Reading - December 2015

Monday The Rabbi Took Off by Harry Kemelman (1972)

A lot of this novel (which still isn't much, since it's a short book) is about the main character going to Israel and some discussion of the situation there, including the "Arab" terrorists - interesting to note the change in terminology from then to now. The crime occurs quite late in the book. Not as good as the previous books in the series.

The Week (5 December 2015 / Issue 4051)

Minnow On The Say by Philippa Pearce (1955)

One of my favourite books as a child, a gently exciting treasure hunt adventure. I read this to Z over about a month.

Going Postal by Terry Pratchett (2004)

The usual fun, a very enjoyable new (to me) character in Moist von Lipwig and I enjoyed the subtle parallels between the sub-culture around the clacks and early internet culture.

Three Men In A Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (1889)

A classic - the origin of the (paraphrased) quote "I love work; I could sit and watch it for hours" and many, many others - and marvelously suitable for reading in short bursts during down time. Like sitting down time. Short sitting down times. OK, all right, on the loo.

The Week (12 December 2015 / Issue 1052)

Aussie Grit: My Formula One Journey by Mark Webber (2015)

I'm not a particular fan of Mark Webber but he has always seemed like a down-to-earth sort of bloke and I was interested to hear what he had to say about the most definitely not down-to-earth sport of Formula 1. No-one who reaches these kind of levels in a sport is exactly "normal" - the single-mindedness required is probably beyond the comprehension of most of us - but he comes across here as being as close as it's possible to be. He was clearly badly treated at Red Bull, he doesn't like people who say one thing and do another and is pretty scathing about a number of people in the Red Bull camp, Sebastian Vettel, Christian Horner and Helmut Marko in particular. Yet in contrast to this, he's stuck with his manager Flavio Briatore for a long time, despite the man's appalling reputation. Either the world is wrong about Briatore or there are certain concessions Webber is prepared to make in pursuit of his ambitions. Full marks to him for conceding that Vettel is a better driver than he is; but there is no insight into why, or what it was that gave Vettel four World Championships on the trot in the same car that Webber was driving (even disregarding the favouritism).

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot (1939)

Poetry doesn't do much for me but this is the kind I can just about cope with. This is more about the whimsical word play than hidden meanings, and (being aimed originally at children) is just good fun. Not sure why I've not read it before, but then I've never seen Cats either.

Guitarist (January 2016 / Issue 402)

The Week (19 December 2015 / Issue 1053)

The Week (24 December 2015 / Issue 1054)

The Producer's Manual by Paul White (2012)

This year I have really started getting into guitar again, thanks the The Fretboard forum, and into the monthly "challenges" they run. In order to participate, you need to record something - and wasn't long before I realised that this is an entire new area of musical knowledge. I'd toyed with music software before - mostly trackers like Renoise - but actually recording music and then making it sound good is somewhat different. A guide was needed - and this is an excellent one. Clear attractive layouts and a logical structure, with huge amounts of good, basic information about kit (microphones, audio interfaces, etc), recording techniques, producing techniques, producing techniques and much more. Very enjoyable and destined to be referred to again and again. And good enough to be bought again as a present for a friend!

The "If You Prefer A Milder Comedian Please Ask For One" EP by Stewart Lee (2012)

I'm not sure if reading this heavily annotated transcript without having seen the actual show is a good idea or not. It is a bit like having Stewart sitting next to you while watching the DVD going, "Now in this bit what I'm doing is satirising the cliche way that comedians enter." Which does help. But shouldn't it be funny on its own, without the explanations? The beginning is laugh-out-loud funny, but only if you realise that it's done on purpose. I think if I'd seen it without context, live, I would have assumed that something had gone wrong, even though (as Lee points out), a few second's more thought would make you realise that it is deliberate, for comic effect, given that it is, you know, a comedy show. Maybe seen on a DVD, it's more obvious, because clearly he wouldn't have chosen to release it unless that's how he wanted it. Anyway, funny and interesting.

Balham To Bollywood by Chris England (2002)

Cricket isn't exactly my sport but nevertheless this is a fun, entertaining diary of an actor's time working on a cricket-based Bollywood epic out in India.

Reading - November 2015

A Slip Of The Keyboard by Terry Pratchett (2014)

A collection of articles for various papers and magazines. There's a certain amount of repetition across them; maybe you could call them "themes" - such as the belittling of "fantasy" as a literary genre. Entertaining and interesting, in small, manageable chunks.

Saturday The Rabbi Went Hungry by Harry Kemelman (1966)

A period piece in some respects, and of its time, but interesting for the background in Judaism. The whole series is available in eBook form from the library, so that works for me and my shiny new Kobo Aura!

The Week (31 October 2015 / Issue 1046)

Sunday The Rabbi Stayed Home by Harry Kemelman (1969)

Again, of its time but nevertheless interesting and engaging.

The Week (7 November 2015 / Issue 1047)

Guitarist (December 2015 / Issue 401)

The Week (14 November 2015 / Issue 1048)

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (2008)

Highly readable pop-science, as expected from Gladwell. I'm not convinced the topics covered all hang together, quite, but there are very interesting viewpoints on a number of subjects. Read it in about 3 days.

Be My Enemy by Christopher Brookmyre (2004)

Parlabane on good form. Again.

The Week (21 November 2015 / Issue 1049)

How Music Works by David Byrne (2012)

A very mixed bag of a book by the Talking Heads front man. Some of it is interesting, some of it is indulgent, some is just a bit silly. Byrne's observation of how a venue affects the music made for it is new to me (although not original, I am sure); whereas his assessment of "How To Make A Scene" is basically just a rundown of what made the CBGB's scene, with little awareness of how a myriad of other factors could come together in a myriad of ways to achieve the same end. Which is odd, because he is one of the more widely travelled "pop" stars. I got a bit impatient towards the end, which was dragging somewhat.

Reading - October 2015

Boiling A Frog by Christopher Brookmyre (2000)

Brookmyre skewers politicians (again). Comfort reading.

The Week (26 September 2015 | Issue 1041)

The Week (3 October 2015 | Issue 1042)

The Firm by John Grisham (1991)

More easy reading. A great story.

The Week (10 October 2015 | Issue 1043)

Quite Ugly One Morning by Christopher Brookmyre (1996)

Oddly, despite loving Brookmyre's books (well, not the dull police ones he's doing now), I haven't read his first one for a long time. Not sure why - it's easily up to the same standard as most of the others.

The Week (17 October 2015 | Issue 1044)

Guitarist (November 2015 | Issue 400)

The Week (17 October 2015 | Issue 1044)

Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson (1990)

A minor classic, I would argue - so much more accessible than a legion of other books about the origin of English, yet equally informative. Ideally partnered with Made In America.

Rumpole a la Carte by John Mortimer (1995)

Jovial and jolly short stories. Great fun.

Steve Jobs

Walter Isaacson
2011

I struggled with this book for two reasons. The first is that it's too long and too heavy. I could have done with half the length and a lot less detail - like Steve Wozniak's autobiography iWoz, which was a nice concise read.

Being so long and somewhat imposing, and having a pompous black and white headshot of Jobs on the cover, is there to tell you that this is An Important Book About An Important Person. Which is my second problem. The myth making. The whole thing is ridiculously uncritical of its subject.

If you've read the book, you might find this judgement slightly surprising. Isaacson writes frequently and at length about Jobs's bad behaviour - the tantrums, the cruelty, the selfishness, and much else. The trouble is that really, he approves of this behaviour. He thinks it's the price we pay for genius and for the series of products that transformed whole industries.

This kind of sloppy thinking annoys me intensely. I think everyone involved in writing and editing of this book should be made to stand in a classroom and write on the board, "Correlation does not imply causation." Steve Jobs behaved really badly at times. Steve Jobs transformed whole industries through his genius. One does not imply the other.

Anyway, "genius"? Give me a break. On the evidence of this book, Jobs was a deliberately and pathologically unpleasant man with a massively over-developed sense of his own worth, whose only talent, if it can be called thus, was for getting his own way. In this, he was perfectly suited to advancement in our imperfect corporate culture, and perfectly placed to take credit for the achievements of other people.

And "transformed whole industries"? I think you can certainly say that Jobs - along with others at Apple, whose credit Jobs appropriated in this respect as in others - was able to spot a trend early. But Apple did nothing first, and nothing that wouldn't have happened anyway. The industries were in the process of being transformed already, by bigger forces than one man or even one company could muster.

Steve Jobs was not a "perfectionist". He was not "blunt" or "driven" or "abrasive", or any other of the many pathetic euphemisms used to excuse inexcusable behaviour. He was a cunt. His legacy is not the Apple products; they don't make people's lives better really. His legacy is the continuing myth that in business, it's OK to behave like a petulant five year old.

The world would be better without arseholes like these, and the inescapable conclusion is that the world would have been a better place without Steve Jobs.

Reading - September 2015

Modern Manners by Philip Howard (2013)

Very disappointing. Billed on the cover as "The Essential Guide to Correct Behaviour and Etiquette", it is actually a loosely organised collection of letters from a regular column in The Times, which in book form is tediously repetitive and shallow. Go and read Debrett's; it's actually quite interesting.

The Week (5 September 2015 | Issue 1038)

Love Lives by Josie Lloyd & Emlyn Rees (2003)

The style here is very suggestive of Lisa Jewell and in my opinion that's a good thing. I was reminded of this novel by a visit to friends in Littlehampton; sitting on the beach there made me wonder what it is like growing up in a seaside "resort" that is actually just a town next to a beach, and this book captures some of the sense of life in a resort somehow. Plus it's two sweet romances in one, kind of.

The Week (12 September 2015 | Issue 1039)

Friday The Rabbi Slept Late by Harry Kemelman (1964)

First in a series of murder mysteries with a rabbi as a detective. Decent plot (although I have already forgotten who dunnit) and interesting asides about Judaism. I have a couple of books in this series inherited from C's grandma, but this was read on her Kobo, and the ebook borrowed from the library. 

The Week (19 September 2015 | Issue 1040)

Rumpole and the Age of Miracles by John Mortimer (1988)

I read on Wikipedia that, contrary to my assumption, the short stories are in fact adaptations of the TV series and not the other way round. Nevertheless they work as written stories and Rumpole is such a wonderful character. Great to dip into.

Guitarist (October 2015 | Issue 399)

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson (2011)

Myth-making doorstop.

Shopping 19 September 2015

Music is worthless.

Not that music has no value - artistic, emotional or other axes of measurement - but in our era of Spotify and YouTube, music is so ubiquitously and freely available that it has no monetary value. So Steve Albini says in a music conference talk from last year, and also Simon of The Indelicates, in a very interesting blog post.

Simon Indelicate argues that the commodity we pay a premium for is scarcity. In the past, he says, record companies artificially controlled the availability of music (in the sense of how many bands they would distribute), and charged accordingly. He's very articulate about the injustices and iniquities of the old business model that put so much money in the pockets of self-appointed gatekeepers - those old enemies of good music and creativity, the record companies. He thinks the internet has freed music makers to reach their audiences without having to get "approval".

I can see what he's getting at, but I think he's missing a point. So we've got much more music available now that record companies aren't "getting in the way". But you know what is scarce? My time. You know what is worth paying for? A filter. Maybe it's not "fair" that record companies decided who got to record and release their music, but I would argue that the best record companies removed the dross so I didn't have to listen to it. The music press (more unwanted taste dictators) served a similar purpose, but now it's in its death throes (The Word is long gone and the NME could well be on its last legs - being free, as David Hepworth says, is a bad sign) no-one's doing that job for me.

So what other approaches are there? If the internet is causing the problem, then the modern day solution is also the internet. I could find out what do my friends listen to on Spotify, or via Facebook. thisismyjam.com was a really cool take on the idea of crowd-sourcing music curation, although sadly it's now retired and archived itself. Various music services will attempt to recommend music to you based on your listening history, although I've always found them a bit hit and miss.

Although ... if it's going to be hit and miss, why not just make it completely random? Artificially reduce our field of choice and adopt an arbitrary selection policy. For example: two shops in Soho on a Saturday afternoon in September; two middle-aged music obsessives select twenty-six albums, one for each letter, based on nothing other than whim: an amusing band name, an arresting cover.

Yes, yes. This is the latest annual(ish) pilgrimage to the secondhand music emporia of Soho. Although the plural is only barely justified: there are two shops left on Berwick Street, and of those, Sister Ray has moved and reduced; Restless Records was already small. Still, a trip worth it for the obvious and welcome benefits of getting out of the house and having a good old chinwag over a few choice pints. And the fleeting chance that maybe, just maybe, we'll find ourselves blown away by something we never would have heard otherwise.

I got the letters N to Z and chose (mostly) based on no prior knowledge whatsoever. Here's what I bought, along with my initial impressions based solely on the names, cover art and my finely honed prejudices.

A Little Touch Of Schmilsson In The Night by Harry Nilsson (1973)

Other than knowing that Nilsson was a good singer, I knew nothing about this album. It seemed as good a place to start as any.

Owl John by Owl John (2014)

"The new album from the voice of Frightened Rabbit", it says on the front, accompanied by a picture of a hipster. No, me neither. I presume it is some sort of Americana.

Cautionary Tales For The Brave (EP) by Pure Reason Revolution (2005)

Not sure what to make of this, but the title sounds a bit prog-rock.

Greatest Hits by Queensrÿche (2000)

I assume some sort of German hard rock or metal, like Scorpions or Michael Schenker?

Getting Through by The Riptide Movement (2013)

The cover is fairly minimal, so little to go on. Probably nice enough indie/alternative.

Soul:Fi by Space Invadas (2010)

Teeth-grindingly unnecessary punctuation and spelling means this is almost certainly bad hip hop or whatever they call it these days.

Made Up Mind by Tedeschi Trucks Band (2013)

I already know that Derek Trucks is a superb slide guitarist, but not sure what to expect from his (and his wife's) band.

Ultravox! by Ultravox! (1977)

Before Ultravox were Ultravox, they were Ultravox! and John Foxx is known for being a little eccentric. 

Becoming A Jackal by Villagers (2010)

More indie. Or is it alt.country? Hard to tell.

The Original Rumble by Link Wray ()

Legendary guitarist famous for one song basically. I fully expect to find a) many copies of said hit, and b) rubbish alternative tracks.

Testament by The Wake (2000)

Nope. I'm getting nothing. It's a "best of" so presumably they've been around a while?

Angel Guts: Red Classroom by Xiu Xiu (2014)

Very little to go on with the cover, two vaguely sword shapes, crossed. Rap maybe?

Colossal Youth by Young Marble Giants (1980)

Young Marble Giants were cult back in the early 80s and so their album is ripe for rediscovery by hipsters, I would have said. The card on the shelf in Sister Ray said something about "lost classic" which, of course, means nothing.

Versions by Zola Jesus (2013)

Something a bit like Lorde or similar?

Reading - August 2015

The Week (1 August 2015 / Issue 1033)

The Running Man by Stephen King [writing as Richard Bachman] (1982)

I hadn't read this for a while and although I remember the basic plot, I was surprised by how detailed some of the background is. Utterly compelling, utterly believable - even if it is set (now) only ten years in the future.

The Political Animal by Jeremy Paxman (2002)

Accurately identifies and articulates the oddities of the career politician. My theory that anyone who has succeeded in any sphere is not entirely normal (the level of single-mindedness required is beyond 90% of the population, I reckon) applies equally here, although one might argue with the definition of "success" in the case of most politicians. In any case, the book sets out the bizarre life of the British politician and you're left with a disconcerting sense that the job is increasingly only appealing to the kind of person you wouldn't trust to look after your cat, let alone your country. Extra marks for including the unintentionally hilarious review from William Hague: "It left me disappointed."

Men At Arms by Terry Pratchett (1993)

One of my favourite Discworld novels, mainly because it has a bit of a romantic element to it and I am a sucker for a happy romantic ending. Also I am constantly marvelling at Pratchett's lightness of touch as a narrator; he doesn't spell things out but implies them, so you feel clever for spotting them.

The Week (8 August 2015 / Issue 1034)

Notes From A Small Island by Bill Bryson (1995)

This is on my list of favourite books (non-fiction category) for a reason: it's such an enjoyable journey. Even though it's now twenty years old and some elements of the country he toured have changed, it's still very accurate about English people and their nature and fascinating about many places.

Rock Stars Stole My Life! by Mark Ellen (2014)

An easy holiday (re)read. What struck me this time is how acerbic he is about the takeover of EMAP (publisher of Q, Select etc) by corporate management consultancy bollocks. I don't blame him for getting out, but the ending of Word magazine does sound a bit sad.

The Week (15 August 2015 / Issue 1035)

The Week (22 August 2015 / Issue 1036)

The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter (2012)

A fantastic central concept (if slightly obvious - parallel universes are not a new idea, of course) with loads of great ideas, that simply takes too long to get going. The whole book feels like it is scene-setting - something you'd expect of the first few chapters of the book, not all fifty-two - and it ends on a kind-of cliff-hanger, presumably for the next novel (which is conveniently advertised on the inside back cover).

The Week (29 August 2015 / Issue 1037)

I Think You'll Find It's A Bit More Complicated Than That by Ben Goldacre (2014)

Bite-size chunks of Goldacre magic, which can mostly be found on badscience.net but are still nice to have in book form. The book is split into multiple sections covering various topics, but a recurring theme is the inability of journalists to understand, check or communicate basic science - a failing that, as Goldacre points out, has serious, even fatal consequences; for example, the whole MMR farce, which was almost entirely media driven. (One such takedown provoked an unintentionally hilarious "rebuttal" from a science journalist, rightly summarised by Goldacre as "explaining why health journalists can't be expected to check facts." So much for trusting any other reporting then ...). What makes Goldacre so much fun, apart from the obvious joy of watching idiots get exposed, is that his writing is funny and flavoursome.