When I first read this book, Hip-Hop, the music and culture, was in its late teens. It‘s the late 90s & George documented the socio-political environment that created the perfect storm for the creation of a new, black cultural movement. Inner-city poverty, gangs, drugs and a need to escape and party gave us Rapping, DJing, breakdancing & graffiti. This is as powerful & “real” a study as you could get at the time & is still an important commentary.

I have what they call a “flashbulb memory” with this book. Finsbury Library was my haunt as a kid and I know I must have got this book from there. This was the 1st Tintin I had read and I remember sitting on the floor while my mum listened to the radio. The song playing was January by Pilot. Google says that‘s 1975. I was probably watching Dr Who by then but this must be my first exposure to literary SciFi. It the most surreal Tintin and a fave

“my advice will effect your future as much as a cherry blossom falling into the river alters its course”. Appropriate the cherry blossom was in bloom as I read this. A mostly great book, but..Trevanian tries to outFlemming the master but wanders into pompous parody and I‘m unsure if it‘s intentional. He occasionally sabotages his own story by crafting thrilling tension and then, puzzlingly, puts the breaks on.Hel is a great but unlikable character

One of those books with twists that you don‘t see coming…at first. That‘s because they are ridiculous and unbelievable. Then when you realise the twists will be a reach, you start to work out which way the story will go. However, it WAS a blast to read. My real gripe is the sex: As a lover of Barry White proportions myself, I don‘t really need naff sex in books. I will read the next in the series: An easy gap filler when contemplating other books

Now, Hergé is writing his Tintins in occupied Belgium so the politics moves away from the anti-German sentiments that were allegorised via evil characters in the previous 2 books. This is a thematic remake of “Cigars”: drug smuggling, desert setting. From here the books start to become classics. “Crab” introduces the character I loved more than Tintin as a kid: Captain Haddock. He‘s not fully developed but he‘s a more lovable drunk than my stepdad

Time jumps in a narrative have never confused me before. Despite year demarcation for chapters, I was occasionally getting lost. It‘s a shame as this is my only niggle because Thompson has created a vivid world & rich characters. Smart allegory has a future Nigeria being “colonised” again by an alien being that is physically altering humans close to its “craft”. There‘s an abundance of ideas and a complex MC in this exciting noir-ish sci-fi novel

Our MC is a real life “bent” copper who haunted London‘s Soho in the 60s. Having family from, and growing up in the places mentioned in this book, our MC talks like a parody. He‘s like a cross, I say he‘s a cross between Foghorn Leghorn and a demented Charlie Drake. The villains put me in mind of Cliff Richard and his Summer Holiday gang. There‘s a parallel story of our MC behind enemy lines in Italy during the war. Both threads are pedestrian.

Hergé got back on form with this one. You could read this book twice: Once to read the story and again to just admire how every single panel is superbly created. Hergé‘s art is never still. From the smallest of gestures to people walking, running, falling or jumping, the characters seem alive. I think the stories go from strength to strength now, with two of my favourites coming up in a row.

The main theme of the film & book is the same: if you create killing machines to fight in brutal wars,then expect trauma & problems when they return to society. The book goes further, though, & explores the stubborn, destructive pride of the “alpha male”. The militarised, authoritarian demeanour of ex-soldier, now drifter, Rambo & ex-soldier, now cop, Teasle, clash head on in a book written a decade before the term “toxic masculinity” was 1st used

A portmanteau graphic novel with three horror stories set in a mysterious motel and “curated” by the owner. Like EC‘s Tales from the Crypt but with tales that interlink similar to the Amicus movies of the 70s. The stories are decent and without the moralism of the 50s comics which made every denouement predictable. But it was a quick read so I‘m glad I bought a 2nd hand copy. I‘ll do the same when I buy Volume 2.

Cannibalism, a pandemic, espionage, police procedural, other worlds, vampires and…chickens. And that‘s just Volume 1. Probably the most gonzo and wildly original and entertaining comic I‘ve ever read. This was winning Eisner awards during the time The Walking Dead was gaining all the plaudits. It‘s just as gruesome but more cartoonish and, for my money, much more interesting.

Free on Prime reading-thank God. I wanted to see what all the fuss is with this author. Her books are everywhere, along with similar looking, pastel coloured covers with Benguiat Caslon font, by other authors (It‘s even set in the Daisy Jones ”universe”).The story unfolds via letters found by an adulterous couples‘ spouses. It‘s set in the 70s because I guess a book of text messages (❤️U babes. Look 4ward to seeing U 🍆)would be a more interesting

Graphic novels are the last media where stories with ridiculous plots & terrible dialogue can hit mainstream. It meets all the fantastical requirements for an exciting comic, but yanks the chain of the obnoxious comicbook guys who are fearful of anything that isn‘t straight, male & white. The language of the imageboard is casually used in the name of art and tropes abound. Is this a warning or a fantasy? I don‘t trust Chaykin to answer truthfully.

A classic Fichtean Curve drives the tempo of this novel. Trapped inside the narrator‘s head, I thought, early on, the story was getting boxed in with no room to realistically break out. Interestingly compared to Highsmith in the blurb, *she* famously felt bogged-down in 1st-person-singular stories but, without giving away spoilers, things do (realistically for thrillers like this), start to get pieced together & resolved. I‘m glad I stuck with it.

This reminded me of the Scorsese film After Hours but cranks the surrealism up to 11. Although it‘s odd, you can follow the story, the weirdness is kind of matter-of-fact and it doesn‘t think that it‘s smarter than the reader despite the fact that I had to Google a few of the references. I really enjoyed this. Clowes is often imitated but he is an original and distinctive artist and storyteller

I was shocked to find this book was written in the 50s with its brutal descriptions of women being murdered that I never imagined would be published back then. Lou Ford is a kind of proto-Dexter: a psychopath with a job in law enforcement as cover. Ford,however,doesn‘t have the warped morality of Dexter. He‘s not a fantasist like Patrick Bateman or a suave, debonair killer like Hannibal either. He‘s a nasty piece of work in a really good thriller.

Roald Dahl & JK Rowling are just two who suit the phrase “separating the art from the artist”. You either agree with their politics & crack on or disagree & do the separating thing: Your choice. I just started this book when I stumbled across Asher‘s blog & Twitter. He despises the “blue-haired woke”; is a climate change denier, vaccine hater & all-round edgelord. He‘d probably say I‘m virtue signalling. But I‘d say he can f**k right off.

A dull read. Uninspiring with really horrible artwork. I didn‘t like this at all. It‘s trying to be profound but it‘s like a 6 former‘s art project. The blurb says masterpiece. I beg to differ

A short story collection that attempts to capture the way people navigate the mundanity of life in their own personal ways. We get snapshots of their adventures/experiences & it‘s all small-scale, but occasionally rendered poignant by clean and clear artwork.When the stories work,their narratives give you more in this format than “regular” literature as the visuals do all the extra work for the reader. Dan Clowes-like cynicism but less surrealism.

Did something I‘ve never done before: Stopped reading this book at 60% and went and saw the film. Unbeknownst to me,until I saw the film & went back to the book, I‘d paused at the exact spot the film & book change direction. The film finished better than the book which started off really well then lost steam. The book is good but where the film wins out is keeping the lives of the invaders ambiguous. Not knowing too much about them is more scary

This book is beautiful & evocative. The story is small in scale but says so much, powerfully. Especially about mental health. Kang writes men better than many male authors seem to write women. She even writes men better, more honestly, than men too.That‘s important because this novel is,in part, about how men impose themselves on women. Woman who can‘t be what they want to be.Men can stunt growth and brutalise. This is patriarchy vs Mother Nature.

After reading this I realised just how good McCarthy is compared to the last few authors I‘ve read. His characters don‘t all have the same voice. The dialogue is realistic & the story of a psychotic hitman‘s pursuit of a man with stolen drug money, powers along. The action is exciting, the violence powerful and it‘s all juxtaposed with the story of a retiring sheriff who doesn‘t feel he can protect his citizens and himself anymore. Fantastic book.

The ‘93 suicide of Vince Foster, Chris Ruddy‘s “investigation” of his death & the nascent interweb, birthed the right wing nut job, punting conspiracy theories, on-line hate & alt-right bollocks. This book looks at the mysterious QAnon noticeboard posts & their influence on Trump/MAGA followers, duped into swallowing new bullshit conspiracies that resulted in the events of 6th Jan 21. Gripping & crazy but often repetitive. Needed a good editor

The first half is almost like a farce. Silly names, country bumpkin buffoons and knockabout humour. Then, almost halfway through, the tone gets dark and is a much better novel. Theft, burglary and murder give us the classic Victorian fear of the lone, mad scientist. Disappointed by two antisemitic tropes and use of the N-word. The blurb says Wells championed socialism…hmm, could do better, Herbert.

As a weird little kid, oscillating between quiet & introvert or manic & “zany”, my parents indulged my love of horror by going to bed and letting me watch late night movies. The Roger Corman, Poe adaptations baffled me but I loved the vibe, Mise-en-scène &, of course,Vincent Price. I read The Raven and Tell-Tale Heart but it‘s long forgotten. I thought it‘s high time I had another go with Poe. Short but creepy. Corman definitely captured the tone.

Beautifully written tale of a woman whose marine biologist wife comes back from a deep-dive mission, altered. It‘s like a 12A, Cronenbergian body-horror. Often heartbreaking to read, and is clearly a metaphor for loss of loved ones through illness: Pretty much like The Fly but gentler. I think younger adults would enjoy this but it wasn‘t for me. ‘Scuse the puns but one of the charterers is a bit wet and the book meanders to an unsatisfying ending

Some sci-fi is about the human condition but set in fantastical, futuristic or dystopian worlds. This book starts good, climate change thaws a large prehistoric grave in Siberia & a virus escapes. We then get separate,but linked, stories narrated by those surviving a pandemic, trying to find a cure or migrating to a new Earth. Death & grief are the themes but the stories are so boring I was skimming by the 3rd one and I never got pulled back in.

On page 1 I realised I was reading a smutty sex story like the ones they used to print in Knave in the 70s. The blurb says “Lolita meets American Psycho”- It‘s not. It‘s just a shitty book that‘s in bad taste about a woman teacher‘s graphic descriptions of her attempts to groom a 14 year old boy. It‘s not erotic it‘s unsavoury. When I told wifey she laughed and said, no wonder, the cover is a vagina. Doh! Thank god I didn‘t read it on the train 😂

The real disgrace is,obviously, the apartheid past of South Africa. Its scars are palpable in this compelling story. But David Lurie, our protagonist, makes it all about him. He‘s growing old disgracefully. I‘ve not read a more superbly crafted, mean spirited, selfish person in a novel before. He‘s no Lecter, Bateman or anti-hero that you love to hate: He‘s just a complete narcissist & bastard & feels very real. I think the blurb contains spoilers

Took the 003rd Bond book to Digby‘s in Pall Mall. After a delicious Louis XIII pizza, cooked by guest chef Renato Viola & a desert of strawberries in Kirsch I retired to the lounge. I sat in a 1950s Howard & Sons Bridgwater chair, slightly angled towards the Adam fireplace with its cozy heat, & devoured this novel. The antiquated attitudes to woman left a sour taste but I washed this away with a glass of Wolfschmidt vodka and a dash of pepper.

Loved this: Smart,evocative writing. The misadventures of a bunch of misfits & their lives in & out of the run down independent cinema in which they work. They think they‘re cool & edgy but you can smell the stained seats & rank food in the foyer; feel the grime of the carpets in the cinema & in their similarly neglected apartments; smell the frowsy funk of their clothes & lack of personal hygiene. Cineliterate but never esoteric.Surreal & weird.

A very thin, simplistic narrative about loss & grief. The setting is a world devoid of animals so humans are processed & killed for meat. The book gets its hype through a vivid description of a person getting killed and butchered. It won‘t make you become a vegan (if that‘s the intention) because the plot contrivance is too unbelievable. Seek out the film El Patrón: That‘ll do a good job of putting you off meat & I suspect it influenced this book

Just when he was building up momentum, Herge hit a bump in the road. The original art was pretty lazy and dully coloured. The redrawn adventure looks as good as you would expect, it‘s just the story is pretty lame. If it were a movie it would be one of those low budget straight-to-video jobs

Author Don Winslow famously doesn‘t rate the film Sicario. Only a writer who covers the same subject, ramped up to 11, in a decades spanning, behemoth of a trilogy (of which the Border is the final instalment) could legitimately criticise that movie. This is page-turning action and political machinations of a supreme level but be warned, it is a violent and harrowing story about the Mexican Drug cartels, their victims and adversaries.

I thought I‘d try and read the novels that form the basis of the Universal movie Monsters. I read Frankenstein as any true sci-fi/horror fan should. However I found it an interesting but joyless read. Dr Jeckyll was altogether different. I got swept away in the glorious language & salacious innuendo. Must have been a blast to read this by the fire with a large brandy in the 1800s. Contemplating Dracula‘s next: As a kid I remember it being boring.

The first Tintin I owned. It says 1st edition, 1975 inside. I kept it safe since I was a kid because it‘s my first and favourite book. The companion books I‘m reading say The Blue Lotus is the first good Tintin book but, for me, this one is better and has everything a young reader wants in an adventure (minus the racism). Herge‘s art is glorious and the story flows well.

Probably triggering if you‘ve been bullied as the descriptions are vicious and relentless. Writing is easy & evocative but I‘ve never been keen on adults narrating as a teen for an adult book. Despite its simplicity this isn‘t a YA book though: For example there‘s no revenge/fight back cliches or any kind of solution. It does offer some philosophy but it‘s flimsy & brief. The story feels unfinished, shallow even, but saying why will give spoilers.

A thumb in any direction could easily be awarded to this book. At first, I thought the was reading an extended Mumsnet post: Those weird stories about uptight middle-class mums and their situations, made up by wannabe writers trolling the site. Then it started to feel like Mean Girls meets Frankenstein with a dash of Yuzna‘s, Society. By page 250 I was skimming the relentless and dense similes and metaphors up to its disappointing ending

This is a book for black people but is an important read if youre white & care about the racism & brutality that has plagued America throughout its history.It‘s not one of those books black academics write for whites, like it‘s their job to solely educate us.This is about the doomed notion of the “politics of respectability”: Dont misbehave, conform to avoid racism.This wont dismantle inequality & Smith explores why with his own life as a backdrop

I imagine this book divides readers. Most of Baker‘s prose is easy rolling & engaging but is let down by Batemanesque lists that really interrupt his, otherwise, fluid story telling The stories are sci-fi leaning metaphors with capitalism, consumerism, identity, gender, ageism & family among the many constructs squeezed in to tales that start off compelling but end up with unsatisfying endings. I bailed because I like an old fashioned denouement.

This was never available when I was a kid. I always wondered who Chang was in Tintin in Tibet. He was based on Hergé‘s real life friend. One who made him reflect on his ignorance of other cultures and represent them more respectfully. The artwork is still unquestionably exquisite but the story is a mess and stereotypes are still evident. Props for doing better but it‘s a shame Hergé didn‘t have an African friend when he wrote Tintin In the Congo.

Lots of bite sizes “essays” about pop music. Hepworth is humorous and philosophical without being a snob. When bemoaning the loss of vinyl and record shops and the realisation that my large record collection probably needs a brutal culling, I got slightly emoshe. A book for old farts? Fine, I‘m part of that crew. I skipped the essay about Bob Dylan-Jeez, I just don‘t get his appeal: Overrated bore. But as Hepworth would say. It‘s not you, it‘s me.

Book 2 doesn‘t improve much on book 1. The dialogue is pretty dull. Also, panels of people going “ummm” and “er…” are an attempt at realism that isn‘t really needed: It‘s just makes the story dull. Also,I don‘t think the artist & author successfully establish clarity in their collaboration because sometimes I have no idea what‘s supposed to be happening because the dialogue & images aren‘t instantly in sync. This won awards so maybe it‘s just me

Deja vu in book form for me. Having a son who was at a Premier League clubs academy, I was reminded of my son and his cohort wading up to their necks in a sludge pool of toxic masculinity and psychological abuse that started at 6 years old. This memoir follows 6 friends & their football journeys & their dreams of turning professional. Made more harrowing as one friend died of Ewings Sarcoma. All proceeds from this excellent book go to charity

Not as good as book 1. We‘ve got 3 main threads in book 2. The 1st features Glokta, whose adventures carry the book. The 2nd has Logan Ninefingers and co‘s quest to the edge of the world. It isn‘t half as gripping as Fitz‘s journey in Hobbs‘ Assassin‘s Quest which is longer and more languid but less forced and much more interesting. The 3rd thread, featuring the Northmen & Major West, reads like a poor YA fantasy that is predictable and dull. 7/10

Despite some profound moments, it‘s a bit dull & at times reads like an unsophisticated YA romance novel. Maybe the author is hoping this becomes a key text in American schools, sparking debates about racial trauma fuelled by historical & modern atrocities & an exploration of rabid, Trumpian nationalism & misplaced (flag-shagging) patriotism. However, the blurb mis-sells it as a kind of Dawn of the Dead with white-supremacists instead of Zombies.

Like the best and most classic horror stories, it‘s metaphors of real life conditions like OCD, phobias, disease that make some of these stories unsettling. There‘s real supernatural stories too and they all sit side by side in this book. Not all the stories are properly rounded off but without fail they all have powerful imagery that will stick with me even if the stories don‘t. Enriquez‘s writing is easy flowing, evocative and darkly beautiful.

Took a while to get into. Suzie and Jon can stop time when they reach orgasm and decide this is a good way to rob banks without being seen. How we get from discovery of their “superpower” to the robbery is done though clunky contrivance, but I guess we had to get there somehow. Once the set up was established it got more interesting. I got the first 3 volumes 2nd hand for the price of one so I‘m committed.

I‘m now officially a man who hates men. More precisely, as the final chapter is titled, I‘m a man who hates men who hate women. The other chapters cover all of the unsavoury flavours of misogynists from online Incels up to their offline, male supremacist heroes like Piers Morgan, Trump and Johnson. Along the way we meet MGTOWs and Pick Up Artists. Fascinating and depressing in equal turns. Full of verifiable facts. Need something light to read now

I love cookbooks, I love socks. I love a Father‘s Day when my princess buys me a cookbook and socks. I‘ll be trying to make the giant patty. Big up all dad crew, seen👊🏼