I Know Exactly What You're Good For

This was 5 episodes of 15 minutes in length Broadcast on Radio 4 between 7/8/2017 and 11/8/2017 This was one of the reasons i love Radio 4 , I came across it in the kitchen and couldnt stop listening. The Manifesto is such an important part of the arts movement that this piece of quick , all items considered work is perfect for. Special attention should be given to the 3rd episode where Le Corbusier is looked at but its just such a thing of joy that you shouldn't miss it. Perfect radio great choices and despite the presence of Gilbert and George (who i just cant like and i have tried) worth 75 minutes of anyone's time even if you think you don't like art.

Matthew Weiner - Heather The Totality , Novel I have read one star reviews and i can almost see why but i don't agree. Matthew Weiner wrote Mad Men and lots of the Sopranos so i was always going to read this Firstly this is short very short, you can easily read this in one sitting. Without giving away the plot this is a story of 2 family groups , deliberately placed at opposite scales of the social spectrum but they have more in common than they would like to think as both families are dysfunctional. They are brought together by the daughter  of the rich family and well any other information would give away the plot. Why should you read this book , well the writing especially of the middle class family is pin sharp , i read sections out to my wife such was the humour and the sharpness of the work. , the second party in the book is less defined closer to stereotype but the book holds it together and avoids this trap (just) The finale will annoy many but i didnt mind ...

Daphne sounds expensive was a 4 part Radio 4 Series that you can still check out on iradioplayer. It is billed by the BBC as Sketch trio Daphne present peculiar characters, wacky scenarios, dodgy remarks and curious observations. Written by and starring Jason Forbes, Phil Wang and George Fouracres. Its wacky but self consciously wacky , the addition of opera singer Willard White is nice but seems almost pointless any guest would do. I didn't mind episode 1 but by episode 3 i found myself wondering when the episode would finish , it feels very student humour , very clever and very specific but it is also not funny , you may smile or go that's clever but for a comedy show it isn't funny and over mannered. Im sure as it is on series 2 it must have fans but i cant imagine who.

Solar Bones is Booker longlisted and via the magic of NetGalley, i got to read it. This book is as close to being famous as it has only one sentence in it, does that make it good then? I found the book interesting , beautifully written and ultimately not engaging. That isn't to say that whilst i read it i wasn't engaged but anytime i put the book down the story the writing just seemed to vanish into the mists. I can see why the book is long-listed and i can see why it got amazing reviews but for me and i'm the person who read it it just didn't grab me enough to feel that i would read it again. I will read his next book and i have high hopes but this is interesting as a stylistic exercise but not essential. Product details Paperback:  272 pages Publisher:  Canongate Books; Main edition (4 May 2017) Language:  English ISBN-10:  1786891298 ISBN-13:  978-1786891297 Product Dimensions:  12.9 x 1.7 x 19.8 cm

I have always loved Joe Queenan , he has a way of positing facts and opinions whilst being clever and witty and finding a path not always considered.  On his Radio 4 programme under the Seriously strand Queenan takes a variety of voices , plays with the form and takes the listener on a journey around the truth.  There is nothing said that is unreasonable , the extracts and commentators are perfectly selected, the listener may have heard some of the pieces selected (such as Hilary Mantel's Reith Lecture) but its unlikely they will have heard all the extracts. What makes it different is the format , Queenan plays with the form , shines light upon magic and walks back and forward over information giving the tale a shaggy dog element .  If you like Queenan its a obvious selection and i can image some of the Radio 4 crew might hate this but if you do then lets be honest you are wrong headed and lack something , somewhere and you may need help  If you ne...

I was able to review this through Netgalley. This is not long listed for the booker prize and whilst i have only read one booker long listed title this year so far ; Reservoir 13 which is wonderful ; truly fantastic , i find it hard to believe this novel couldn't make the long list. MacLaverty takes a couple, forces them to escape the freedoms that being at home allows from each other and forces them to be together and allows the things that are never said to each other to come to the surface. His characters are frauds in that she is hiding multiple emotional truths and he avoids truths about himself that are self evident. The book made me laugh frequently , descriptions of meals and conversations have a humour that is recognisable without the Peter Kay and his do you remember shtick. Maclaverty's couple are every one , i recognised parts of me, parts of my parents and parts of my in-laws and that makes the sadness that flows through the book more pointed. I cannot...