Books On Tour

Recent uncomfortably good reading. If I was to loosely group them, they all have a theme of ‘mild eroticism’ – just like pudding wobbling in a bowl…

1. The Bird Room: A Novel by Chris Killen. I bought this book because I was looking for something contemporary and British; plus a few of the blogs I read keep yammering on about Killen’s literary prowess. Exuberant isn’t the word I’d use to describe The Bird Room. ‘Sexy’ and terse, perhaps. A recent interview with Killen can be found here – as you’ll see he comes from the Tao Lin school of irony.

2. No One Belongs Here More Than You: Stories by Miranda July. As expected from July, there’s a lot of awkward moments, but I felt like I could relate to the characters. Everyone is adrift from normality sometimes, and who hasn’t fancied HRH Prince William? (And he did have more hair circa 2007).  For the most part the stories are deft and satisfying – I definitely recommend this as bed time reading. Curious to try before you buy? Enjoy The Shared Patio free of charge.

3. Unlimited Dream Company by J.G. Ballard. Blake, a young man who has failed at being a medical student, Jesuit novice and pornographic writer, becomes obsessed with the idea of flying. He steals a plane and crashes into suburban London, which is transformed into a lush paradise. The exotic triumphs over the every day, inhibitions are shed, and dreams take over. Unlimited Dream Company is another fantastic novel from Ballard’s extensive dystopian back catalog.

Tagged as: books, reading