What book are we reading at the moment?

I first read that book about 30 years ago and remember thoroughly enjoying it.
Husband is still hanging on to his mothers copy from 1973, signed by Mr Niven himself.

 

I was once flicking through a book of aircraft pictures in Oxfam, when I noticed that one of the pictures had been autographed. As with many "regular signers", it wasn't fully legible, but I had a good idea who it was likely to be and so I bought it on spec.

I was later able to find a specimen of the suspect's signature online and that, with the fact that it was a Lancaster picture that was signed, confirmed that it was, indeed, Leonard Cheshire.

 

Some months ago Amazon offered the entire 'Dune' saga (six books I think) from just a few quid on Kindle. It seemed a reasonable deal and although I'd already read the first book: 'Dune' written by Frank Herbert and published in 1965 for some reason I never read any sequel after 'Dune Messiah.' (Book 2.)
I've just started on the entire saga so I'm going to be clumping through that for a while. SciFi is not everybody's cup of tea I know, but I'd say this story is more Tolkienian than SciFi. It was filmed back in the 80's by David Lynch (for which I would gladly march that prat down the working alleyway to airlock 13 and PSSSST !! POP !! him out into the abyss. He chose to rewrite the story ... bit like painting a moustache on the Mona Lisa.)
A new film of the original book is due out soon, directed by Denis Villeneuve, which looks more promising. He's doing it in two parts, as it's a large book with an enormous scope.

Think 10,000 years into the future where an entire Galactic Empire depends on the destiny of one planet: Dune.

 

"The Black Sun" by Owen Matthews. A murder mystery set in the 'Bomb Town' in Northern Russia in 1961 where they are nearing completion and about to detonate the largest thermonuclear device ever built (it was later named by the West as the Tsar Bomb.)
A clever mix of historical fact and fiction about a young KGB officer being sent up to the town to investigate the murder. I've read myself that Khrushchev wanted this bomb to have a yield of 100 megatons, but the designer Sakharov, who forms the basis of one of the characters in this book refused, fearing such a blast could effect the entire planet. The eventual yield was estimated at 56 megatons. There are some pretty terrifying facts in the addendum to the novel about the detonation itself.

 

I've read 2 really good books already this year; How to Stop Time by Matt Haig and Autumn by Ali Smith. Both recommended.

I've also just finished a brilliant Val McDermid for those of you who like thrillers, the first Kate Pirie one I've read.

 

Just finished reading The Nanny, by Gilly Macmillan. Actually only took a day, enjoyed it so much I couldn't put it down.
Bit of a twist at the end.