Howdy folks, how's everyone been?
Quick question - anyone read any decent books recently they can reccommend? I've just ordered Paradise City by Lorenzo Carcaterra which might be good. Apart from that I'm struggling a bit.
Cheers all
Phil

you mean crime book,what you want Fiction/non-Fiction.try looking in the real Life OC thread theres many in there...

A face from the past! How're things, Phil?

http://www.gangsterbb.net/threads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=200578&page=1#Post200578

Very well mate thanks, you? Moved away to become a journalist, was without internet for some time. Send an email or keep an eye out on msn for me!

thanks for replies fellas. I've already seen and digested the OC threat, looking for some fiction suggestions (not necessarily confined to mafia etc either).

For some reason I never seem to be able to track down the sort of books i like. Probably don't spend enough time looking!

Cheers

What kind of stuff do you like to read?

Recently, I've fallen in love with Italo Calvino's writing. Try If On a Winter's Night a Traveller or Invisible Cities.

My favourite novel ever is John Fowles's The Magus.

Where ya living now, then? I moved away to study Film and English at Uni of East Anglia, down Naa-rich.

As you've seen, we've plenty of recommendations for nonfiction in other threads.
Fiction? Since you're from the UK, I recommend two books by Jake Arnott, a countryman: "The Long Firm" (based in fact), and "Trucrime." Very good, both. I also recommend, in highest terms, two by the American writer George V. Higgins: "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" and "The Digger's Game," among the best crime novels ever written. In classics, Raymond Chandler is superb.

If you like this book (and Carcaterra's style) you may want to check out "Gangster" by him... its OK (just OK) but a fun read. Of course, "Sleepers" by him is a good story (and an even better movie).

I'm nearer your manor mate, live in Donny, work in Howden near Hull.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Turnbull, Arnott is one I've been meaning to have a look at actually, thanks for reminding me!

SC - I've ordered Paradise City on the strength of Sleepers, Gangster, Apaches and A Safe Place. I first read Gangster as a teenager and loved it to bits. I'm slightly less enraptured now but his stuff is entertaining. I'll let you know what I think of Paradise City.

I'm at a loss to explain why i find it hard to track down 'my sort of book'. I've bought a couple on the basis they are based in Barcelona (a city I love and have connections with) which were entertaining enough (The Colour of a Dog Running Away was one i'd suggest), about a mysterious cult in the Catalan city.

Not Barcelona, but still Spanish: Jorge Luis Borges's Labyrinths is recommended.

My flatmate's from Lincoln, and is a Hull City supporter.

I liked PARADISE CITY, especially the parts that were set here in New York. The information on the Camorra was particularly well researched.

GANGSTER was okay, as SC stated, just a bit too "romantic" for my taste.

I thought APACHES was Carcaterra's best work. CHASERS, the sequel to APACHES, which brings back Boomer, Dead-Eye and Reverand Jim, along with 3 new "apaches", is out in hardcover right now.

Hit Man by Lawrence Block, then Hit List, and there's a third in the series I haven't read yet.

HIT PARADE. Lawrence Block is great!! I love his "Burglar" series. Very funny stuff.

I just picked up some classics from the Barnes And Noble "summer reading" shelf, to give to my nephew. My brother is an ogre, well a wealthy ogre anyway, I'll give him that. So, I've taken it upon myself to see that my Godson is well read.

Anyhoooo, among others, I gave him THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, by Alexander Dumas, perhaps the greatest revenge story ever written. I explain to him who Dumas was and he responds by telling me, "forget Dumas, Uncle Johnny, you're a dumb-ass."

Did I mention he's 10?

I'm worried that the acorn hasn't fallen far from the tree.

Well, at least he'll have money.