Say Nothing (Patrick Radden Keefe)

Patrick Radden Keefe
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland

A dark true story set in the Irish Troubles of the 70s and 80s. The basis is the story of a single mother of ten who was abducted by the IRA and her children's subsequent appalling lives intertwined with the story of a republican woman who bombed London, abducted informers people in Belfast and spent a long time in prison where she was force fed whilst on hunger strike. There is a lot of other descriptions of people involved in the conflict including the political climate. I won't go into the detail but it is very worthwhile reading. Frightening. And not over. On the day I finished the book the Sinn Féin deputy leader in Belfast (Michelle O'Neill) put a wreath on the cenotaph on Remembrance Day... unsurprisingly many Irish republicans were appalled as this was celebrating British soldiers who carried out their own atrocities and torture of republicans and Catholics... a banner was put on the Sinn Féin Belfast office with Traitors written in dripping blood red letters. Not over by a long chalk.

Take What You Need (Idra Novey)

Idra Novey

Take What You Need 

Fairly readable but to be honest I couldn't feel any affinity for any of the characters and gave up about a third of the way through. I just didn't look forward to reading the next chapter. As I did a couple of books ago. I rarely give up books so maybe I'm getting a little fussy in my old age. Debbie liked it though so don't take my view as gospel.

The Cyclist Who Went Out in the Cold (Tim Moore)

Tim Moore

The Cyclist Who Went Out in the Cold: Adventures Along the Iron Curtain

A story of extreme adventure but from the start I was thinking why do this to yourself except to write a book about how you should have planned the trip better. I just found it pointless to be honest and his descriptions of extreme cold for days on end made me wonder how he didn't end up with frost bite. His descriptions of the places and people he meets risk stereotyping to a degree that I felt insulting. His descriptions of individuals are often very harsh and in the context of stereotyping bordering on xenophobic. I'm sure (I hope) that this was all in the interest of amusing anecdotes but it grated so much that by the time he got down to Germany I had to give up on the book.

Long Island (Colm Tóibín)

Colm Tóibín
Long Island

A very readable and enjoyable novel although there is (for me at least) a constant feeling that something very radical will occur. About relationships spanning the Atlantic from the east coast of USA to the east coast of Ireland. No spoilers so you'll have to read for yourselves!

The Adventures of Unemployed Man ( Erich Origen and Gan Golan)

Erich Origen and Gan Golan

The Adventures of Unemployed Man

A comic book tale of neoliberalism whereby superheroes who have lost their job or are economic migrants are pushed into homelessness by the workings of a group of those who hold economic power and force deregulation of the workplace including reducing the ability of workers to act collectively (unions). It' brilliantly written and drawn (a variety of artists involved) and alongside the very serious message is a lot of humour much parodying traditional comic book heroes. Written in 2010 it is a response to the earlier market crashes whereby those at the very top of corporations got even richer and more powerful using the crash as a reason to push even more onerous restrictions on workers and to persuade governments to bail out the big banks putting taxpayer's money directly into the personal pockets of bank owners and top executives. All in a comic book.

Another aside as someone with a barely used economics degree. Adam Smith is much maligned as being the architect of neoliberalism and the concept of the "invisible hand" (used in the comic) that is used by the economically powerful to justify their version of the free market. Of course their version is all about trashing government regulation regarding their activities whilst using the same governments to repress workers combining to represent their interests. The free market we live in is anything but as corporations lobby governments to do their will, reduce their taxes and use the police and army to attack union activity. And of course to use the media to target the very vulnerable making them out as the cause of economic hardship most often using racism for this. Back to Adam Smith. He was writing in the 1700's when corporations didn't have the power that they have now across the globe. Yes some were forcing overseas markets to sell their goods cheaply and the slave trade was part of this. And back in the UK repressed workers rights as they started to combine. But Smith himself wrote that society and commerce could only operate with "mutual sympathy" or what we would call empathy. He saw commerce as a contract between producers (business) and workers and the buying public. See also Rousseau's The Social Contract although he and Smith definitely had major differences in opinion. Whilst Smith saw capitalism and the invisible hand (free market) the way to benefit all society he warned against having companies become too powerful and to break the "free" market by creating cartels and monopolies... or as he states "conspiracy against the public or in some other contrivance to raise prices."  Which is exactly the version of capitalism we have today.

To end with a few statistics...

Going into 2022 the top 1% of households in the United States held 30.9% of the country's wealth, while the bottom 50% held 2.6%.

Globally the richest 10% own 76% of all wealth; the poorest half just 2%.

Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys (Viv Albertine)

Viv Albertine
Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys

Another autobiography by someone who doesn't like them and justifies it with humour... "Anyone who writes an autobiography is either a twat or broke. I'm a bit of both". It sets the scene for Viv's extremely honest (I can only assume!) and laugh out loud / wince / become tearful story. The other scene setter is the first chapter "Masturbation". Recognising that some will want to skip to the juicy bits instead of reading nearly 400 pages Viv also has a "for those in a hurry" guide to pages with references to sex, drugs and punk rock. A good ploy as if you'd just picked this up in a book shop or library the dozen or so pages on each subject will make you want to read the whole book. The read is riotous for the 1st half being about youth and Viv's time in The Slits. Then gets more embroiled in life with responsibilities and serious relationships including parenthood. And out the other end. Some parts are extremely honest and Viv bares all her emotions. Of course you can never know how much is narrating what the teller wants the reader to think and it will have her slant to what she went through. Nevertheless a fascinating read and one that I wanted to read since reading her later book To Throw Away Unopened.

Revolutions : How Women Changed the World on Two Wheels (Hannah Ross)

Hannah Ross
Revolutions : How Women Changed the World on Two Wheels

Very readable account of the history of women cyclists from the very early days when practical clothing was a real issue (in general, let alone on 2 wheels) and the barriers that women had to fight against. This included physical violence. As a constant theme throughout the book whilst there are accounts of brave women who pushed against the barriers the conclusion is that there is still a lot of barriers to women cycling (take that to represent other forms of emancipation) across the world both very obvious in cultures where women cycling is banned through to less obvious (at least to a male cyclist like myself) where women are still heckled for cycling either simply that they shouldn't be on the road or sexist and sexual comments. As well as the battles women have to be recognised by cycling sports bodies and when they do officially participant the massive difference in support and pay compared to men cycling events. Having said that the book is largely celebratory and as well as those women who cycled for the joy of it and those who cycled to race there are accounts of those who cycled very long distances including around the world. The bravest must be those who used bikes as a means to an end such as suffragettes and those involved in resistance to occupation such as in World War 2. Well written by someone who obviously has a passion for cycling themselves and truly appreciates those who have gone before and those who are still pushing for equality. Hannah being one of them in my view.

Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold (Stephen Fry)

Stephen Fry

Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold

Excellent retelling of various Greek myths with a modern twist and references. Takes us from the beginnings of the world indeed before the birth of what we (at least I and I suspect many others) usually think of as the first gods like Zeus and Hera. Goes through the creation of men, and then women, and links to other ancient stories such as the flood. Stephen tells the stories in a light hearted and comic way whilst at other times digs a bit deeper into why gods acted in the way that they did (they are certainly not perfect examples of well adjusted minds and characters) and links to what drives us humans. Very entertaining read covering quite a few stories that are commonly known (I take myself as the standard line here) and also quite a few others really giving an insight into the (mythical) character of the gods and leading into how humans became less reliant on them. A passage I loved follows and is typical of Stephen's comic yet serious take on the myths: Ouranos (also called Uranus) was the original sky god from which all others came and due to various family infighting (sound familiar?) is dispatched to the very core of the earth in a way that he will never be able to break free: "Brooding, simmering and raging in the ground, deep beneath the earth that once loved him, Ouranos compressed all his fury and divine energy into the very rock itself, hoping that one day some excavating creature somewhere would mine it and try to harness the immortal power that radiated from within. That could never happen, of course. It would be too dangerous. Surely the race had yet to be born that could be so foolish as to attempt to unleash the power of uranium?

The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah: The Autobiography (Benjamin Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah)

Benjamin Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah
The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah: The Autobiography

A very interesting and engaging book from Benjamin's challenging childhood and teenage years through his determination to make it as a poet (rather than end up in jail or dead) and his excellent work following success to help others whether supporting as artists or highlighting injustices around the world. I saw him I guess in the 80s and although I knew him through poetry (have a couple of his books of poems - his first bought back in the day and the vegan one) and somewhat musically I hadn't really realised the full breadth of his artistic creations and ability. I regret that I didn't follow him more for instance to see his plays. Like all autobiographies I read I find myself thinking that some of it is self aggrandising but I guess that's the point of them and I will certainly big myself up when I write mine. Joke! His introduction is typical of the sort of autobiographies that I read i.e. that the writer hates them... "I hate autobiographies. They are so fake". Well this one isn't it's warts and all. Timely too as unfortunately our dub poet passed away at a relatively early age last year. Well worth reading. And I love his dedication: "Dedicated to me. And why not?"  Sums up his no nonsense attitude. Not fake at all Benjamin - tell it like you want to!

Under the Greenwood Tree (Thomas Hardy)

Thomas Hardy
Under the Greenwood Tree: A Rural Painting of the Dutch School

A shortish story marrying a romance with descriptions of rural life and social attitudes whilst being replaced by modern methods the tool of which is the romance protagonist. Beautifully written. An early Hardy novel and first of the Wessex series.

Little Dorrit (Charles Dickens)

Charles Dickens
Little Dorrit

An excellent read although some may think it overlong. Probably not as many amusing characters as usual with Dickens but a great story of imprisonment, greed, selfishness and selflessness. And love. The ups and downs of the many main characters binds the story and the moral messages together with a few surprises thrown into the mix. Do Not Forget...

Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991 (Michael Azerrad)

Michael Azerrad 

Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991

First, thanks Zayn. Please read on... An excellent account of the American (as in USA) underground / indie scene in it's crucial years until it went overground / major labels with Nirvana et al. A bit of history pre 1981 to set the scene. Each chapter takes a band and of course there are omissions but it seems to cover the main players of the scene so those who not only formed bands but ran fanzines, labels and clubs. Many of the bands went back to obscurity but as this book was written over 20 years ago some have made a resurgence on the back of people wanting to see where the major label artists came from and indeed to listen to less commercial music. I knew, and saw, some of the bands but a couple I didn't really know at all. I guess if I hadn't seen them then I wouldn't search them out as I always rate live with all it's faults (especially if in small clubs) than polished vinyl or digital. Which is the thrust of the book really and the whole scene which of course took a lot from the way that UK scene worked. It's nice to know that I was there for at at least one classic moment - with Olly of course - when Big Black played their final European gig at the Hammersmith Clarendon Ballroom (RIP, what a venue) and had Wire come on for the encore and Steve Albini (RIP, what a musician & engineer) said "If I die right now it would have all been worth it". He had another 30 odd years to go. And that's before he produced some of the biggest music such as Pixies, Nirvana, PJ Harvey and Mogwai (Rams, Jo). Albini passed away in May this year. A digression but worth it. Shout out to Zayn who alerted me to this book as it had passed me by for the last 2 decades. Zayn's musical taste is so similar to mine it's just a damn shame we didn't get to go to more gigs together when she was in London. We regularly email each other what we are listening to both new stuff and classics from the past. Thanks for our long distance relationship Zayn, NZ is not so far from London when you are spiritually aligned along the earth's ley lines. But hey, I'm now getting into hippy shit which is what punk rock kicked against. There again a lot of that was to break down the bullshit whilst keeping some of the early hippy ideas of change and antiestablishmentarianism. Now that's a word to end on!

The bands... Black Flag, The Minutemen, Mission Of Burma, Minor Threat, Husker Du, The Replacements, Sonic Youth,  Fugazi, Mudhoney, Big Black, Butthole Surfers, Dinosaur Jr, Beat Happening.

Rise Up : The #Merky Story So Far (Stormzy; edited and co-written by Jude Yawson)

Stormzy; edited and co-written by Jude Yawson

Rise Up : The #Merky Story So Far

A very interesting read of the rise of Stormzy from childhood in south London and early musical years to superstardom. Contributions are from Stormzy and his close knit team who've been with him all the way and seemingly truly did it his and their way. He's obviously very driven towards his vision which he reached although this book is 6 years old so a lot more water would have flowed down the Wandle and into the Thames...

Junky (William Burroughs)

William Burroughs

Junky

A long while since I've read this and I've taken a long while to get through as it's my "pop in pocket" book for when I'm going out in the evening to gigs with a long tube journey. I've not had a lush worker relieve me of it. I think I've been reading for a year on and off but as it's an insight into being, you guessed it, a junky, it's not a story with a plot really except for various attempts to ditch the junk. Indeed a lot of it is about hanging around which gives the flavour of a junky's life, at least back in the 50s. Interesting ending about how the USA was clamping down on heroine use back in the early 50s. Another interesting comment by Burroughs is made at the end when he's moved to Mexico and says that the younger generation that came down weren't interested in sex like his generation was. Just before flower power and the decade of free love.

Desire Discrimination Determination – Black Champions in Cycling (Marlon Moncrieffe)

Marlon Moncrieffe

Desire Discrimination Determination – Black Champions in Cycling

An interesting read about black cyclists with the title really saying the angle looked at. The stories are interesting from a cycling perspective but depressing due to the discrimination that black cyclists have to endure. Maybe things are slowly improving as a black Eritrean won the green jersey at this year's le Tour. Biniam Girmay also won three sprint stages. However, he is the exception at the moment at world tour level. The book was published in 2021 so I do wonder how much has changed in 3 years. To make it in cycling you need to be determined and the determination of those in this book seems to be above and beyond that for most who enter the sport due to the barriers in their way despite which many reach the top of their game but are often overlooked for the professional and country teams. Obviously hope that this improves for the sake of the sport, for those who want to compete and for us spectators who want to see the very best challenge for the top accolades. But most of all to allow anyone reach their potential without being stopped by bigoted behaviour.

Arabian Nights (Horta & Seale)

Paulo Lemos Horta (edited & notes)
Yasmine Seale (translation)
Arabian Nights (annotated) : Tales from 1001 Nights

Wonderful stories from the Middle East set in a fairly macabre "frame" story. They are varied and all interesting and brilliantly told by the translator. The introduction, notes along the way and analysis at the end are all very interesting too. So many modern stories take their lead from these stories. I got lost in this for hours on end. A big book which I probably wouldn't've bought but I had a book voucher from Becky for my 60th and thought I'd always wanted to read 1001 Nights and this new edition was highly recommended. As it's so many stories I've been reading for a year having really got into it during that scorching time in June 2023 when we were holidaying in an old thatched two room farmhouse in the north of Eire. One of those books I would hate to part with but will I ever really tackle again? Maybe dip into one or two of the stories. Interesting that I finished it just after finishing Nomads. The 1001 Nights, as explained by Horta, are a lot about traders as the stories would have been told in the equivalent of coffee shops and inns by and / or for those traders either with market stalls, wholesalers or travelling merchants. 

Nomads (Anthony Sattin)

Anthony Sattin
Nomads : the wanderers who shaped our world

An engaging and fascinating account of how those who roamed shaped our world. Well worth reading although and in many ways tells the untold story of our histories especially in Eurasia. Fascinating although it does seem to favour nomads more than settlers who after all lay foundations for how we live today but there again that story has been told time and again. Goes into some detail in north America and China gets a mention along with Australia. But other areas such as sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America and western Europe are glossed over completely. Guess it's a long enough book anyway. Worth the time.

The Wild One : The True Story of Iggy Pop (Per Nilsen & Dorothy Sherman)

The Wild One : The True Story of Iggy Pop 

Per Nilsen & Dorothy Sherman

History of Iggy in music until late 80s. Lots of photos and comments from friends and colleagues with a great insight into his close relationship with David Bowie. Also quotes by Iggy himself often his views on his life a number of years beforehand. Not quite as comprehensive as Open Up and Bleed but an interesting read with a comprehensive list of records and tours as a solo performer. Very readable and interesting.

The Kingdom by the Sea (Paul Theroux)

Paul Theroux
The Kingdom by the Sea

A book that looked very interesting and was looking forward to reading. Unfortunately I gave up before he'd got too far along the coast. It was a barrage of moaning about England and the English making particularly nasty comments about how people live and horrible caricatures of most of the people he meets which I don't believe were all completely accurate. It sounded like he hated where he was staying, disliked the people who hosted him and wasn't enthusiastic about the countryside. Felt like he just went out to write a book about how crap the English are in a lazy way. I skipped to sections of where he'd visited areas I knew but he either missed them out or badmouthed them. A nasty piece of bigged writing by a miserable git which wasn't even amusing.

Where Angels Fear to Tread (E. M. Forster)

E. M. Forster
Where Angels Fear to Tread

Excellently written story which has twists and turns just when you thought you had a good idea as to the rest of the plot. Mainly about relationships and in the end coming down to analysis of one personality. Great descriptions of both characters and the Italian countryside. Some descriptions of nations seem as bit bigoted but maybe that's the times or what the characters themselves would have thought. Must read more of his stuff.

Jamaica Inn (Daphne Du Maurier)

Daphne Du Maurier
Jamaica Inn

It's not often I fully agree with The Times opinion but this is a first-rate page-turner. It starts off very sinister and from there on in it's a roller coaster where your emotions are thrown around at times thinking it's quietened down, but why is there so much of the book left, and then you are dragged down into even more sinister stuff. I started reading it and after a couple of chapters thought I wasn't in the right frame of mind for something so dark so left it a day or so but when I picked it back up and got into the plot and the character of Mary I couldn't put it down. Not finished in one sitting but one of those books where you think I've got to the end of that chapter and that's a good place to stop as not on a cliff-hanger but then it's such an enjoyable (well, maybe gripping is a better description) read that you just pick it up again 5 minutes later with a cup of tea and hope you aren't disturbed. How did I get into Daphne as a novelist so late in life? I'm not sure if it's because they both write about the west country with it's wild heaths and moors but this novel in particular reminded me of Thomas Hardy and his bleak tragedies. In some ways Hardy is more brutal than du Maurier at least in parts. There again I've read more of him than her so I may have unpleasant surprises to come as I wade through her catalogue...

Caliban Shrieks (Jack Hilton)

Jack Hilton
Caliban Shrieks

An interesting read written in the 30s then apparently a lost work before being rediscovered recently. Another biography. The first 2/3 are about his life going to WWI then back home as a working man getting into socialism and having a time in prison. It's written in a free flowing modern style with a lot of literary references which to be honest I couldn't be bothered to look up but I don't think they are really needed to be known. The last part is part social political commentary including about the labour movement but descends somewhat into long rants which go on too long to my mind. He slags off just about everyone which sort of answers the question posed by the introduction by the contemporary "discoverers" as to why Hilton didn't continue with a literary career and went back to plastering. Well worth reading but a bit of a slog by the ending.

The Descent (Thomas Dekker)

Thomas Dekker & Thijs Zonneveld
The Descent

Another (auto)biography about sex and drugs and cycling rather than rock and roll. In ways more believable than the FWFB book I've just read but on the other hand many of those mentioned in the book deny vehemently that it's truthful. In the murky world of cycling and sports doping it's impossible to know who to believe. Nevertheless an interesting read if only for Dekker's life regardless of others. You do wonder if cycling has moved on but there are persistent doubts as there are for other sports. At least if you take drugs as a musician you aren't banned for 2 years...

Ten Thousand Apologies (Adelle Stripe, Lias Saoudi)

Adelle Stripe and Lias Saoudi
Ten Thousand Apologies: Fat White Family and the Miracle of Failure

A history of the Fat White Family band from Lias' childhood, the band's inception until the global lockdown. Written by Adelle with little bits from Lias and they do add to the story. It's a good read and fantastic insight into the band but seems too chaotic and fantastic to be the whole truth. Indeed the intro states that "Fact has been used to create fiction". So in many ways you are left wondering how much is true and how much not. At times I felt myself thinking "really..." but then told myself to treat it as a novel rather than a factual biography. The characters don't seem like ones you'd want to hang out with although they do make great music and put on great shows. I guess true of many musicians who are on the edge of genius. Some is just plain wrong - watching the sun set over the sea in Scarborough? And the constant whinging about not having money to rent a flat when every page is about taking as many drugs as possible does grate. So read as a novel or you will feel a little cheated as I feel. Still gonna go see the band and the various offshoots though.

They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us (Hanif Abdurraqib)

Hanif Abdurraqib

They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us

A series of essays about life in America being an 80s born black punk and hip hop fan. Too many angles to list but includes much about life death and love; insights into bands that he particularly loves and sometimes wonders where they are going and a flavour of what it's like being at gigs where you don't feel you quite fit in. Enjoyable reading about the bands, uncomfortable about some of the other aspects but I guess that's the point of these essays. 

Frenchman's Creek (Daphne du Maurier)

Daphne du Maurier

Frenchman's Creek

 

Excellent story which I really enjoyed reading. Part adventure but mainly a book about emotions, love, responsibilities and potential other lives. A commentary also on the role of women and how they are expected to act within society, and the freedom brought when they don't. Within the complexity of the novel there are other social commentaries such as class and nationality I could go into the storyline but that would give away the plot. Go read.

Raincoats are for Tourists (Isabel Best)

Isabel Best

Raincoats are for Tourists (The Racing Secrets of Raphaël Géminiani)

 

A great book about a cycling legend that I didn't know about. Rode with all the greats of his time, indeed helped them become great, and then went on to become a very successful DS (team manager). Part narrative from the author and part quotes from the outspoken Raphael himself it's a great read at times laugh out loud. Probably one for the cycle geeks...

The Good Immigrant (edited by Nikesh Shukla)

21 essays edited by Nikesh Shukla

The Good Immigrant  

Interesting array of essays mainly about what it's like to be a "non white" British person with a wealth of different angles some of which are very funny, others serious and still others very depressing. All are well written and all have a point to make. Some things I could identify with but many gave insights that I guess I hadn't really thought about. Worthwhile reading.

To Be a Machine (Mark O'Connell)

Mark O'Connell

To Be a Machine

Subtitle neatly sums up the book: Adventures Among Cyborgs, Utopians, Hackers, and the Futurists Solving the Modest Problem of Death.

A journalist investigating those who feel that humans should become machines to the extent of getting rid of our bodies completely and migrate our brains to machinery or a communications network (like the internet) or even to be distributed across that network(s) across the universe. Some pay for their dead bodies to be frozen awaiting the time when they can be revived, some are just heads awaiting the time to transfer their brains into a robot. The people he meet range across different personalities but all are driven in their quest. As the author questions, would you be human if your brain was lodged in a machine or network given that human behaviour and enjoyment is driven by relationships with others and physical sensations including holding babies and such like. There again you get the feeling that these are secondary to those pursuing eternal life. Although the end game wished for seems fantastic since the book was written in 2017 we have moved significantly forward, if you think this is progress which I don't necessarily, with artificial intelligence and in using tech implants for both experimental and medical uses such as bypassing someone's broken nervous system so that they can control their legs by thinking with that being transmitted to muscles. Overall of course it's a dream of the very wealthy with billionaires pouring vast amounts of money into research much of which is by the American military. An interesting read and although seemingly a dry subject there is a certain amount of humour some laugh out loud. Very well written. Thanks Simon.

Dombey and Son (Charles Dickens)

Charles Dickens
Dombey and Son

Another great Dickens novel full of angst, comedy, treachery and social commentary. It's a long one following the life, relationships and of a city trader. I got through most whilst incapacitated with a virus for 5 days. Without a spoiler I'm not totally convinced by the ending and I feel that there is another which wouldn't've been as popular. The characters are as good as ever and I'm sure some are Dickens sending up real people. Must have been a nightmare being a friend or close acquaintance of him as I'm sure you'd be wondering if those particular traits are taken from yourself. Well worth a read. 

The Onion Eaters (J P Donleavy)

J P Donleavy

The Onion Eaters

A strange tale which I didn't really enjoy reading that much but which was interesting enough to finish. Unlikely situations and characters in the extreme. An odd mix of great descriptive and stream of consciousness passages, bathos and pathos, fairly graphic sex and violence and just plain stupidity. Felt a bit like Tom Sharpe although it's so long ago I read him I may be wrong. If his other books are like the good bits I'd read them but probably won't bother. A curate's egg of a book.

The Race Against the Stasi (Herbie Sykes)

Herbie Sykes

The Race Against the Stasi: The Incredible Story of Dieter Wiedemann, the Iron Curtain and the Greatest Cycling Race on Earth

An interesting and horrifying account of an East German cyclist who defects to West Germany for love. Mainly. I don't think that's a particular spoiler. The book is half comments made during interviews by a variety of people including the cyclist himself. The other half is news reports from the state newspaper and Stasi files. The book goes through a logical sequence so you can follow the thread of both the cyclist before defection, why he did that and the impact on his family back in the east and their relationships. The interesting bit is his cycling life and subsequent marriage and family relations. The horrifying is just how detailed the Stasi information gathered was even whilst he was a top cyclist in East Germany with very little indication that he would defect. It brings home just how many informants must have been working for the Stasi (170,000 regular?) and just how big the Stasi must have been (90,000) to collect all that information and act on it. Files were kept current on about a third of the population and possibly one in six people were informers at some time. Everyone expected that someone they knew well would be an informer. I can't quite imagine that. Not being able to trust your closest friends, or at least having some doubt about them. Or even your family. Even your spouse. There again the British police seem to think it's legitimate to have affairs, polygamous marriage and babies with those they have targeted as dissenters including fairly innocuous environmental activists. Maybe our security forces are just a little less obvious but just as all encompassing. If so... just take heed that the revolution is an inevitability so choose your side wisely. I digress from the book though as it's not about the Stasi as such but about Dieter with the Stasi files on him being somewhat incidental to his story. As it's snippets of interviews, state news reports and Stasi files it is not an easy flow to read but I guess that's the manner of such stories. A very irritating point is that the Stasi files are redacted (I think either at source or by the author) and therefore when referring to people there are a lot of "(?)" even though often you can tell who it refers to - or at least you're pretty sure. A good description of the now defunct Peace Race which was run between various eastern bloc capitals but attracted a fair few riders from western Europe and north Africa. Enjoyable.

On Java Road (Lawrence Osborne)

Lawrence Osborne

On Java Road

Having not finished any books for a while I've finished a trio of great ones in a week. Blame E P Thompson for the lack of read novels but my appetite has been sated in the last week. This one I got through in a weekend mainly due to train journeys Balham Chester Balham Manchester Balham. With delays. This is an account of the Chinese take over of Hong Kong and the impact on a British (white) journalist ex-pat and his very wealthy long time friend from Chinese HK parentage. It is threaded around the demonstrations of the young against tightening Chinese rules. Violence and infidelity of the protagonists is mirrored in the treatment of protesters both by security services and pro-China vigilantes. It has an ambiguous ending but I guess it's a statement that the Hong Kong situation has not played out to it's ending as yet. Maybe. Well worth taking if travelling up and down England drawn by the lure of football.

The World in the Evening (Christopher Isherwood)

Christopher Isherwood

The World in the Evening

Excellently written account of a man looking back on his life with all it's faults and how he'd mistreated others especially his romantic partners. In many ways quite intellectual although very readable and you feel as if you are getting under the skin of the narrator or at least as much as they realise themselves. The descriptive passages are great showing a mixed up mind which you never know whether it's quite unravelled by the ending. Well worth a read.

Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier)

Daphne du Maurier

Rebecca

A brilliantly readable novel I think the first I've read of hers. Welcome relief from all the other non fiction books that I've been reading over the last few months. I wanted a good story to let myself flow into and this was a great present from Debbie for our wedding anniversary. Not a particularly appropriate story for an anniversary but better than the one I gave Debbie. That's to come. The descriptions of place, time and feelings are brilliant really letting you get into the head of the main character. It's a pretty dark book with moments of light and not my usual fare but it's so well written I couldn't put it down. The first few pages tell you the current situation and the rest of the book is how she got there. So in some ways you know the outcome but there are a number of twists and turns. But the book is all about the feelings not about the plot so it's hardly a spoiler. A bit of a gothic novel in a way (whatever that means) and I had the feeling of Mary Shelley or Henry James (although I'm not an expert on him and didn't like the only book I read). A book of loss and sadness and not fitting in. I must read more of Daphne.

The Making of the English Working Class (E. P. Thompson)

E. P. Thompson

The Making of the English Working Class

A comprehensive history and analysis of the social changes within English society from the late 1700's to the mid 1800's obviously focussing on the rise of the working class movement. It covers a wide range of topics from Methodism to Luddites to Owenite cooperative communities. I won't attempt to summarise any further such as weighty tome by such a distinguished author but to say that a theme throughout is what could have been if the radical edges of the various movements had won out and how much better society could be. Many of the pressures degrading working conditions and pay for workers are very much happening now including the repression of trade unions, the right to congregate and demonstrate and freedom of speech. And that's the UK I refer to. Written by a committed socialist and peace campaigner (a leading light of CND) it is an illuminating read. I would be fascinated in his view on how society has travelled since his death 30 years ago given the rising tide of conservatism and capitalist lobbying controlling governments accelerated under Thatcher, Blair and the variety of recent Conservative PMs. I would love to read his views on the global Covid lockdown and shredding of the right to congregate or even go outside. As such a long book it's taken me ages to finish and I've had others on the go too. There are obviously critics of the book especially regarding some of the wider international context of both working class movements, industrialisation and imperialism but as an inward looking analysis it is a brilliant read. After all, Thompson does explicitly state "English".

Around the World in 80 Trains (Monisha Rajesh)

Monisha Rajesh
Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure

 

A very interesting journey by a journalist and her fiance around the world by train covering some of the harder to reach places such as North Korea and Tibet. It's a great account of train travel with an obvious love for it and the insights it gives into local lives which you don't get travelling by plane or car. Brings the romance, and hardships, of train travel to life. It may have been around the world but it's the northern hemisphere and misses out South America (which to be fair has very few working railways), Africa (I have no idea about whether there are rail networks there), India (but see her previous book) and west of India (I think train travel difficult there too). That's nitpicking on my part though. Monisha certainly has an empathy with the people she meets and is stoic in her handling of difficult situations. It wasn't a book I couldn't put down but was great to dip into for a few hours at a time then leave for a while which I guess shows that Monisha's descriptions of herself and Jem stuck in my mind. 

Martin Eden (Jack London)

Jack London

Martin Eden

Interesting story about a working man's thirst for knowledge colliding with the world of the privileged well educated and monied. The sacrifices he makes in his endeavours are starkly contrasted with the ease of education of his infatuation. There is a love story entwined as the foil to the points being made. Interesting and too. Excellent read that I couldn't stop despite having another few on the go at the same time.

The Nat Hentoff Reader (Nat Hentoff)

Nat Hentoff

The Nat Hentoff Reader

Various essays and articles by a fairly libertarian (left wing) American covering education and much to do with discrimination. Probably should have read when first published (the articles not this collection) but it seemed like the most interesting book in our work library. 

Hit Refresh (Satya Nadella)

Satya Nadella

Hit Refresh

Interesting read if you're into IT although by the end it moves from a personal account of the MS CEO's life and drivers and more written by his marketing team. Not as interesting as some of the early books about how MS (and Apple etc.) came into existence. 

Foster (Claire Keegan)

Claire Keegan
Foster

An interesting novella set in Wexford, so apt for my holiday reading albeit in the north of Ireland, about a young girl who is farmed out to aunt and uncle for the school holidays. A tale of love, devotion and security with a few morals to tell, a few twists and a couple of ambiguities in my mind. Very readable which I did one evening. 

Faster! Louder! (Boff Whalley)

Boff Whalley

Faster! Louder! How a punk rocker from Yorkshire became British Champion Fell Runner

A very entertaining story about a punk rock fell runner which highlights the similarities between the two lives lived although at times it is a bit tenuous. Nevertheless an excellent read with some great memories for an ageing punk including the notorious Christmas on Earth festival in Leeds in the snowy winter of '81. God that sounds like an old timer reminiscing about the gold rush - back in '81. The other link for me is to where Gary grew up and trained around Otley where my mates Ramsay and Jo live. Probably why they gave me this book of course! Boff was in Chumbawamba and lives in Otley. Although I was one of the cross country runners at school who slouched behind to have a smoke and take short cuts watching the "winners" (not that we thought of them as that) reach the finish line it still made me think "why didn't I go hill running" as I did quite like running down slopes and screes. Just not running up them I guess. Anyways, a great read and classic pictures.

I don't usually include gratuitous images but what a line-up hey...

,,, ho let's go