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And this

Obvious but you know…

That title is like a flashback to another world - I read it so long ago I now have utterly no memory of it beyond me telling people for a couple of years they they really must read it.

Also the street is literally a gap: a hole, an absence, a not-something. Maybe this gap is an aberration from what humankind is or should be - a hollow where there should’ve been a substance. just an idea.

Just finished the Kenner which I really enjoyed, I don’t suppose there are critics like him anymore, learned in the extreme, unapologetically academi xc yet writing in a rather free and lyrical manner - he really helped with getting a handle on these Adams Cantos which are quite heavy going...

Been thinking about this - all the talk about spikes, the fast track - I wonder if it’s a distraction so the doping goes unnoticed. Some ridiculous record breaking going on in some events. Records which have stood for ages because the previous holders were possibly dopers.

The British T&F team really not covering themselves in glory; stories of spikes setting v ridiculous records; distinct lack of personalities- all reasons I’ve been less invested. Plus other sports seem more exciting - the Italians beating nailed on favs Denmark in the 4 man pursuit; speed...

I love that Dickens makes the figurative actual. As if to say what would the metaphor look like in reality? And it would look a bit shit but also charming when viewed sympathetically.

I’m just on another re-read of Dance half way through second volume for the third time - he’s excellent on those big set piece occasions where he brings his characters together. He’s compared to Proust but I think it’s not really accurate - it’s long, but not as long as Proust and it’s about...

And I really enjoyed Fashion Girl - I think you’re right - he’s throwing out lines of enquiry, just to see if anything coheres. I don’t mind that, in fact I think it’s a lot of fun.

Agree Rich - I’ve picked up All the Devils are Here after the enthusiastic discussion earlier. I’ve also got The Sea View Has Me Again: Uwe Johnson in Sheerness by Patrick Wright which is also heavily based in Kent. As a thread this kind of limps along and then flames into life before dying...

You could combine this thread and your Ian Drury one with this https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jul/31/baxter-dury-everything-was-about-dad-it-was-the-only-way-he-knew-how-to-survive?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Weller is often given too much of a free pass - some of what constitutes as ‘poetical lyrics’ is just pretty gam fisted but yes, The Jam were decent.

Just finished Phillip Hoare’s Durer book - Albrecht and the Whale - one of the best new books I’ve read this year - starts off with him tracking Durer’s development, what made him so popular etc before sidetracking into bits about Marianne Moore, Melville, Auden, Sebald and lots of other stuff...

Lost the plot. Loving it.

I think Cav is in the pantheon now but Eddy is up with the gods of Coppi, Bartali and Hinault

Cheers - I’m sure that didn’t mean to come out sounding the way it has. Says cycling obsessive father of rather good cycling son.

But fucking hell. Pidcock. His third (possibly 4th) bike discipline- after road, CX, TT - monstrous performance today.

The suggestion is if they are using performance enhancing substances they are more likely to be things related to enhancing concentration rather than EPO etc I think though despite general concerns, the peloton is probably as clean as it’s ever been. Genuinely hard sport - obviously I’ve a...

I could really bore you about cycling/Lance/doping etc forever but I’m guessing people have already seen/heard enough already but safe to say the story is so fucking sordid - the key with Lance is the sheer immensity of the bullying and viciousness he exercised is epic. Plus the biggest mistake...