Dr James Graham's
Celestial Bed.
Gaia Holmes
Hey - I'd be lying to you if I didn't come right out and say
it.
I know the author of this particular book. I know her and I like her.
As they say in the funny pictures - "She's a stand up dame." And you
could, if you were totally cynical, recognise that this whole page is
just an excuse to push this one book. By this one person that I know.
Shame, cynical person - Shame on you.
This obvious nepotism is only part of the story here. Trust me on this
one. This is a fantastic collection from a new author. It's witty and
sad, exotic and urban. It's streetwise and educated. It's easy to read,
but you will find yourself going back to it, and you will keep
rediscovering new things.
So - It's a goddamned contradiction, but it's a contradiction in a nice
way. Like a really over-muscled guy who wears glasses and
reads
philosophy, or that dingy cafe in the wrong part of town that serves
the best coffee and has a sticky toffee bun you would die for.
You can hear some of Gaia's work by following this link to Comma
Press.
Bonus:
The cover. I mean.
Look at the cover, and look at the other covers in this list. It's
lovely.
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Tell Me.
Kim Addonozio
I really like Kim Addonozio. I can't spell her name, but I really like
her poetry. At the moment, this is my favourite collection. At times,
the poems in this collection are a little dense, and they can
be
a bit too self-confessional, but Kim carries it off with remarkable
humour and a line in poetic language which is fantastic.
There are some stand-out poems in this collection too. Night of
the
Living, Night of the Dead wittily captures the claustrophobia
of
Zombie Movies whilst managing to say something sadder and darker about
her own life. Theres a section about a visit to a dying friend which
(rather embarrassingly) had me almost weeping on the Number 1 Bus
(Beeston to Lawnswood).
Yeah - I really love this book. I remember when I was younger, and I
had this huge crush on Suzanne Vega. I reckoned that if I managed to
get a ticket to New York, I could see her. Even though I was 16 at the
time, I knew our love could cross those boundaries. This book makes me
feel the same. The artistry & raw passion!! The fantastic
metaphors!!! The exquisite writing!!! Kim, Kim, Kim...
Now, if you'll excuse me I have to go and add some more pictures of Kim
to the shrine. |
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The Brink.
Jacob Polley.
You know what. I haven't read this book. I really haven't. I promised
myself that I'd finish Reel by George Szirtes before buying it, and I
still haven't managed to finish that. Sorry. In fact, I really
shouldn't be telling you to buy this at all. What sort of reviewer am I
that tells his viewers to buy a book they haven't read themselves?
A BAD reviewer. That's what.
But, in my defence, I will say this. Almost every single poetry-loving
person I respect has had the following conversation with me...
Them: Have you read Polley's latest?
Me: No - Well, after that whole "Jar of Honey" over-hyping I got a bit
tired of hearing his name, so I thought I'd leave it.
Them: Oh man, you're really missing out.
Me: Plus, I saw him live, and I wasn't that impressed.
Them: I was there with you. I agreed with you. He wasn't great. But
you've got to read his book.
Me: Yeah - blah, blah. He's a really good wordsmith, blah, blah. Don't
you think he lacks passion?
Them: No! You have to read this book. It's beautiful. It's brilliant.
Me: OK - I'll get it when I've finished Reel by George Szirtes
Them: Haven't you finished that yet. You've had it a year.
Me: Leave me alone already - I'll buy the God-Damned book. |
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The Tree House.
Kathleen Jamie
Q. Do you know why I really like this book?
A. Because you can read it cover to cover, and you won't end up with a
huge headache.
I'm no big fan of books that are concerned with trees, and nature and
the shifting seasons. If nature was such a good and exciting thing to
be artistic about, then all the great films would simply be long
montages of waving branches and birds hopping excitedly from berry to
berry.
This is not the case.
However, despite its focus on the natural world, there's something
charming and lovely and easy about this book. I can read whole swathes
of it in one sitting, and although I don't come away with the feeling
that I understand human nature any better, I do feel a little more at
peace with myself.
If this book had to be compared to anything I'd compare it to a great
picnic. You're not going to be thinking of that picnic much after a
couple of weeks, but when you are reminded about it, you'll be reminded
of a good stress-free time when you had a little bit of fun. |
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