What Are You Reading...?

Once a prolific reader, eyesight means a shift to Audio Books.

Current listening;

Tailspin, a WW11 story of the rear gunner of a B17 Tailgunner who was in his position when the plane was shot down, his section of the plane detached from the fuselage and it, with him fell Four miles to the Earth without a parachute. He survived the fall, injury and captivity.

World War II tail gunner Gene Moran fell four miles through the sky without a parachute and lived. Captured by the Germans, he survived a harrowing eighteen months as a prisoner of war, including a six-hundred-mile death march in 1945 across Central Europe.

When Gene returned home, he kept those memories locked up for nearly seventy years. His nine children knew little of their dad's war story. But when John, a young history teacher, learns of Gene's amazing fall, he's desperate to learn more. Finally, Gene agrees.

So begins a series of "Thursdays with Gene" interviews. Gene, nearing his ninetieth birthday, recounts incredible tales. But John has no idea what wounds he's reopening. Gene's nightmares and grief return. But both men persevere, bonded by their close and growing friendship.

Favourites that travel with me;

Earth Abides:

Earth Abides is a 1949 American post-apocalyptic science fiction novel by George R. Stewart. The novel tells the story of the fall of civilization from deadly disease and the emergence of a new culture with simpler tools. Set in the 1940s in Berkeley, California, the story is told by Isherwood Williams, who emerges from isolation in the mountains to find almost everyone dead.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull;

Jonathan Livingston Seagull is an allegorical fable in novella form written by American author Richard Bach and illustrated with black-and-white photographs shot by Russell Munson. It is about a seagull who is trying to learn about flying, personal reflection, freedom, and self-realization.

Callanish:

One evening, a frightened and bedraggled golden eagle is brought to the London Zoo, his young life constrained to a bleak cage far from his native Scotland. It is tempting for Creggan to forget: to bury memories of the mountain and seas and, above all, the glorious skies of his homeland.

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared:

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared is the bizarre and imaginative tale of centenarian explosives expert and vodka-lover, Allan Karlsson, who climbs out of his bedroom window at the old people's home on his 100th birthday and sets off with no set destination in mind.

This is a new, favourite, along with.

The Accidental Further Adventures of the Hundred-Year-Old Man:

These books I find indescribable except that they are funny and unpredictable.

Finally;

Joseph Alexander Altsheler (April 29, 1862 – June 5, 1919) was an American newspaper reporter, editor and author of popular juvenile historical fiction. He was a prolific writer, and produced fifty novels and at least fifty-three short stories. Thirty-two of his novels were part of his seven series:

The Civil War Series (8 volumes)

This Is a cleverly written series of Books. Centered on The American Civil War and should be ready in chronological order.

There is a central core of characters, goodies and baddies throughthe series but two characters feature, school time friends, related but one is for the South and the other for the North.

The books alternative to feature one or the other, they meet on the battlefield, they meet each others families off the battlefield. there is a Northern spy through the stories who befriends the Southern character, a gang of renegades who fights for themselves against both sides.

All volumes are available for free download from Librevox.org.
 
LJ Ross - DCI Ryan murder mystery series. Featuring Northumberland and Durham locations. As a Geordie living in Essex, good reads and memories of locations from my youth.
 
I've read this many, many times and its helped me in life, business and sport. Anyone hungry for a bit of freedom and meaning should read about Johnathan. And the bonus, it will only take you about 45 minutes. (y)

I was given Johnathan by a girlfriend decades ago and only skimmed through it!

To be honest, I didn't think it worth taking even 45minutes over.

I think I still have it somewhere, I'll look at it again now I'm older. 😄

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Not heard any audio books myself, but a friend told me whenever they travel a long distance in their MH, they will put one on during their journey.
 
Not heard any audio books myself, but a friend told me whenever they travel a long distance in their MH, they will put one on during their journey.

I normally have one playing in my ear every day as I walk the dog. It's great when most have whispersync, as when you open your kindle, it opens on the very part you paused the audio, and vice versa.

Audiobooks on journeys are OK but only when I'm on my own, when two of us are listening, it's odd as you don't talk, like you do if listening to music
 
Yes, I've heard people say the same. Some people think it's a story about a seagull, which it can be if you like '\

As a story about a Seagull is probably how I took it as my mind was concentrating on the start up of my new Trucking Company at the time IF I remember correctly? 🤔
 
I normally have one playing in my ear every day as I walk the dog. It's great when most have whispersync, as when you open your kindle, it opens on the very part you paused the audio, and vice versa.

Audiobooks on journeys are OK but only when I'm on my own, when two of us are listening, it's odd as you don't talk, like you do if listening to music
Yes could be a problem. When we go abroad we don”t take a tv, but loads of books. Particularly my wife who is an avid reader.

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I'm reading Ed James's Scottish Borders detective series (DI Rob Marshall). I'm enjoying them as the places are local and familiar to me.

I also finished 13 Park Lane by Naomi Clifford which was a bit of a struggle towards the end!!
 
I picked up a book in Albacete the other day for a euro😅.
"Adiós A Las Armas" the Spanish version of "A farewell to arms"by Ernest Hemingway .
Currently parked up at the aire in Lierganes for the ferry at Santander tomorrow 😞 so that's my reading on the boat ,oh well the trip has to end at some point.😎.

Cheers Cris 🍻
 
Latest Audio Book listen a detectves story, first in a small series by P F Ford, The West Wales Murder Mysteries.

Outline;

Set in a Police Station in a small Welsh town. Various shenanigans mean that the Station is crewed by dead beats and failures so as to promote a nearby body of egotistical officers.

In fact the crew are people who have not been given an opportunity to shine.

Book One starts with two go getter, experienced detectives transferred in.

Let the fun and revelations begin.

Good story lines and characters, some humour unintended by the dodgy Welsh accents, it is an audio book. 😀


The author; Ford was a late addition to the publishing industry. When he was a child, P.F. Ford never felt like he belonged. He had a pretty good idea as to what he wanted to become in the future.

But he never had anyone in his life to support him in his endeavors. He often compared himself to a square peg that his kin and kith kept trying to force into a round hole.

The results were less than impressive. Ford went to and eventually dropped out of Grammar school. That did not stop him from trying to meet the expectations of other people by joining the employment pool and finding a few practical and financially rewarding activities to do.
 
Recently read:

Our man in Havana - Graham green. A real classic.
The Wager - Graham Grann. Unbelievable story on surviving a shipwreck.
The Fear Index/ Fatherland/Pompeii/ Act of Oblivion - Robert Harris. Such a brilliant author .
Say Nothing - Patrick Radden Keefe. Book is as interesting as the TV series.
 
Re reading the Jack Reacher books again although I didnt like the newer ones with his brother co writing.

I have been reading Scandi detectives - all of ASA Larsson Rebecka Martinsson series - I read the last one first then read the rest - set in Northern Sweden
Just started another by Lars Kelper

Also read some by Sabine Durrant - Finders Keepers really good.

Now on Magpie Murders - Anthony Horowitz - as seen on BBC but much better

Lastly if you like travel and motorbikes try Jupiter's Travels by Ted Simon - who travelled around the world in the early 1970's on a Triumph - one of the best books Ive ever read and still go back to it. Jupiter's Travels - Wikipedia

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Richard Osman The Thursday Murder Club Mystery’s. I’ve read the first one and it did take a bit of getting in to but I persevered. Ime now well into the second one , The Man Who Died Twice and am enjoying it now I’ve got to know the main characters. There are four books in the series and better to read them in order.
Book 3 The Bullet That Missed
Book 4 The Last Devil to Die
 
Stieg Larson’s trilogy - The girl with the dragon tattoo, The girl who played with Fire, and The girl who kicked the Hornets nest. Absolutely mindblowingly good.

Read in order.
 
Having been away in the van all week, plenty of listening time. Current audio book is The Riddle of the Sands - Erskine Childers.

Two Thirds through listening but very different to the movie.

Character voices good.

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Stieg Larson’s trilogy - The girl with the dragon tattoo, The girl who played with Fire, and The girl who kicked the Hornets nest. Absolutely mindblowingly good.

Read in order.
These were good but the third one in the trilogy was brilliant, couldn't put it down.
 
Do you read in Spanish? Genuinely curious(y)
Yes I read Spanish books , I did a higher exam with Cambridge university ,sat my exams in Alicante in 2010 . I had a house for a few years in Almeria Province so thought i best try and learn.
I had to read 3 books for the literature side, La Sombra del Viento , Las funerals de la mama grande and can't remember the third.
I try to keep reading when I can ,I must say I don't understand it all but can grasp most of it in the context of the the sentence and look up reoccurring words I don't understand
I get a chance to practice when I'm on my winter trips and I like to try and keep it up.

Cheers Cris 🍻
 
I've read this many, many times and its helped me in life, business and sport. Anyone hungry for a bit of freedom and meaning should read about Johnathan. And the bonus, it will only take you about 45 minutes. (y)
I agree that this is a wonderful book.

Another book that I found moving in the sense that it deals with a very emotional issue with a sensitivity that ultimately is life-affirming is William Kotzwinkle’s Swimmer in the Secret Sea. A novella, it will also only take about 45 minutes. Have read it several times now. Moves me each time.
 
Yes I read Spanish books , I did a higher exam with Cambridge university ,sat my exams in Alicante in 2010 . I had a house for a few years in Almeria Province so thought i best try and learn.
I had to read 3 books for the literature side, La Sombra del Viento , Las funerals de la mama grande and can't remember the third.
I try to keep reading when I can ,I must say I don't understand it all but can grasp most of it in the context of the the sentence and look up reoccurring words I don't understand
I get a chance to practice when I'm on my winter trips and I like to try and keep it up.

Cheers Cris 🍻
Brilliant! I hope you can keep up and use it from time to time(y)

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I took out an Audible subscription just as soon as my eyesight started going down the pan. I have 'consumed' a number of books since, an I find non-fiction -especially autobiographies narrated by the author- appeal most to me. Here's a liist of my recent 'reads', all highly recommended.

Careless People: A story of where I used to work. By Sarah Wynn-Williams blowing the lid off Facebook/
Roger Daltrey: Thanks a Lot Mr Kibblewhite: My Story
To Rule the Waves: How the British Navy Changed the Modern World
Playing Under the Piano: From Downton to Darkest Peru .By: Hugh Bonneville
The Lives of Brian By Brian Johnson
Politics on the Edge: A Memoir from Within By Rory Stewart
 
Now on book 19 of the ‘DCI Logan’ series……they’re addictive! Also managed to read two of the ‘DI Heather Filson’ books - all by J D Kirk.
 
Now I’m reading ‘Northwind: A Robert Hoon thriller’ by J D Kirk….
As others have said JD Kirk’s characters can be very addictive. Dark and hilarious at times.
Another favourite are the Strike novels by Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling).
“Tartan Noir” favourites include Chris Brookmyre, Val McDermid, Ian Rankine, Linn Anderson, Alex Gray, Doug Johnstone’s Skelf series.
I've read this many, many times and it’s helped me in life, business and sport. Anyone hungry for a bit of freedom and meaning should read about Johnathan. And the bonus, it will only take you about 45 minutes. (y)
I too have read JLS many times, happy, sad or lost direction. Neil Diamond’s soundtrack has been my album to grieve to on many a sad occasion.

On a totally different level, for a bit of lighthearted relief with a full time van life theme, I can recommend Jacqueline Lamberts series about life on the roads. Skiing, windsurfing, dogs, travelling and just living.
 
Yes I read Spanish books , I did a higher exam with Cambridge university ,sat my exams in Alicante in 2010 . I had a house for a few years in Almeria Province so thought i best try and learn.
I had to read 3 books for the literature side, La Sombra del Viento , Las funerals de la mama grande and can't remember the third.
I try to keep reading when I can ,I must say I don't understand it all but can grasp most of it in the context of the the sentence and look up reoccurring words I don't understand
I get a chance to practice when I'm on my winter trips and I like to try and keep it up.

Cheers Cris 🍻
Good stuff Cris. I did Intermediate 2 Spanish about 20 years ago. Still not bad at reading stuff to get the gist of it (would struggle with a book though) but forgotten a lot of it for speaking/find it hard to follow conversation.
 
Now on book 19 of the ‘DCI Logan’ series……they’re addictive! Also managed to read two of the ‘DI Heather Filson’ books - all by J D Kirk.
Im on book 15,what will i do when i run out? He is such an entertaining writer .

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