Perhaps to start with a caution. Even though "Tenth of December" is a collection of short stories, you are going to have to work at them. This is partly because of their gritty realism, and partly because of remarkably fluid style George Saunders chooses to write them in. Often you find a mixture of real … Continue reading “Tenth of December”
Category: Books
“Desire”
I can't quite decide whether or not I should recommend this small Vintage 'mini' as a suitable introduction to the work of Haruki Murakami. The stories in "Desire" are more or less typical of his style and - interestingly - they give each of his major into-English translators a run-out too. (Through experience, I've found … Continue reading “Desire”
“The Porpoise”
If you're expecting 'weird' right off the bat because "The Porpoise" is written by Mark Haddon (the legacy, perhaps, of "The Curious Incident...") then the beginning lulls you into something of a false sense of security. Okay, the subject matter is undeniably dark, but the beginning feels like a straightforward narrative. But when the story … Continue reading “The Porpoise”
After the first review: do I like what I’ve written?
Perhaps it's an inevitable question. Having just completed the first stage (on-screen) of a three-cycle review and proofreading activity, the default question I always ask myself - perhaps more subconsciously than not - is do I like what I've written? Reasonably short at c. 140 paperback pages and around 52k words, my next novel represents … Continue reading After the first review: do I like what I’ve written?
“The Beekeeper of Aleppo”
Very good. Quite simply, Christy Lefteri's "The Beekeeper of Aleppo" is one of those books you should read; not just because it is well-written, but because of the subject matter. As an ex-NGO in a Greek refugee camp in Athens, filled with asylum seekers from various nations, Lefteri knows what she's talking about - and … Continue reading “The Beekeeper of Aleppo”
“Split”
If you asked me to find a single phrase to describe Juana Adcock's "Split" I confess I would struggle. 'It depends' seems such a lame response... But it does. It depends, for example, on whether I've just read "The Task of the Translator" or "The Overburden": one I liked, the second I did not. And … Continue reading “Split”
Radio Interview next week!
I am scheduled to be interviewed next week by the internet-based UK radio station, 'Chat and Spin'. They regularly interview writers, musicians, artists and the like, a ten-minute slot which gives you a chance to talk about your work. Looking forward to it - even if it is live and not pre-recorded! The slot is … Continue reading Radio Interview next week!
“Machines Like Me”
I confess to being slightly confused and ambivalent about Ian McEwan's "Machines Like Me". It seemed to vary between being good, and not so; between generating empathy for its characters, and then nothing at all. The only constant perhaps was my distaste for the android / synthetic human, Adam. But perhaps that was the point. … Continue reading “Machines Like Me”
“Dreams”
Okay, it's my own fault. I should have read it at University nearly forty years ago when I was supposed to. But I thought "Hey, more chance of understanding it now". "Dreams" is from the Vintage 'mini' series and contains two of Freud's most famous essays: "On Dreams" (1901) and "Typical Dreams" (from The Interpretation … Continue reading “Dreams”
The result of four months’ work…
On the 19th December I started work on something that - as is often the case - was no more than a vague notion, a few opening sentences. On Monday, just under four months later, I finished the first draft of a new, relatively small novel (c. 52k words, about 150 paperback pages). I have … Continue reading The result of four months’ work…
Ian Gouge - Writer 