Category Archives: Review

Book Review: David Baldacci ~ A Gambling Man (2021)

Posted on May 2, 2022 by odeboyz

I bought this solely because of a Facebook advert, which is the modern version of Waterstone’s seductive: ‘Buy one, get one half price’. It was 99p on Kindle and I wanted an undemanding read. What I got was a revelation. … Continue reading →

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

Book Review: Viet Thanh Nguyen ~ The Sympathizer (2015)

Posted on April 11, 2022 by odeboyz

This superb book won the USA’s Pulitzer Prize. Nguyen is brilliant and the real thing: a great author. Opening sentences are important, I am a spy, a sleeper, a spook, a man of two faces.1 The unnamed hero/anti-hero is a … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Literature, Politics, Review, War | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

TV Review: Frasier ~ TV series (Channel4 catch-up) (Kelsey Grammer) (1993-2004)

Posted on March 21, 2022 by odeboyz

Being bored I punted round the various catch-up sites, Netflix and so on and came across Frasier, which I’d watched nearly 30 years ago. I wondered, whether it would it be like visiting an elderly relative who’d declined into despair … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour, quips, Review | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Film Review: The Godfather (1972) (Marlon Brando and Al Pacino)

Posted on March 7, 2022 by odeboyz

This is the 50th anniversary of the Godfather. Needless to relate I saw it in 1972 along with millions of others. I was thrilled at the announcement of its re-release. But my local multiplex only allocated three nights. And there … Continue reading →

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

Book Review: Zlatan Ibrahimovic ~ I am Zlatan Ibrahimovic (with David Lagercrantz) (Translator Ruth Urbom)

Posted on February 21, 2022 by odeboyz

This book is a superior sports autobiography. Zlatan’s ghost writer is an author in his own right, and translator is excellent. They capture the intensity of his life and the voice of an immigrant living in poverty. As a sports … Continue reading →

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

Book Review: Robbie Morrison ~ Edge of the grave (2021)

Posted on February 7, 2022 by odeboyz

Glasgow’s brutal history was ‘created’ by endemic poverty and squalor which brutalised the population in the period 1900-32. The context of hard physical work and grinding poverty led to the infamous Glasgow ‘Razor’ gangs. The outbreak of the First World … Continue reading →

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

Jay Rayner reviews an Italian restaurant in London

Posted on January 17, 2022 by odeboyz

“The nearest thing to a mellow dish is the cappellacci di zuca, the pasta stuffed with a sweet squash puree and sprinkled with an amaretti crumb so it becomes a plateful hinged between savoury and dessert. Then there are the … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Humour, Review | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Book Review: Seth Greenland ~ The Angry Buddhist (2012)

Posted on November 4, 2021 by odeboyz

A brilliant satire is exceptionally difficult to bring off and a *Must Read*. This is that novel. Satire demands a decent knowledge of the subject. Well don’t worry. This is American politics. The star is an incumbent who’s running a … Continue reading →

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

Book Review: Volker Kutscher ~ The Fatherland Files (2019) (Translator Niall Sellar)

Posted on October 21, 2021 by odeboyz

Fans of Philip Kerr and his wonderful series featuring Berlin policeman Bernie Gunter will warm to this German version. The book reeks of authenticity in its depiction of pre-Nazi Berlin and the insidious take-over of the police by them. The … Continue reading →

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

Book Reviews: Peter James ~ Find them dead (2020) and Peter James ~ Left you dead (2021)

Posted on October 11, 2021 by odeboyz

Peter James is a prolific author indeed he’s a book-a-year man. His creation is Detective Inspector Roy Grace who’s now a Superintendent and is angling to be a Chief Superintendent. Grace has been transformed into a careerist. The first book … Continue reading →

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