Attending a few COBRA meetings to actually hear that advice would have been a start instead of walking around shaking hands in defiance of a reality.
What are you reading? Page 14
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Quote: Chappers @ 31st March 2021, 11:57 AMThe Government took the advice they believed in.
No.
They repeatedly ignored the scientific advice they were given.
Anyway, we're going to be greyed out for being Off-Topic in a bit.
This is meant to a thread about what people are reading.
Read the book. Don't read the book.
F**ked if I care.
Quote: Teddy Paddalack @ 30th March 2021, 8:24 PMI have never seen his screen plays I should imagine that if they are cop based they would be Light Noir as his books read that way.
He wrote the screenplay for "The Birds", I think.
I didn't know that, but he (McBain) along with Tom Sharpe have a great simple style that really entertains me. I also read serious stuff as I love Russian history. Martin Sixsmith wrote a great one on Russia and the war time first hand accounts of Vasily Grossman are amazing in that they catch the insights of the individual inside the bigger story.
This is good igf you're into Russian History.
It's bloody massive - but good.
Might have to search about for a second hand copy - try Abe Books - as new it's bit eye-watering
That looks good, I know a little of the guy Gordiesky he was a double agent who was still retained in a minor role by the KGB while under suspicion before he escaped. That alone serves as insight about the Gorbachev & Yeltsin years as Putin would have had him killed regardless of any lingering doubts.
It was similar when Stalin died, Khrushchev exiled into obscurity many people who expected to be killed once he won and who would have killed him had they won.
The great 1984, one of the most widely read and influential novels, said my many to be an easy read. 
Well I'm trying to finally read this short novel but just find it unremittingly bleak and unrewarding. I can see it's very well realised and prophetic and important, and his construction of new phrases and general writing ability is indeed brilliant but my god, the endless drudgery of the narrative is too much. I wonder how many have topped themselves reading it. 
It's just syllabus bullshit along with Lord of the Flies and f**king Kes , it lets middle class teachers trick working class kids into thinking they are getting an education instead of teaching them something they could use like Bricklaying, plumbing , hairdressing etc.
Its the same as syllabus history , when was the last time knowing that Henry the 8th had six wives fed anyone other than the teacher?
So you don't think us working class trade persons should be introduced to thought provoking literature?
We don't all spend our leisure moments down the bookies.
Where did say that? I cited three titles that for me are disinteresting and unappealing. If your thoughts are provoked by them then that's fine.
In the words of Boris Pasternak 'Literature is the art of discovering something extraordinary about ordinary people, and saying with ordinary words something extraordinary.'
None of these titles do that for me as I think they rely on stereotypes rather than a true insight.
As for the bookies I don't go in them so there's another stereotype smashed.
Quote: Teddy Paddalack @ 14th April 2021, 7:43 AMwhen was the last time knowing that Henry the 8th had six wives fed anyone other than the teacher?
Quote: john tregorran @ 14th April 2021, 9:48 AMWe don't all spend our leisure moments down the bookies.
There was a filly sired in 1972, whose dam was a mare called Seventh Bride, who was rather cleverly named One over Parr (geddit?) and who won several races including the 1975 Lancashire Oaks.
So I was able to make use of my knowledge that Henry VIII had six wives at the same time as spending my leisure moments down the bookies.
I actually do on this occasion, I can't believe how far over my head your last one went, I could have squirmed for hours.
Quote: Billy Bunter @ 14th April 2021, 12:59 PMThere was a filly sired in 1972, whose dam was a mare called Seventh Bride, who was rather cleverly named One over Parr (geddit?) and who won several races including the 1975 Lancashire Oaks.
So I was able to make use of my knowledge that Henry VIII had six wives at the same time as spending my leisure moments down the bookies.
But did it win and why would that knowledge have helped?
I think he went for humor and I suspect that it won as the memory came across as a fond one. I was just surprised that he follows hunches like the rest of us , he sounds more like the type who follows form and gleans inside info from friends of the turf.
Quote: Chappers @ 14th April 2021, 7:05 PMBut did it win and why would that knowledge have helped?
I didn't expect a kind of Spanish inquisition...
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 14th April 2021, 1:45 AMThe great 1984, one of the most widely read and influential novels, said my many to be an easy read.
Stick with it
I found it tedious at the beginning but you find it gets more and more engrossing
Not a great book, book certainly a good one
I prefer Animal Farm