This one usually starts a chat.....

[VeteranLocum]

OK so we live in the age of TV. But what books have board members been reading of late?. To join the game just mention three (or two or four) books that you have read(recently or in the past) or may still be reading and say how they may (or may not) have influenced you. I will kick off:1) just recently I have finished reading "Passport to the Cosmos" by Dr John E Mack an absolutely fascinating account of human abduction and alien encounters. John Mack was a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard, his work is a depth psychological approach. Very sadly John Mack was run over and killed by a drunk driver in London in the early part of this century. 2) David Irving's biography of Herman Goering. David Irving has given nobody any good reason to like him and certainly on this side of the water Herman Goering caused very few people to fall in love with him. Strangely, this book reveals the true humanity of both and points out how, for example, Goering helped Jews to escape from the Third Reich. Also the account of Goering's first marriage to Karin von Foch is deeply moving. 3) The Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell. Well, what can I add. The ultimate of late 50's, early 60's literary Bohemia. O! to go back. Must get the audio version on CD ROM.

[El-Loco]

The Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell. Well, what can I add. The ultimate of late 50's, early 60's literary Bohemia. O! to go back. Must get the audio version on CD ROM.

Alexandria quartet .. arrrgghhhhh. I spent far too much time reading them in my final year when I should have been doing something else. Had to burn the midnight oil quite a bit to catch up. Trouble is not only can't you put down the book you're reading, you have to read all the others too. As you say .. Oh to go back!

[Krystal]

The Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell. Well, what can I add. The ultimate of late 50's, early 60's literary Bohemia. O! to go back. Must get the audio version on CD ROM.

Alexandria quartet .. arrrgghhhhh. I spent far too much time reading them in my final year when I should have been doing something else. Had to burn the midnight oil quite a bit to catch up. Trouble is not only can't you put down the book you're reading, you have to read all the others too. As you say .. Oh to go back!

Never heard of them. But I prefer sci-fi and fantasy. I am struggling to finish 'Wolf Hall' (Mann Booker nominee - or did it win???) Does that make me a philistine?. I hope not.

I am an avid reader and am delighted that my 21 yo son takes an almost unfashionable pleasure in reading.

My life changed for ever back in 1973 when I first read Lord of the Rings. I discovered fantasy fiction. And it lead to me meeting my son's father and discovering the wonderful world of role playing games - a hobby I still carry on even now. And although I think Tolkein has been surpassed by other later writers in the genre - he is the founder and father figure. Good fantasy writing is the match of any serious novel in my opinion.

Sally

[VeteranLocum]

I am an avid reader and am delighted that my 21 yo son takes an almost unfashionable pleasure in reading.

My life changed for ever back in 1973 when I first read Lord of the Rings. I discovered fantasy fiction. And it lead to me meeting my son's father and discovering the wonderful world of role playing games - a hobby I still carry on even now. And although I think Tolkein has been surpassed by other later writers in the genre - he is the founder and father figure. Good fantasy writing is the match of any serious novel in my opinion.

Sally

Our own son is also an avid reader and is in fact studying for a degree in creative writing. Sci-fi, I regret, has never really gripped me apart from some of the early writers such as Verne, Wells and Athur C Clarke. Tolkien; I feel there is a definite age at which you need to read it, somewhere between the teens and thirty. In the realm of Fantasy I prefer Mervyn Peake. Again in the realm of Fantasy but more inclined toward the supernatural, let me recommend Robert Aickman. There is a very good article about him on Wikipedia if you want to follow him up.

[Krystal]

Again in the realm of Fantasy but more inclined toward the supernatural, let me recommend Robert Aickman. There is a very good article about him on Wikipedia if you want to follow him up.[/quote]

Sonce the paranormal is another interest of mine I will see if I can find any of his books. I confess I have never heard of him. However my recreational reading time is likley to be restricted for a bit as I have just started on OU course.

Since you asked about books which had an influence on life, I must mention 'Change your life in seven days' a self help book by Paul McKenna. All I can say for me it was like ronseal - did what it said on the tin. It was recommended to me by a counsellor who felt it would be more useful than counselling. She was right.


Sally

[Titan]

Good fantasy writing is the match of any serious novel in my opinion.

Sally

Agreed. I discovered adult fantasy when I was around 12 and Enid Blyton and Timmy the dog quickly became a distant memory. A fantasy setting provides pure escapism for the reader and gives the writer all kinds of options not accessible in a contemporary story.

David Gemmell was (and still is) one of my faves. Sadly, he died a few years ago well before his time. It was not for nothing that he was referred to as Britain's "King of Heroic Fantasy".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Gemmell

My current fave and probably the benchmark of the fantasy genre over the last decade is George R.R. Martin. His epic and brutal 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series is ground-breaking and has really raised the bar in the field. I got to see him when he came over on a book signing tour a few years ago and did my number-one fan routine on him (the one that goes "Mr Martin! I'm your number one fan ever!").

http://www.georgerrmartin.com/

[Defblade]

I've dropped SF for the minute, and am currently devouring the Police Motorbike Rider's Handbook (ie, Roadcraft for bikes) and "Sport Riding Techniques" which, despite the title, is mostly aimed at road riding.

My test is in 10 days and hoping some of the stuff in these might rub off before then!

[Grumpy Old Woman]

"An unquiet mind" by Kay Redfield Jamison ... an account of the experience of bipolar disorder by a sufferer, who also happens to be a professor of psychiatry. An emotive yet sensitive insight into this very damaging illness.

Also: "About a boy" by Nick Hornby. The author not only has a real gift for telling a story through the eyes of a character, but manages to do this through TWO characters (Will, the adult, & Marcus, the boy) interchanging throughout. Very cleverly done.

[Lindsey]

I've dropped SF for the minute, and am currently devouring the Police Motorbike Rider's Handbook (ie, Roadcraft for bikes) and "Sport Riding Techniques" which, despite the title, is mostly aimed at road riding.

My test is in 10 days and hoping some of the stuff in these might rub off before then!

Good luck

Lindsey

[Lia]

"An unquiet mind" by Kay Redfield Jamison ... an account of the experience of bipolar disorder by a sufferer, who also happens to be a professor of psychiatry. An emotive yet sensitive insight into this very damaging illness.

I loved the passage on Love (towards the end of the book). Actually that's the only bit I read and liked. I wasn't profound enough to tackle the whole book.

[Lia]

I'm battling with A Game Of Thrones by George R R Martin. It gives me nightmares, it annoys me but I keep reading it, painfully and slowly. I enjoyed The Moral Animal by Robert Wright, although it was tough to read but extremely clever. I absolutely loved Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton, one of my favourites. I attempted Bridget J's Diary but I only managed 2-3 pages.
I'm going to read The God Delusion soon, but don't tell my mum, she's a devout Christian and would be disappointed to find out.

[Lindsey]

I'm going to read The God Delusion soon, but don't tell my mum, she's a devout Christian and would be disappointed to find out.

I read about half- he just seems to go on too long, I 'got' what he was trying to say in the first few chapters, after that it just got repetitious.

Lindsey

[Defblade]

I've dropped SF for the minute, and am currently devouring the Police Motorbike Rider's Handbook (ie, Roadcraft for bikes) and "Sport Riding Techniques" which, despite the title, is mostly aimed at road riding.

My test is in 10 days and hoping some of the stuff in these might rub off before then!

Good luck

Lindsey

I passed!

[Lindsey]

Very well done. Now drive safely.

Lindsey

[Defblade]

Very well done. Now drive safely.

Lindsey

Oh, I drive safely anyway. I might start riding like a nutter tho