Reading - October 2018

The Return of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten (1959)

More of the short stories, maybe a little broader this time, but inventive and funny enough to keep what is basically a single joke going. I think this is the first of these books that I ever read (a long time ago), and it reminds me of my Grandma.

The Day Of The Jackal by Frederick Foryth (1971)

A superb story, immaculately told. The detail has its precedent in Ian Fleming's James Bond novels, but surpasses even that, and surely influenced people like Tom Clancy.

The Guitar Magazine (Vol 30 No 02)

The Player Of Games by Iain M. Banks (1988)

One of my favourite books; by parts funny, thrilling, gruesome and sweet, it's not too long but satisfyingly complex. The universe it depicts is so convincingly and completely described that it almost disappears; there's nothing jarring because it's all so consistent. Fantastically imaginative and involving.

The Business by Iain Banks (1999)

This is probably the third time I've read this, and I still find it disappointing. I think I was hoping I'd missed something, but it feels like a book written because a book was contractually required rather than because it was a story that needed to be told. It doesn't have any particularly interesting ideas - the central theme of "The Business", some ancient, semi-secretive, globe-straddling organisation, is an obvious and dull one - and the plot meanders a little. Ultimately, I didn't really care about the characters so, although it's perfectly readable, I just felt a bit unimpressed.

Are You Dave Gorman? by Dave Gorman & Danny Wallace (2001)

I really like both knowing that this is a real story but also the way it's been slightly massaged to make the telling better, and the way it switches between the two authors' viewpoints is very effective. Obviously each character in the book is somewhat exaggerated, but I hope Dave Gorman's blindly optimistic, insensitive character isn't real - I felt very sorry for Danny Wallace for most of the book. Still, funny. Also, I know (of) a Dave Gorman where I work - sadly, he doesn't feature in the book as far as I can tell.

Reading - September 2018

A Blink Of The Screen by Terry Pratchett (2012)

A collection of short stories, from juvenilia to miscellanea; inevitably something of a mixed bag, but readable nonetheless. The Discworld pieces are the best, of course.

The Economist (September 1st-7th 2018)

The Economist (September 8th-14th 2018)

The Vinyl Detective: The Run-out Groove by Andrew Cartmel (2017)

I loved Written In Dead Wax and so when I found out there was a second book in the series I was very keen to read it (and very obliged to my friend Nat again, who lent it to me). However, this one has taken me much longer to finish. I think this is partly because it is, in essence, very similar to the first one, and reading it so soon afterwards meant that it had lost some of it novelty. Another part, I think, is that one of the characters has the same surname as me, which is hardly a common one, and every time I came across it, it brought me up short and somehow made it harder to enjoy. There's a third book, but I think I'll give it a few months before I read it.

The Guitar Magazine (Vol 30 No 01)

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams (1987)

Douglas Adams is of course primarily famous for The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy, and primarily that from the books. So I've always found it slightly ironic that the H2G2 books are themselves not very good. For me, they bear too many marks of having been manhandled from the original concept - the radio series - into book form. Adams could write though, as this, the first Dirk Gently novel, shows. Chock-full of interesting ideas as usual, but all now within a coherent, satisfying structure.

The Sacred Art Of Stealing by Christopher Brookmyre (2002)

Just a really good story.

Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life (Volume 1) by Bryan Lee O'Malley (2004)

The film of this is superb and so I was moved to find the original source material - but I have to say, I'm disappointed. Partly this is because I don't really get graphic novels. Maybe I'm reading it in the wrong way, but as a story, this is barely enough to get your teeth into - it took me about twenty minutes to read. Given that it's a graphic novel, perhaps I should spend more time looking at the pictures; but they're so simple that I can't see that they add much more. Still, as an item of interest because of the film, it's interesting: partly because of how much has made it into the film, and partly by how closely the scenes, and indeed characters, match the original drawings. Except, oddly, Scott Pilgrim himself, who doesn't look anything like Michael Cera.

The Education Of Hyman Kaplan by Leo Rosten (1937)

I was surprised to find out how old this book is - but despite what might today be considered rather broad stereotyping of other nationalities, there is little in it to date it.  The endless manglings of  the English language are very amusing and the characterisations of immigrants are fond, as would be expected from a man who was one himself.

Reading - August 2018

The Chandler's Ford Story by Barbara Hillier & Gerald Ponting (2005)

Short history of the town, but then the place is not particularly old. At one point it says that "generations of schoolchildren" have been told how the body of King William II, also known as William Rufus, was carried up our road on its way to Winchester. But, given that the oldest school was established in 1881, it can't have been more than four or five generations. Interesting if you live here though!

The Economist (4 August 2018)

Troublesome Words by Bill Bryson (1984)

Short, but informative and useful. Bryson explains in clear, non-technical terms how phrases and words should be used. He's broadly in favour of retaining words that provide useful distinctions, even if those are minor. He also points out that language changes, and so it would be interesting to consider how it has changed since this book was written. For example, under "data", he notes that the "shift is clearly in the direction of treating data as a singular", which is clearly now true; although I was amused to notice that The Economist still treats it as plural, and sounds silly for doing so.

The Guitar Magazine (Vol 20 No 12)

Marshall's new Origin amps, Lowden's GL-10 electric guitar.

Cider With Roadies by Stuart Maconie (2003)

For some reason I had it in my head that I hadn't read this for years, and reading it again didn't make me change that opinion. But according to my records it was only four years ago. Although I enjoyed the book (again), it clearly isn't that memorable!

The Economist (11 August 2018)

Brother Ray by Ray Charles & David Ritz (1978 / 2004)

The first time I read this, it was a copy borrowed from the Central Library in Manchester, and someone had laboriously gone through the entire book and carefully scribbled out every single swear word or offensive (to them) phrase. Given the way the book is written, which is very much in Ray Charles's own voice, this meant there were barely any pages left untouched by the mystery censor. Nevertheless, it didn't take away from the story, which is superbly enjoyable; so it has been a real pleasure to come back to it thirty years later - this time, thankfully, in unsullied form. It really is a remarkable story, even if the author is perhaps liable to painting himself in a favourable light, and entertainingly told.

Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss (2003)

Part diatribe against lax punctuation, part guide to improving it, and nicely light in tone. I think my job - writing code - gives me a preference for precision in language and so this book appeals to the pedant in me.

The Economist (18 August 2018)

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (2011)

Having enjoyed the film, despite its differences to the book (watching on an enormo-screen in 3D probably helped), and then again on DVD recently, I thought I should revisit the novel for the first time in a couple of years. Still great, more satisfyingly retro and geeky than the ever-so-slightly generic film, and obviously with both a good and romantic ending.

The Economist (25 August 2018)

Reel History: The World According To The Movies by Alex von Tunzelmann (2015)

An amusing and insightful, if necessarily somewhat selective, wonder through the history books as perceived via the lens of Hollywood. Obviously showing up the more egregious lies and mistakes is way more fun, but one is left with the view that most historical films are mainly complete rubbish. Also, I don't think she likes Mel Gibson much.

Reading - July 2018

But Seriously by John McEnroe (2017)

Brief - I read it in just over a day - but entertaining, this isn't a start-to-finish story of McEnroe's life, but rather a set of chapters about different aspects of it. Although primarily focused on his post-retirement activities (for his time as a player, see Serious), he nevertheless also goes back to talk a bit about how he was as a person back then and how it affected him now. The book skilfully conveys McEnroe's personality while still managing to flow well from section to section, which I assume is down to some (unaccredited) professional writing help. There's nothing earth-shattering here (he's a bit rude about the BBC's revamping of the Wimbledon highlights show in 2015, albeit entirely with reason) but enough spice to make it worth reading.

The Secrets Of Love & Lust by Simon Andeae (1998)

This somewhat over-salaciously titled book is - as indicated by its its less sensational but more accurate previous title of Anatomy Of Desire: The Science And Psychology Of Sex, Love And Marriage - not a manual or guide, but instead, a pop-science summary of sexology. That is, why do humans indulge in sex and relationships, not how. It's also very interesting. If you take the scientifically orthodox view that all behaviours are the product of millions of years of evolution, then they all have a "purpose" that must lead back to reproductive success; so what is the purpose of love, lust, orgasms or sexual enjoyment? The book attempts to answer these questions in a reasonably concise way. The author also has some scathing words for how societies, religion more specifically and Christianity in particular have attempted to co-opt, divert or pervert these natural forces that they see as a threat.

Dead Famous by Ben Elton (2001)

It's interesting to compare this novel with another that sends up reality TV, Christopher Brookmyre's  A Snowball In Hell (2008). In both cases they take the idea to a logical satirical conclusion, namely murder, live on telly; but while Brookmyre invents his own shows, Elton appears to have just ripped off Big Brother, lock, stock and barrel. And this is my main problem with Ben Elton - too much of his humour just hits painfully obvious targets, using cliched characters. The narration is uneven too, switching erratically between viewpoints from paragraph to paragraph. Nevertheless, as a story, I found it very readable and I really wanted to know whodunnit, so credit where it's due.

The Guitar Magazine (Vol 29 No 11)

The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler (2004)

I'd heard about this book a while ago and even contemplated reading it once or twice before, but this time when I saw it on the shelf at our book exchange, it seemed like the right time to take the plunge. I'm pleased I did; it's a gentle, sweet and amusing vignette of a year in the lives of five friends who decide to form an all-Austen, all-the-time book club. While that seems like a limited idea for a discussion group, it's an ideal setup for a novel that needs a defined end. We learn about the backgrounds of all the characters, who are well-observed and interesting, and see them change over the duration. It's all unremarkable but engaging - just like Jane Austen's books, of course.

Boiling A Frog by Christopher Brookmyre (2000)

Chosen as a reliably good read when I was in an unimaginative mood. Good fun as ever.

Reading - June 2018

Bedlam by Christopher Brookmyre (2013)

Having recently re-read (and watched) Ready Player One, this sort-of companion piece (probably only in my mind) needed reading again. Good fun.

The Guitar Magazine (Vol 29 No 10)

The Book Of The Year by No Such Thing As A Fish (2017)

Subtitled "The Weirder Side of 2017", the NSTAAF crew - James Harkin, Andrew Hunter Murray, Anna Ptaszynski and Dan Schreiber - gather the oddest facts and events into an A-Z of, well, weirdness. Very entertaining.

Wednesday The Rabbi Got Wet by Harry Kemmelman (1976)

I read this via Libby, which I can now run on my shiny new phone, but I realised I'd read it before because I actually own it! It's of a piece with the other Rabbi Small novels, a very acceptable whodunnit with an American Jewish flavour.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman (1973)

I haven't read this for ages and I remembered it as an amusing, sweet twist on a fairy tale. However, this time, I find it somewhat irritating. The fiction of its being an abridgement of a classic novel is maintained throughout, with Goldman's interjections about his (also fictional) life, and while the overall pretence was funny the first time around, his breathless, chatty style wears thin and feels like it gets in the way of the narrative flow. Goldman has said that the device allowed him just to write just the "good parts" of the story and make disjointed leaps from one to another, but too many of them feel like they could have been removed. My edition is the 1999 25th anniversary edition that includes the first chapter of Buttercup's Baby, which is, if anything, even more annoying. (As an aside, I mentioned William Goldman to a good friend of mine once and he said, "Oh, I hate that guy." On being asked why, he said that he couldn't forgive him for ruining The Princess Bride with this abridgement. I tried to explain that there was no original book, but he wasn't having it!)

Sex, Sleep or Scrabble? by Dr. Phil Hammond (2009)

As I understand it, this is a collection of the most amusing and interesting questions that Dr. Hammond gets asked during his comedy tour (since he is also a comedian). Gently amusing throughout, with a couple of laugh-out-loud moments, but consistently informative and interesting. As good a compendium of general health tips as any, with a particular emphasis on sex and sexual health, as befits both the author's own interests and the likely interests of a well-refreshed audience shouting out mildly risqué questions.

The Ultimate History of Fast Cars by Jonathan Wood (2002)

A typical Christmas gift type hardback book, heavy on the glossy pictures and, despite being called "The Ultimate History", out-of-date less than a year after publication - which is why it cost me only a couple of quid. Nevertheless, an competent-enough summary of lots of interesting cars, with only a few odd omissions (no Caterham Seven?) and relatively little of the poor copy editing that usually plagues these kind of photo compilations.

Newport 1958

Mahalia Jackson
1958

Like most people, probably, I think I'd claim to know gospel when I hear it, but I wouldn't have identified this as such. This is just Ms. Jackson singing by herself, with minimal - but effective- backing instrumentation, primarily from a piano and occasional organ. Where's the mass choirs and fevered chanting?

All of which shows how much I know. My entire knowledge of gospel is the five minutes it takes James Brown to sing "The Old Landmark" in The Blue Brothers, so it's fair to say that I am not the best informed about the subject. Listening more carefully, as well as the obviously church-based lyrics, the chord progressions are very typical of gospel - at least, I assume so, because it sounds like early soul. What is striking is how funky some of it is, and you can see the direct line from "I'm On My Way" to Ray Charles's "Hallelujah I Love Her So", and from there to the sixties' twin peaks of Motown and Stax.

Mahalia Jackson's voice is fantastic and the whole thing sounds great fun. She's also sweet when the audience is clapping and she says "You make me feel like I'm a star" - although surely she was, since otherwise why would she be at Newport Jazz Festival, for the second time?

Needless to say, this isn't something I would have chosen to listen to or even known about had it not been in a list in a book, so I'm grateful to have been exposed to it. I'd even probably listen to it again some time.

Reading - May 2018

Songwriting For Dummies by Jim Peterik, Dave Austin & Cathy Lynn (2010)

This was a bit of a grind. There's some interesting stuff about the mechanics of songwriting - the section on song structures in particular was new to me - but it's not well-written, and didn't carry me with it. Most annoying is the fact that Jim Peterik appears to have only contributed by adding multiple quotes throughout the book, and each time he does, the quote is credited to "Jim Peterik, author of 18 Billboard hits, including (blah blah blah)", which is ridiculously repetitive and redundant, and just makes him seem like a one of those insecure people who keep reminding you about what they've done: "I wrote 'Eye Of The Tiger' you know!"

The Perfect Neighbour by Nora Roberts (1999)

I'm part-way through a number of books I'm finding hard to digest, so for a bit of light relief I picked up this sweet little snack of a book. Nothing fancy, just something to entertain for a short time.

The Joys Of Yiddish by Leo Rosten (1968)

This came from C's grandma a couple of decades ago - at least - and I've started reading it many times. It's great for dipping into, being basically a selected dictionary, but hard to read much of in a sitting, and as a result I'd never actually made it far. This time I was determined to finish it - even though it took me about three months! It's amusing and educational, and worth it for an insight into American Jewish culture in the US, certainly that of thirty-forty years ago, which, lest we forget, is still a very influential voice in Judaism.

Are We Still Rolling? by Phill Brown (2010)

I learned about this via the Spirit Of Talk Talk book. Phill Brown was the engineer on Spirit Of Eden, Laughing Stock and Mark Hollis's solo album, but before that he'd spent twenty years working in London studios, primarily for Island Records, engineering a host of classics by the likes of The Wailers, Robert Palmer, John Martyn and many more. The book is an autobiography, but centred on his recording experiences. The world of the music business in the seventies sounds as bacchanalian as legend would have it - clouds of cocaine, parties every night and women everywhere - but equally, plenty of hard work, at least for an engineer. It sounds like he started falling out of love with "progress" during the eighties and isn't entirely happy with the music business any more. It's also notable that the band he most consistently references throughout the book is Talk Talk, and the experience of recording their last two albums sounds particularly intense, and it casts some valuable light onto the process, even if it reveals nothing of the reasons for it (as a techie, he seems to have little insight into the artistic process). An interesting read for a music geek like me but probably a bit niche for most people.

Can You Keep A Secret? by Sophie Kinsella (2003)

I last read this about four years ago. I grabbed it one evening when I just needed something to read before sleeping, rather than spending half an hour trying to choose a book. I enjoyed it last time and I enjoyed it this time. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, it's sweet and the central character is quite endearing.

Get Fit Swimming by Kelvin Juba (2006)

I'd like to start swimming again properly, because I'm not running regularly and I think it's because, really, I'm not that bothered about running, despite its convenience. So it's good to have a reminder of training approaches to swimming, and there's some useful summary information about land-based work too.

The Importance Of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (1895)

Light and fluffy, but sharp and so beautifully honed. Reading it isn't the same as watching it, of course, but it's a good read anyway. Other than the classic 1952 film, I probably last saw this on stage in the 1995 Old Vic production, about which I remember little other than the famously silent "handbag", and being a little underwhelmed.