The Official Unofficial Book Group Book Discussion thread
60 watchers
14 Jun
11:05pm, 14 Jun 2025
92,377 posts
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Diogenes
I have them also
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15 Jun
7:09am, 15 Jun 2025
74,564 posts
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LindsD
I have AB but got the others from the library at the time. I read them because of the song by The Jam.
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15 Jun
9:39am, 15 Jun 2025
25,600 posts
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Red Squirrel
AB is such a great book. The characterisation is wonderful. I’m a massive Jam fan and I think I read MacInnes because of a recommendation I read in a Paul Weller interview.
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15 Jun
9:41am, 15 Jun 2025
74,571 posts
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LindsD
I have just gone down a rabbit hole reading about CM and the books. I must reread.
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18 Jun
5:35pm, 18 Jun 2025
22,980 posts
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Chrisull
I've now finished the Three Colours Trilogy by Hari Kunzru, as Blue ruin is out in paperback! If Red pill was broadly about literature/writing (and much more besides), White tears was about music, then it's no surprise that Blue Ruin is about art. The main protagonist Jay is delivering groceries in the pandemic, living out of his car, stuggling to make ends meet, when he sees in on the edge of a house in a large country estate he is delivering too, his girlfriend of 20 years earlier who ghosted him and ran off with his best friend, who is now a famous artist. He tries to hide behind is mask, but is spotted and collapses into the bargain... The Guardian review was quite sniffy about this one, that Jay is portrayed too beatifically as the good guy, and former best friend Rob as the bad old ogre, but I take issue with that reading. The first part of the book is a warts and all description of teenage romance gone bad, sinking into drugs, poverty and dereliction. Jay is very much responsible for his ghosting, even if you feel for his situation. The second part is where he recounts what he did next - from manual job to manual job and eventually homelessness, and how it intersects with the relationships between his-ex and former best friend and how the situation they find themselves in resolves itself. The art world and its cynicism is very definitely on trial, the successful few often birthed by privilege, and those beneath are used and thrown away. The subordinate role of women throughout the art world is very much to the forefront too. Kunzru manages the volatile relationships skilfully, so much so that I was on edge hoping for a positive outcome. Whereas White tears, over elucidation robbed the ending of mystery and impact, Kunzru leaves the threads beautifully poised in the air, maybe not the ending we want, but one that affords dignity and closure. |
4 Jul
1:07pm, 4 Jul 2025
48,326 posts
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Night-owl
Did you see this about Mick Herron think Dio is a fan facebook.com |
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