What book you reading ?

[Nicos]

The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory

1539- 1542…the ongoings in the Royal Household told by Jane Boleyn, Katheryn Howard and Anne of Cleeves, each
alternating chapters.
Based on fact.
Very nicely written.

[Nicos]

The Seventh Son- Sebastian Faulks

Set a short time in the future with a genetically altered DNA (by including Neanderthal DNA ) into IVF….

[mothhawk]

I've just started The Happy Countryman, by H.E. Bates. First published 1943. He writes about country life in the south of England as it was back then in the war years.

[1batfastard]

Hi All,
Four chapters into Them And Us by Danny Vendramini.

This accessible, intelligent and page turning read sheds new light on how Neanderthals evolved and the origins of human behavior, uncovering what it means to be a modern human in the 21st century. Neanderthal Predation (NP) theory begins with a radical new assessment of Neanderthal behavioral ecology by pulling together new archaeological and genetic evidence, showing they weren't docile omnivores, but savage, cannibalistic carnivores - top flight predators of the stone age; Apex predators at the top of the food chain, and what happened next - when humans became prey.

"Danny Vendramini presents a truly unique and innovative picture of the role of Neandertal predation in human evolution…Vendramini pulls together countless different threads of scientific evidence to re-cast Neanderthals as "apex predators", proverbial "wolves with knives" who were effective rivals with our ancestors…. It has been a long time since I read a book about human evolution that I enjoyed so much." Associate Professor John J. Shea. Stony Brook University, New York.

Geoff.

[Nicos]

^^^ wow!…interesting Geoff! Always interesting to see differing opinions on prehistoric events.

[nick the grief]

I finally got round to reading two of Christopher Lloyds books.

Christopher Lloyd'd gardening year
The Well- Tempered Garden

I would have like to have met him he sounded like a character

[1batfastard]

Hi All,
Just about to start Justin Hill's - Shieldwall, Historic fiction should be interesting....

A Sunday Times Book of the Year 'Justin Hill's Shieldwall . . . superbly evoked the wordplay of the period's poetry as it unfolds a compelling story of Earl Godwin's battles against the Norse'

The year is 1016 and England burns while the Viking armies blockade the great city of London. King Ethelred lies dying and the England he knew dies with him; the warring kingdoms of Mercia, Wessex and Northymbria tremble on the brink of great change. One man lives to bear witness to the upheaval: Godwin, barely out of boyhood and destined to become one of his country's great warriors.

When Ethelred's son Edmund takes the throne, determined to succeed where his father failed, he plucks Godwin from domestic peace to be right-hand man in his loyal shield wall. Godwin must traverse the meadows, wintry forests and fogbound marshes of Saxon England, raising armies of monks, ploughmen and shepherds against the Viking invader. With epic courage and ferocity, Godwin and Edmund repel the butchering Danes in three great battles. But an old enemy, the treacherous Earl Eadric, dogs Godwin's footsteps, and as the final battle approaches, around the valiant English the trap begins to close.

Nicos - I suppose all said and done history especially pre-history is at best a well educated guess with what few if any physical evidence that exists from whatever period, especially when there is no written testament to events. Also not being present at whatever event to witness these occurrences you have to go with whatever remnants if any are left behind or by word of mouth handed down through time but like anything it could get distorted along the way.

The author admits that the book is a theory for the most part and will be picked apart by others who do not agree with his findings, He has been basically trying to match the evidence already found and his theory/evidence connecting the dots to modern and from modern day humans going back through all related sub species,

Example:- A lot of the Human fears we experience are related back to when Neanderthals roamed around looking for Mates / Food etc. etc. just to exist. They actually viewed anything else including other hominids as food if not for mating with them, this continued until almost wiping the Human hominids down to a little pocket, when these few banded together and reversed the trend until basically forcing the eradication of Neanderthals turning everything on it's head after many, many , many years !

Still interesting stuff I actually thought when bought it was going to delve into possible links into Sasquatch / Bigfoot territory but the book barely touched on the subject to the very end. A lot of the book includes references to other Authors /Scientists findings and theories.

I suppose at the end of the day though everybody who delves into these histories should help each other out as someone could have a missing link that will tie all theories together. To coalesce the evidence as one so to speak, but everybody needs to drop they're egos and agendas and work together pool the evidence IMPO.

EDIT:- The book (Shieldwall) is actually two books in one I just found this out as I have just started the 2nd book and to be perfectly honest I am actually rather enjoying it.

Geoff.

[Nicos]

Something nice and light…
Toast: the Story of a Boy's Hunger by Nigel Slater

Basically his autobiography. Very nicely written.
I really like this guy.

[Andraste]

Still working my way through Stuart Pawson's DI Charlie Priest series - I'm enjoying them very much - thanks for the recommendation 1batfastard

[1batfastard]

Hi All,
20 chapters (1/3rd) of the way through book 5 of The Last Brigade Saga - Righteous Rage by William Allen Webb and still love it just cannot put the book down once started.

The fight is on for the soul of resurrected America, and the good guys are losing.

Tom Steeple and his Chinese allies have taken control of Overtime Prime, and with the fall of Nick Angriff their opposition is powerless to stop them. Steeple’s dream of a totalitarian America under his hand as benevolent dictator can now become a reality, even if it means making common cause with America’s mortal enemies. No treachery is too great to fulfill his ambitions, and those of his friends.

But American patriotism doesn’t die that easily, and Steeple just might find out that men and women still exist to protect those who can’t protect themselves. Regardless of the odds, some people take their service oaths seriously, even unto death.

Such courage always has a cost, though, and this time the cost is high.

Very high.

Geoff.

[Nicos]

I grabbed an old book from our bookcase before we went on hols…
The Deep Range by Arthur C. Clarke

Great Sci Fi…realistic enough to be possible in this day and age.

my edition is 1977 and is very browned around the edges, but has a wonderful old book smell. Something you just can’t get with online reading.

[Andraste]

I love that 'old book' smell too Nicos.

There used to be a lovely little shop locally with proper creaky floorboards & mismatched carpeting that sold more old books than new - I couldn't walk past without popping in. Unfortunately I clearly should have spent a little more money there as it's closed now, although the owner had been there for donkeys (y)ears.

We're not too far away from Hay on Wye though - that's a smashing place to go to sniff old books if you're ever in the area next time you're in the UK (I promise my book sniffing tendencies are pure & wholesome).

[Nicos]

^^^ brill … you are clearly my soulmate Astrade

[mothhawk]

Just finished Landlines, by Raynor Winn (who wrote The Salt Path). Another cracking good read as she and Moth start off on the Cape Wrath Trail.

[1batfastard]

Hi All,
A chapter into that awfully loud man Brian Blessed - Absolute Pandemonium.

The book ha s a really funny anecdote at the beginning concerning himself and three other climbers cooped up in a two man tent. One at the back needs too shall we say to vacate what he had eaten and the result hitched a ride by some means on his shoulder back into the tent which gave shall we say an air of who's farted ?.....

There is no one quite like Brian Blessed. He's an actor, film star, trained undertaker, unlikely diplomat, secret romantic, martial artist and mountaineer. He's also a brilliant storyteller who will – and you must brace yourself – simply leap out of the pages at you.

Ready? Then start Absolute Pandemonium and you'll be taken on a riotous journey from his childhood, growing up the son of a miner in Goldthorpe, to finding fame in Z-Cars. You'll see Brian falling for Katharine Hepburn on the set of The Trojan Women, suffering wires strapped round his wotsits as he was hoisted into the heavens on Flash Gordon, almost causing an international incident when meeting the Emperor and Empress of Japan, and winning round George Lucas to get the role of Boss Nass on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

Along the way he takes secret revenge on headmistress Mrs Jarman and her very big bottom, punches Harold Pinter, loves and hates Peter O'Toole, woos his beautiful wife Hildegard Neil and braves the shocking death toll on cosy TV drama My Family and Other Animals. Crammed with anecdotes from his illustrious career, this is a funny, warm-hearted, life-affirming, LOUD and unique memoir from a much-loved figure.

Geoff.