rectangular objects review (no, not ipads)

Book post ahoy!

Now that I’ve started using the mobile library I’ve been stocking up on books.  I love the mobile library even though I seem to be the only one under sixty.  Actually, that’s not fair.  There’s a few of us without a blue rinse. 

The best things about using the mobile library are avoiding paying fines and making book requests for free – YAY!

So what have I been reading?

'No Off Switch' - hilarious, brilliant read

My friend recommended to me that I read Stuart Maconie when I mentioned to her that I’d read Andy Kershaw’s autobiography (which I’m also re-reading btw and still loving – it’s hilarious).  I was unsure but picked up one of Stuart's books when I noticed it on the mobile library shelf.  ‘Hope & Glory’ (which I kept reading as ‘Soap & Glory’) picks out an event for every decade of the last century with Stuart visiting each place he mentions.  I don’t know how many adjectives I can think of to describe how wonderful the book is but it truly is a delightful journey through Britain's history.

If I was being cheesy I'd say 'Hope & Glory' is a hopeful and glorious read!  

Fnar fnar, oh, I'm so amusing.  

I loved the mentions of the West Midlands – Stuart seems to be a big fan of the region – as he gives a potted history on Handsworth, eats Caribbean food in Perry Barr and even walks down Soho Road (the most famous road in Birmingham for Asian shopping).  It was like seeing myself reflected in a book.  Funny how attached we feel to the places we live, isn’t it?  

Stuart’s account of multiculturism isn’t all doom and gloom (like certain right-wingers would have you believe) but instead upbeat and positive about the contributions minority communities have brought to Britain.  Reading that made me want to stand up and say ‘YES! YOU’RE SO RIGHT! THANK YOU!’  For just the food alone, we minorities must be thanked profusely.  

'Hope & Glory' is wonderful.  'Love Poems' is poetry of the highest quality

The book is such a pleasant and informative read.  I’m definitely going to delve into the rest of Stuart’s output as I’ve been converted to an instant fan.  I’ve even started listening to Radcliffe and Maconie on 6 Music! 

I also read Carol Ann Duffy’s book of love poems which was good but I’ve read most of her work already so it wasn’t much of a revelation.  I liked the book cover though. 

If I had more readers, I'd set up a book club or something but as it is, I just like talking about what I like.  Any book recs are most welcome.  

I finally read the damn book

Dear reader, it’s the long awaited Andy Kershaw book review. Can you even bear the excitement? So, after much anticipation, what did I think about it?

I FLOVED IT.

THE END.

I’m just joshing you… of course I have more to say than that (although it does neatly sum up my feelings in a nutshell). Basically, this post is going to be me fangirling like some psychotic teenage beiber fan over a broadcaster and journalist who is two decades older than me.

So why am I mad about the Boy Kershaw?

Well, for starters, the book is beautifully written. I’ve stayed up past 1am every night since I got this book because I’ve been so hooked on it. From birth Andy was intelligent and inquisitive about the world. He learned about space and flights to the moon and studied up on the JFK assassination – by the age of eight. He wrote pieces and took photos for motorbike racing magazines and was offered a job as a journalist before he had even left for university (and oh, how I envy him for that - R.I.P teenage dreams of being a journalist).

Andy’s passion and enthusiasm leaps off the page. Whether it’s music, motorbikes, travel or women – he embraces it fully and lives very much in the moment of joy (sometimes to his detriment). It’s obvious from the book that Andy is a lot of fun to be around. What he chalks up to as luck I would say is his fizzing energy and charisma. As someone who is so shy that my personality is in constant danger of folding in on itself, I love being around big ‘characters’ and Andy is a wonderful shining planet drawing all objects around him into his orbit.

It’s also clear that the guy was a hottie in his youth.

Hubba hubba, it's hipster Andy.

Yes, it’s a shallow thing to note but I wouldn't be human if I didn’t pay attention to these things (mullet notwithstanding).

He rightly calls out Bob Geldof for not including African artists on the Live Aid/Live8 bill. He describes the shambolic nature of presenting live aid which includes this highlight here of Andy interviewing Sting, Phil Collins and Howard Jones.

He’s incredibly funny. That’s a FACT.

I love a good celebrity anecdote and the book is chock full of them. Yaaaay! He’s met a huge amount of incredibly famous people and the encounters he describes are fascinating. Some celebrities also find Andy fascinating such as Little Richard who lustfully chases a young, handsome Andy around a radio studio!

I was cheering Andy on and rooting for him all the way.  I was a huge Radio 1 fan so I loved peeking behind the curtain and reading up on the 'behind the scenes' tales Andy recalls.  I didn't know about his friendship with John Peel and the working relationship they had so reading about it was really interesting.  Andy manages to pay homage to Peel while also stripping away the mythology that has built up around him.

Andy writes with great affection about John Walters, his mentor and producer, who kept things running Room 318 and who acted as saviour when malign influences conspired to close Andy or John down.  You get a keen sense of loss when John Walters passes away leaving Andy bereft of his mentor and friend. 

The book keeps building and building like waves crashing over bigger waves until the chapter on his breakdown where Andy's life takes a giant swerve towards imminent disaster. Thankfully, Andy pulls his life back together and I admire him deeply for that.  I found Andy's rides through his ups and downs to be truly inspirational.  His thoughts and memories have been sloshing around in my brain for a few days now.  I found myself becoming attached to all of Andy’s friends (whatever happened to Anna Jenkins? Poor love) who shared in his adventures and who he obviously holds in great affection.  I feel like I've lived his life in a vicarious way. 

Is there any chance Andy googles himself? Cos I wanna point at my blog and go:

LOOK AT MEH! I WUVS YOU

Actually, it’s probably better he doesn't see this – I’d scare the crap out of him.

In summation, his book is pure amazingness and you should all read it now.

current affairs keeps getting currenter and I can't keep up

I’ve already noted twice already that I can’t do current events blogging and yet I keep going back to the well because I can’t help myself. But I need to face facts. I can’t keep up with the news because stuff KEEPS happening.

News is still unravelling on the Oslo killings therefore rendering my meagre one post obselete. Or at least it needs further commentary because I can't just leave it at one post can I? It seems sloppy and lazy not to follow through on the story and I feel the need to be on top of it so I can get the last word in.

I'm just going to have to surrender to the fact that I'm crap at news blogging.

I'd much prefer to leave commentary to writers who are vastly more skilled at this than I am like the awesome Charlie Brooker whose Oslo article is a welcome read.

As for the terrorist himself… well, turns out he was fond of websites by the abhorrent Pamela Gellar and made contact in the UK with the English Defence League. Perhaps we could start to properly condemn these groups and organisations as dangerous and extremist, and deny them a media platform for their anti-muslim hate speech rhetoric? Just a thought.

And that is all I have to say on that.

In other news, guess what came in the post on the weekend?

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

I abandoned my library copy of ‘the junior officers’ reading club’ pretty sharpish (and I was glad too - the soldier jargon was wearying) and I’ve been immersed in the Boy Kershaw’s world ever since.

And it is sooooooooooo effin good. I’m possibly considering writing a fan letter full of embarrassing fangirl praise – it’s that good. Will blog about it when I’m done.

Until then it’s cheerio from me.

Ghosts of Electricity

I was going to blog about my weight today because it’s been depressing me lately but for some reason I want today’s blog entry to be blues-free.

I’m not really in a good mood. I just want to look on the bright side for once. There’s enough suffering in the world as it is and me blogging about my weight seems so inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. I mean, who gives a monkeys if I’ve put on a few pounds? There are much worse things happening elsewhere.

So what am I doing right now?

After reading an article on Andy Kershaw that was in The Sunday Times, I’ve been reading old articles on Andy and I’m listening to an obituary on Ali Farka Toure, a Malian artist that Andy - a fan of African music - helped bring to prominence.

I have vague memories of listening to Andy Kershaw on radio 1. Well, actually, I remember my brother listening to Andy Kershaw's radio 1 show, which is how you know something is cool when an older sibling is into it first. I think I was too young to really understand the world music he played, at the time I was a teenager who lived for Jo Whiley and Steve Lamacq, but only now do I appreciate Andy’s eclectic musical taste and distinctive Lancashire accent that made his shows so unique.

The newspaper article highlighted the troubled times Andy has experienced in the last few years which was sad to read but I hope he's back on track. On my wee blog in the internet wilderness, I salute you, Andy. And I hope to read your autobio 'No Off Switch' soon. (His desert island discs is available to listen here)