Category Archives: Review

Book Review: Omar El Akkad ~ American War

Posted on August 14, 2018 by odeboyz

Omar was born in Egypt, lived in Qatar and is now a Canadian. This matters, American War is a dystopian novel set in the late 21st century. America is engaged in a vicious civil war. Climate change has caused havoc … Continue reading →

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Book review: Anonymous ~ The Secret Barrister: stories of the Law and How It’s Broken

Posted on August 7, 2018 by odeboyz

The Secret Barrister quickly establishes his non-traditional background. He was educated at a comprehensive school and isn’t a high-flyer. His post-2000 career has been blighted by reductions in legal aid payments. He offers many examples of stellar legal work but … Continue reading →

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Book Review: A A Dhand ~ Girl Zero

Posted on July 31, 2018 by odeboyz

The hackneyed British thriller genre featuring maverick Detective Inspectors is moved on by Dhand. Detective Inspector Harry Virdee is British-Asian brought up in Bradford where his father owned a corner shop. As a teenager Harry murdered a thief who was … Continue reading →

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Book Review: John O’Farrell ~ There’s only two David Beckhams

Posted on July 17, 2018 by odeboyz

A wonderful satire on football is exactly what’s needed in a post-World Cup period and this is that book. O’Farrell has made the wildly improbable plausible- including a Raheem Sterling goal. The book begins with Tony Blair elected as a … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Geraint Thomas – The world of cycling according to G

Posted on July 10, 2018 by odeboyz

Geraint has written an insightful book about pro-cycling. There are relatively short flashbacks to his early life in Wales but they’re the garnish to the main dish. He’s been in the forefront of elite cycling from its inception under the … Continue reading →

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Book Review: John Bew ~ Citizen Clem: a biography of Attlee

Posted on June 26, 2018 by odeboyz

Bew hasn’t made this colourless, dour, uncharismatic and secretive man interesting, which is disappointing with 564 pages to read. Endless remarks about Attlee’s shyness, “He was painfully shy and modest and kept up his guard at all times, ‘lest strange … Continue reading →

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Football Review: England vs Tunisia 18th June 2018

Posted on June 19, 2018 by odeboyz

The bookmaker Paddy Power is offering odds of 250-1 on England winning the World Cup: 250-1 for new customers.1 The form-book is the FIFA world rankings: England at 12th with Tunisia lagging at 21st. Sure enough the form came through … Continue reading →

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Film Review: Performance (James Fox and Mick Jagger) (1970)

Posted on June 12, 2018 by odeboyz

An archive film from 1970 might not seem interesting, especially as it’s a pathetic attempt to cash in on Jagger’s fame and notoriety. Jagger was presumably intended to emulate the cute Beatles. Performance absolutely isn’t Help! What the producers got … Continue reading →

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Book Review: John Burdett – Bangkok Eight

Posted on June 5, 2018 by odeboyz

John Burdett’s book is a very exotic thriller. Burdett begins Bangkok Eight with a murder. Unlike routine thrillers this murder isn’t crude and obvious. This murder is exquisite in its sophistication. Bangkok Eight hasn’t anything like the Anglo-Saxon thriller genre. … Continue reading →

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Concert Review: The Rolling Stones- 22 May 2018 London

Posted on May 25, 2018 by odeboyz

Former rock royalty Liam Gallagher was the backing artist. He had a terrific backing band who were badly let down by their front man. He didn’t understand what he had to do. A Rolling Stones audience knows what they like … Continue reading →

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