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Underground > Books, Criticism & Writing >

Train Book - Book for a Looong Journey

  
 
Bear
12:24 / 05.03.02
Greetings Earthlings

Anyone got a good suggestion on a book I could buy for the train journey home next week. It'll have to be something quite mainstream, meaning I'll have to be able to get it in WHSmith at Kingscross. I'm up for trying anything, but i'd rather it was you know more upbeat as I'll be in a good mood..

[ 05-03-2002: Message edited by: bear - 11 ]
 
 
The Natural Way
12:32 / 05.03.02
John Ronson's 'Them' is a pretty good bet. Funny, sad, utterly compelling and mind-boggling. Life w/ the conspiracy nuts: Bilderbergers, giant lizards, Aryan Nation, militant Islam.....it's all in there.

Buy it.

JG Ballard's pretty easy to find, and he's quite fun.
 
 
Traz
12:33 / 05.03.02
Train Book? No, but I saw the movie.
 
 
Bear
12:35 / 05.03.02
Sounds good Runce, do we have any advance on 'Them'?
 
 
The Natural Way
12:42 / 05.03.02
Honestly, Bear, it really is goooood. And, if you're not familiar w/ it, it's reportage/journo stuff, as opposed to fiction.
 
 
Bear
12:50 / 05.03.02
I just had a little look on Amazon, great reviews. Is this the same guy investigating the Bilderbergers on BBC 2 a few months back, sounds like it.....
 
 
sleazenation
12:51 / 05.03.02
personally, if i'm not reading anything else at the time I tend toward a bit of forward planning and grab myself a nice graphic novel to read on the way-- nip down to Gosh and ask them to recommend something
 
 
Sax
12:55 / 05.03.02
Try the Diesel Multiple Unit yearbook 2002. It's packed full of train numbers, and you can cross off any you see on your journey. Interactive, rewarding, and fun.

Either that or the His Dark Materials trilogy by Pullman. Depends how long your train journey is.
 
 
Bear
12:59 / 05.03.02
Train journey is going to be about 8-9 hours, what/who is Gosh - and where can I find this creature?
 
 
The Natural Way
13:03 / 05.03.02
Yeah, it's the same guy - the book is the extended version. Gosh? It's opposite the British Museum. Keep your eyes peeled for the bat-signal. A genuinely attractive and nice comic shop.
 
 
Bear
13:08 / 05.03.02
Dark Materials sounds great too - well I wanted to start reading again anyway so if I don't read on the train at least I have some suggestions to keep me busy when I get back - Danke'
Anymore?
 
 
Sax
13:15 / 05.03.02
quote:Originally posted by Sax:
Either that or the His Dark Materials trilogy by Pullman.

Unintentional train joke. Heh.
 
 
Regrettable Juvenilia
13:19 / 05.03.02
If you haven't read the Pullman yet then definitely get that. The first one is perfect for a train journey... I guess it depends how quickly you read as to whether you want to buy all three (separately or in one collected volume) now or just start with Northern Lights...
 
 
Ariadne
13:26 / 05.03.02
Buy all three - cause when you get to the end of the first you'll really, really want the second. Trust me.
 
 
invisible_al
13:31 / 05.03.02
I'll third the 'His Dark Materials' series but with a cavat that though they are wonderful the third book could be considered a downer.

If you're into fantasy I can also recommend 'A Game of Throne' By George R. R. Martin. Yes its a big fantasy novel written by an American with a big name but it still walks all over most fantasy you'd get in Smiths. Think War of the Roses, and it takes most of your fantasy staples and has them hung within the first seven or so chapters.
But once again it could be considered a downer.

I'll just get my coat shall I?
 
 
Bear
13:39 / 05.03.02
Thanx everyone looks like its going to be Dark Materials - um what it about (without spoiling of course)?
 
 
Kit-Cat Club
13:48 / 05.03.02
EVERYTHING
 
 
Bear
13:55 / 05.03.02
um even marshmallow monkeys?

ok thats it sold then...

Thanx again everyone

** what's the odds though that it wont be there when I go, oh well there's always FHM and Loaded **
 
 
rizla mission
15:33 / 05.03.02
fuck that.

Raymond Chandler is always my choice for long journeys.
 
 
Not Here Still
17:28 / 05.03.02
Hmmm. Have a different problem.

I've got a long haul flight on Monday and I was planning on getting 9/11 (the chomsky book in Biblioteca Barbelith) to read on it.

Until I realised that reading a book which follows on from the worst act of terrorism featuring passenger planes ever might not be a; very reassuring for other passengers on the flight and b; very sensible if the cabin staff get a look at what I'm reading (not sure what's on the cover, but I bet it's not good.)

I'm taking Cosmic Trigger instead, so they either think I'm weird or I have no taste in book covers....
 
 
The Strobe
23:07 / 05.03.02
Well, bar the fact that Dark Materials is a superb recommendation, I'd still suggest Stephenson's Cryptonomicon if you haven't read it.

It lends itself to being read in a big long burst. HDM, despite being an easier read (and truth be told, better written), needs more time. Space to absorb what's going on, especially towards the end.
 
 
Kit-Cat Club
07:10 / 06.03.02
9-11 will not last you a long-haul flight - it is quite slender.

What about the old brown-paper cover trick? Then the airline staff will just think you're reading 'erotica'.
 
 
The Return Of Rothkoid
07:10 / 06.03.02
I'd second Cryptonomicon, too. Good long-period reading, though it doesn't feel draggy, so much. And it's remarkably compelling - ditto to to Chabon's Kavalier and Clay. Both are good, full of detail and depth (if you want 'em) and [blurbcheese!]rollicking good reads[/blurbcheese!].
 
 
Our Lady of The Two Towers
12:14 / 09.03.02
'Perdido Street Station' By China Mieville. And if something goes wrong and you're stranded in the middle of nowhere it's hefty enough to kill small mammals with too.

'VALIS' by Philip K. Dick, it's quite information-dense so will take a while to read.
 
  
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