Simply excellent. For me there are two reasons Howard Jacobson's Live a Little shines: the more minor of the two is that he doesn't let the religious backgrounds of the characters overpower the story; the major is the marvellous Beryl Dusinbery. What a marvellous confection of a character! Without doubt one of the best portrayals … Continue reading “Live a Little”
Author: Ian Gouge
As a compulsive writer, I have authored nearly thirty books: novels, collections of short stories, volumes of poetry, and some non-fiction. As an independent publisher (using my Coverstory books imprint), I have also produced a number of books for other writers, plus anthologies in which many contributors have had their work showcased - some for the first time. All of which is somewhat irrelevant without you, my readers. Please check-out my sites - including the links to my podcast. I would be delighted if you found something you decided you would like to read.
The results of many years and hours work!
Coverstory books
“Flesh”
David Szalay's Booker-winning novel Flesh is a brutal read; not in terms of the narrative - though it has its moments! - but in terms of its style: short staccato punchy and repetitive sentences which seem to strip the language down to its bare bones and remove any kind of lyricism at all. I can … Continue reading “Flesh”
Trailer: “The Extra Shot”
Trailer for my new novel, The Extra Shot, to be published on 1st July. Pre-order now! The Extra Shot
Trailer: “The Big Frog Theory”
visit the book's web page Read the serialisation of the novel here
New novel out in July!
Having taken four years to write, I am pleased to announce that my latest novel, The Extra Shot, will be published on 1st July, 2026 in both paperback and ebook formats. It is now available for pre-order! The Extra Shot
“The Chemistry of Tears”
It has been a while since I read any Peter Carey, and The Chemistry of Tears is as solid a piece of work as you would expect from a two-time Booker Prize winner. I'm happy to recommend it, though with a couple of caveats. Firstly, I wondered if the main characters were, towards the end, … Continue reading “The Chemistry of Tears”
“Enduring Love”
Let's be honest, Enduring Love is a difficult read; not because of the way it's written, but rather in the uncomfortable and challenging circumstance McEwan's main character (MC) finds himself. Indeed, the situation is so disturbing - in the "I'm so glad that's not me" sense - that I could only read it in short … Continue reading “Enduring Love”
April’s Substack highlights
"when you see anything of mine that you don’t like remember that I’m sincere in doing it and that I’m working toward something." - Ernest Hemingway A selection of recent posts from my Substack site. Also, don't miss the serialisation of my novel, The Red Tie, plus reading from my poetry collection Grimsby Docks. "Writing … Continue reading April’s Substack highlights
I’ve just updated my ‘About’ page…
Please take a look...
Ian Gouge - Writer 