Lockdown books

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I can't get any library books during lockdown so I've been reading some of the old ones in my bookcase. SF of course, which is my passion. How about this one from 1965 ( I was 19 then) :



Notice the price? just 3/6 (3 shillings and six pence) So as a shilling was worth 5p how does that compare with maybe £6 to £9 for a modern paperback?

The future Mrs J and I would have had a really good night out in Edinburgh on a fiver back then.

 

[varesecrazy]

1965..

Its aged better than me..

 

[DaveMcT]

Animal Farm and 1984 are perfect reading for today's fetid times.

 

[StevenRB45]

Was lucky enough to pick up a kindle...theoretically for munchkins bedtime but got Kindle unlimited.

So far it's been quite wide ranging, currently reading Cadfael, have read the whole Harry Potter series, multiple Clive Cusslers (now know why I only read them occasionally, if you read more than one it is immediately obvious they are all the same with various key things filled in at random). A collection of short stories by Boris Starling and pretty much anything that looks like it might be vaguely alright. Autocar is also available..

It's like Netflix for books..i.e. get 50 pages in and decide if it's worth you time.

 

[DaveMcT]

Robert Ludlam is good escapism though can get a bit samey.

 

[rmjbn1]

Greetings Jock. That's a title I've not encountered before - would you recommend it?

I remember you saying you were a science fiction fan and I've been meaning to ask if I might pick your brains on the subject.

I've only read a handful of SF books by Ursula Le Guin, Michael Moorcock and Alfred Bester, and really enjoyed them.

If you have any suggestions for further SF reading I'd be very grateful!

I've been busy reading Patrick O'Brian's Master & Commander series, currently on Clarissa Oakes, not sure what her game is yet... It was a new copy, but already looking much older than the book in your photo

I've also been dipping into the Motor Sport articles archive, including 'The Rise and Fall of BRM'

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Greetings Jock. That's a title I've not encountered before - would you recommend it?

I remember you saying you were a science fiction fan and I've been meaning to ask if I might pick your brains on the subject.

I've only read a handful of SF books by Ursula Le Guin, Michael Moorcock and Alfred Bester, and really enjoyed them.

If you have any suggestions for further SF reading I'd be very grateful!

I've been busy reading Patrick O'Brian's Master & Commander series, currently on Clarissa Oakes, not sure what her game is yet... It was a new copy, but already looking much older than the book in your photo

I've also been dipping into the Motor Sport articles archive, including 'The Rise and Fall of BRM'

Good Morning. Actually it's a very wet morning up here in Edinburgh!

That book is set far in the future where everything is breaking down, poisonous air, not enough food, etc and some "nasty" powerful people in charge. Quite good of it's type and well written by an acknowledged past master - but I've read better. Alfred Bester? love his "stuff" - The Demolished Man" and especially "The Stars My Destination" (also published as "Tiger Tiger") Michael Moorcock? maybe not so much for me. and Le Guin? Sure I've got one in the bookcase?

We are very "busy" just now because my youngest boy's house looks literally as if a bunker buster bomb has landed on the back of it! They are having an extensive extension built onto the back of the house and, with most of the extension now built, the builders are now breaking through into the old kitchen. The gas and water are off and the mess, especially the dust, is just unbelievable. So his wife and their two youngsters have come to stay with us and will be staying until the house is habitable again. (I think we constitute what is called a "bubble"). My boy is an essential worker so is at work a lot but sleeps at their house for security reasons. You can guess how little sleep we are getting with two lively youngsters bouncing off the walls!

However SF is one of my great passions so I'm going to take some time going through my bookcase and making up a list for you of some of my favourites. Don't hold your breath though.

You mention Master and Commander. Is that the series from which the film was made? It's one of my favourite films. And talking of films, if you ever get the chance to view "McLaren":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyMfzi6WRnY

I can strongly recommend it. I've viewed quite a few motor sport films (I was involved in serious "big time" motor sport back in the '70's) and this film captures a lot of the attitude people had in those days. There are certain parts of it which almost reduced me to tears!

Hope to be back with that book list before too long
regards
Jock

 

[DaveMcT]

My second house had a ridiculous kitchen and stairs layout. The kitchen did not have one wall that wasn't pierced by a door or window. The stairs were not level with a bedroom door wedged against the top and (one of) the kitchen doors wedged against the bottom.
One of my first jobs was to brick up that kitchen door, fit a 1/4 turn staircase, extend the landing about 18" so stairs were not rammed against the bedroom door and cut a new door into the kitchen from under the stairs.
That last job was taped up with polythene and duck tape but still we had huge amounts of dust. Breeze block is too brittle to hammer out so it had to be disc cut.
Lots of work but well worth the effort.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

My second house had a ridiculous kitchen and stairs layout. The kitchen did not have one wall that wasn't pierced by a door or window. The stairs were not level with a bedroom door wedged against the top and (one of) the kitchen doors wedged against the bottom.
One of my first jobs was to brick up that kitchen door, fit a 1/4 turn staircase, extend the landing about 18" so stairs were not rammed against the bedroom door and cut a new door into the kitchen from under the stairs.
That last job was taped up with polythene and duck tape but still we had huge amounts of dust. Breeze block is too brittle to hammer out so it had to be disc cut.
Lots of work but well worth the effort.

Aye Dave. They're cutting the entire old back (exterior) wall of the existing kitchen out with a still saw and opening up the existing kitchen by demolishing a couple of built in cupboards. They've used plastic sheet and tape to try to seal off the existing kitchen door into the house but they are also dismantling the existing back boiler and water cylinder in the living room and removing the, quite large, hot water cylinder (going to a combi system). The builders are really very good and trying their best but the mess is still horrendous. Just have to keep reminding ourselves how wonderful it's going to be when finished - in about 6 weeks so they say?

Sorry, that should be "Stihl" saw shouldn't it!

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

If you have any suggestions for further SF reading I'd be very grateful!

Bearing in mind that what one person likes may not suit another and that I have a liking for action, I'll just list some here, in no particular order and without trying to influence you to any great degree.

I'm now reread Ian Banks "Consider Phlebus" and really into it!
Isaac Asimov's (genuflect in the presence of greatness!) original 3 books in the "Foundation" series.
Robert Heinlein's "Starship Troopers" which was made into a rather mediocre film. He's also written a lot of other fine stuff.
Jack Campbell's "Lost Fleet" series. great reading although it does repeat action plots a little?
Larry Niven "Ringworld" series. and other stuff
Jerry pournelle "The Mote in God's Eye". and other stuff.
Scott Westerfeld "The Killing of Worlds" and "The Risen Empire"
Frank Herbert's first "Dune" You have to read it to understand!
David Drake's "Hammer's Slammers".
Gordon Dickson's "Dorsai" series.
Anne Leckie "Ancillary" series.
Arthur C Clarke (bow down low again) "Rama" series
William C Dietz "Legion of the damned" series
John Scalzi "Old Man's War" and linked books.
Jeff Vandermeer "Annihilation" series - a very different, slightly spooky, read.
Eyal Kless "The Lost Puzzler" and follow ons.
"Halo" novels by various authors.
J G Ballard "The Drowned World".
Peter F Hamilton "Salvation" series.
Dave Barra "Lightship" series.

Hope that'll do you for a start? Actually I'm finding it difficult to stop as more great reads keep coming to mind!
If you read any of them do let me know what you think?
regards
Jock

 

[rmjbn1]

Well that's very kind of you, Jock, and that's quite some list, thank you! The only book on there I've read is Ballard's "The Drowned World", so this should keep me busy for a few years now!

I didn't mean to throw extra tasks at you, it sounds like you have your hands quite full at the moment!

But maybe rummaging through your bookshelves has given you a good excuse to lock yourself away somewhere quiet for a while!

You mention Master and Commander. Is that the series from which the film was made? It's one of my favourite films. And talking of films, if you ever get the chance to view "McLaren"

Yes, I very much enjoyed the film adaptation of Master and Commander (based on parts of two or three of the books), really captured the feel and the characters of the books for me. Apparently they were intending to make a series of films (there are 20 1/2 books!), but the first film didn't do very well at the box office so the project was cancelled, which is a shame.


I also have a copy of the film McLaren, it is a remarkable story and very good film. I find it amazing that Bruce McLaren and Jack Brabham were team-mates at Cooper and both went on to not only create successful grand prix teams but also win grands prix in their own cars. Apparently Brabham and Ron Tauranac especially would carry out development work on Cooper's grand prix cars without telling the Coopers!

 

[rmjbn1]

Was lucky enough to pick up a kindle...theoretically for munchkins bedtime but got Kindle unlimited.

So far it's been quite wide ranging, currently reading Cadfael, have read the whole Harry Potter series

Hi Steven, did you enjoy reading Harry Potter? Funnily enough I just finished the series a couple of weeks ago and have to admit I have made a complete U-turn on my views of Harry Potter! I was always sniffy about the whole thing, but my girlfiend's a big fan and pestered me into reading them together during lockdown.

I like reading short stories on Kindle but struggle to get used to reading anything long on a screen (except maybe some of Jock's posts), I've been enjoying the ghost stories of M R James, among some really good (and free!) collections of stories

 

[StevenRB45]

Hi Steven, did you enjoy reading Harry Potter? Funnily enough I just finished the series a couple of weeks ago and have to admit I have made a complete U-turn on my views of Harry Potter! I was always sniffy about the whole thing, but my girlfiend's a big fan and pestered me into reading them together during lockdown.

I like reading short stories on Kindle but struggle to get used to reading anything long on a screen (except maybe some of Jock's posts), I've been enjoying the ghost stories of M R James, among some really good (and free!) collections of stories

Hi!

Having had a friend who dragged me along to the films the books came as a pleasant surprise. I think the only thing that annoyed me was in order of the phoenix everyone speaks "Cooly" or "Coldly" which after a while became rather repetitive but otherwise enjoyable.

Kindle was a tactical choice as little-un was both teething and suffering separation anxiety so I spent a lot of time on an armchair in his room. Phone screens are very bright at 3am the Kindle can be a lot less harsh on the eyes. Also doesn't require a light on so you can sneak off when you hear snoring.

I'll have a look after Cadfael, the whole paralysis of choice phenomenon is very much in play. Thousands to choose from...but which one???!?

The temptation is to gravitate to what you've heard of, but given my literary range tends to hover between Terry Pratchett or books with an exploding vehicle on the cover usually I'm trying to branch out.

 

[andydiver]

We Are Legion ( We are Bob) trilogy by Dennis E Taylor is a must for SciFi / Pratchett fans.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Hackman about a grieving man with principles made me cry each and every chapter, there is an OK film but read the book first.

 

[rmjbn1]

Having had a friend who dragged me along to the films the books came as a pleasant surprise.

My thoughts exactly! I've seen a couple of the films, I think they're pretty grim and decided Harry Potter wasn't for me. I was happy to be proved wrong.

I still wouldn't bother with the films tho.

But then a lot of film adaptations struggle to live up to the source material. Which is why I'm keen to try Jock's recommendation of Dune. It's one of those books I keep thinking I should get round to, I keep hearing good things about it. I'll admit to enjoying the film Dune (despite its many faults), but I understand it has almost nothing to do with the books.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Which is why I'm keen to try Jock's recommendation of Dune. It's one of those books I keep thinking I should get round to, I keep hearing good things about it. I'll admit to enjoying the film Dune (despite its many faults), but I understand it has almost nothing to do with the books.

Was it the original 1984 David lynch film you watched - I much prefer this version to later efforts. I wouldn't say the film is that far away from the book, but the book gives you a very different "feel" to the film - much more expansive and "involving". Maybe because it exercises the imagination which I find a film can never do?

For me that original book was by far the best, the follow on's never really hit the mark in my opinion?

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Recent posts in this, primarily book orientated, thread have started overlapping a bit into film so I thought I'd mention a few I've really enjoyed over the years. I've omitted the really big block busters like Star Wars, Alien, The Matrix etc in favour of some you may not have seen.

So here goes, but not in any particular order of preference:
1) "Serenity". Joss Whedon's feature length film spin off from the "Firefly" TV serial. Full of action and special effects, Blew me away first time I saw it.
2) "The Fifth Element". Bruce Willis at his crazy best. Another fantastic masterpiece.
3) "Pitch Black" and the follow up "Riddick". Just watch them.
4) "Valerian" a visual feast but don't expect any great taxing of the little grey cells.
5) "Cloverfield" and the two, loosely connected, follow ups "10 Cloverfield lane" and "The Cloverfield Paradox". The first two are wonderfully weird and the second keeps you guessing right to the end, so you just have to watch the third out of curiosity if nothing else.
6) "Oblivion" Lots of great visual stuff with a bit of a twist in it's tail.
7) "Moon" Very quiet and slow to develop. See how early on in the film you can figure out what's really going on.
8) "Outland" An old film with Sean Connery which takes place on Io (moon of Jupiter). outdated special effects but good acting and quite suspenseful.
9) "Dark Star" Classic of SF to be watched for that reason if none other
10) "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" More fantasy than SF - and I'm not so much into fantasy - but I really enjoyed this one.
11) "Evolution" Quite amusing with some decent special effects and not too "scary" - in fact quite funny in parts.

How about a few without the accent on SF?
1) "Two Lane Blacktop" Road trip where two youngsters pick drag races with locals as they travel across the US
2) "Vanishing Point" If you like cars and haven't seen this you should! Ranks with Easy Rider, American Graffiti, Bullit, etc.
3) "Layer Cake", "Rock n Rolla" and "Lock Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels" Definitive of the type. Sit back and enjoy with a beer and some crisps.
4) "Crank" and "Crank - high voltage"
5) "Get Carter" '60's gangsters in the north east of England with a young Michael Caine - You've probably seen it but if not you really should. Same comment applies to the original, Michael Caine "The Italian Job" of course.

Ok folks, the young master has awoken, (9 month old grandson) and 7 year old granddaughter wants me to play Lego with her (I make the cars, she races them down the stairs on a sheet of hardboard and I win if they don't fall apart!) So Granddad services required!
Hope you find at least one of the above entertaining
regards
Jock

 

[rmjbn1]

Cracking list again Jock, thank you for compiling it! I've enjoyed a fair few films you've mentioned, especially Moon, Serenity and Pitch Black. You've given me a few more to catch up on.

I would add "Under The Skin" to that list of science fiction film adaptations (again I haven't read the book yet, and also again I understand it's 'loosely based' on the novel of the same name...)

Amonst many things I like about the film is something that never gets mentioned in reviews - the road sequences featuring a lone motorcycle rider are enjoyable to watch, which is something most mainstream films do badly. Watching the film I thought 'that rider knows what they're doing' and then Jeremy McWilliams pops up in the credits. And some of the unscripted interactions with unsuspecting members of the Glaswegian public are great too!

Was it the original 1984 David lynch film you watched

Yes, it was the Lynch version, I hadn't realised there had been later adaptations. The mini-series completely passed me by. Apparently a new film Dune is scheduled for the end of 2020, directed by Denis Villeneuve whose films I usually like. Speaking of which...

"Arrival" is another SF film (by Villeneuve) I really enjoyed, based on the short story "Story of Your Life" by Ted Chiang.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Cracking list again Jock, thank you for compiling it! I've enjoyed a fair few films you've mentioned, especially Moon, Serenity and Pitch Black. You've given me a few more to catch up on.

I would add "Under The Skin" to that list of science fiction film adaptations (again I haven't read the book yet, and also again I understand it's 'loosely based' on the novel of the same name...)

Amonst many things I like about the film is something that never gets mentioned in reviews - the road sequences featuring a lone motorcycle rider are enjoyable to watch, which is something most mainstream films do badly. Watching the film I thought 'that rider knows what they're doing' and then Jeremy McWilliams pops up in the credits. And some of the unscripted interactions with unsuspecting members of the Glaswegian public are great too!

Yes, it was the Lynch version, I hadn't realised there had been later adaptations. The mini-series completely passed me by. Apparently a new film Dune is scheduled for the end of 2020, directed by Denis Villeneuve whose films I usually like. Speaking of which...

"Arrival" is another SF film (by Villeneuve) I really enjoyed, based on the short story "Story of Your Life" by Ted Chiang.

I haven't seen "under the skin" but just looked it up on google. Don't know if it's quite my thing from the review but I'll keep an eye open for it if it surfaces somewhere.

Arrival was quite good wasn't it. Have you seen "The Arrival" with Charlie Sheen? a considerably lower budget looking film but quite interesting aliens with "strange" legs!

 

[DaveMcT]

The only film missing from Jack's list is "You were only supposed to blow the bl00dy doors off"