Twice in one day, what's the world coming to?
Jolly bit of news here about The Borribles.
This has put a smile on my face. The Borribles books by Michael de Larrabeiti have long been a favourite of mine and deserve a bit of recognition.
It is clear that one or two people fail to see any merit in them because they are, according to Wikipedia (that accurate fount of all knowledge), young adult books. Sorry, Wiki, but that's bollocks. They might appeal to young adults, but they were written for a much wider audience.
The Borribles is a well-written, highly astute political analysis; a fascinating exploration of morality and the importance of community; an excellent exposition on how we create an underclass; and its all wrapped up in a bloody good story. It is a powerful piece of mythology. Oh, and did I mention? It's a bloody good story.
The confusion may arise from the fact that it is a set of books about children (of a sort). That does not make it a book written exclusively for children. Sadly, many adults will not read books with children as the main protagonists. Partly because there aren't a vast amount out there (although I've no doubt my reader will provide me with a long list).
Anyway, I will quietly celebrate the success of the books in this small poll. I love the work of Woolf, Dickens, and Moorcock, but de Larrabeiti has best captured the London I know.
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Oooh...
...haven't written anything for ages and I still get an award. Or maybe it's because I haven't written anything for ages.
Thanks Carol.
I nominate the Novel Racers as recipients of this; fine bloggers one and all.
I also have to tell you about five things I like to do.
1 - Writing. This may come as a surprise to some folk, especially given the amount of spleen that gets vented on this blog. But I do enjoy it. It is an act of magic, as far as I'm concerned - marks on paper or screen can pass information from one person to another, can evoke emotions, entertain, keep one person in contact with another through space and time... Amazing.
2 - Reading. Ever since I was able, getting comfy with a good book has been one of the great pleasures of my life.
3 - Listening to music. It has played an important role in shaping my imagination.
4 - Holding hands with Barbara.
5 - Cat watching. Even when they're asleep they fascinate me.
OK. That's enough niceness and jollity. Normal service will be resumed just as soon as something ticks me off enough (Amazon chucking its toys out of the pram over Macmillan doesn't count - stupid, but highly pathetic).
Thanks Carol.
I nominate the Novel Racers as recipients of this; fine bloggers one and all.
I also have to tell you about five things I like to do.
1 - Writing. This may come as a surprise to some folk, especially given the amount of spleen that gets vented on this blog. But I do enjoy it. It is an act of magic, as far as I'm concerned - marks on paper or screen can pass information from one person to another, can evoke emotions, entertain, keep one person in contact with another through space and time... Amazing.
2 - Reading. Ever since I was able, getting comfy with a good book has been one of the great pleasures of my life.
3 - Listening to music. It has played an important role in shaping my imagination.
4 - Holding hands with Barbara.
5 - Cat watching. Even when they're asleep they fascinate me.
OK. That's enough niceness and jollity. Normal service will be resumed just as soon as something ticks me off enough (Amazon chucking its toys out of the pram over Macmillan doesn't count - stupid, but highly pathetic).
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