What I'm reading ...

I have started How To Build A Time Machine by Paul Davies.

I don't remember how/why I got this book. Maybe it was some Amazon targeted marketing ... But, anyway it is my kind of thing and I thought it time to read something a little serious. The book is really about modern physics' view of time and the likely feasibility of time travel. I read a review which warned that it was not a manual on how to knock one up in the back yard over a bank holiday weekend [shame!].

The Snapper - by Roddy Doyle

It was no surprise that I enjoyed reading this book. Guess that's why it only took me a few days.

The story is basically about Sharon getting pregnant out of wedlock by mistake and the implications on her, her family and those around her. It is a serious story, but hardly a page goes by without something making you smile or laugh out loud.

Doyle is a master at evoking a feeling of "being there". I have no experience of being in a working class Irish household, but I do feel I've been visiting one over the last few days. I think it is his rendition of the very individual dialect that makes the dialogue come alive. At times, I have to wonder if they are talking English at all! Here are some examples of local turns of phrase:
"Snapper" = baby - I guess this comes from "whippersnapper".
"Young one" = teenager or young person, usually referring to the opposite sex.
"Old one" = elderly person.
"Mot" = wife.
"Having a baby for X" = "X is the father of my baby".
"Gas" = good time; laugh.
"Ride" = have sex with (verb); good person with whom to have sex (noun).
"Eejit" = idiot.

I have another of Doyle's book on the shelf, which I will savour for a while. It's sequel is also available - that is what he was reading from when I saw him in Cheltenham. Sounded good.

What I'm reading ...

I have started The Snapper by Roddy Doyle.

This is the second book in the Barrytown Trilogy [along with The Commitments and The Van]. I have read the other two and, for some reason, never got around to this one. I am a big fan of modern Irish writing and Doyle is a key contributor to the excellent work from that country. I had the pleasure of seeing him at the Cheltenham Literature Festival last year and that whetted my appetite for his latest work.

Dimension of Miracles - by Robert Sheckley

The story is, on the surface at least, a fantasy romp through the galaxy. I found some parts more convincing than others and some of the writing style was a bit laboured.

There are distinct parallels with Douglas Adams' work for sure. The idea of Earth being specifically constructed is familiar, but the idea that God simply sub-contracted the work is different from DA's more "industrial" approach. The sentient city of Bellwether reminded me of the ship-board computer, the doors with attitude and Marvin.

I was interested in the concept of locating somewhere in the Universe effectively in five dimensions: 3 spatial, time and probability. They could find Earth in space and select the right time, but then it was a matter of choosing the correct "version" of Earth.

And what was the "predator" all about?

I was rather dissatisfied with the ending and wondered whether this was some kind of comment upon the world that we live in. Overall, I was left with a feeling that the author was drawing some far-reaching metaphor which I am not intellectual enough to grasp.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Dimension of Miracles by Robert Sheckley.

This book has been lent to me by a friend, who saw the similarity to some of Douglas Adams' ideas in the Hitchhiker's Guide, which it pre-dates. It certainly seems off-beat enough ...

Bravemouth - by Pamela Stephenson

Although I don't rate Pamela Stephenson as a writer and this book is less well crafted than Billy, it is still good to read a biography from "close to the source". It's an affectionate account and I enjoyed it. I particular liked Jimmy Tarbuck's compact description of what Billy Connolly is: an observation comic.

What I'm reading ...

I have started Bravemouth by Pamela Stephenson.

A while ago, I read Billy, which was Pamela Stephenson's biography of her husband Billy Connolly. This book is a follow up and describes, in more detail, one year [his sixtieth] in his life. I am a big fan of Billy Connolly. I have a feeling that he is just the same person in real life as we see in his shows.

Small Island - by Andrea Levy

I was right about the structure of this book being good. I found that it led me through very well. I never felt lost as I have done with other books which employ multiple timelines and viewpoints. As I observed, each chapter is written from the viewpoint of one of the 4 main characters. The chapters are grouped into sections. Each section is set in one of the 2 timeframes: "before" [war years and just after] and "1948". The chapters are contiguous in time within the section.

Although the book is ostensibly about the Jamaicans arriving in England, it has a lot more to offer in terms of insight into that time period: life in wartime London, post-war India and a lot of perspectives on prejudice in general. I was quite shocked by the extent to which this seems to dominate society at that time. People seemed to really compartmentalize themselves and others by race, gender and social class. Although there are many derogatory terms for black people quoted, one that made me sit up was "darkie". Although perhaps less coarse than many, I clearly recall it being used a lot by older people when I was a child. Fortunately it seems to have died out.

Although it is quite a long book and took me a while to read. The structure and the pace of the book kept me turning the pages. In particular, towards the end, things speeded up and I found it quite unput-downable.