What was the last book you read?

Mo Mouse

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Just finished 'Naughty Nude Girls Inside A Russian Borstal' which was a fantastic critique of the eastern European prison system. I have to say, though, that some of the Naughty Nude Girls appeared to have their Human Rights violated on a regular basis which made me feel rather uncomfortable. My favourite character was Lady Cynthia Tuddington-Smythe.
 

Monzo

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Hotel could have been a great soap opera. Imagine if they had used the elevator crash from the novel as a season finale cliffhanger!
I haven't watched 60's Hotel movie yet, but I've heard it's closer to the book. Aaron Spelling only took the name St Gregory and Peter & Christine as characters. In the pilot Christine got her job the same way as in the book, but that's the only storyline they adapted. So far Hotel is Arthur Hailey's only book I've read, but I watched some of his screen adaptions like Airport, The Moneychanges and Strong Medicine. I'm still looking forward to watch Wheels.
 

Willie Oleson

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I'm still looking forward to watch Wheels.
Ha, that's an obscure one. It's also on my mini-series-to-watch list even though I find most of the Arthur Hailey movies a bit disappointing.
His novels are well-structured and detailed and very interesting but there isn't much that the actors can do with his characters. Airport could fix that with the physical action/disaster plot but I found The Moneychangers quite boring, yes even with Joan Collins in it.

The automobile industry also could have worked as a backdrop for a Dallas-style soap opera, which was even more apparent in Harold Robbins' novel/movie The Betsy.
Actually, I'm surprised that they never gave it a try (well, there was Knots Landing Motors).

Generally speaking, it's hard for any movie to be as intriguing as the novel and the success of it mostly depends on great casting and atmosphere (e.g. Thorn Birds, North & South, East Of Eden, Mistral's Daughter) so maybe it is more interesting to read those novels after you've watched the movies.
I did it for more practical reasons, because without re-runs or movies-to-buy it was the only way to enjoy the fabulous mini-series again.

I see that you're from Germany and that reminds me of a German mini-series I'd love to re-watch.
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Unfortunately, German audio without sub-titles is not doable for me.

Anyway, back to the novels, there are still some titles in my most-wanted list.
Fred Mustard Stewart - The Mannings, Century, A Rage Against Heaven, The Savages Family series
John Jakes - The Crown Family Saga, The Gods Of Newport
Jonathan Black - The World Rapers, The House On The Hill

Needless to say, all these stories are about wealthy, powerful families and all kinds of evil megacorps with sex and murder and shocking plot twists.
 

Monzo

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Wow, Väter und Söhne!?! Did it air on Dutch tv or did you watch it on German tv? Last time it aired on German tv was 20 years ago. It wasn't a big hit as expected and to be honest I had totally forgotten it existed. Have you watched Weissensee, a series about an East German family, who are well-connected within the communist regime? It's one of my favorite German shows.

Back to books: I think North & South book 3 is one of - maybe the first novel I ever read, because that miniseries ended after book 2. I still got interest in reading John Jakes The Kent Family Chronicles, but I guess I'll never read it, because it contains too many parts.

Haven't heard of Fred Mustard Stewart and Jonathan Black before. Black's books were not translated in German, I just checked.

I'm going to read my first Jackie Collins novel soon. I re-watched Lucky Chances and Lady Boss, so I'm curious about what's next for Lucky and I bought book 4. Sadly only first three Santangelo novels were translated in German. I prefer reading books in German, but I hope Jackie Collins in English won't be too difficult for me.
 

Willie Oleson

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Väter und Söhne!?! Did it air on Dutch tv or did you watch it on German tv?
Yes it was on Dutch television. We also got Das Erbe Der Guldenburgs, I think it was German television's first attempt at soapy prime time drama?
Have you watched Weissensee
I have watched the first 3 or 4 episodes, that was two years ago I think. Not sure why I lost interest, maybe it was a little too "nice" for my taste.
I still got interest in reading John Jakes The Kent Family Chronicles, but I guess I'll never read it, because it contains too many parts.
It's very, very, very, very good - certainly worth the investment. California Gold is also a beautiful, epic saga (one book only).
Haven't heard of Fred Mustard Stewart
Maybe you're familiar with the mini-series Ellis Island, starring Faye Dunaway?
Most of his novels are period dramas, with lots of colourful villains and fabulous bitches and big mansions.
I prefer reading books in German
Absolutely. But in the case of The Savages Saga (4 novels) only the first one was released in Holland so I definitely want to give it a try and read the other parts in English.
but I hope Jackie Collins in English won't be too difficult for me
I don't think that's going to be a problem.
I can't remember if I've read Lady Boss or any of the follow-up stories, but I loved Chances and Lucky.
Overall, I think that Collins' post-80s novels became a little too formulaic. Loved Hollywood Wives, Hollywood Husbands was OK but Hollywood Kids was awful LOL
 

Monzo

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Das Erbe der Guldenburgs is definitely a show I would watch once more. I try to remember any Dutch shows on German tv, but right now only Flodder comes to mind. But we love Dutch tv hosts: Rudi Carrell, Linda De Mol, Sylvie Meis, Tooske Ragas to name a few.

Ellis Island aired in Baveria only in the mid 80's and in my area we didn't get Baverian tv back then, so I've only heard about it.

You've obviously read a lot, Noellie. Are you reading one book at a time or more? What are you reading right now?
 

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Are you reading one book at a time or more?
I could not read more than one book at a time.
What are you reading right now?
Nothing, although I dream a lot about books so the desire is still there. But it's so difficult to tear myself away from all the many, many great tv series.
I still got 6 unread books on the shelf and there are many that I want to read again.
The Debutantes by June Flaum Singer.
I've read her novel The President's Women. They're all beautiful and rich and there are problems.
 

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The fourth of Lee Goldberg's Diagnosis: Murder books, The Waking Nightmare

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James from London

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I could not read more than one book at a time.
I'm reading three at the moment. The newest is this one:

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It tells the Beatles' story in more or less chronological order, but each chapter is told from a different perspective. My favourite one so far is through the prism of Helen "Walking Back to Happiness" Shapiro. She was only about sixteen or seventeen at the time but was headlining her own tour and the Beatles, who were just starting out, were one of the support acts. It was their first tour and they were really excited. As she was the star, she had her own car to drive her from show to show, but she liked hanging out on the bus with the rest of the acts, especially the Beatles who she got on really well with.

During the tour, her star began to dim as the Beatles' began to rise. Her latest single flopped while theirs went straight to Number 1. The Beatles soon became the most popular act in the show and their manager insisted they start travelling in their own private car while Shapiro remained on the bus. They ended leaving the tour early and she really missed them.

Shapiro carried on releasing records after that, even though they didn't sell like they used to. A year or so later, she was appearing on the TV pop show Ready Steady Go. The Beatles, who by now were more successful than ever, were in the same episode and so, to generate interest in her latest song, someone had the idea of her singing each verse to a different member of the group. The only problem was there were four Beatles and only three verses, so the boys drew straws to see who would get left out and it was Paul. So instead, he was given the task of judging a dance competition elsewhere on the show. The girl he picked as the winner went on to become a regular dancer on Ready Steady Go for about a year. She was a normal girl from a small town and all of a sudden she was meeting loads of pop stars and hang out with them in swinging London. After an experience like that, she could never be satisfied living a quiet life at home with her parents again. She got pregnant by a fella and ran away from home leaving behind a note for her parents. They were heartbroken. Their story made it into the newspapers and Paul read about it. He didn't realise it was the same girl who'd won the contest he'd judged, but it inspired him to write the classic Beatles song, 'She's Leaving Home'. All because of little Helen Shapiro.
 
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bmasters9

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Finished the fifth book in Lee Goldberg's Diagnosis: Murder series, The Past Tense

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Angela Channing

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The Body Economic: Why Austerity Kills by David Stuckler and Sanjay Basu.

A heavy going subject explained in a very accessible way. This book is very researched with hard facts to support all their conclusions. One of the best books I've read on how different countries reacted to the financial crash and what were the consequences of their actions. The brilliance of this book is in how the they discuss this complex issue in both macro economic terms and also from the point of view of real individuals in different countries around the world.

 

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Diagnosis: Murder #6, The Dead Letter

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James from London

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To fill the void left by 'Good Night and Good Riddance', a book about John Peel which I never wanted to end, I have started reading

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Angela Channing

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Fellow members of Sound of Music Anonymous: My name is Angela Channing and I'm a Sound of Music fan. When I stumbled on the book The Sound of Music Story online I was keen to get a copy to read.



A well researched book about all things Sound of Music from the original Maria von Trapp autobiography, to the German film of the book, to the play, the Julie Andrews film up to the live TV versions of the play. I thought I knew a lot about the film but I learnt a few new things. A great read not just for fans of the film but for anyone who is interested in the whole process of bringing a film to screen.
 

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Just finished Finding Freedom - about Harry and Meghan. Didn’t really tell me anything very new except highlighting what I already suspected about Kate.
 
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