"Last exit to Brooklyn" (1964) by Hubert Selby, Jr.

On Thursday 4th September 2014, Hove Book Group, looking tanned and healthy after their Summer layoff, and after brushing the sand from their collective feet, got down to business.  

Had we been enjoying a Summer of light hearted fun?  No Sir.  That's not the HBG way.  We prefer our Summers gritty, harsh, uncompromising and urban, so - with that in mind - Tristan had chosen controversial selections that had been banned or resulted in legal action.  Hold onto your hats it's going to be a bumpy ride....

BOOK: "Last exit to Brooklyn" (1964) by Hubert Selby, Jr. 

Tristan was quick to praise what he described as a powerful masterpiece.  The novel, broken into six parts, each a self-contained vignette and prefaced with a biblical quotation, celebrate a dystopian Brooklyn awash with hoodlums, victims, transvestites, repressed homosexuals and Benzedrine, lots of Benzedrine. Tristan thought it was correct to explore these extremes of behaviour and he was engaged throughout the entire book.  9/10

Keith nodded with approval whilst he murmured "A good assessment, yes, I think so, very good".  Keith highlighted the novel's crudely punctuated, phonetic vernacular, which has a pleasing and surprising intermittent lyricism.  The style redeems the book's sadism and violence, and elevates it into excellence.  8/10

Nigel first read it umpteen years ago and felt it was still a powerful and disturbing experience, though time has slightly reduced the impact of its graphic tales of drugs, street violence, gang rape, homosexuality, transvestism and domestic violence. Nigel was struck by the parallels with Trainspotting, both in the depiction of street life and the extensive use of an unpunctuated vernacular. What Last Exit to Brooklyn lacks in comparison with Trainspotting is any humour. 1950s Brooklyn as depicted here is an unremittingly bleak world populated by universally unsympathetic, venal characters. This time round Nigel was also struck by the rather one dimensional and slightly sinister depiction of the book's gay men. Not a pleasant read but, undeniably, a landmark book that still stands up. 7/10

Robin: fascinated by a repressed homosexual

Robin was eerily fascinated by Harry the repressed homosexual.  He also described the novel as a stick of dynamite chucked into the heart of American literature in 1964, leaving a huge crater and scorched earth that serves as a monument to the power of the written word to disrupt and repel the mind.  Robin's mind was blown by this book and may never fully recover.  7/10

Perhaps, even more shocking than "Last exit to Brooklyn" was the realisation that only Nigel had watched, or rather rewatched, Tristan's film selection....

FILM: "Scum" (1979) directed by Alan Clarke

Tristan, Robin & Keith: Didn't watch "Scum"

Nigel had seen Scum on its release and confirmed that this 1979 British film directed by Alan Clarke, portraying life inside a British borstal, had lost none of its power.  This is "a real horror film", and all the more horrific as it is so clearly depicts a world that genuinely existed just a few decades ago, complete with habitual violence, racism and uncaring staff.  As Archer (Mick Ford), the film's one sympathetic character states, "How can anyone build a character in a regime based on deprivation? Good, fine minds thrown in with crazy people".  Ultimately, what is most shocking about Scum, is the uncaring cruelty of the screws.  A landmark film.  9/10

MUSIC: Pussy Riot "Kill The Sexist" (2012)

Through the marvels of YouTube, Tristan was able to share the infamous video filmed on 21 February 2012, when the group staged a performance in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior and turned the performance into a music video, as a protest against the Orthodox Church leader's support for Putin during his election campaign.

The band's simple riffs and screaming were, we all agreed, not the point.  This is pure punk by brave and courageous women and an appropriate way to wrap up another wonderful evening of cultural discourse with Hove's premier book group.

Ten ten til we do it again.