of reading The Science of God and Tolkien Man and Myth. Both were X-Mas presents, and both are actual non-fiction *gasp*. So far they are great.

Courtesy

..indeed - the film "the Commitments" is the screenplay from the Roddy Doyle book of the same name. The book is slightly funnier, but then having to supply your own theme tunes can be a bit of a bind .

"A Star Called Henry" is a historical fiction, set in Dublin and the surrounds before, during and after the Easter rising. The story charts the life of the main character, Henry Star from birth in the slums through a life of criminality and an accidental part in the birth of the Irish free state whilst avoiding the "ah sure, weren't they all good men" sentimentality.

I've not read "The woman who walked into walls", but "The Van" is a very funny book, which was also made into a film - although it was a lot less widely distributed than "The Commitments". I also highly recommend "Paddy Clarke, Ha Ha"..but then, this won the Booker Prize in 1993 - so my recommendation is overshadowed

Info about the film "The van" is at :
http://www.monoclonal.com/ridge/movies/thevan.html

annoying how you remember these things after pressing "Post Message", isn't it

All this talk about Roddy Doyle makes me think about Irving Welsh, the one who wrote "Trainspotting"
After having read the book (it's written in an obscure scottish dialect) I found out that the publisher kindly had provided a small dictionary! He has written several brilliant books but I will particularly mention "The Malibou Stork Nightmares"
Read and enjoy!

-B-

With Trainspotting, I found it easiest to read the book out loud and listen to myself! Unfortunately I did this on the bus and (due to the prolific swearing) caused a great deal of consternation .

I liked "Maribou Stork Nightmares", but think "Malibu Storks" is a much better title. Perhaps a drinks related book titles page? I bags "Tequila Mockingbird!".

hey there, and happy new year, new decade, new century and new millenneum (I know that's next year, but whatthehell).
Lucky Lil. and thanks for the lovely stuff about the Pern Books. For S.R Donaldson fans who havn't read A Story of Regals (I think?), you should. And Lil, I'm reading a compilation called Devils by Asimov. So far, it's great.


~A's M

Never heard of Terry Pratchett before reading Good Omens, coauthored by him.
Discworld sounds fun - I'll look it up sometime.

Yay! Im so glad people are flowing back!

Hey dreymers! Finally someone who has read Good Omens -- what did you think. If you want to check out Discworld, the first is 'Colour of Magic' ... you may notice that DEATH in Good Omens is MORT in Discworld.

~Beeblefish

Hey everybody, it's 2000 and h2g2 is accessible again and I
am spending so much time painting and playing around in here
that I am not getting any reading done. HogFather is lying
here open on the coffeetable, waiting patiently.

But my first impression of Pratchett is, hey, an Oscar Wilde
for our time!

Lil

Relaxes and orders a cup of coffee.

I must agree Lil, Prachett is amazing. I am currently reading Masquerade and have Feet of Clay in waiting for when I am done.
I have also been listening to Kaminski's Pofiri Rostnikov series while driving back and forth to work. If you like a good mystery
they are great (ranking with Tony Hillerman).

Ive never been a huge mystery fan -- but after spending a good part of the summer with people obsessed with Minette Walter's lastest stuff ... I wonder if I am missing something .. can anyone suggest some good mysteries?

~Beeblefish

ps Hey Joker! Nice to see you!

Beebelfish, try out Carol O'Connell's "Mallory's Oracle" or somethig of Laurie R. King, perhaps. I was also impressed by Caleb Carr's "The Angel Of Darkness". He has also written "The Alianist" but I haven't found that one yet. Guess I have to order it.
And now I have heard so much about this Terry Prachett that my curiosity has been tickled
If I want to start reading him, which book should I start with? I found one called "jingo" in our bookcase but it says it's the 21st in a serie!? Makes me think of soap....
-B-

Beeble , although it would probably take some effort to find "Shade and Shadow", by Francine Woodbury, I'm sure you would find it worthwhile.

Hey all ... how was the New Years celebration?

I just re-read a couple of books and wanted to throw them out.

Sphere by Micheal Crichton - great and he actually avoids giving the ending away in this one. The movie stayed close to the book however, like all movie adaptations they left stuff out.

The Abyss - If you liked the movie then read the book, some great stuff, and of course much better than the movie

Master of the Five Magics by Lyndon Hardy - I read this a LOOOOOOGGG time ago and just picked it up. A great read. Especially if you ever wondered about the training that a Wizard might go through.

Courtesy

Hi Bee!

Thanks for the Mystery tips, I wish I had them before I went book shopping today, oh well, Ill try tommorow.

I did find the Starship Titanic Sttategy Guide and a really nice copy of Fellowship of the Ring Though ..

Jingo is part of the Discworld series, if you can find Colour of Magic, its the first one. ANother by him and Neil Gaiman that is great is Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, which I harp on about all the time -- that is quite good too.

Has anyone read Neverwhere or Stardust by Neil Gaiman?

~Beeblefish