Caine Prize for African Writing
I’ve been attending quite a few readings at the Southbank Centre lately, and always find that, while I spend some time wondering why I am there, I get…
Quote for the day
Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and…
“Complicity” by Iain Banks
I was attracted by the political element of the story, and also the fact that parts of it are written in second…
“Identity” by Milan Kundera
Warning: this review gives away the ending. There’s something intensely dissatisfying about stories that end “but it was all a dream and…
“Pandora in the Congo” by Albert Sanchez Pinol
I got this as a reviewing freebie from LibraryThing, which was good because with its title and retro cover of cartoonish man…
“Miracles” by C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis sets out to prove by logical argument that miracles are possible. The clear-headed writing style helps to draw you in, he anticipates a lot of the…
Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Alexis Wright at Southbank Centre
I took a long time to write about it, but a week ago I went to see Ngugi wa Thiong’o in conversation…
Salman Rushdie, Martin Amis and freedom of speech
I went to see Salman Rushdie in conversation with Lisa Appignanesi at the Southbank Centre last night. I have never been a…
Edward Said – On Late Style
It’s good that Edward Said got far enough with the writing of this book to allow it to be published posthumously. It’s…