What are you reading right now?

[RooFlyer]

Have just finished:



Mostly the story of Gabriel Wells, an American antiquarian bookseller who in the 1920s broke up a Gutenberg Bible and sold off the individual leaves, and also some of the tales of the subsequent ownership of them. Also looks into the world of antiquarian booksellers, mainly in USA and Europe, and collectors.

Very interesting, but slows a bit as the author delves into his own family history which has connections to Wells' family.

An enjoyable read. Scribe Publications, RRP $36.99

 

[Brissy1]

Have just finished:

View attachment 431120

Mostly the story of Gabriel Wells, an American antiquarian bookseller who in the 1920s broke up a Gutenberg Bible and sold off the individual leaves, and also some of the tales of the subsequent ownership of them. Also looks into the world of antiquarian booksellers, mainly in USA and Europe, and collectors.

Very interesting, but slows a bit as the author delves into his own family history which has connections to Wells' family.

An enjoyable read. Scribe Publications, RRP $36.99

I think he was pilloried for doing that, but made a lot of money nevertheless. State Library NSW has a (complete!) 1st edition and later editions too, were on display last year.
More recently many old books were lost, broken up just to sell off the hand coloured plates.
Coincidently just this week I started reading a set of 4 books (below) which luckily survived, possibly because only 2 plates per volume are coloured.
Bought them decades ago (in the UK apparently as £28 penciled inside Vol 1 cover, bargain)

 

[ellen10]

Just finished The Nightingale, by Kristen Hannah. Great read.

 

[openseat]

I've just received Immortal Souls by Edward Fesser. Perhaps only for the Aristotelians among you.

 

[Foreigner]

English feudal land tenure to end?

Centuries-old leasehold system to be abolished in England and Wales Centuries-old leasehold system to be abolished in England and Wales

 

[Drakecula]

Struggled through the last Atlas book of the trilogy, ugh. Glad that's over.
Finished the Folk of the Air trilogy and book one of a duology that's set afterwards. Have ordered book two and a short story collection set in the same world.

Also finished the sequel to Divine Rivals, Ruthless Vows. Didn't quite hit as strong as the first book, but still good.

I've done a fair bit of reading, more than normal which is great. Eleven so far this year. I've still got so many on my to read pile!

 

[Drakecula]

Seems like it's time for a book update!

I've since read Ghosts of the Catacombs by Janna Ruth, a book I picked up at Book Fair Australia in Sydney last year. It's about a student in Paris who can see/speak with ghosts and a mystery that sends her down in the catacombs under the city. I picked it up because I've been to the catacombs and it's quite fascinating, and spoke with the author about it at the Fair. Got her to sign my copy too!

I also read Psykhe by Kate Forsyth, a retelling of the Psyche/Eros myth. Quite enjoyable though it seemed to be both Roman and Greek at the same time which was a bit odd.

The Midnight Girls by Alicia Jasinska, a young adult story about young women who serve witches and in turn receive monster like powers. They have to hunt princes and remove their hearts. It was set in an Polish-esque setting and was interesting to read a story from the monster's perspective.

I also finished Shield of Lies, the second book in a Star Wars trilogy. I know it's not canon since Disney wiped the slate clean when they took the reins, but still, it's a bit of fun to read.

 

[Bundy Bear]

current book
Australian Football’s 100 year club

I had been reading the Chairmans Lounge but found it hard to read.

 

[RooFlyer]

Current read. The cover explains it. Very detailed and sometimes technical explanation (by someone who was there on one of the spy submarines) of all the spooks, spies and gear of the 1960s and 1970s submarine Cold War including the true story of how a Russian submariner prevented World War III by refusing to agree to launch a nuclear torpedo at an American destroyer because he didn’t believe the countries were actually at war (during the Cuban missile crisis).



Oh, and some insider tales and gossip that the Glomar Challenger / Project Jennifer fiasco of CIA/Howard Hughes’s craft failing to lift a sunken Soviet submarine was not actually a failure at all .

 

[kookaburra75]

Current read. The cover explains it. Very detailed and sometimes technical explanation (by someone who was there on one of the spy submarines) of all the spooks, spies and gear of the 1960s and 1970s submarine Cold War including the true story of how a Russian submariner prevented World War III by refusing to agree to launch a nuclear torpedo at an American destroyer because he didn’t believe the countries were actually at war (during the Cuban missile crisis).

View attachment 437898

Oh, and some insider tales and gossip that the Glomar Challenger / Project Jennifer fiasco of CIA/Howard Hughes’s craft failing to lift a sunken Soviet submarine was not actually a failure at all .

If you liked that read, I can recommend this book, which covers some of those topics but more on what is was like being on the submarines

Blind Mans Bluff by Sherry Sontag

www.penguin.com.au