THE DONSTALK BOOK CLUB

[RicoS321]

I'm reading Don Quixote if anyone wants to know. 

[blinlemon]

21 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

I'm reading Don Quixote if anyone wants to know. 

“KI-hOAtay” rhyming with “photie” and onomatopoeia for clearing phlegm fae yer throat, or “KwixOaty” like “a ready-made breakfast cereal”?

A long-standing debate in the Bilermakers. 

[2stars]

On 01/05/2026 at 20:45, RicoS321 said:

I'm reading Don Quixote if anyone wants to know. 

Let me know how you get on with that- been something been on my list to read for years 

[RicoS321]

10 hours ago, 2stars said:

Let me know how you get on with that- been something been on my list to read for years 

I've read it afore, it's good, if you like that sort of thing. Like all the best books, it's quite accessible, with no horrendously long chapters, so even if you have a phone-addled attention span you can pick up and put down with regularity! It was only £5 in the rosemount bookshop, so it's fine to have in the hoose.

14 hours ago, blinlemon said:

“KI-hOAtay” rhyming with “photie” and onomatopoeia for clearing phlegm fae yer throat, or “KwixOaty” like “a ready-made breakfast cereal”?

A long-standing debate in the Bilermakers. 

It has to be photie-rhyming. I've been to Spain in athin. 

[swaddon]

Nik Kershaw sings it as "KI-hOAtay" in his hit song of the same name.

[KGB]

On 01/05/2026 at 20:45, RicoS321 said:

I'm reading Don Quixote if anyone wants to know. 

I read it a couple of years back and enjoyed it. I found a lot of it very amusing 

[TheDonbytheDee]

Et Tu Cavapoo - A Dog's Life in Rome by Mark Radcliffe

Thought I would hate this and only took it out as I like Mark Radcliffe. 

Tells the story of his 12 week stay in Rome, back in 2024, with his Wife and Cockapoo 'Arlo'.

I quite liked it, but what I did hate about it is all that review shyte over the cover of it, quoting people like Lauren Leverne and Sarah Cox, amongst others, telling us how great it is. 

Stephen May - We Don't Die of Love

I took this one out, as the auther has the same name as a guy I went to school with!

Was about a 58 year old bloke who's wife tells him one morning she is leaving him after 31 years of marriage, for a younger man.

I actually quite liked it. A nice easy read

 

On to Jamaica Inn now...

[TheDonbytheDee]

On 08/05/2026 at 15:02, TheDonbytheDee said:

Jamaica Inn 

A very good book. No real dips in the writing quality from beginning to end.

Books like that are rarer than hens teeth. 

Going to the try the TV adaptation of it from a few years back. The one where people claimed you couldn't hear the actors speak. 

[Goldie03]

I'm reading Capitalist Must Starve - set in 1930s Japanese occupied Korea.

 

[swaddon]

I'm reading Alex "Hurricane" Higgins's autobiography.

He doesn't hold much back, and is brutally honest about his failed marriages and relationships.

I haven't yet got to the part where he tells Dennis Taylor that he is going to have him shot.

[BigAl]

Read that a couple of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.

He certainly enjoyed the company of the fairer sex 

[TheDonbytheDee]

Yesterday's haul was..

Daphnia du Maurier - Don't Look Now

Guy McCrone - Antimacassar

Elizabeth Bowen - The Death of the Heart.

Julian Barnes - Departure(s)

The supposed last ever book by Barnes, who I have always liked and took an age to get my shottie fae the Library.

Only on a 14 day loan, due to demand for it.

 

 

[CurlsLikeTattie]

Just finished the 4th of the Thursday Murder Club books - The Last Devil to Die.

They're a bit twee but I find them very well written, good character development and an enjoyable read. 

I mostly read dystopian stuff, crime books and horror, so these offer a nice light-hearted break.

I am now starting The Shining. I know King hated the film so am keen to see how it differs. 

[CurlsLikeTattie]

On 17/05/2026 at 09:49, TheDonbytheDee said:

Only on a 14 day loan, due to demand for it.

Are you 'anti' e-readers? Won't give up the feel of a real book.

That's not intended as a criticism, just curious.

I love my kindle, can go on holiday with hunners of books. 

Many libraries also offer e-book loans so their are no queues and return dates.

I do like a real book, but couldn't be without my kindle (and I am largely nonplussed with tech)

[Don Julio]

On 17/05/2026 at 09:49, TheDonbytheDee said:

Yesterday's haul was..

Daphnia du Maurier - Don't Look Now

Guy McCrone - Antimacassar

Elizabeth Bowen - The Death of the Heart.

Julian Barnes - Departure(s)

The supposed last ever book by Barnes, who I have always liked and took an age to get my shottie fae the Library.

Only on a 14 day loan, due to demand for it.

 

 

Will be interested in what you make of the Barnes

[Mason89]

54 minutes ago, CurlsLikeTattie said:

I am now starting The Shining. I know King hated the film so am keen to see how it differs. 

I know he’s been fairly successful at writing and sold a few books but I just can’t get into Stephen King at all. Tried a few 

Everyone always likes to say books are better than the film but with him it’s in reverse. 

[CurlsLikeTattie]

17 minutes ago, Mason89 said:

I know he’s been fairly successful at writing and sold a few books but I just can’t get into Stephen King at all. Tried a few 

Everyone always likes to say books are better than the film but with him it’s in reverse. 

He can be quite hit and miss. When he's good he's brilliant, when he's not he goes on and on and on.

Read 11.22.63 recently and thought it was great. Everyone raves about The Stand. I thought it was overlong and dull as shit.

[TheDonbytheDee]

8 hours ago, CurlsLikeTattie said:

Are you 'anti' e-readers? Won't give up the feel of a real book.

That's not intended as a criticism, just curious.

I love my kindle, can go on holiday with hunners of books. 

Many libraries also offer e-book loans so their are no queues and return dates.

I do like a real book, but couldn't be without my kindle (and I am largely nonplussed with tech)

I just prefer actual books.

I got a Kindle type thing over 10 years ago, but just didn't like it.

[Don Julio]

10 hours ago, CurlsLikeTattie said:

He can be quite hit and miss. When he's good he's brilliant, when he's not he goes on and on and on.

Read 11.22.63 recently and thought it was great. Everyone raves about The Stand. I thought it was overlong and dull as shit.

I’m with Mason. Amazing imagination but he just can’t write. I don’t think I’ve ever finished one of his books. They make cracking films though.

[BigAl]

Downloaded it Sunday morning and read it before the day was out.

Excellent read, although it might mean more to the guys of my age than some of our younger supporters. The book took me on a real trip down memory lane and there were very few games that he spoke about that I wasn't in attendance at.

No doubt in my mind that Simmy was overplayed when not fit, but much of that appears to lie with himself, such was his desire to play week in week out for the team he loved.

Hard to believe that whilst playing regularly for the first team he was on a basic wage of £100 per week and I didn't get the impression that the bonuses were that high.

Shocking the way that the Scottish  Glasgow media hounded him out of Scottish football the way that they did.

A Don to the very core and a nice ending with him finally finding his father before it was too late

 

[TheDonbytheDee]

21 hours ago, CurlsLikeTattie said:

Just finished the 4th of the Thursday Murder Club books - The Last Devil to Die.

They're a bit twee but I find them very well written, good character development and an enjoyable read. 

I'm glad you liked it, but I really hated it, despised it actually.

No book snob in the slightest and love a murder mystery, but one of the worst books I've read and I actually like Richard Osman.

I liked the first Richard Coles book, but hated the second one.

[CurlsLikeTattie]

1 hour ago, TheDonbytheDee said:

I'm glad you liked it, but I really hated it, despised it actually.

No book snob in the slightest and love a murder mystery, but one of the worst books I've read and I actually like Richard Osman.

I liked the first Richard Coles book, but hated the second one.

I feel a bit bad for stirring up such negative emotions in you! Sorry

Never tried the Richard Coles ones - don't think I will if I will have my hopes raised then dashed by the second one. Hadn't realised it was him that wrote the telly thing being advertised everywhere with Neville from Harry Potter in it.

[RicoS321]

1 hour ago, TheDonbytheDee said:

I actually like Richard Osman

Aye, there's yer problem 

[TheDonbytheDee]

23 minutes ago, CurlsLikeTattie said:

I feel a bit bad for stirring up such negative emotions in you! Sorry

Never tried the Richard Coles ones - don't think I will if I will have my hopes raised then dashed by the second one. Hadn't realised it was him that wrote the telly thing being advertised everywhere with Neville from Harry Potter in it.

Too many celebrities getting into the book game, far too many and I blame it on Richard Osman and his mega success

I was at the Library a few weeks back and noticed even Jeremy Vine is in on the act now.

I just avoid them at all costs now.

[CurlsLikeTattie]

2 minutes ago, TheDonbytheDee said:

Too many celebrities getting into the book game, far too many and I blame it on Richard Osman and his mega success

I was at the Library a few weeks back and noticed even Jeremy Vine is in on the act now.

I just avoid them at all costs now.

Dave Berry wrote one (with a ghost writer). I gave up on it