Hello again. So. I’ve started up a book club in London, meeting twice a month to discuss, well, books. Specifically, one book per meet. We only read books by independent publishers, because we’re elitist like that. Or, y’know, some vague high-minded bullshit about wanting to support small publishers in their darkest hour of need, blahblahblah. Anyway, I really enjoyed writing about the books I’d been reading in my previous blog post, so I figured I’d do it again. The last two books are from the book club.
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
Brilliant book. Non-fiction, 1961. One man’s account of how he, a white male journalist, altered his appearance to appear as if he were black, and travelled through some of the racially segregated states in the south of the USA. Written very well. I would highly, highly recommend it.
Narrative of Sojourner Truth compiled by Penguin
Sojourner Truth was an amazing woman. Obviously. This book is definitely worth reading for the information it imparts about her life, and in particular her famous speeches, but I did find it quite hard going at times. The way it has been compiled seems a little stilted and forced, and the flow is often interrupted by asides. Still, the writing is of its time, and if you can look past that, it’s a book with a lot to give.
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Oooh, olden days thriller! I did quite enjoy this, considering I normally hate this kind of thing. It is a well-crafted book, doubtless, but something in me just can’t get fired up by fragile women in frocks getting saved by dashing men in hats. The only woman with a personality and some brains was completely sexless, while the love interest was wilting and intellectually challenged. And who dunnit? It wasn’t the butler? Hrm, in that case, Dr. Watson, IBTP! Gadzooks!
Yeah. I wanted to like this book, I really did. I like the way Lin plays with words, and takes the piss out of his craft. I love how facetious it all is. It was fun. Funny even. But when I finished the book and looked back over what I just read, it struck me that I’d just spent a couple of hours reading what is essentially a young writer jerking off to how clever, subversive and witty he is. And just how clever, subversive and witty *is* Tao Lin? I’d say quite. But not enough for a whole book. I may well read his collection of short stories though.
The Delivery Man by Joe McGinniss Jr.
Oh dear. A book by a first-time author (white, male, Amuurican, middle class) about a prostitute in Las Vegas? More specifically, a book about a prostitute in Las Vegas from the point of view of her male chauffeur/oldest friend? Will it be a nuanced and intelligent treatise about the intricacies of modern sex work, or will it be a pile of self-congratulatory wank filled with ’shocking’ scenes of sexy-time and drugs? We (book club) all unanimously agreed on the latter and fucked off to the pub without further ado.
Currently being read: Tokyo Year Zero by David Peace, The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing and Palestine by Joe Sacco
Tags: book club · books · me me me · publishing2 Comments
2 responses so far ↓
When’s the next meeting / what are you reading for it?
Today, and Tokyo Year Zero by David Peace. Great read, I’m well impressed with it.