Yes I know people can be entertained by Virginia Woolf and Syliva Plath, so can I, I wasn't knocking them. Well, I was, but without good reason. I recently read a book called "The Penguin Book of Twentieth-Century Essays" in which VW takes the wooden spoon with "How It Strikes a Contemporary". But somehow I struggled through it, only to find T.S. Eliot's "Tradition and the Individual Talent" blocking my path. Edmund Wilson nearly finished me off with "Philocetes: The Wound and the Bow". Each unto their own. I think this stuff just reminds me of obligation. Either that or I can't get my head round it. I liked most of the book though, Slyvia Plath fan Al Alvarez pleasantly surprised me with "Risk" from GQ Magazine (not about the board game). Joan Didion's in it, Lloyd Cole turned a whole generation on to Joan Didion. It's a good book, the "Pillows and Prayers" of non-fiction*. "Time of Arrival" by Dan Jacobson is my favourite, about a South African in London. I do like the ugly and stupid, as long as it's harmless, but I wouldn't say I preferred it. For instance, I really like the subnormal Black Sabbath roadie riffing on one of the Foxgloves' songs ("Second Hand"?), but not to the exclusion of more delicate offerings, like the Welthorpe penned "Stop the Bus I Want a Wee-Wee". Am I right in thinking the next Papercuts will be out to coincide with ATP? Goalmouth scrambles are virtually unheard of in Spain, it's all thirty-five yard aerial benders. I want normal goals, and for spectacular goals to remain special. I have a lot of faith in Real Sociedad. Duke turns his attentions to Peacock Johnson this week. Not much to disagree with this time, but a stimulating read nevertheless. I bet Anthony Powell didn't do his own dusting. Peter *No it isn't, but it would be good if it was. +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list mail sinister@missprint.org. To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to majordomo@missprint.org. WWW: http://www.missprint.org/sinister +-+ "sinsietr is a bit freaky" - stuart david, looper +-+ +-+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" "peculiarly deranged fanbase" +-+ +-+ "pasty-faced vegan geeks... and we LOST!" - NME April 2000 +-+ +-+ "frighteningly named Sinister List organisation" - NME May 2000 +-+ +-+ Nee, nee mun pish, chan pai dee kwa +-+ +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+