Sunday, February 29, 2004
Belle de Jour blog scores book deal!
According to The Times, "The internet’s most talked-about web diary, has a book deal. According to Publisher’s Marketplace, the London call girl, who may or may not be a literary name masquerading as a high-class hooker, has inked a deal with Weidenfeld & Nicolson/Orion to turn her anonymous tales of love-for-money into a manuscript due for delivery in August. The film rights are also being frantically contested. Which begs the question: what happens when her parents find out?"
Posted by Nick @ 18:48 GMT|
Saturday, February 28, 2004
The New Book Club Book is Michel Houellebecq's "The Elementary Particles" / published as "Atomised" in the UK
The complete review site for the book attempts to provide just that, for anyone interested in finding out what everyone has already thought of it.
There is an official Michel Houellebecq (apparently pronounced Wellbeck) site. Which includes an article by Louise Wardle (Guardian, Friday April 5, 2002) that begins: "Women in his novels all end up dead or hurt. He propositions every female interviewer he meets. And his drinking and depression can leave him semi-comatose. But Louise Wardle still didn't realise how difficult it would be to make a film about Michel Houellebecq.'
Michel is no stranger to controversy. It sounds like he may be able to teach Mel Gibson a thing or two.
Interestingly, according to the Guardian "The Times" has said that Mr Houellebecq, who French critics like to bracket with Albert Camus, is no more a novelist of ideas than Benny Hill:
"Platform does not contain an "idea" to keep a mayfly awake at night, and Houellebecq is no more a novelist of ideas than Benny Hill. (...) At best, Platform might reinforce Michel Houellebecq's position as the talismanic idiot-savant of the emasculated literary right. But he is an idiot-savant who does not savoir anything." - Giles Coren, The Times
By the way, Team Dustin members may not be surprised to hear that Mel Gibson's recent behaviour has troubled Dustin and some of his closest and most powerful "friends." NewsMax.com reports today that "Dustin Hoffman has talked to friends about what he called Mr. Gibson's 'strangeness' during the ABC interview."
Share the passion of the Christ and get the mug, the pendant, the T-shirt!
And oddly enough after what we were saying last night Jim Caviezel, the actor portraying Christ in the Passion, dislocated his shoulder during filming.
Posted by Nick @ 09:58 GMT|
Monday, February 23, 2004
Get London Reading Launch
Did anyone make it along to the Get London Reading launch today? I heard the likes of Nick Hornby, Zadie Smith, Gilda O'Neil (My East End: A History Of Cockney London) and Martina Cole interviewed by Dotun Adebayo (Diran Adebayo's brother I suppose) on Robert Elms' afternoon show on BBC London Radio 94.9 FM whilst driving along the West Way and the North Circ (no sign of Vaughan or Ballard!). It kinda felt like I was there, and I got to hear all their thoughts on the subject to boot. Ofcourse, they all have books to sell and projects underway that will hit the shops soon but the mood was one of a genuine interest in the role of books and reading in their lives and the life of the city we all live in. A little self congratulatory on the idea that London has such a great array of literary talent, but hey why not. The piece made me want to read Gilda O'Neil's book and Martina Cole sounded interesting too.
Dotun Adebayo has a book show called Word for Word on BBC London 94.9 on Sundays 5-7pm that I've caught a couple of times. There's a link to the show's online book club but it seems to have lapsed - missing their moment perhaps - and got no further than inviting comments on Helen Fielding's follow up to Cause Celebre (which I must admit to having read when it came out - haven't met anyone else who has ?) the title escapes me. I enjoyed The Edge of Reason too.
Anyway, Robert Elms had Clive Harris on a bit later talking about his book Walking the London Blitz.
Synopsis
This Battleground Europe 'special' is a fascinating and highly informative guidebook to the Capital which will be invaluable to those who wish to understand what Londoners went through during the Second World War. By means of seven easily manageable walks, the reader is transported back to those dark days of devastating destruction. Using rich anecdotes and first-hand accounts the scale of the Luftwaffe raids becomes apparent and the horror of Hitler's V-weapon attacks unfurls. An original and fascinating way to visit London.
It sounded very interesting. He had some great stories about leaning lamp posts giving clues to where bombs exploded, shrapnel scars on buildings, and V2s leaking fuel on their left side and falling short in Croydon as a result.
Robert Elms does have a marvellous radio show - just a shame his website doesn't list all the guests he has on, its easy to hear names, books, records, references on the radio and not be able to remember them later! - he does have a list of his ten favourite non-fiction books about London though. And he randomly played my fave feel good track of the past month today - Do you Believe in Magic by The Lovin' Spoonful - at just the right moment - which is the mark of sheer radio brilliance - how do they know just what you want to hear at that moment?
Posted by Nick @ 23:21 GMT|
MARIANNE FAITHFULL
Marianne Faithfull is set to take another step in her climb back from the brink of self-destruction by appearing in a London stage play for the first time in 30 years.
She will play Pegleg, the satanic lead in William Burroughs' fable, The Black Rider, which receives its English premiere at the Barbican Theatre in May.
Its shaping up to be the show of the year. Must get those tickets booked before they all go!
Posted by Nick @ 23:19 GMT|
Sunday, February 22, 2004
Animals on the Underground
As the book club's first picnic rapidly approaches, it may be necessary to find some relief from The Interpreter of Maladies whilst flicking pages on the tube. Where better to draw inspiration than Animals on the Underground. It may even be more fun than preparing for the next round of Mornington Crescent.
By the way, anyone remember the way it used to be?
There's a great exhibition of old Underground posters and photographs here.
Posted by Nick @ 18:27 GMT|
Friday, February 20, 2004
Reading | Blog | 1976design.com
Another blogger recommending books to read - it just goes on! Good page header image - he explains how he made it from photos if you look in the personal info section.
Posted by Nick @ 18:08 GMT|
London's Readers
Jon F from Islington seems pretty mad keen on Ken and Under the Net!
Posted by Nick @ 15:05 GMT|
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Filthy McNasty's
'Welcome to a little piece of Ireland—a haunt for literary artists and hardened drinkers. This Irish pub is only two rooms deep but so many and so much gets packed in here it often seems to be bursting at the seams. Despite the name, this pub is actually one of the more exclusive venues in London and chances are you will see a couple of famous faces. Readings take place on Tuesdays and Thursday evenings, and quizzes on Wednesday evenings.'
68 Amwell Street, Islington, London, EC1R 1UU, 020 7837 6067, noon-11pm Mon-Sat; noon-10:30pm Sun
No sign of an upcoming events schedule anywhere on the web.
Posted by Nick @ 22:15 GMT|
Ken for London Legend
What about Big Ken for London Legend?. Guess what's his next big idea: Get London Reading.
Someone behind all this has chosen 12 books set in London as a kind of core reading list. There doesn't seem to be a proper Get London Reading book club blog set up, but there is a comment section. Lucy M. from Islington's certainly keen! All are welcome at the launch in Canary Wharf at lunchtime on Monday 23 February (if you turn up early enough - properly early - you might get a Get London Reading 'goody bag').
Does everyone read these days? There was I thinking we were part of something quite exclusive. This Monday's Standard even had a review of a book about book clubs, The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble.
"Each chapter revolves around one of the club's meets and the novel discussed. January means Heartburn by Nora Ephron, November The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. But don't worry. You needn't have read them, nor indeed any sort of book before - Noble helpfully explains the whole 'fiction' concept for the uninitiated ('Nicole was absorbed by the made-up lives of the pretend people')."
Catherine Shoard's review finishes: "Clubs are always more about exclusion than inclusion. Book clubs may sound classy, but they are really no different." Good job we've got Big Ken to knock down the barriers of exclusivity and privilege, extend opportunity to all and ensure that reading's something every Londoner can enjoy. I say vote Ken for London Legend!
Posted by Jon @ 21:52 GMT|
Sunday, February 15, 2004
Other Book News for the Book Club Blog
I've now finished reading the new Tom Robbins book, Villa Incognito. Not his best, I reckon. What I used to think was a groovy, somewhat leftfield style grated a bit this time, although there are still some good lines.
One of the major protagonists is a tanuki a mischievous racoon dog creature with big bollocks, of which I'd never head until now - so at least I learnt something.
I prefered the one before this, Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates. I was keen enough to go and see him read bits of this at Filthy McNasty's on Amwell Street. Are they still doing readings there? Could be another venue for a Book Club outing . . .
Inspired by the last Book Club choice, I've now embarked on a probably foolhardy mission - Simon Sebag-Montefiore's Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar. 25 pages down, only another 575 or so to go . . . Still, at least he's a Caian, and therefore a good sort of chap.
Posted by Jon @ 19:32 GMT|
Friday, February 13, 2004
Yahoo!
Yahoo! UK & Ireland - Search results for book club blog
Posted by Nick @ 22:43 GMT|
Numero Uno!
Google Search: book club blog
Posted by Nick @ 22:31 GMT|
The Fucking Best
The Fucking Best: I saw this guy on Jonathan Ross a little while ago and didn't hear any more about him - last night he beat Justin to the NME Rock and Roll Man of the Year Award.
Beats working: Life's just one long party for doughy exhibitionist Har Mar Superstar.
Har Mar Superstar: You Can Feel Me Review
Posted by Nick @ 19:46 GMT|
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
MSNBC - Today Program Book Club
Its not just Richard and Judy jumping on Oprah's Book Club band wagon.
Posted by Nick @ 23:49 GMT|
Saddam Hussein Rules Over Cell With Iron Fist
Anyone else wondering what became of that chap Hussein.
Posted by Nick @ 23:18 GMT|
AndrewSullivan.com
Andrew Sullivan seemed to think back in October 2002 that his blog's book club had made an impact. Maybe this should be our new game - by any means necessary get Hardiman Scott's "Secret Sussex" to the top of the Amazon ranking. It would help if they'd heard of it ofcourse. Maybe we'll have to get it republished first.
By the way, Christopher Hitchen's "Why Orwell Matters" has a current Amazon.com Sales Rank of 72,856. So Andrew Sullivan's impact has presumably worn off.
However, "Interpreter of Maladies" has a current Amazon.com Sales Rank of 954. Can this be explained solely by the fact that it is the book club blog's current book?
Although there is a snag. The Amazon.com Sales Rank does not appear to be a good indication of literary quality just look at whats currently at number 1.
Posted by Nick @ 23:17 GMT|
The Book Club Blog is the best book club blog in the world ever!
I guess the book club blog has strayed off message in recent days. However, its commitment is primarily to the world of the book and books. As a book club blog it rightly deserves to win the book club blog ratings war and from now on every effort will be made to rectify the abysmal showing so far.
May I just bring it to everyone's attention that if you search google for "book club blog" and specify sites in the UK then we do in fact come in at a respectable but far from victorious number 3. But we are at number 4 too!
If anyone is really desperate to only find the book club blog on google then i suggest you search pages from the domain name the book club blog is on for "book club blog." This secures Gold, Silver and Bronze.
Why the book club blog performs so poorly on google global is a mystery and as yet the people at blogger have been unable to help when it comes to accounting for the performance on the search engines.
May I point out that whilst the book club blog is desperate for search engine notoriety, this is not its primary purpose, and i should think that if we had more scintillating posts on just about anything - but primarily books - then we would shoot up the engines - just as long, it would seem, as we mention the words book club blog in our posts.
Posted by Nick @ 22:41 GMT|
The ratings war
With all this talk about films, Hardiman Scott, Canadian picnics and the like, we seem to have missed the fact that if you type in 'book club blog' our site is nowhere to be found. Other bookclubs seem to be winning the all-important search-engine ratings war: something should be done. This may entail taking to the streets, or hunting down our google-rivals and 'booking' them a place in oblivion.
Posted by Peter @ 19:57 GMT|
BBC - London Legends
BBC London Legends
Michael Caine
Posted by Nick @ 10:46 GMT|
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
The lowdown on that other book club of the moment
You may have seen the posters and window displays for Richard and Judy's bookclub if you've passed by an Ottakar's recently. (Ottakars - British Book Awards Bookselling Company of the Year (what sort of a title is that?)
As part of this year's British Book Awards Richard & Judy are championing a new Award 'Richard & Judy's Best Read', which will be voted for by the viewers of the show.
Here's some typically Richard 'n' Judy style comments about it from an appropriately titled profile in The Standard today.
" 'We're doing a book club!' says Madeley, nodding his head enthusiastically. 'We review 10 books that we've shortlisted as being a good read and then, at the Book Awards in April, one of them will win the Richard and Judy Best Read prize.' 'The viewers vote on which is their favourite,' adds Finnigan.
'We've already done Joseph O'Connor's Star of the Sea and the sales rose by 350 per cent,' interrupts Madeley. 'We're amazed at that because people kept saying books don't work on TV but they do, don't they Judy?' "Yes," says Finnigan. "Like I said, I really enjoy doing things we've never done before." Madeley raises an eyebrow. "I like doing things we've never done before, too," he chortles at Judy. "Oh Richard," she says. "
Richard and Judy is on at 5pm, daily, on Channel 4. The Book Club is on Wednesdays at 5.15pm. The Book Awards, presented by Richard and Judy, will be shown on 9 April
Guardian portrait of the book mad duo.
Found this in the R&J after show chat room:
pamela : how did you choose the books for the Club?
Judy : Basically we ask publishers to submit names of books which would be a) modern (published in the last year) and b) not necessarily books which would be literary classics but that would be a good read - a really gripping story. They did that and we at our office and our research team ploughed through them and got them down to the ten that we got.
lakelandlass : its inspired me to start reading again
Judy : Brick Lane is very highly regarded, but we really wanted to find something for everyone.
Richard : Our panel ploughed through nearly 400 books and there was really energised debate over the shortlist.
Richard : We are really happy with it, and blown away by the public response - bookshops are selling out and having to re-order already. So we are really proud to be behind the first ever TV book club in Britain so thanks to everyone who joined it.
Jitterbug : is there any chance of a longer segment for the book club, or twice a week on the same book?
Claire Bates : The book club is a great idea - whose was it?
jo badby : I haven't read a book for ages but I am now reading 'The lovely Bones' and I can't put it down
Judy : We had to recognise that not all our viewers will be as interested in the book club so we obviously have to provide a variety so that nobody feels neglected. This series has been such a success I have no doubt that we will be extending it.
Richard : The idea was Amanda Ross's who runs the production company that makes our show. Everyone told her it couldn't be done - in fact we were told that when we were on This Morning - but she never gives up on a good idea and she made it happen. Full marks to her.
Posted by Nick @ 22:18 GMT|
She's behind you Ted!
Was this just before she got her teeth into him?
I think she's finally taken them out.
Posted by Nick @ 21:09 GMT|
Mad or bad or has he just been had?
This article by human rights barrister Conor Gearty on the Hutton fallout was brought to my attention by the academic bloggers at Crooked Timber.
Posted by Nick @ 20:58 GMT|
Monday, February 09, 2004
2004 Milk Calendar
Beaten to first place by a resource that is only available to residents of Alberta. How can that be?
And despite the site being called
What can the internet be coming to when you publish valuable information about
So there you go. Maybe the internet is still a valid resource for researchers not solely interested in Alberta Milk and milk calendars.
Posted by Nick @ 17:11 GMT|
Canadian Picnic Triumph
It's worked - we're back at number 2!
Posted by Jon @ 14:20 GMT|
Saturday, February 07, 2004
Our Hero & Our Heroine
An intriguing snippet from John Sergeant's biography, Give Me Ten Seconds. In it he relates the story of how, in 1975, BBC political editor Hardiman Scott was crossing the road with Mrs Thatcher during the Tory leadership contest. Apparently she grabbed his arm and, with a conspiratorial whisper, confided that "I've got my teeth into Ted, and I am not going to let go." Ted ranks 28 on DeathList 2004; Mrs Thatcher doesn't make the top 50 - although her friend Ronnie is well up there. Actually, there are two Ronnies in the top five (Ronnie and Ronnie), but neither of the Two Ronnies.
More tantalising still, the Margaret Thatcher Foundation has links to two recorded interviews by Hardiman Scott: one from 4 February 1975, just after she had won the first round of the leadership ballot, and another on 18 February of the same year. Sadly the transcripts are only available on CD-ROM.
Posted by Jon @ 14:05 GMT|
Blogging on the march
Now look who's gone and got into blogging. What was I saying about Alistair Campbell the other day.
Posted by Nick @ 00:30 GMT|
Friday, February 06, 2004
Hardiman Scott update - who was he?
Found a BBC site dedicated to telling the history of BBC news since 1922 but sadly no mention of Hardiman Scott as a parliamentary correspondent or even the first televising of parliament.
Given the familiarity of Simon Hoggart's reference to Hardiman Scott in the Guardian last week I emailed the political editor to ask about who he was, that he can be referred to in such a way that the reader be expected to get the reference and explained that he was before my time, and that its odd that the BBC don't refer to him anywhere etc etc and do you think they got back to me despite their invitations to let them know what their readers think of their paper? So much for reader feedback! I'll be telling them that Mark Lawson has been approached by Team Dustin next.
Posted by Nick @ 23:31 GMT|
In Memoriam
A Canadian cousin. No picnic, this Scott Hardiman search.
Posted by Jon @ 20:25 GMT|
Tomfolio.com: Social Sciences: Rural Life
Tomfolio.com: Social Sciences: Rural Life: "Hardiman, Scott Many a Summer Publisher: Castell Publishing UK 1991. Simple but enchanting story of a gentle, courageous man; a, English farm worker at the end of the 19th century who finds himself emeshed in the first world war. A real countryman"
Posted by Nick @ 18:47 GMT|
Lords Hansard text for 12 May 1998 (180512-01)
Lords Hansard text for 12 May 1998 (180512-01): "In relation to the number of passes held by the BBC, does the noble Lord recall that in the 1960s and the early 1970s, before either this House or the other place was televised, David Holmes and Hardiman Scott, assisted from time to time by none other than Angela Rippon, were able to report the proceedings in both Houses with great expertise? In view of the noble Lord's own excellent experience in the media, can he explain why on earth the BBC needs 125 people to cover the proceedings in both Houses of Parliament when we seldom, if ever, see any of them at this end of the Palace?"
Posted by Nick @ 18:42 GMT|
Literature and Fiction
Literature and Fiction
Scott, Hardiman Adam & Eve & Us, Illustrated by Dougherty, Betty Sylvan Press London 1946 Good / No Jacket Decorative Cloth Signed by Author and Illustrator. 63pp. Number 324 of an edition limited to 1200 copies. Signed "Hardiman Scott" and "Betty Dougherty". Inscribed by a previous owner on front fep. Ink marks on outside of rear board. 118 £6.00
Posted by Nick @ 18:40 GMT|
9 June 1975: First live broadcast of Parliament
ON THIS DAY | 9 June | 1975: First live broadcast of Parliament: "BBC boss Peter Hardiman Scott said it would be arrogant to expect MPs to alter their procedure for the sake of the broadcast, but said he would not be surprised if subtle changes were made in time.
'One might get shorter speeches, or speeches rather to the point - only the diehards would suggest that these would be changes for the worst,' he said. "
Posted by Nick @ 18:26 GMT|
Can't Help Much With Hardiman Scott
I'm afraid I'm mostly ignorant on the topic of Hardiman Scott (and Canadian picnics, for that matter).
But I was interested to see that a Mr CJ Hardiman-Scott, of New Eltham, submitted an application for a loft conversion with rear dormer and gable end in December 2002.
Peter, your remarks on Hardiman Scott (and a review by Victor Lewis-Smith in the Standard last week) have reminded me of something I used to watch with my grandparents - Out of Town with unmistakeable bearded pipe smoker Jack Hargreaves. Also the inspiration for TV's Bob Fleming, it turns out.
Posted by Jon @ 14:13 GMT|
Does anyone have any information on Hardiman Scott
Did anyone find out any answers to my enquiries?
Posted by Nick @ 09:01 GMT|
Thursday, February 05, 2004
Spamming the search engines
Sadly the search engines are pretty canny about people trying to spam them by repeating keywords: they sometimes blacklist sites for that sort of thing. An innocent enthusiasm is what is called for, like mine for the great Hardiman Scott. Hardiman Scott was a great writer, and I think everyone should read his book Secret Sussex. It's by Hardiman Scott.
Posted by Peter @ 20:37 GMT|
"He isn't Russian. He's Ukrainian."
Has swearing lost its power to shock?
Posted by Nick @ 14:17 GMT|
Canadian Picnics - only no. 33 now
Is there anything we can do to bring us up the Canadian Picnic search ladder? We are back down at number 33 now. Perhaps if I write Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic Canadian Picnic lots of times it will help move us up.
Posted by Jon @ 13:59 GMT|
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
Nice one Jon
So glad to hear you sorted it all out!
I'll definitely be on for it - it sounds unmissable.
Posted by Nick @ 20:17 GMT|
**Extra-Curricular Activity**
I was thinking of organising a bit of extra-curricular activity for the Book Club, which will coincide (roughly) with BC's first anniversay (16 May). The Barbican is hosting a production of The Black Rider between May 17 and June 12. It's a collaboration between Tom Waits, William Burroughs and Robert Wilson (director).
"One of the most persistently insinuating and affecting musical works of recent seasons" said the New York Times.
"A triumph for its three collaborators. Marvellously unclassifiable." said TIME
"It grew on me (like a lovely fungus)" said A music fan from Boise, Idaho USA. "If you like mold, you'll love this album. Listening to it is like stumbling upon a lawn of plump, ripe mushrooms. Go ahead, pop a few."
I'm going to go - perhaps 27 May. Who wants to join me?
How proud I am to finally have got this link thing sorted
Posted by Jon @ 18:56 GMT|
Massive Uncertainty Over Next Book Club Meeting
The Book Club has been thrown into crisis. It appears that its members cannot find a mutually convenient date in their hectic lives for the next meeting. Whatever next!
Well, pardon the blog and its bright ideas. But there is always the option of cracking open a bottle in one's own company and posting your thoughts on dear old Jhumpa's little stories here. I realise that this might require investment in some hardware and hooking up. However, in the long run it may be the only means of social interaction possible.
On a slightly different note, a striking image capturing the long term consequences of war in Cambodia. Thanks Rich.
Photograph by Rassemei © MAG All Rights Reserved
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