Category Archives: Literature

Book Review: Nigel Slater ~ Toast: the story of a boy’s hunger (2003)

Posted on May 13, 2019 by odeboyz

Slater’s autobiography is unique. He doesn’t pamper readers with a chronology. Hints are offered. Hit records are mentioned. Primary school becomes secondary; a catering college; various jobs culminate in the Savoy Hotel. His sexuality develops. A randy gardener, a girl … Continue reading →

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Books! Do you remember them?

Posted on April 8, 2019 by odeboyz
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Book Review: Zhou Haohui ~ Death Notice (Translator Zac Haluza) (2014)

Posted on March 25, 2019 by odeboyz

Waterstones dreaded ‘Buy one, get one half price’ has led me- greedily- to buy absolute lemons in the past. On this occasion I wasn’t disappointed. In fact I was delighted. Zhou’s novel is set in Chengdu. This is an enormous … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Sir Henry Howarth Bashford ~ Augustus Carp, Esq., by Himself (1924)

Posted on March 18, 2019 by odeboyz

Sometimes I chase up references and with the magic of Google and Amazon read reviews of books I’ve never heard by authors who’s names have long disappeared. If they’re not too expensive, I buy them. Not every move outside my … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Ian Rankin ~ In a house of lies (2018)

Posted on March 11, 2019 by odeboyz

Ian Rankin is a magnificent storyteller. His principal character and main achievement is Rebus. Rebus has been developed by Rankin in a way that other crime writers have not. Rebus is now old, ill with COPD, and retired. Rankin however … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Peter James ~ Dead if you don’t (2018)

Posted on March 4, 2019 by odeboyz

Although I think that the Roy Grace novels are excellent I nearly finished reading this one at chapter two. The three pages (pp4-6) of that chapter sickened me with their sadism. They were a reiteration of the Nazi Dr Mengele,1 … Continue reading →

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Book Review: William Melvin Kelley ~ A Different Drummer (1962)

Posted on February 25, 2019 by odeboyz

A Different Drummer is set in America’s deep south in the segregation era. The principal black character is Tucker Caliban working for the family that had, generations previously, owned slaves including Tucker’s great grand-father. The central white family stills owns … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Dov Alfon ~ A long night in Paris (translated Daniella Zamir)

Posted on February 18, 2019 by odeboyz

Dov Alfon is an Israeli who’s novel is autobiographical. He was an intelligence officer in an elite unit- 8200. A lot of the action is centred on this unit. The majority of the action is based in Paris. Away from … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Isaac Babel ~ Odessa Stories (Translator Boris Dratyuk) (1910s and 20s)

Posted on February 4, 2019 by odeboyz

Babel writes about Jewish life in Odessa at the beginning of the 20th century. Odessa’s a vibrant multi-cultural seaport with a very large Jewish population. Gangsters fascinate Babel and he creates wonderful pen portraits. He also writes about being an … Continue reading →

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Oscar Wilde on journalism

Posted on January 17, 2019 by odeboyz

‘The public have an insatiable curiosity to know everything, except what is worth knowing. Journalism, conscious of this, and having tradesman-like habits, supplies their demands.’ https://www.lrb.co.uk/v34/n14/john-pemble/the-only-true-throne Chris

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