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

Our Mutual Friend (Charles Dickens)

Charles Dickens

Our Mutual Friend

An epic tale of love, avarice and betrayal which has two distinct but intertwined stories each worthy of a novel of it's own although the intertwining makes this greater than two could ever be. The last of Dickens novels is a masterpiece with surprises til the end. The love stories are of the true love of self sacrifice offset but the love of obsession and wanting possession. Part of the beauty of the novel is how these two are switched by more than one of the characters. Dickens also gives a decent dose of humour and sensitivity whilst railing against the poor law, the attitudes of those who are rich and in power and in the bigoted attitude towards Jews. I won't give spoilers and no few sentences can do the book justice but a highly recommended read. What I don't understand is how such a complex and rich story could have been read in monthly installments without the readers forgetting the characters and plot of the previous month. If it were me I'd have to read all previous installments when I receive the next. Maybe that's my age or in the 1850s people had less to fill up their minds not having the endless stream of drivel we enjoy from the internet and TV. Or maybe they did but had a better memory than me. Read.

README.txt (Chelsea Manning)

Chelsea Manning

README.txt

A brilliant account of Chelsea's life and incarceration and release. It's a great mix of her struggles with family and ability to demonstrate her sexuality; life on the edge of society; lifting the lid on how wars are fought by the USA (and presumably other large powers) and her arrest and treatment. I had a tangental brush with Wikileaks in a previous job In some ways an inspirational story that ends with release both from prison and also being able to transition into a woman. On the other hand knowing that what Chelsea revealed is still going on and she was fortunate to get a commutation by Obama. It's unlikely that his successors would have done the same and likely that Chelsea would still be in prison.

Racing Through the Dark (David Millar)

David Millar with Jeremy Whittle

Racing Through the Dark: The Fall and Rise of David Millar

Published in 2011 so before Lance Armstrong was stripped of his Tour de France and other titles and his subsequent admission to doping. Along with others. This gives a heartfelt and fascinating account of David Millar's rise in pro cycling, his descent into doping and subsequent arrest. Then him pulling himself back onto the bike and becoming a vociferous mouthpiece against doping. At times I wonder if he was a much a victim as he makes out but the reality was that you were at a massive disadvantage if you didn't dope. David's actions and words since he was arrested are certainly consistent with him being truly sorry for his doping and much of that because of how he failed his fans, family and friends. A great read combining cycling, doping, personal struggles and the wider context. However, doping and being on the edge of the rules continues to dog cycling including the "clean team" Sky and the accusations of the dishonest use of TUE (banned substances allowed for certain medical conditions). David's dismissal of Bradley Wiggins' chances in the tour seem premature given that he then won it. But again, what was in the jiffy bag? Overall a great read about professional cycling and the ongoing problems it faces. But as David points out, cycling has more testing than any other sport so it's not surprising more dopers are found in cycling. 

God Dies by the Nile and Other Novels (Nawal El Saadawi)

Nawal El Saadawi

God Dies by the Nile and Other Novels

Three stories about life as a woman in Egypt written in the 70's and I think 80's. The author couldn't publish in Egypt and so I'm not sure if they were written beforehand and published outside Egypt at later dates. I guess I could investigate. The stories are all disturbing and show how badly treated women are in Egypt at least in the part of society that the author describes. Mistreatment and rape are covered the latter in an oblique although certain manner which I assume was needed when published otherwise could face wider bans for being supposedly salacious. The stories are all in a different in style too. God Dies By The Nile is a sorry story about male dominance, rape and pregnancy facilitated by the power wielded by local authority figures, the submissive nature of the general population and the non existent rights of women. It's well written very descriptively in a traditional narrative way. Searching is a strange tale of a woman trying to find her lover who has simply disappeared and who has a dead end job. Her education drives her to strive for a better and more interesting life. The Circling Song is a disturbing story of the rape of a child and the father setting the twin son to go after her with the intent of an honour killing due to the disgrace of her being pregnant. Her flight to Cairo is met with similarly horrific treatment. Up until now the narrative is fairly traditional but then the story goes into a bit of a strange non-narrative stream of consciousness a bit like Kerouac or Joyce. You get the gist of what's going on but the story line is hard to follow and maybe you're not meant to as the two children, for that's what they really are, merge into one and the same. All are interesting and as I say disturbing. I won't comment on the social and religious forces that allow these stories to continue to mirror real life as I am not from that society and my views on any religion would offend many. Suffice to say that the author was stripped of a prestigious career post due to her writing and activism, was imprisoned and then forced to flee Egypt as her life was in danger. A truly brave woman in stark contrast to those who she railed against.

Let Me Take You by the Hand (Jennifer Kavanagh)

Jennifer Kavanagh

Let Me Take You by the Hand: True Tales from London's Streets

A seemingly fairly random number of conversations with people who work or live on the street. It supposedly updates Mayhew's reporting but doesn't come close. And the song reference is misleading. It's very patchy and often shows that the author really doesn't know London but is dipping in and out. Seems like she thought it was a good project but really lazily executed. I did find some of the anecdotes interesting but it wasn't gripping and I gave up half way through having been subjected to a racist rant by an Australian rickshaw cyclist with no commentary or view expressed by the author. Summing up the lazy attitude to the subject. This is the second book I've read about London lives that seems targeted at those who are interested in the cosmopolitan nature of London but turn out to be channeling the right wing conservative reactionary press.

Lucky Breaks (Yevgenia Belorusets)

Yevgenia Belorusets
Lucky Breaks

An interesting collection of, well, anecdotes, stories, musings, thoughts, observations on people. Not sure exactly but a very readable collection. It's written in the aftermath of the 2014 Russian invasion of Ukraine a the collection is all about women who are caught up in the conflict whether still living in the area invaded by Russia or under pro-Russian separatists, or those who have located to other areas of Ukraine. Some of the stories seem fantastical, others about mental wellbeing and others that seem to be about the author. I saw this on the off chance in Foyles. Whilst published in Russian (there's a bit about why in the afterword) the English translation was published in 2022. The author is a well known photographer, artist and write. Well worth a read. As published before the 2022 Russian invasion across the whole of Ukraine it reminds you that western governments and press really don't care about Russia's abuses of strength unless it directly affects their interests. Chechnya?

Butcher’s Crossing (John Williams)

John Williams

Butcher’s Crossing 

A truly great book by the author of Stoner which I loved. This is entirely different in it's subject matter but has the brilliant descriptive writing that really evokes the situations written about. Given that not many of us will have experienced the content of the novel Williams' ability to transport you there is brilliant. I'm sure he never experienced what he's written about either which makes it even more impressive. Highly recommended and I wont try to summarise the plot suffice to say it's about relationships and survival. Human fanaticism and self contemplation. How people react to extremes. Ultimately what drives us. The plot is brilliant too with majorly significant story lines. As a side note, in the 1800s bison in USA dropped from over 50 million to under 500. Killed for hides, for farmland and also culled to push native Americans out of their traditional lands. The novel is a brilliantly depressing read.

A Fine Thing Chance (Oliver Popplewell)

Oliver Popplewell

A Fine Thing Chance

Interesting collection of stories all based in "what if" scenarios some of which are all based on chance and others not quite so. Many relate to legal criminal cases as Popplewell was a judge.

A Bit of a Stretch (Chris Atkins)

Chris Atkins

A Bit of a Stretch

Very interesting and disturbing account of someone who spends time in Wandsworth Prison for fraud. The conditions are terrible and most prisoners who should be treated as medical patients are locked up seemingly until the authorities wait for them to self harm and are suicidal. Liz Truss, our short term PM who screwed the economym, comes under special criticism for either incompetence or deliberately using prisoners as political pawns. The cynical side of me thinks that any politician who seems incompetent actually knows exactly what they are doing to screw whatever line they are responsible for. In Truss's case I tend to think she really is incompetent. At best negligent. Which is the authorities answer to running law and order in this country. The book makes very clear that the prison system does more to encourage reoffending than to reduce crime levels. Although a tough read it is readable and has moments of comedy. Albeit dark.

All Our Yesterdays (Natalia Ginzburg)

Natalia Ginzburg

All Our Yesterdays

Excellent tale about two familys and other friends as the nazis take over in Italy and as they enter the war through to it's end. As reading I thought it was a modern novel but then found out it was written in the 50s so would have been when the trauma of the war was still pretty raw.

London, Burning (Anthony Quinn)

Anthony Quinn

London, Burning

Another very readable story set in late 70s London against the backdrop of industrial unrest, leadup to Thatcher's election and punk so a lot of cultural references that were right up my street. Follows 4 people who's lives interconnect related to crime, terrorism, relationships and power. A good read.

The Gardener (Salley Vickers)

Salley Vickers
The Gardener

A very readable story about change and moving into a new life and relationships against the backdrop of nature and plants. Very gentle and just the thing to read whilst whiling away a time in Venice.

We Move (Gurnaik Johal)

Gurnaik Johal
We Move

This is a pre-release book with a blank acknowledgements page lent to me by a friend who I used to work with with a shared love of literature. So I can't publish this until April 2022. It's a debut novel by a very promising young author. The book is a number of short stories with common themes some of which are tied up at the end. Most characters are Sikh and although you can guess the meaning of a lot of the Punjabi (I assume it's that language) words I did find myself Googling them to get the exact meaning. If I were to be critical it's that this does seem like a collection of very short stories and the characters are not very developed especially little about what they look like and for most not a lot of character depth. It feels a little like the author has put a lot of his ideas for story lines into his first book and to be honest I feel that there is a lot more that could be developed as the stories have a lot of potential. There again I'm not a writer. I wonder if the stories will be more fully developed in the future. A lot of the book is tied together with the Sikh massacre in 1984 and also a thread about whether what we do is predetermined or whether we are subject to fate. Along those lines seems to be a thread about how decisions taken, or forced upon us, or a path followed, lead to major effects in our lives. Funny as I've now started a book about mid life crises which also has that "what if I did that when I was 30" theme common to many who re-evaluate their lives.

I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp : An Autobiography (Richard Hell)

Richard Hell

I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp : An Autobiography

A very interesting read of Hell's life in NYC from early 70s onwards and his involvement in the start of the punk scene. He makes out that he virtually created the punk look, attitude and sound. Whilst he does acknowledge others he does seem a bit full of himself. An unsavoury aspect is his dismissive attitude to women who he always sleeps with and indeed I can't remember him mentioning any who he doesn't. It's always in the context of them letting him do whatever he wants to them which he makes out is consensual but doesn't really read that way as he often says that these women are pretty strung out and have a lot of mental health issues. Hell then goes on to say that the British have an unsophisticated and childish attitude to women seemingly because when on tour with punk bands the blokes don't view all the women around as sex objects. It's not unsophisticated Hell, it having respect for women as humans not just someone to bed, The book then goes into Hell being addicted to heroine and to honest the book sort of descends into an excuse for his behaviour whilst addicted. The book does read a bit like therapy for Hell where he's excusing exploitative behaviour, having rants at those he doesn't like and retrospectively framing everything he's done in the context of a predetermined poetic artistry. It's difficult to tell if what he writes is near the truth or just plain bullshit. Not having lived in NYC in the mid 70s it's difficult for me to tell but some of what he says about Britain is obviously bull. Yes we like potatoes but even back in the late 70s you could buy more than fried potatoes in town centres. I think that this is written for the American audience which makes me wonder if the whole lot is bull as the number of people reading who were into the early punk scene in NYC would be very small. Also John Lydon stopped using the moniker Rotten in 1978 so not sure why Hell, who obviously wanted to keep his adopted surname I guess cos otherwise people wouldn't know who he is, refers to him as Rotten. Having said all this it's a good read souring somewhat at the end. And the albums he made with the Voidoids and with music and lyrics that good I can forgive a few irritations in his book. As if Hell will ever know and as if he would even care.

A Significant Other (Matt Rendell)

Matt Rendell
A Significant Other: Riding the Centenary Tour De France with Lance Armstrong

An interesting read if you like cycling. It covers the centenary tour of 2003 from the point of view of one of Lance Armstrong's team (domestiques) the Colombian Victor Hugo Pena. Chapters alternate between Rendell's very interesting explanations of bike racing strategy and techniques, and history of le Tour, and then various stages of the 2003 tour from Victor Hugo's viewpoint (I think through Rendell's interviews with him). Being a domestique is a tough job with little glory although Victor Hugo did wear the yellow jersey for a few days which, as he says, is more than many greater riders who came before him and who will come after him. Victor Hugo's viewpoint covers the pain of riding and also his personal history. It's also very interesting as written before Armstrong's accusations of serial doping and subsequently being stripped of all his Tour titles which also showed how dominant and bullying he was within his team and across the entire peloton. As I say, an interesting read given history since the book was written. 

As an aside. The 6 tours that Armstrong won (1999-2005) were stripped from him and not awarded to the 2nd placed rider (as happened in other years) as there was so much (known) doping going on. Jan Ullrich came 2nd in 4 of those but was also shown to be doping. The 2006 tour was stripped from Floyd Landis for the same reason. So whilst the original official results show no winner for 1999-2005 the official le Tour web site now has the 2nd placed shown, without mention as to why there is no 1st placed, including Ullrich. As if Armstrong and the doping at the time are airbrushed from history. Now, drug taking and chicanery have always been part of cycling and whether or not you believe it's now a "clean" sport may or may not mar your enjoyment of the spectacle. It was definitely exciting at the time and only in retrospect do you feel slightly cheated. But there are times when you think "are they really that good without drugs" such as Chris Froome's 50 mile solo mountain break in the Giro d'Italia whilst he was embroiled in his own drugs accusations. There again part of me thinks that I don't think anything less of a Nik Turner sax solo just cos I know he was probably off his head on drugs. Or am I mixing my entertainments?

Bel Canto (Ann Patchett)

Ann Patchett

Bel Canto

Apparently Bruce likes more than the Dutch House but I didn't. Too many characters with lazy ethnic descriptions and unlikely plot development. Feels a bit contrived even for fiction. I won't spoil the read, although the author tells us what will happen anyway, but the ending is abrupt and corny. Disappointing to be honest although I guess readable enough to get to the end.

The Odyssey (Homer)

Homer

The Odyssey

A fantastic read of which you can see the roots of many other stories. I meant to read after the Iliad and seeing as that isn't reviewed in this blog I must have read that 10 years ago at least. About half the time that Odysseus spent returning from Troy. I won't analyse whether he was just a wanderer adventurer or really wanted to get back to his wife and kid, the ending leaves him open to wandering inland with an oar, as those more educated in the classics will have published works on this book. But do like me and just read as a great story. Matt would have been proud of me. May you be resting peacefully in Hades Halls.

Tunes: A Comic Book History of Rock and Roll (Vincent Brunner)

Vincent Brunner

Tunes: A Comic Book History of Rock and Roll

Not so much a comic book history of rock and roll but more a dip into a few dozen bands seemingly selected at random (probably the ones the editor's mates liked) with a very brief history in text, a few record recommendations and then a short comic strip involving (sometimes very casually) the band or artist. Some of the information is inaccurate but as a bathroom book to dip into it serves an idle purpose.

London Fields (Martin Amis)

Martin Amis
London Fields

A nasty little tale based on utter contempt for those not given Amis' opportunities in life, hideous racist caricatures and misogyny throughout. The main characters are what you might find in a right wing cartoon strip and the supporting ones have even lazier descriptions. I got half way through having been told by a couple of friends that it was a great book. I have tried to read other Amis books and had the same feelings. I gave up on this one too. In addition to all that the plot is meandering and at times absurd and none of the characters likeable. The way that Amis dismisses off hand violent rape including that of children is hideous. As I say, a nasty tale best avoided.

The Uncomfortable Truth About Racism (John Barnes)

John Barnes
The Uncomfortable Truth About Racism

An extremely thought provoking book that tackles (no pun intended) racism from an angle that is not necessarily the norm. I hesitate to summarise such an in depth and well thought through book but in essence John's view is that we need to tackle the societal roots of racism, and other forms of discrimination, rather than lambast scapegoats. His question is why do those people have their views and if from society does it help in persecuting them whilst we ignore the wider societal reasons for racism. Which are to keep the foundations upon which the rich and powerful maintain power. They are happy to throw crumbs to those who they exploit, whatever their race, gender, religion etc. etc. etc. as long as they maintain their power. They even let a few folk rise to near the top to prove that their system is not racist, sexist, homophobic etc. etc. etc. But the truth is that they will not allow equality in society so they can maintain their power and wealth. Sound like modern capitalism? Yep. The answer being true socialism? Yep. Although John does say that socialism is a pipe dream. He also has a lot of thought provoking and cogent views on the white working class. Now I have summarised a lot and probably some of it misrepresenting John. I don't agree with all in the book but if I did I guess I would be JB himself as we all have differing views. One thing it has made me consider in more detail is my unconscious, and some of my more conscious, bias. Go read. Now.