Ocean Vuong's novel, "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous", pulls few punches. The subject matter almost demands it does not: homosexuality, the Vietnam war, being a post-war Vietnamese resident in the US, old age, love and death. Not a cocktail of subjects which lends itself to kid gloves perhaps. And given that cocktail, there could be … Continue reading “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous”
Category: Reading
“Night Boat to Tangier”
Kevin Barry's "Night Boat to Tangier" is, in many ways, an exceptional book. The first thing that hits you is the style in which it is written: unconventional; short, punchy sentences; lacking much of the traditional format of a novel. To be honest, this can be off-putting. For example, initially I was annoyed by the … Continue reading “Night Boat to Tangier”
“10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World”
While I enjoyed Elif Shafak's unique "10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World", I have to be upfront and say that I'm not sure how it made it to a Booker Prize shortlist. I couldn't help but think that the conceit which provides the structure for the first part of the book - that … Continue reading “10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World”
Think you’re secure with a WordPress ‘Contact’ page?
I was getting tired of being spammed by people using my website's Contact page to do so. Something had to be done. So I added a checkbox that needed to be ticked in order for the contact form to be successfully sent. I thought this might filter out any automated messaging - and maybe help … Continue reading Think you’re secure with a WordPress ‘Contact’ page?
“Apierogon”
The irony was inescapable, concluding the reading of Colum McCann's tremendously inventive novel "Apierogon" just as Arab-Israeli violence and tensions escalate to what is perhaps another inevitable war. The irony is that in "Apierogon" McCann presents us with a sliver of hope as two men - one Palestinian, the other Israeli - work together to … Continue reading “Apierogon”
Conrad’s “The…Narcissus”
When I was contemplating this entry, it is surely telling that my primary concern was whether or not I should use the full title of Conrad's novella. My instinct was to do so, but recognising that in these sensitive times certain words can be highly offensive and inflammatory, I have settled on an abridged version. … Continue reading Conrad’s “The…Narcissus”
“Flights”
Whatever you do, don't start reading Olga Tokarczuk's "Flights" expecting to encounter a conventional novel - because you won't. It is a fragmented, meandering creation with dozens of vignette's nestling against each other, sometimes in a logical progression - but mostly not. Some of these are as long as twelve or more pages, the majority … Continue reading “Flights”
“A Month in Siena”
Part-travelogue, part-art history, part-personal reflection, Hisham Matar's "A Month in Siena" could easily be seen as something of an antidote if you have been reading too much fiction and are seeking something different just to break things up. Indeed, in a way that is how Matar sees his trip to Italy; an opportunity to fill-in … Continue reading “A Month in Siena”
“Ravelstein”
There is something about Bellow's first person narrator / observer which draws you into "Ravelstein"; it seems to me that you are both 'inside' and 'outside' simultaneously. This elongated pen-picture of Ravelstein, laid out by his close friend Chick, is undoubtedly all sorts of things: colourful, expansive, amusing, ironic, submissive... Indeed, the list of adjectives … Continue reading “Ravelstein”
“John Crow’s Devil”
You could be forgiven for wanting to stop reading Marlon James' "John Crow's Devil" fairly early on into the book. If so, it will be the Jamaican patois that will most likely get you. But my advice is to persevere. Try and get a 'voice' in your head against which you can process the language … Continue reading “John Crow’s Devil”
Ian Gouge - Writer 