There is a tightrope poets walk when they are writing personal poetry i.e. poems which tackle specific instances or relationships in their lives. Because the poet is intimate with their subject, often there are references and images in the poem which work solely because they are privy to the other half of the handshake. So … Continue reading “Proof of Life on Earth”
Category: Reading
“Isaac and the Egg”
There is nothing wrong with Bobby Palmer's "Isaac and the Egg". Indeed the central conceit as to whether the egg is real or simply a figment of Isaac's imagination - or some kind of metaphor for his mental and emotional state - is handled well and maintained throughout. Perhaps what's even more satisfying is that … Continue reading “Isaac and the Egg”
“The Stranger in the Boat”
Although I am not a religious person, the essentially Christian message behind Mitch Albom's "The Stranger in the Boat" didn't really bother me. I think you have to take it for what it is (a little bit like Young's "The Shack", which is a wonderful novel) and move on. If such a theme bothers you, … Continue reading “The Stranger in the Boat”
“Antarctica”
Although Claire Keegan's collection of short stories, Antarctica, has won numerous plaudits, there was something about them which bothered me. It was as if there was something missing - or, more likely, something I hadn't spotted. Perhaps I was put off by the title story which I found unrealistic and a little clichéd. If the … Continue reading “Antarctica”
“The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida”
The 2022 Booker Prize Winner probably isn't really my usual cup of tea - although having said that, from a certain angle, Karunatilaka's book does resemble Haruki Murakami (one of my favourite authors). "The Seven Moons" is, I suppose, 'fantasy' of the gentlest kind, even if there is a rawness and violence about it. What … Continue reading “The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida”
“Fictions”
Surreal. Weird. Undefinable. Mind-bending. You choose - because as I was working my way through Jorge Luis Borges' Fictions I had no idea what I was reading! More often than not the individual pieces felt like non-fiction or reportage; but then the content was so surreal... It was one of those books where I really … Continue reading “Fictions”
“Shy”
One of the questions from writers that annoys me most is how 'long' things are - most especially "How long's a novel?" - as if there's a right answer. [These days there are very few 'right' answers in writing...] Take Max Porter's novel Shy. It's published as a novel, and you will find it on … Continue reading “Shy”
“Crash” – performance on Saturday!
My performance of Crash is now just three days away! I will be reading it as a dramatic monologue on Saturday 10th June @ 13:00 UK-time in the cellar of the Curzon Cinema, Ripon, North Yorkshire. There are just a handful of tickets left!
“Lessons”
Although I have been unable to finish Ian McEwan's Saturday, I respect his work so much that Lessons was an obvious request for a Christmas present gifted to me some five-and-a-bit months ago. As ever, McEwan's work is really well-written and with a style that appeals - at least in part because in some respects … Continue reading “Lessons”
“A Horse at Night – On Writing”
While I know lots of people will love Amina Cain's A Horse at Night, I'm afraid it wasn't for me. I found it somewhat self-indulgent and confusing; perhaps it was a little too 'meditative' for my taste. And I couldn't help but find in it an air of boastfulness in terms of citing all the … Continue reading “A Horse at Night – On Writing”
Ian Gouge - Writer 