Category Archives: Review

Film review: Toy Story 4 (Tim Allen and Annie Potts)

The least said, the better. Chris PS This isn’t the general opinion. US box office = $237M in ten days; UK box office = £26.9M

Posted in Film, Review | Tagged | Leave a comment

Book Review: Sebastian Horsley ~ Dandy in the underworld: an unauthorised autobiography (2007)

If you like train crash autobiographies this is for you. His family were rich and he was unconstrained from his earliest moments. Sebastian was a psychopath towards himself. He fell in love with Jimmy Boyle, a Scottish murderer, who was … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiography, Health, Literature, Review | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

CD Review: Alabama 3 ~ Exit on Coldharbour Lane (1997)

People of a certain age tend to have fixed musical tastes. And I’m no exception. Therefore when I heard this cd it came as a surprise. How did this Acid House cd end up on my deck? (Quaint word heh!) … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Review | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Film Review: Rocketman (Taron Egerton and Jamie Bell)

Unlike the review cited below1 I consider this biopic in terms of what we’re missing today. Obviously Rocketman is trite depending on a sing-a-long narrative. The recurring thread is Elton in an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting coupled with flash backs. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Review | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Donald Trump meets British public opinion June 2019

…..he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace – all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Review | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: C Northcote Parkinson ~ Parkinson’s Law or the pursuit of progress (1957)

This book is one of the most influential books that has been written. Like Catch-22 it has entered the language and the psyche of even those who haven’t read it. Parkinson’s Law is brutally simple. “Work expands so as to … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, History, Humour, Literature, Review | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Attica Locke~ Bluebird, Bluebird (2017)

The shocking thing about this book is that it’s a twenty-first century novel published exactly fifty years after ‘In The Heat Of The Night’ was released. The film and Attica Locke’s novel are set in the Deep South. In east … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature, Review | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

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

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 →

Posted in Literature, Review | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Jay Rayner reviews Fish and Chips: The Fishmarket, Edinburgh

“The fish is fine, but here fine isn’t good enough. You try it and go yeah, that’s a piece of fried fish in batter. But you wouldn’t tip your head on one side, dab an eye and admit undying love, … Continue reading →

Posted in Review | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Zhou Haohui ~ Death Notice (Translator Zac Haluza) (2014)

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 →

Posted in Literature, Review | Tagged , | Leave a comment