The Lowlife (Alexander Baron)

Alexander Baron
The Lowlife

Interesting read written in 1963. Story revolves around a gambler living in Dalston (Hackney) who befriends a family living below him. Touches various themes including the addictive nature of gambling and how this guy just about keeps head above water. The other main theme is his relationship with the family especially the 4 year old kid who sees him somewhat as a hero compared to his bickering parents. His relationships with the adults is also weaved into his story. Then there's the relationship with his sister and her husband who are well off as work hard and don't lose money on the dogs. There's his casual relationships with women and then memories of a past love in pre war Paris. Excellent descriptions of his world including Dalston and East End places which I know (somewhat). The main character is Jewish (as is the author) and that comes out in the novel as a lot of  Yiddish words pepper the book. Recommended.

Under A Rock (Chris Stein)

Chris Stein
Under A Rock

An extremely interesting book about Chris' life and of course the start, rise, demise (somewhat) and rise again of Blondie. But it's so much more than this. His was (is) a fascinating life from a Brooklyn childhood and then moving into Manhattan before it was desirable, cleaned up and gentrified. I hadn't realised that he and Blondie were so in touch and integrated into the pre / proto punk scene, indeed into the late 60s scene, and his stories of that period are entertaining and fascinating. He hung out with all the bands and movers and shakers (New York Dolls, Iggy, Ramones, Andy Warhol etc. etc.)  Of course there are the "usual" tales of oddballs and criminals amongst the trendy (although not at the time) struggling artists and musicians. I had read Debbie Harry's "Fact It" memoirs of the period but that was a few years ago. This memoir has loads of little incidents and people passed mentioned which gives it a really great flavour of what it was like to live in NYC at that time. He gets into heroin and then coke in a big way and the trials of looking for junk, and trying to get off, are as enlightening as Burroughs. An excellent read whether you are into Blondie, punk or not.

Shy Creatures (Clare Chambers)

Clare Chambers
Shy Creatures

A strange and beautiful novel. The topics cover love, loss and shame. Loss covering actual loss and lost opportunities or not having other lives. There are unexpected twists in the story and in some ways it's a bit of a whodunit (or didn't) mystery. One of the character's earlier lives is told in reverse so that the various threads come together towards the end. The "present day" setting, so to speak, is in the mid 60s and the story goes back to the war years and beyond. It's interesting to set it then as society has obviously changed including mental health management as the novel is centred around an institute helping, or at least "treating", those who are not deemed "normal" by "society". Whatever that means and indeed that is partly covered in the novel. The cultural references of the mid 60s are interesting especially for those who lived through them - or in my case were conscious of the tail end of those changes going into the 70s. A thoroughly enjoyable read written with care and compassion.

Still Life with Woodpecker Novel (Tom Robbins)

Tom Robbins
Still Life with Woodpecker

I won't bother with the usual cover as this is just a note to remind myself not to read Tom's books. I know that many like this style but after a few pages I guessed that this would be a fantasy type story (including the usual male sexual fantasy) with unlikeable or unrealistic characters and misogynistic descriptions of women under the guise of sexual liberation. Don't often put books down but life is too short to wade through stories that you are not enjoying. Having said all that he is a well known respected author so I'll pass the book to Oxfam as someone may enjoy it. A pubescent teenager. Possibly.

Revolution: The Rise of Arteta's Arsenal (Charles Watts)

Charles Watts
Revolution: The Rise of Arteta's Arsenal

An in depth account of Arsenal since Arteta's appointment as manager coming into the role after the debacle of Emery in 2019. Shows his single mindedness to bring Arsenal back together as a club (team, owners, staff, fans) and how he has achieved that. This edition stops at the end of the 23/24 season and whilst The Arsenal have been much improved they are still yet to win the Premiership although Arteta (and the author) are certain that they will do so soon. And of course we did win it this season and lose out, just, on the Champions League. An interesting read I think whether you are a Gooner or not. It certainly brought back to me the darker times during and just after the corona suppression when even I was wavering as to whether Arteta was up to the job but I was not someone who wanted him out mainly because we are a club that stands by managers with long term potential. Up The Arsenal!

Walk the Blue Fields (Claire Keegan)

Claire Keegan
Walk the Blue Fields

I've loved Claire's previous books that I've read and I think both I finished in a day. This has taken a little longer as it's a series of short stories. They are brilliantly written with great characterisation. All are fairly dark or at the very least fairly strange. The last has a surreal ending. That's the point maybe... they are modern fairy tales bordering reality and another world. Well worth reading.