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I don't know if this has been covered elsewhere on the forum. Is there a topic regarding your favourite authors and books?

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I don't remember one...

I'm going to offer an adopted local lad as one of my current favourites, Jon McGregor. A fine and distinctive writer with a somewhat poetic style.

I like some pretty disparate writers, Jack Kerouac, Sillitoe Irvine Welsh, Roddy Doyle and of late, Stuart Maconie

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Thank's for the info guys. My all time favourite author has to be Laurie Lee. I read " Cider With Rosie " for my CSE English exam and fell in love with his wonderful prose. I have been lucky enough to have all three first edition books of his autobiographical works signed by him with " As I walked Out One Summers Day " and " A Moment of War " personally inscribed.

I go with Alan Sillitoe as my favourite novelist...( of course! ).

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  • 3 months later...

Cider with Rosie is also one of my all-time favourites: the language is just so beautiful. I have enjoyed everything by Thomas Hardy, particularly 'Tess'. As far as modern-day writers, I have been particularly influenced by Ian McEwan, Lesley Glaister (a Sheffield writer) and Julie Myerson who was originally from Nottingham.

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:) Absolutely Love Books.

I well remember being allowed to join the Senior Library at Aspley at the age of 13 and being allocated 4 tickets. I went mad - I was a real book worm.

I well recall reading John Wyndham's 'Day of the Triffids' and Richard Llewellyn's 'How Green Was My Valley' - shed bucket loads reading this.

Classics are my favourite but my absolute favourite book of all is: 'A Tree Grows In Brooklyn' by Betty Smith - cost me 50p from a Southwell book shop; a beautiful and emotional read. :)

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I've read heavier things in my time for various reasons but I tend to like an easy and entertaining read at bedtime.

Just recently finished Who I Am by Pete Townshend which was an interesting and through autobiography which posed a few questions about the man.

171710045.jpg

Now on Rod - The Autobiography by Rod Stewart and it's a very funny and self-deprecating look at what has been a very 'full' life!

rod-stewart-autobiography-october-2012.jpg

Next up? Well Inspector Rebus is back after five years in Standing in another man's grave by Ian Rankin. It's sitting on my shelf ready.

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:) Stu, if you're into reading Horror - that's how I saw Inspector Rebus on the telly - may I suggest: 'The Exorcist' by William Peter Blatty - his magnum opus. Although, I'd advise against you reading it last thing at night: it's such a well written book you won't be able to put it down. :)
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:) Once started on books, I can't stop.

Best book I ever read: 'Lolita' by Vladimir Nabokov; a hard read but well worth it - exquisite literature.

It's not really a book about a middle aged college professor obsessed with a 14 year old girl but the work is a vast metaphor for Russian Nabokov's *New Found Land, i.e. America.

*'O, my America,

My Newfoundland'

(Nabokov influenced by English Poet: John Donne 1572 -1631)

'Lolita', a truly beautiful, creative work.

:)

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My wife and I are both avid readers, we both have ereaders and always have a few dozen books on there ready to go.

Love gritty detective types, Rebus - Ian Rankin, have read all Stuart McBride and eagerly await his new offerings, Michael Rowbotham too. Mark Billingham. , just to name a few.

I've also recently d/loaded Alexander Solhenitsyn (spelling) His "Gulag Archipelago" "Cancer Ward" "The First Circle"

Dont laugh but while staying with my daughter in Darwin, she recently got me into "The Game of Thrones" series by George RR Martin so I downloaded the 5 books and I'm hooked !

I know its a fantasy/fiction but I love all the historical type of stuff in it and the knights, and chivalry, honour etc.

Makes me want to believe that is possibly how our history developed from the upper class lords and ladies and the big families betrothing their children to gain more power and influence.And some of the devious goings on.

As a side I also admire George RR's mind in conjuring up so many characters and giving them all life. Amazing stuff IMO.

While working as an electrician in Nottm many years ago, I had a job at the Nottm records office in the lacemarket on Weekday Cross, whilst having lunch with the old caretaker bloke, he asked me if I was interested in history, anyway he took me into the basements and I was blown away by the stuff they have there,all the way back to the middle ages ! Drawer after drawer of the stuff and all real.

Sorry to digress from the OT. but this memory suddenly appeared as I was talking about "Songs of Fire and Ice".

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I collect old books so for me any book is a good book, and I have no all-time favourites, I will read anything....................

But at the moment I am reading an 1874 copy of English Eccentrics by John Timbs.......

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:) Stu, if you're into reading Horror - that's how I saw Inspector Rebus on the telly - may I suggest: 'The Exorcist' by William Peter Blatty - his magnum opus. Although, I'd advise against you reading it last thing at night: it's such a well written book you won't be able to put it down. :)

Thanks for the tip, Christine. Rebus is not actually horror (though there are some quite gritty things going off!) but crime fiction.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The books i seem to enjoy most end up being like, The right stuff (Chuck Yeager), Hizzy ( Steve Hislop) , etc about real people.

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Jeeze, read so many books in my lifetime that if I had a pound note for each I've read, I'd be a very rich man!! Lets see, Alister MacClean's books, a lot better than the movies made from them!

Dennis Wheatley, another good author who's books scared the crap out of me at times, but still couldn't put then down.

Just way too many good books and authors.

Earnest Hemmingway, but heavy reading Barry Hines Kes, and his "Price of Coal" not a bad effort for someone who never worked in coal mining, he caught pit humour real good for an outsider..

Also read tons of history books..

The Stars Look Down was a classic by A.J. Cronin an excellent read.....

There that's a starter..

I was on a roll in the 60's with WW2 escape stories like The Wooden Horse by Eric Williams, Colditz Story by Major Pat Reid, great book plus it's follow on. Even the great escape of Casanova was a great book based on the arch lovers escape from prison.

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  • 1 month later...

Picked up a 1932 & a 1941 Kelly's Directory of Nottinghamshire @ £30 each.



As the normal going rate is over £80 each I think I had to shout about it.

And they are in very good condition.

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Reading ......Float fishing and spinning in the Nottingham style by John William Martin (The Trent Otter) wrote in 1882...........

A very informative book on how they angled, in the Victorian era...............

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:biggrin: Hi Hippo Girl @ #22; welcome your critique on the Pete Townshend autobiography.

Pete Townshend: a clever and creative mind, an innovator, whose lyrics back in the 60's shocked Society - even we teenagers. He wrote of popping pills, gender dis-satisfaction and of a young boy's erotic dreams. Pete, braving the way forward............ :ohmy:

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  • Cliff Ton changed the title to Books and Authors

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