Ruth (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
spooky_miss) wrote2010-01-24 02:33 pm
spooky_miss) wrote2010-01-24 02:33 pm
Books Three to Six
I've read quite a few books this week which I haven't yet updated about! :)
Book Three - Newgate - London's Prototype of Hell by Stephen Halliday
This was an interesting book, all about the history of Newgate Prison in London. Each chapter took a different aspect of it, i.e. punishment, sentencing, reform etc, and discussed that. It's similar to the book about Bedlam that I read recently, but not really quite as good. It had some really interesting stories in it, but it was written in quite a simplistic style and I found that some of the quotes were repeated quite a few times, which was a bit annoying. So overall it was an interesting read, but I wouldn't read it again. 5/10
Book Four - The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
This was just a short chick-lit style book which I bought from a charity shop for 10p, so I didnt expect it to be that good, but it was better than i expected :) Its about a group (mainly women, and one man) who decide to have a book club in which they read and discuss Jane Austen books. Each chapter describes each book club meeting, and at the same time the life and issues of the person who is hosting the book club that month. And relates it all to Jane Austen! I thought it was a nice easy read, and the stories were told and written better than I expected. Its especially good if you haven't read any Jane Austen and want a quick summary of what the books are about, as they are talked about throughout the chapters and also at the end there are summaries of each book. Also at the end there is a chapter of quotes of different people, from Austen's time to the present day, giving their opinions of her books. This is nothing deep and meaningful, but its still quite good. 6/10
Book Five - Frost/Nixon by David Frost
I am cheating on this slightly as I still have a few pages to go, but I will finish it today! I must admit I was a little disappointed with this book. It is about David Frost's famous interviews with Richard Nixon in the 70s, how they managed to get the interviews, and what the reaction was to them. The second part of the book has the transcripts of the interviews. I know very little about American history, so I hoped this book would help describe what Watergate was and why it had the outcomes that it did. Unfortunately it did seem to assume that you knew about what happened and who everyone who was involved in it was, so I was a bit lost at times. I could see the importance of what Nixon said in the interviews and why they were so important, but I couldn't really put it in context, which made it at times a difficult read. I would only really recommend this to someone who knows about American history and what happened with Watergate, although it was well written. 6/10
Book Six - The Final Reckoning - Sam Bourne
I'm cheating on this one too, as I also havent finished it, but I will also finish this today, and I know this is a definate 10/10!! This is such a great book. Sam Bourne's books always seem to mix a crime / thriller element with historical facts, which I love. This particular book is about the killing of an old man at the UN building in New York - at first he's suspected as a terrorist, but then it seems to be a big mistake, but then the guy sent to England to apologise to the man's daughter finds out that her father had connections to the suspicious deaths (although they are meant to not be suspicious!) of notorious Nazis who are still alive and who had not been punished. Someone else seems to know this, and this might have been why the old man was killed. I haven't got to the end, but I really can't put it down, its such a good book! Definately 10/10! :)
I don't think I've watched any films this week...not that I can remember anyway. I wanted to go and see The Road, but it wasn't on near to me so I think I'll just have to wait until its out on DVD. I did buy some dvds this week though - Changeling, which I haven't seen, The Pianist, also haven't seen, Che Parts one and two (not seen) and Clueless, which I have seen! Bit different from all the rest, but its such a classic chick flick! :) I think today I might watch The Black Dahlia Murder and Changeling.
It was the Rock Night on friday - same as always! Had a really good conversation with Sean about books and films, and I recommended he should read Pillars of the Earth, as he likes historical fiction. The music was just about the same though. Which is a bit of a shame, but oh well. I just need to find more friends who like the same kind of music as me so I can go out to things in London more. There looks like theres a good night at the Dev/Hobgoblin next Friday, goth industrial and EBM with good djs, so I might ask around and see if anyone wants to go...I really doubt they do though! Its a band night next Saturday at the Beehive, with Nadir Rising playing, they're always good, not just for a local band, but they're geniunely good so I think I'll probably go to that. Next Slimelight we're going to is after Assemblage 23 on 13th February - although I haven't got the tickets yet, I'm not sure whether to be worried or not, as I did order them a while ago, but the gig isnt for a while, so maybe I'll wait for another week and then email them.
Went shopping in London yesterday with KT, that was great, but so tiring! My feet ached so much! But I bought a lovely bag from Camden, its got these little creatures on which I keep seeing everywhere recently, they look like pigs but I'm not sure what they're supposed to be, some kind of japanese thing I think. And I bought the aforementioned dvds, some tshirts, and some tights. Ooh and the Best of The Doors on cd :) I really love them at the moment, Jim Morrison's voice is just amazing!
And talking of the Doors...am going to go and listen to them now, and finish reading my books! :)
ETA: Finished reading The Final Reckoning earlier - ah it was so brilliant! So much better than I expected as well! :D Definately recommended!
Book Three - Newgate - London's Prototype of Hell by Stephen Halliday
This was an interesting book, all about the history of Newgate Prison in London. Each chapter took a different aspect of it, i.e. punishment, sentencing, reform etc, and discussed that. It's similar to the book about Bedlam that I read recently, but not really quite as good. It had some really interesting stories in it, but it was written in quite a simplistic style and I found that some of the quotes were repeated quite a few times, which was a bit annoying. So overall it was an interesting read, but I wouldn't read it again. 5/10
Book Four - The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
This was just a short chick-lit style book which I bought from a charity shop for 10p, so I didnt expect it to be that good, but it was better than i expected :) Its about a group (mainly women, and one man) who decide to have a book club in which they read and discuss Jane Austen books. Each chapter describes each book club meeting, and at the same time the life and issues of the person who is hosting the book club that month. And relates it all to Jane Austen! I thought it was a nice easy read, and the stories were told and written better than I expected. Its especially good if you haven't read any Jane Austen and want a quick summary of what the books are about, as they are talked about throughout the chapters and also at the end there are summaries of each book. Also at the end there is a chapter of quotes of different people, from Austen's time to the present day, giving their opinions of her books. This is nothing deep and meaningful, but its still quite good. 6/10
Book Five - Frost/Nixon by David Frost
I am cheating on this slightly as I still have a few pages to go, but I will finish it today! I must admit I was a little disappointed with this book. It is about David Frost's famous interviews with Richard Nixon in the 70s, how they managed to get the interviews, and what the reaction was to them. The second part of the book has the transcripts of the interviews. I know very little about American history, so I hoped this book would help describe what Watergate was and why it had the outcomes that it did. Unfortunately it did seem to assume that you knew about what happened and who everyone who was involved in it was, so I was a bit lost at times. I could see the importance of what Nixon said in the interviews and why they were so important, but I couldn't really put it in context, which made it at times a difficult read. I would only really recommend this to someone who knows about American history and what happened with Watergate, although it was well written. 6/10
Book Six - The Final Reckoning - Sam Bourne
I'm cheating on this one too, as I also havent finished it, but I will also finish this today, and I know this is a definate 10/10!! This is such a great book. Sam Bourne's books always seem to mix a crime / thriller element with historical facts, which I love. This particular book is about the killing of an old man at the UN building in New York - at first he's suspected as a terrorist, but then it seems to be a big mistake, but then the guy sent to England to apologise to the man's daughter finds out that her father had connections to the suspicious deaths (although they are meant to not be suspicious!) of notorious Nazis who are still alive and who had not been punished. Someone else seems to know this, and this might have been why the old man was killed. I haven't got to the end, but I really can't put it down, its such a good book! Definately 10/10! :)
I don't think I've watched any films this week...not that I can remember anyway. I wanted to go and see The Road, but it wasn't on near to me so I think I'll just have to wait until its out on DVD. I did buy some dvds this week though - Changeling, which I haven't seen, The Pianist, also haven't seen, Che Parts one and two (not seen) and Clueless, which I have seen! Bit different from all the rest, but its such a classic chick flick! :) I think today I might watch The Black Dahlia Murder and Changeling.
It was the Rock Night on friday - same as always! Had a really good conversation with Sean about books and films, and I recommended he should read Pillars of the Earth, as he likes historical fiction. The music was just about the same though. Which is a bit of a shame, but oh well. I just need to find more friends who like the same kind of music as me so I can go out to things in London more. There looks like theres a good night at the Dev/Hobgoblin next Friday, goth industrial and EBM with good djs, so I might ask around and see if anyone wants to go...I really doubt they do though! Its a band night next Saturday at the Beehive, with Nadir Rising playing, they're always good, not just for a local band, but they're geniunely good so I think I'll probably go to that. Next Slimelight we're going to is after Assemblage 23 on 13th February - although I haven't got the tickets yet, I'm not sure whether to be worried or not, as I did order them a while ago, but the gig isnt for a while, so maybe I'll wait for another week and then email them.
Went shopping in London yesterday with KT, that was great, but so tiring! My feet ached so much! But I bought a lovely bag from Camden, its got these little creatures on which I keep seeing everywhere recently, they look like pigs but I'm not sure what they're supposed to be, some kind of japanese thing I think. And I bought the aforementioned dvds, some tshirts, and some tights. Ooh and the Best of The Doors on cd :) I really love them at the moment, Jim Morrison's voice is just amazing!
And talking of the Doors...am going to go and listen to them now, and finish reading my books! :)
ETA: Finished reading The Final Reckoning earlier - ah it was so brilliant! So much better than I expected as well! :D Definately recommended!