Welcome to Sean's Bookclub

I recently read a book.

There, end of post.

Ok, there's more.

The book I read was Dan Brown's Angels and Demons. I read it because I've read all the other English books in my apartment and Mum left it here for me to read when she came over. I was initially a bit apprehensive about reading something written by Dan Brown because of all the hype surrounding his other book - The Da Vince Code. I was expecting it to be crap, like a literary equivalent to the music from Australian Idol or something. Fortunately I was pleasantly surprised; it is actually a good book, and I think fairly well-written, though the language isn't difficult, so it's an easy read, which is probably one of the reasons that Brown has become a mainstream author. The book managed to hold my interest; such that I didn't want to put the book down until I'd finished it. The story was mostly set in Rome, which was also good from my point of view because I have recently been to Rome, so the landmarks that were mentioned in the book were fresh in my mind because I've been there, taken photos of them, and had coffee or dinner in a cafe overlooking the exact point of the action. I don't think it's a literary masterpiece, but it's good none-the-less, and I'd recommend it to those who don't read often, and to those who do read often but who have run out of real books to read. I definitely fit into the latter category, as I'd run out of real books to read here and my Polish is by no means at a sufficient level to attempt to read a Polish book.

I've never read The Da Vinci Code partially because I look with scorn upon the many pompous wankers who I've seen reading it in cafes, on buses and various other public places, as if the book is merely a fashion accessory in an attempt to appear vaguely intellectual as well as having a nice handbag. I would probably read The Da Vinci Code in the near(ish) future on the basis of my experience with Angels and Demons if I found a cheap, English copy in Poland, but I can promise that I will not read it in public and so I will still be able to make derisive comments (albeit in my head) about people who do.

I'm currently reading a fantastic book for people like me (read: grammar nerds). The book is called, "Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation" by Lynne Truss. I received the book in a package sent from the far-off land of Scotland, from the Kingdom of Fife, no less. (Thanks Lizard)
I'm about half-way through, so expect another installment of Sean's Bookclub anytime soon.