Off Topic Chazz's Book Club

Currently reading Stephen Fry 'The Ode Less Travelled' a poetry guide, I always wanted to understand and enjoy poetry so hopefully this will help me. School put me off it .

 

I've just finished 'Death and the Penguin' by Andrey Kurkov - set in post-Soviet Kiev/Ukraine. Strange but entertaining.

Now started Christopher Hill's 'The World Turned Upside Down: Radical Ideas During the English Revolution' which looks not at the Cromwellian republican idea, but at the Levellers/ Diggers/ Ranters/ etc.

 

I'm reading Our Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azzerad. It's an account of American indie/hardcore bands in the 80's (Black Flag, Minor Threat, Replacements etc etc)
Superb read, especially for anyone who liked bands of that era

 

Gave up with the poetry, its a bit like religion like you have to pretend it's decent when it's in fact a load of balls. I enjoyed a Wilfred Owen WW2 poem but Philip Larkin going on about sherry and stuff like that, not for me. Back reading history books and fantasy novels, and Not 606 Hull City page

 

Try to catch some JB Barrington. Modern poet who, in my opinion, is moving, relevant and ****ing hilarious
I do own his book Woodchip, Anaglypta and Nicotined Artex Ceiling, but he probably works best live (you can probably catch him on that YouTube that the young uns watch stuff on)

 

I just read some thing so ****ing funny I only got past a few lines. Something about some bullshitter apparently going to Tenerife instead of watching City at Derby.

Ripped th pizz out of me..



Bruce IN.

 

Yes, I heard you have to hear poetry spoken really, might give that a go actually on Youtube, thanks!

 

You left out, Lurkers, Stan.

 

You gave up too easily, Wilfred Owen was a Great War poet and if you look up MCMXIV by Philip Larkin you will find he can be just as poignant as Owen about the pity of war, describing the innocence of recruitment to waiting for a bank holiday game of cricket.

 

I've signed up to the Youtube channel that DennisBooth suggested so maybe that can help me get into it. I have a book of WW1 poetry still and Larkins Complete Poems so I will look up the poem you suggested, thank you, in fact I will have a read of it tomorrow.

 

Humber Boy B author is from Hull. About a child killing another child. Interesting so far.

 

Try this one for a kick off,

 

Oops I meant to link this one before
Hey ho, two very different examples I think

 

'Ulrich Haarburste's Novel of Roy Orbison in Clingfilm' is the single most hilarious book I have ever read - highly recommended.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/095...36_SY340_QL65&keywords=roy orbison cling film

 

Clearly Baldrick was the true Great War poet.

 

Thanks, am off on Friday so will have a look at this and have a second go with Larkin too!

 

Local lad and fellow City fan Jim Higo is decent at the old spoken word. Often shares the bill with JB Barrington. I saw them both at Union Mash Up, last Thursday in the month, free admission.
Look up Jim Higo's Old School Punk on youtube. Worthy of a much wider audience because the lads got talent.

 

My daughter gave me a Lance Armstrong book to read, and knowing what I know now, reading it, well the first 20 pages, left me with a sickening feeling. I certainly didn't finish it, but if ever there was a hypocrite he is it.

 

I was there at that gig too !
Jim Higo is a really nice bloke as well. We also went to see him whilst at Edinburgh Fringe last year

 

Right then...