Statements is an absolutely stunning collection of three plays by Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona. Written in the early 1970s, the plays lay bare the horror of what it was like to live in the racist South Africa of the time. I can only image how powerful and electrifying it must have been … Continue reading “Statements”
Category: Uncategorized
“Lapwing” & “Sky Mall”
I couple Hannah Copley's Lapwing and Eric Kocher's Sky Mall together in this review because they share two traits: the first is a significant degree of repetition in both subject matter and phraseology, and the second is a degree of the prosaic in the writing. Unsure what to make of Lapwing, I put it aside … Continue reading “Lapwing” & “Sky Mall”
“Real Time”
Without possessing an understanding of the cultural nuances relating to Indian life, I am sure I'm missing a lot of the subtleties in Amit Chaudhuri's collection of short stories, Real Time. Having said that, two things about the collection bother me. The first is how so many of the stories seem to 'fizzle out', lacking … Continue reading “Real Time”
“Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams”
Knowing what became of her it is difficult not to read Sylvia Plath through a ready-made filter. Having said that, there is enough darkness and foreboding in Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams to at least hint at what was to later transpire. Perhaps more than anyone else, the legend of her life is … Continue reading “Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams”
A selection from August…
"when you see anything of mine that you don’t like remember that I’m sincere in doing it and that I’m working toward something." - Ernest Hemingway Here are a selection of recent posts from my Substack site. The post on gimmickry in poetry has been particularly well received; plus news on a nomination for a … Continue reading A selection from August…
“Joy in Service on Rue Tagore”
Well, I'm sorry, but I've given up on Paul Muldoon's new collection Joy in Service on the Rue Tagore. And the reason? Partly because I've no idea in terms of what's going on in most of the poems, but largely because they read as if the poet has sat down with a copy of a … Continue reading “Joy in Service on Rue Tagore”
“Prophet Song”
[It will be impossible to write this without spoilers of some kind...] Paul Lunch's Prophet Song is a difficult read. Not in the way it is written (though some people will struggle with how he handles dialogue) but because of its unrelenting agony, a depression that builds unremittingly, such that - even half-way through - … Continue reading “Prophet Song”
The note pinned above my desk…
Sometimes it’s remarkable how quickly a ‘low’ can be followed by a ‘high’…
Some recent posts from my Substack site: "Writing until the light goes out" "Writing until the light goes out"
“May Day”
There's a warning right there on the back cover blurb: "one of the UK's most cherished poets". Whatever that means. But really? Not for me, I'm afraid. Too much 'listing' for my taste, and a great deal of personal reflection with which it is impossible for the reader to associate. All this compounded by dated … Continue reading “May Day”
Ian Gouge - Writer 