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My Kindle packed in last week - the 2nd one to fuck up. I called Amazon and they told me it was out of warranty by a month - they wouldn't replace it but could offer me a good deal on a new one. I said no. By the time I got home they had e-mailed me to offer an even better deal than the one I had been offered on the phone. I still refused.

 

I am going back to hard copies for a while. I picked up the only book on my bookshelf that I hadn't read and thought I'd give it a go. Some pish written by a lassie, fiction, thriller. Left at my hoose the last time my Mum visited. I hate to admit it but I am quite enjoying it. It's about a weirdo stalking and killing women, written from the womens' and sometimes the stalkers perspective. Embarrassed to even give the title and author.

 

As for The Forgotten Highlander. Nice book - I got my auntie to read the first couple of chapters to my Gran - they are about Aberdeen and the local dancing halls pre-war - stuff she could relate to and remember. I also warned my auntie not to read any further chapters to her as it might disturb her a bit!

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  • 1 month later...

My Kindle packed in last week - the 2nd one to fuck up. I called Amazon and they told me it was out of warranty by a month - they wouldn't replace it but could offer me a good deal on a new one. I said no. By the time I got home they had e-mailed me to offer an even better deal than the one I had been offered on the phone. I still refused.

I am going back to hard copies for a while. I picked up the only book on my bookshelf that I hadn't read and thought I'd give it a go. Some pish written by a lassie, fiction, thriller. Left at my hoose the last time my Mum visited. I hate to admit it but I am quite enjoying it. It's about a weirdo stalking and killing women, written from the womens' and sometimes the stalkers perspective. Embarrassed to even give the title and author.

 

As for The Forgotten Highlander. Nice book - I got my auntie to read the first couple of chapters to my Gran - they are about Aberdeen and the local dancing halls pre-war - stuff she could relate to and remember. I also warned my auntie not to read any further chapters to her as it might disturb her a bit!

 

 

Do it for ever Chutney.

 

Electronic books are abhorrent.

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Do it for ever Chutney.

 

Electronic books are abhorrent.

I was given a few books for Christmas which I will read of course - but was also given a Creative ZiiO. This comes with built in Amazon Kindle software - it is also fucking ace. I've downloaded all my archive Kindle stuff on to it, so will complete reading that at least - hard copies win every time though - and although I still have all the books I've bought from Amzon via Kindle electronically, it's not really the same as filling my bookshelves.

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I was given a few books for Christmas which I will read of course - but was also given a Creative ZiiO. This comes with built in Amazon Kindle software - it is also fucking ace. I've downloaded all my archive Kindle stuff on to it, so will complete reading that at least - hard copies win every time though - and although I still have all the books I've bought from Amzon via Kindle electronically, it's not really the same as filling my bookshelves.

 

 

I agree with the book shelf bit. I've got piles of books that I could very easily just sell off on Amazon but for some reason it seems more satisfying having books available in the house rather than making a few quid from them. Chances are I'll never read most of them again either but it's still nice to have shelves or cabinets stuffed with books of all different genres.

 

They say to never judge a book by it's cover but I'd say it's possible to judge a man by his bookshelf.

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Interesting. Never heard this concept of judging men by their bookshelf.

 

How would you like to be judged? Give us half a dozen books on your shelves that might define you?

 

 

No.

 

You love a good debate or try and raise a debate yet very few people actually engage in a debate with you.

 

Take a few moments to think why that may be.

 

I've no interest in engaging in any sort of conversation with you on the books I've got at home and how they may define me. That's not what the thread is about.

 

If you were any sort of reasonable character then yes I'd happily give you 6 books off my shelf that may define who I am as a person and what I like to read about.

 

However I don't see you as that. You've came on here very vocally about me and your views on what I am, the job I do and how that defines my character and so on so me giving you 6 book titles isn't going to happen as you'll come up with some pish that tries to provoke a reaction.

 

I suggest you read through the whole of this thread as I have posted about several books on here that I have recently read. That'll give you the answers you crave.

 

Happy reading. :thumbup1:

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Boof. I've only ever responded to your attacks. I hope you're not offended you poor wee thing. If you can't handle it, don't start it.

 

The reason why your concept of judging a man by his bookshelf is moronic is because what is on our shelves does NOT define us. I have two Gore Vidal books on my shelves that I couldn't finish as I found them thoroughly boring despite reading some if his novels from the library that I enjoyed. I have a signed copy of Lanark which I enjoyed 30 years ago but wouldn't dream of reading again. Similarly, the Booker winning A Disaffection is in my shelf which again I would never re-read.

 

We have a lot of books but they don't define us.

 

Interesting point, could the very fact that an unliked or unfinished book remains on a shelf say something about the person though, I accept that might be a very shallow or superficial analysis, i.e. bit of a hoarder? Or could the simple selection of reading material in the first place be relevant?

 

Furthermore, if the content of our bookshelf doesn't define you is it not fair to say that the books someone reads may be considered to "shape" them?

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Boof. I've only ever responded to your attacks. I hope you're not offended you poor wee thing. If you can't handle it, don't start it.

 

The reason why your concept of judging a man by his bookshelf is moronic is because what is on our shelves does NOT define us. I have two Gore Vidal books on my shelves that I couldn't finish as I found them thoroughly boring despite reading some if his novels from the library that I enjoyed. I have a signed copy of Lanark which I enjoyed 30 years ago but wouldn't dream of reading again. Similarly, the Booker winning A Disaffection is in my shelf which again I would never re-read.

 

We have a lot of books but they don't define us.

 

Dinna give me that pish about attacks FFS. :laughing: We'll park that up right there before it goes off topic.

 

As for the rest. Fair enough. It was a throw away comment anyway and wasn't put out for debate so I'm not getting too bent out of shape at you thinking it's a moronic point of view. However the fact you have these books surely gives an insight to the type of stuff you like to read and therefore you could make an assessment on the type of person you are?

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Here you are Rocket. The books I've mentioned in this thread that I've read. I'm not at home so a glance at the bookshelf isn't possible.

 

Anyone read anything decent lately?

 

Pete Postlethwaite book is ace.

 

Pete Postlethwaite

 

Reading through David Millar's one at the moment.

 

David Millar

 

Also reading all the Karl Pilkington ones for some light relief. :laughing:

 

Karl Pilkington

 

 

Blood Brotherhoods: The Rise of the Italian Mafias.

 

Immense reading.

 

bloodbrotherhoods_dropshadow.png

 

John Dickie

 

 

Niall Stikinoot?

 

 

Try the Jo Nesbo books.

 

Excellent stuff.

 

The Snowman and The Leopard both worthy of special mention.

 

 

 

The Psychopath Test.

 

Superb.

 

Same author as "The Men who Stare at Goats" which is also ace.

 

 

I'm reading Body Language (Robert Phipps is the author) for similar purposes although clearly not message board related activities.

 

Also working through Why Does E=mc2?: (and Why Should We Care?) by the lovely Professor Brian Cox.

 

 

Banksy: The Man Behind the Wall.

 

Really good book. Interesting stuff regarding the rivalry behind Banksy and Robbo.

 

Well worth a read. 8/10 <img src='http://www.afc-chat.co.uk/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbs.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':thumbs:' />

 

 

Galloping through this at the moment. It's excellent. 9/10

 

51NIiNsSIoL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU02_.jpg

 

 

Also reading this. Stupid title and cover which is in fact very misleading.

It's actually an excellent psychology book and well worth reading. Another 9/10.

 

51RyDSl%2B0XL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU02_.jpg

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A few years back I used to have a living room where one complete wall was essentially a bookshelf. I had read every book there, except for about 5 - ones I hadn't got round to / didn't fancy as were gifts. I had a mate that was quite proud of my books (probably because he didn't read much himself) and was telling another friend that he could pick any book on my wall and I would tell him what it was about, give him a short review. So the bloke is back at my hoose and picks a book at random - one of the ones I hadn't read. He then picks another - yet again one I hadn't read. There were a lot of books on that wall, and he managed to pick out two of the five I hadn't read. To stop it ever happening again I read the odd books. I gave away most of my book collection when I moved house about five years ago. I don't know why I did that, I have regretted it ever since. It was getting to a point where I was going to have to dedicate a room to them though, maybe a bit weird.

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why would you read a book when you can watch tv? or even better watch the movie of the book.

 

:laughing: :laughing:

 

The Alphablocks certainly aren't on your planner.

 

Although that last post was word perfect. :sherlock:

 

What have you been up to in your absence Bluto?

 

Spelling college?

 

Recording your appearance on Countdown?

 

How bizarre.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Anyone read 'Bounce' by Matthew Syed?

 

About half way through and finding it really interesting. Its basic premise is that there is no such thing as talent. Anyone who has ever reached world class level at anything, has put in 10,000 hours of practice. And essentially, anyone can become world class at pretty much anything with the correct motivation, opportunity and enough purposeful practice (10,000 hours).

 

A russian dude who also agreed that there is no such thing as talent, announced that when his children were born he would test this theory by turning them into world class chess players.

He had 3 daughters and 2 of them became grand masters and world no. 1 women's chess players and the 3rd girl reached an extremely high level but did not become a grand master.

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its nothing exactly new, though is it.

 

funnily enough loads of famous sports people are well known for getting into their sports at a very young age.

 

hamilton was on bleu peter. famous footage opf maradona as a kid.

 

how the fuck that guy can peddle a book on the back of this 'insight' is beyond me.

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its nothing exactly new, though is it.

 

funnily enough loads of famous sports people are well known for getting into their sports at a very young age.

 

hamilton was on bleu peter. famous footage opf maradona as a kid.

 

how the fuck that guy can peddle a book on the back of this 'insight' is beyond me.

 

haha - so dismissive.

 

I think it IS fairly insightful actually. It's not simply about sporting prowess. And in fact the only field where this knowledge doesn't serve much practical advantage to anyone other than the individual is sport. It is a much more useful insight when related to non-sporting fields.

 

For example the collapse of Enron was almost entirely down to an entire company believing in 'talent' rather than knowledge and experience. If society looked to change how we teach our children that dispenses with the notion of talent, it would be of huge benefit to society.

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haha - so dismissive.

 

I think it IS fairly insightful actually. It's not simply about sporting prowess. And in fact the only field where this knowledge doesn't serve much practical advantage to anyone other than the individual is sport. It is a much more useful insight when related to non-sporting fields.

 

For example the collapse of Enron was almost entirely down to an entire company believing in 'talent' rather than knowledge and experience. If society looked to change how we teach our children that dispenses with the notion of talent, it would be of huge benefit to society.

 

its the old adage - nature vs nurture. he is siding with nurture.

not a big leap to make is it.

 

perhaps i am being dismissive, i aint read it.

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its the old adage - nature vs nurture. he is siding with nurture.

not a big leap to make is it.

 

perhaps i am being dismissive, i aint read it.

 

Yes it is the nature vs nurture debate, but unlike the rather wooly arguments that are often given for each side of that debate, he gives some fairly compelling arguments for the nurture side.

Backed up sound science and some fairly definitive results of experiments.

 

I would be surprised if anyone could present scientific (or otherwise) evidence that is quite as strong as what is presented in this book.

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Started it yesterday and read almost half of the 550 odd pages. Couldn't put it down. Gripping stuff. Disturbing, but as you say, an excellent read.

 

There is something stomach-churning about Irvine Welsh's writing but at the same time, he's hugely talented.

 

Junk Dilemmas No. 63, less than one full page in Trainspotting is one of the most beautiful bits of writing I've ever read.

 

Must revert to it now. The Boof cunt has bored me to tears again. ;):wave::checkit::thumbup1::sleeping:

 

:laughing:

 

I'll give you a signed copy of my book once I write it. ;)

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Started it yesterday and read almost half of the 550 odd pages. Couldn't put it down. Gripping stuff. Disturbing, but as you say, an excellent read.

 

There is something stomach-churning about Irvine Welsh's writing but at the same time, he's hugely talented.

 

Junk Dilemmas No. 63, less than one full page in Trainspotting is one of the most beautiful bits of writing I've ever read.

 

Must revert to it now. The Boof cunt has bored me to tears again. ;):wave::checkit::thumbup1::sleeping:

 

when he writes from the viewpoint of begbie ib porno, it's magic. the chapter "crack whore"? is especially good.

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Got to agree with Birdsong - had it recommended to me about 12 years ago and gave it a read. First couple of hundred pages and thought I was reading a bloody romance. Toiled through though and turned out to be an absolute cracker. One of my top twenty ever I'd say.

 

Normally read only non-fiction - usually war history, maritime history or astronomy / cosmology. For some weird reason though I picked out "The Complete Works of Jules Verne" the other day on my Kindle - 36 books for $2.99! Haven't been able to put it down Fan-fuckin'-tastic. I recommend taking a big leap sideways from the norm for everyone from time to time.

I've been looking up shit on my Mums side and I discovered her Great Uncle joined the A & S Highlanders in Aug 1914 then transferred to the Royal Engineers 180th Coy (Tunnellers) as he was a coal-miner, in Jan 1916. He was one of 8 killed by a German explosion opposite the Hohenzollern Redoubt on the 12th of March 1916.

His name and that of his brother are on the local War Memorial.

 

I'm going to read Birdsong again!

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