Spike Milligan was undoubtedly a troubled, conflicted soul and it’s clear that some of his humour hasn’t worn well. But the deceptively simple and silly jokes and pictures he filled up books are a childhood joy that I’ve never lost. I can’t believe I’d have understood the Judith Hart poem above but would have laughed … More Spike Milligan pictures and poems
This was the long-delayed fulfilment of a promise to myself to read Marquez who always seemed so off-putting. How wrong I was. Not that this long, strange novel isn’t without it’s challenges. There’s no plot as such, just a long stream of strange and wonderful things happening to the Buendía family over more than a … More ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ by Gabriel García Marquez
‘Back soon’ now seems a little optimistic. In my defence, the most interesting and exciting election of my career was bound to have an impact on my other interests let alone my social life! New music is what’s really gone by the board. I’ve listened to some but much less than usual and getting to listen to … More Hello summer!
If you’re remotely interested in Virginia Woolf, the National Portrait Gallery’s exhibition is both utterly fascinating because of the historical artefacts and images on display and worth experiencing for the quality of the art. I saw it in the summer but it’s on till the end of October so I’m hoping to make a return visit. I’m … More Virginia Woolf exhibition, National Portrait Gallery
Much as I love Conrad, he can be a bit hard-going and I’d held off going back to him after struggling through ‘Chance,’ which is a great story suffocated by way too much of Marlow’s ponderous opinions. By contrast this volume of tales shows off Conrad at his best: strange stories of people buffeted by … More Joseph Conrad, ‘The Duel and Other Stories’
I’ve never been much of a James Bond fan and have only ever watched two or rather three of the films all the way through. They were one of the Timothy Dalton movies, I can’t remember which, and both versions of ‘Casino Royale.’ However a few years ago I read the excellent Sebastian Faulks Bond … More James Bond
What this amazing book is not is a conventional, comprehensive history of the First World War. What it is instead is first-hand testimony, a chronological selection from letters, diaries and written accounts by those at the front, accompanied by masses of photos, some of them illicitly taken and some of them taken by the men … More ‘Tommy’s War’ by Richard Van Emden
It is a strange story and one that has been told elsewhere rather more fully than Gerald McMillan was able to in 1954 I think, but the book - stamped ‘Dowlais Library’ has been sitting on the windowsill in our Assembly office for as long as I’ve worked there and curiosity finally got the better of me. Maundy … More ‘Honours for Sale: The Strange Story of Maundy Gregory’ by Gerald McMillan
It started accidentally at a church or school jumble sale. I must have been about 13, maybe younger. Rummaging through the books I spotted a tatty paperback with the Saint stick man on the cover. When I was much younger I’d loved ‘The Return of the Saint’ TV show but only, to be honest, because … More Me and the Saint - Relics 10
Only a couple of weeks late but my review of Alix Nathan’s ‘His Last Fire’ has been published by Wales Arts Review. Click here to read it. While you’re there, there are lots of goodies to keep you reading for ages. Most likely, by the time you do there’ll be a new issue with even … More Review of ‘His Last Fire’ in Wales Arts Review
Adrian Masters 