Of late I have mostly been reading...

[alanmck]

re-reading James Ellroy's "American Tabloid". at a rate of 10 pages a night, i can only barely recall a time when I wasn't reading it.

[d7bohs]

Well, it passed me by. But I did notice a local tendency to Mockney which, I think, is more like it. You know your Essex towns, my friend.

Just that one - a year at Uni of Essex

[mp3000]

re-reading James Ellroy's "American Tabloid". at a rate of 10 pages a night, i can only barely recall a time when I wasn't reading it.

I've read it several times as well but I am beginning to grow a bit weary of the recurring oedipal themes. In terms of style I think he peaked with White Jazz. Tabloid's telegraphic style is good in parts but there is a repetiveness in both the phrasing and the events(especially in the obligatory scenes where the protagonists freak out). Hopefully the last book is an improvement.

[alanmck]

I've read it several times as well but I am beginning to grow a bit weary of the recurring oedipal themes. In terms of style I think he peaked with White Jazz. Tabloid's telegraphic style is good in parts but there is a repetiveness in both the phrasing and the events(especially in the obligatory scenes where the protagonists freak out). Hopefully the last book is an improvement.

got "Blood's a Rover" at Christmas, read it and had the obligatory Ellroy-decompression month before I started Tabloid.

shame you're in Greece, would have stuck Blood's a Rover in the mail to you, bit pricey to ship a hardback though...

[mp3000]

got "Blood's a Rover" at Christmas, read it and had the obligatory Ellroy-decompression month before I started Tabloid.

shame you're in Greece, would have stuck Blood's a Rover in the mail to you, bit pricey to ship a hardback though...

I appreciate it all the same, anyway the way things are going here I could not tell you if I would be able to ship it back to you. I just pre-ordered the paperback, hopefully I will not be disappointed.

[MPFlapp]

Richard Neville - "Hippie Hippie Shake"

Quite a good read - although you have to wonder at the motivations of what at times appears to over privillaged young folk...



Not sure if what the Sunday Times quote on the front says is true - I'd more than a few breaks...

Still need to seek out a few Oz issue out of interest...

[BeatsDeluxe]

[radtradCat]

[alanmck]

that's a great second career to have, shame so few leave the playing field for the academic one...

[Filthy Rich]

I guess you know the story with that name Alan? Loved it when there was a rumour going round that it was Umberto Eco under a pseudonym but they put out a statement saying "We're nothing to do with the old wanker". Good book anyway.

[alanmck]

was vaguely aware of the Blissettless Blissettness of the Blissett book(s).

More recently though, I've been sleepily re-reading

[MPFlapp]

The Krautrock book... took a while to get round to this one... easy read - some nice features by guest writers... info is OK - still no great revelations here...

Worth a punt...

[balrogzlayer]

Currently reading Flaubert's Madame Bovary, which is great, but some of my favourites are by Herman Hesse: Steppenwolf, Siddhartha and Demian are all wonderful classics.

[babycart]

Len Deighton was at the height of his fame when he compiled this 1967 collection of essays on swinging London. Included are tips on why Mods like the Golden Egg-type restaurant and flock to Chips With Everything: an oyster bar where each oyster is helpfully x-rayed before you eat it: and the only pub in London where you can get a pint of lager
Lots of tips for long defunct record shops, as well as Godfrey Smith's fantastically pompous guide to the best champagne cocktail in the Smoke, an article by a bloke who bought a pub on the Isle Of Dogs, a mood piece by Shirley Collins hubby and advice on how to buy dirty pictures. ("Got anything better?" is what you say, but you must be careful not to look like a copper when saying it)

[ginghamkitchen]

Len Deighton was at the height of his fame when he compiled this 1967 collection of essays on swinging London. Included are tips on why Mods like the Golden Egg-type restaurant and flock to Chips With Everything: an oyster bar where each oyster is helpfully x-rayed before you eat it: and the only pub in London where you can get a pint of lager
Lots of tips for long defunct record shops, as well as Godfrey Smith's fantastically pompous guide to the best champagne cocktail in the Smoke, an article by a bloke who bought a pub on the Isle Of Dogs, a mood piece by Shirley Collins hubby and advice on how to buy dirty pictures. ("Got anything better?" is what you say, but you must be careful not to look like a copper when saying it)

Great book, I particularly like the chapter on slang. It's bona palari.



This is a good companion piece.