Other Books you are currently reading?

And you are managing to stay awake ?

 

...and just to confuse matters, Vic is actually a Jim (but Bob's still a Bob)

 

Nope, Bob's a Robert, only started using Bob when he started getting on stage with Vic in the pub, and it was Vic that started calling him it.

Jim was nearly a Craig.... Craig Wildfowl !

 

I'm currently reading three books, all have something to do with madness.

The Madness of Crowds by Douglas Murray
Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
Under a Raven's Wing by Stephen Volk

 

Not sure if this counts, but... "Usagi Yojimbo: Bunraku & Other Stories" by Stan Sakai.

 

I'll be interested in your opinion on 'The Madness of Crowds'.

 

Well, I'm about halfway through and there are a lot of things in the book I agree with and/or feel the same about. The author attacks, mostly with facts, some of my main issues with today's society (i.e., the over-dramatisation of many things, especially in (social) media, cancel culture, the willful overshooting of targets when it comes to minority rights, ...). Sure, he has some pretty obvious flaws like his contempt for Marxism and his own use of (over)generalisation of certain statements about groups he doesn't agree with.

Overall, as with Jordan Peterson, there is a lot said in the book I agree with and a few things I don't. And, again similar to Peterson, there is a clear agenda being pushed here. But that isn't really surprising, is it?

 

I'm currently reading Moby Dick, which I had presumed would be about mad old Ahab pursuing the white whale at all costs, but I'm ¾ of the way through and the big fish hasn't even shown up yet. Mostly it's about the mechanics of whale fishing, pretty interesting and enjoyable.

"And what sort of lively lads with the pencil those Chinese are, many queer cups and saucers inform us"

 

Batman vs Aliens Vol 1

Read this last night. Relatively short, it took me just over an hour at a leisurely rate. Terrific, and a reminder of the golden era of comic books.

I remember first reading this in... WH Smiths, I think it was, when I was ickle. I would've been ~13 at the time, getting ready to go to secondary school. I read the whole thing in-store while my dear mother was shopping. Dunno why at the time I didn't beg for it as a present, or use my pocket money to buy it.

Now, I may have Vol 2 turning up in a while...

 

Lee Child - Killing Floor
Having watched the Amazon Prime series and loved it, i thought i'd give a Reacher book a try, not actually realising that the series is based off it Luckily, the series is (in retrospect) an amazing interpretation of the book, yes there are some changes, but it all just works. Loved the book, will return for more reacher in the future...

Andy Weir - Project Hail Mary
Haven't finished this yet, only 35% through according to the Kindle, but another cracking bit of sci-fi and, so far, on par enjoyment-wise with the Martian, and much better than the good but slightly disappointing Artemis...

 

Reacher novels are some of the best easy-to-read action-crime books out there.

I finished a few of the Dexter books (will start book #7 today or tomorrow, actually), haven't really touched the other more serious books I'm still reading on the side in a while. I did, however, read "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens" and "Peter and Wendy" and some comics in between.

A word about the Dexter books:

Spoiler

they're a really easy read, fun most of the time and I love the dark humour parts. But why are they so inconsistent when it comes to the protagonist's emotion (or lack thereof... sometimes)? And the big reveals in them are laughably obvious 9 out of 10 times. A bit of a rollercoaster ride to read them.

 

Clear a shelf off, there are 26 of 'em

 

That's what the Kindle's for... i've stopped buying books before reading, and only pick them up if I want to "keep" them post read.

 

I read half of Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde last night, really quite enjoying it so far. Unfortunately, like Dracula a lot of the intrigue is ruined as we all know the story, but in this case it's less driven by suspense so it's not unenjoyable.

It's also a nice short read, for people like me who never really get a chance to sink into a proper book.

 

If you get the chance, the audiobook of this is well worth listening to... as is The Martian to be honest! And yeah, I feel the same about Artemis. That might be why this one has been optioned as a movie with Ryan Gosling attached to play the lead and the guys behind 21/22 Jump Street, The Lego Movies and Into the Spiderverse, Phil Lord & Chris Miller. If anyone can do it justice, it will be them!

 

Finished the Dexter books, read up to (including) book #9 of the Jack Reacher series, read the Shackleton biography by Fiennes, read some comics. Probably forgot something else I read. Lots of flights and train rides recently, as well as a 2-week holiday.

Now I'll start the following books, the first on the iPad (physical copy will arrive sometime in the not-so-near future), the latter a hardcover.

 

Danny the Digger is the best of the bunch. Well worth the read. I've read it 8 times in an hour this afternoon. My grandson does need to remind me though to say 'The End'. Personally they should have printed that in the book but I still recommend it.

Spoiler: Spoiler Alert

Danny does a fair bit of digging

 

I'm happy to share my name with a hero in red.