Andrew O'Hagan's "Mayflies" is unrelenting. During the first half of the book where we see a group of Scottish lads on 'the lash' in Manchester, he immerses us in their over-the-top hedonistic experience of drink, drugs and music without giving us a chance to come up for air. Then, in the second half of the … Continue reading “Mayflies”
Category: Fiction
Sound body, sound mind..?
I have decided to cycle the length of the UK - Land's End to John o'Groats - on my exercise bike. Over 1,500 km split across 57 'stages'. Okay, so there are no uphills - but there are no downhills either! It seemed like a good idea: keep fit, have a challenge to aim for, … Continue reading Sound body, sound mind..?
“Girl, Woman, Other”
Bernadine Evaristo's "Girl, Woman, Other" is - quite simply - a triumph. I have no idea why it has taken me so long to read it. Perhaps I was put-off by its 450 pages, or the blurb, or the cover - the last two of these suggesting that somehow it wasn't going to be 'my … Continue reading “Girl, Woman, Other”
Substack: Nirvana or the Emperor’s New Clothes?
It seems lots of people are deserting WordPress for Substack, lured by the notion of creating 'newsletters' that people will pay to receive. That and knowing they'll be rubbing virtual shoulders with famous names and literary goliaths - and the fact that Substack is currently 'free'. So is it a good move? It's tempting, of … Continue reading Substack: Nirvana or the Emperor’s New Clothes?
“Galatea 2.2”
It was partly because I liked Richard Powers' "The Overstory" so much that I tried as hard as I could to get through "Galatea 2.2" - but I simply couldn't finish it, and gave up about a third of the way through. It has been a while since I last had to admit defeat like … Continue reading “Galatea 2.2”
“At Night All Blood Is Black”
It is easy to see why David Diop's relentlessly dark "At Night All Blood Is Black" won the 2021 International Booker Prize. The novel is suitably dark and brooding, an examination of one man's decline into madness as he and his French compatriots fight in the trenches of World War One. Alfa's Senegalese roots permeates … Continue reading “At Night All Blood Is Black”
Holding on or letting go? The Worthwhile Life: 2
I went for a run first thing this morning. Nothing too dramatic. A gentle jog to test out my aching left achilles' tendon. Or is it the calf muscle? And I was reminded - inevitably - how my running used to be... My best ever time for 10k was a little over 46 minutes; I … Continue reading Holding on or letting go? The Worthwhile Life: 2
“Le Grand Meaulnes”
Elsewhere I have observed how - to my palette at least - some books have not aged well in terms of their writing style. In the case of Alain-Fournier's "Le Grand Meaulnes" I find a novel that has not travelled well both in terms of style and plot. Indeed, I was most struck by how … Continue reading “Le Grand Meaulnes”
“Songdogs”
Having already read three novels by Colum McCann, perhaps one of the best compliments I can pay "Songdogs" is to say that it simply doesn't read like a debut novel. It is inevitable that in many first novels Authors are finding their feet, only growing into themselves and establishing their voice and presence as they … Continue reading “Songdogs”
Why I love making people…
If you were to ask me what I like best about writing prose then the answer is simple: making people. There is nothing quite like that feeling of giving life to a previously non-existent character, of forming them, building their history, giving them emotions, ambitions, plans. For each and every one of them the potential … Continue reading Why I love making people…
Ian Gouge - Writer 