Having read just about everything he's written, it's fair to say that I'm a huge fan of Haruki Murakami. On that basis, I started reading "The City and its Uncertain Walls" with a degree of relish. However, whilst in many respects "City" is typical Murakami, there are a couple of things that bother me about … Continue reading “The City and its Uncertain Walls”
Category: Writing
“An Arbitrary Light Bulb”
There is a challenge in reading poetry which is intrinsically personal to the poet. Often, in order to get the most from a piece, you need to know the people concerned or the places described or the events which happened. Without this, striving for interpretation can feel a little like reading with one metaphorical hand … Continue reading “An Arbitrary Light Bulb”
February’s best Substack posts
"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 A selection of links to recent posts from my Substack site. "Writing until the light goes out" "Writing until the light goes out"
Grimsby Docks – a trailer
17 Alma Road – a trailer
“Held”
Given Anne Michaels is also a poet, it is unsurprising to find there is something lyrical and musical about her prose. "Held" is filled with splendidly musical writing. Indeed, many of her phrases and sentences would not be out of place in a poem. This characteristic is undoubtedly one of the reasons I found "Held" … Continue reading “Held”
“Orbital”
I can see why Samantha Harvey's "Orbital" won the 2024 Booker Prize: it's a sustained piece of bravura writing. However... ... too soon it started to feel like a travelog, a geography lesson. I stopped caring about whether the spacecraft was orbiting over Kazakstan, Alaska, or Milton Keynes; the places and countries - and the … Continue reading “Orbital”
“Gliff”
Like so many books these days, Ali Smith's "Gliff" presents an immediate challenge to a reader expecting a traditionally formatted narrative: the text isn't justified. This may be a small thing, but it can throw you at first - that is, until you get used to it. And the way she handles conversation (no quotation … Continue reading “Gliff”
January’s best posts
"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 A selection of links to recent posts from my Substack site. "Writing until the light goes out" "Writing until the light goes out" And a link to my latest … Continue reading January’s best posts
“So Many Ways to Begin”
You simply must read something by Jon McGregor. Full stop. If you like well-written contemporary literary fiction, McGregor's work hits the spot. "So Many Ways to Begin" is typical McGregor: calm, understated, stylish - yet without shirking away from tackling difficult subjects (here the long-term affects of adoption, mental illness/depression, infidelity). And yet he manages … Continue reading “So Many Ways to Begin”
Ian Gouge - Writer 