Admittedly you probably need to have a soft spot for the subject matter in the first place, but surely what makes Kathryn Scanlan's Kick the Latch so eminently readable is the style in which it is written: a collection of flash fiction pieces which, when strung together, make a coherent narrative. If there are joins … Continue reading “Kick the Latch”
Category: Reading
Positive feedback
I know people are inclined to say nice things in Chat windows during on-line open mics, but here's what was said about "Giro-scopic" when I read it at Kim Moore's open mic on Wednesday: I love that ending, Ian. Whew, what a gut punch, Ian. Devastating poem. Well said. Really moving poem Ian, very moving … Continue reading Positive feedback
“The Art of Falling”
Having read Kim Moore's All the Men I never Married, how could I not read The Art of Falling? And it was undoubtedly worthwhile. For me, the real stars of the collection come right towards the end: "A Room of One's Own", "John Lennon", "Wallace Hartley" to name just three. If I have a minor … Continue reading “The Art of Falling”
“Cloud Cuckoo Land”
Based on the back cover blurb and any previous reading of Anthony Doerr, you know from the very outset that he is going to weave together the various strands of Cloud Cuckoo Land into a cohesive conclusion. Bow neatly tied, thank you very much. And he does. However, there are other aspects of the novel … Continue reading “Cloud Cuckoo Land”
“C+nto”
Perhaps it isn't surprising that as a heterosexual white male of some maturity I didn't really 'get' much of Joelle Taylor's somewhat visceral C+nto. Yet that didn't stop me from being able to appreciate the raw power of it, the seduction of the drumming incantation, the occasional brilliantly poetic phrase. In its relentlessness, Taylor unwraps … Continue reading “C+nto”
“Bewilderment”
Wonderful? A tour de force? Relentless? Inspiring? You go ahead and choose. If you've read Richard Powers' "Bewilderment" you probably have some other words you'd like to add to the list of superlatives above. Beyond the narrative and how erudite and moving it is, how engrossing the story is, the thing that strikes me most … Continue reading “Bewilderment”
“All the men I never married”
I confess that, for no good reason, I was slightly wary of Kim Moore's "All the men I never married". Perhaps it was a uniquely male fear of some kind, perhaps against being exposed. Or of not understanding what Moore was talking about. I needn't have worried. "All the men I never married" is a … Continue reading “All the men I never married”
“Ship’s Log”
In "Ship's Log", David Punter has harvested extracts from the letters and diaries of former SS Great Britain passengers and crew written during 19th Century voyages from the UK mainly to Australia, and used them as a kind of 'jumping off point' for poetic responses which attempt to echo the essence of the letters and … Continue reading “Ship’s Log”
“Demolition”
I really liked Neil Rollinson's collection, "Demolition". Across a variety of subject matter there was something in his tone and voice which certainly resonated with me. "Away with the Mixer" is a wonderful poem exploring the death of a parent who has suffered from dementia; and the way it handles the aftermath - raw and … Continue reading “Demolition”
New podcast episode: four sonnets
I have just published a new episode to my Walking Thru' Fire podcast. You can find the episode here or via any good podcast provider e.g. Audible, Spotify, Amazon books, Apple etc. Given Shakespeare’s own sonnets are the major influence behind my collection, Not the Sonnets (to be published later this year), it seemed only … Continue reading New podcast episode: four sonnets
Ian Gouge - Writer 