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[John Tapscott]

[BillF]

14 hours ago, John Tapscott said:

I think that was the Herman biog I read some years ago. Full of fascinating insights.

[John Tapscott]

6 hours ago, BillF said:

I think that was the Herman biog I read some years ago. Full of fascinating insights.

I have two other Herman bios on my shelves - a shorter one called "Woody Herman" by British writer Steve Voce, and "The Leader of the Band" by Gene Lees (which typically is 1/3 Lees and 2/3rds Herman, but has good insights, too).

I'm enjoying Clancy's book which is very good on Herman's early years (pre First Herd). 

Edited September 20, 2017 by John Tapscott

[jlhoots]

Nicole Krauss: Forest Dark

[T.D.]

Preparing for the new novel, which will take a while to get from the library.

[BillF]

4 hours ago, T.D. said:

Preparing for the new novel, which will take a while to get from the library.

I know what you mean. My reservation is now number 23 in a list of 74. There are 7 copies circulating.

 

[kinuta]

Skippable.

I did like the parts that dealt with interstellar travel and navigation and filled in details of the galactic exploration.

The story itself was boring.

On 20/09/2017 at 2:15 AM, BillF said:

I know what you mean. My reservation is now number 23 in a list of 74. There are 7 copies circulating.

 

I  haven't read The Pigeon Tunnel

Is it worth getting or just a rehash of themes explored in The Perfect Spy ?

The new one is very good.

Edited September 22, 2017 by kinuta

[BillF]

9 hours ago, kinuta said:

Skippable.

I did like the parts that dealt with interstellar travel and navigation and filled in details of the galactic exploration.

The story itself was boring.

I  haven't read The Pigeon Tunnel

Is it worth getting or just a rehash of themes explored in The Perfect Spy ?

The new one is very good.

Pigeon Tunnel is very scrappy. Series of anecdotes thrown together. Definitely missable.

[kinuta]

This finishes the Robot series and the Empire Trilogy.

Next up Foundation. I'm undecided whether to read it in published order or chronological order.

Any advice anyone ?

[BillF]

Just finished re-reading this old favourite in this edition.

Published in 1950, it's often seen as a precursor of Lucky Jim and the associated school of novelists. A delightful book!

Edited September 27, 2017 by BillF

[ejp626]

Working my way through Richler's The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz.  Another book I should have read when I was much younger.  I'm having a lot of trouble relating to (or even being very interested in) the title character, who is basically a Jewish (and more more cynical and destructive) version of Ferris Bueller.

[BillF]

9 hours ago, ejp626 said:

Working my way through Richler's The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz.  Another book I should have read when I was much younger.  I'm having a lot of trouble relating to (or even being very interested in) the title character, who is basically a Jewish (and more more cynical and destructive) version of Ferris Bueller.

Yes, I read it in my youth. It doesn't seem to have left much of an impact.

[kinuta]

[BillF]

3 hours ago, kinuta said:

Keep going, Kinuta! He wrote a lot!

[kinuta]

2 hours ago, BillF said:

Keep going, Kinuta! He wrote a lot!

Foundation is an easier read than some of the others that are a bit long winded and feel padded.

I read them all in my twenties meaning a fifty year gap in which to forget the plots.

All this started when I was about to reread The Gods Themselves, then thought better of it and hit the Robots/Empire/Foundation series instead.

I'm saving The Gods Themselves, which is a favourite, for last.

[BillF]

On 10/1/2017 at 9:26 AM, kinuta said:

Foundation is an easier read than some of the others that are a bit long winded and feel padded.

 

Yes, I recall that Foundation and Robots went down easiest.

Edited October 4, 2017 by BillF

[jlhoots]

Margaret Coel: Winter's Child

Edited October 4, 2017 by jlhoots

[ejp626]

I decided to tackle The Great Indian Novel by Shashi Tharoor.  This is a recasting of the Mahabharata with Indian politicians covering roughly 1917-1980.  Not surprisingly, my knowledge of Indian politics isn't very deep with only a passing familiarity to Gandhi, Nehru and Indira Gandhi.  I've decided to just go ahead and read through the novel, which is fairly engaging, and then I'll go back to the Wikipedia article that explains all the references.

After this, Thrity Umrigar's Bombay Time.

Then assuming it is in at the library, Anita Majumdar's Fish Eyes Trilogy.

[Brad]

[alankin]

14 hours ago, Brad said:

 

[Brad]

It’s an amazing book. 

I’ve now started this one. 

[paul secor]

15 hours ago, Brad said:

More

[jlhoots]

2 hours ago, Brad said:

It’s an amazing book. 

I’ve now started this one. 

Maybe even better - both are great!!

[paul secor]

P.G. Wodehouse: Joy in the Morning

[Brad]

Starting to read this, a recent addition to my Spanish Civil War library.

Edited October 13, 2017 by Brad