“Post Office”

There is something raw, elemental and hypnotic about Charles Bukowski's "Post Office". And even though it probably fails some of the 'measures' for great literature, in doing so maybe it also challenges what we might consider 'great'. Perhaps we are seduced by the book's flaws: not only the flaws in craft or composition or layout … Continue reading “Post Office” →

“Barcelona”

There is much to admire in the stories of Mary Costello. Given my personal penchant for narratives which explore a character's relationship with their past, "Barcelona" hits the spot time and again. There is a quiet lyricism about Costello's work which is entirely admirable, and I have no hesitation in recommending this collection. Reading list

“Anil’s Ghost”

Okay, "Anil's Ghost" isn't "The English Patient", but then is Michael Ondaatje ever going to be able to replicate TEP? Having said that, "Anil's Ghost" is still a splendid book and, in trademark style, Ondaatje keeps us guessing as to the true motivation of one of the major characters right until the end. I was … Continue reading “Anil’s Ghost” →

“Tough without a Gun”

Is it fanciful to assume that one only reads biographies about people you are interested in? And if that is the case, does it mean we turn to page 1 predisposed to suppose we are going to enjoy the book? Whether that is true or not, Stefan Kanfer's biography of Humphrey Bogart, "Tough without a … Continue reading “Tough without a Gun” →

July’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. "Writing until the light goes out" "Writing until the light goes out" Buy discounted books direct from the printer

“Table for Two”

Although Amor Towles' "Table for Two" sells itself as a collection of short stories, the second half (over 200 pages in my 'Independent Bookshop Exclusive Edition') is a single story - at least a novella if not a small novel in its own right. 'Eve in Hollywood' is a forties throwback to the kind of … Continue reading “Table for Two” →

“Homer’s Odyssey”

Just because this interpretation of Homer's epic has been written by Simon Armitage, the British Poet Laureate, it would be understandable for you to assume "Homer's Odyssey" is going to be a poetic epic. But it is not. Written specifically as a radio play, Armitage succeeds in delivering a very readable and accessible version of … Continue reading “Homer’s Odyssey” →

“The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”

'Exotic, original and spirited, it's written with huge energy and heart' - so says the Guardian's endorsement on the front cover of my paperback copy of Junot Díaz's "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao". And the Guardian isn't wrong. The novel is fizzing and effervescent - so much so that it didn't matter that … Continue reading “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” →