All That Remains (2019) by Sue Black

 Theme: *Mortality*

We’re all facing up to our mortality and so Nick wisely decided it was time to take a look at what’s coming down the line

Nick confronting mortality

READ: All That Remains (2019) by Sue Black

Sue Black is one of the world's leading forensic anthropologists who is also an anatomy professor at Dundee University, and unsurprisingly an expert in her field.

In All That Remains: A Life in Death, Sue Black discusses her many encounters with death and illustrates the developments in forensic science with reference to some of the cases she has worked on (e.g. war crimes in Kosovo, missing person crimes, the 2004 Tsunami)

To varying degrees we all liked it

The gushing reviews and a strong opening chapter had us all primed for a gripping read. After that visceral first chapter that details Sue Black's first human dissection, some  thought the book tailed off.

The next third of the book details a lot of biographical information centred around the deaths of some of Sue Gray's close relatives.

We all appreciated the sections about the bodies donated to medical science, the trauma caused by sudden and violent deaths, and the science of forensics. 

Perhaps this book tries to do too much: memoir, science, and a meditation on death? Some would have settled for just the science, others felt this was just the ticket.

Nick 8 / Tristan 7 / Nigel 6 / Keith 8 / Roland  8 / Robin 8 / Hamish 6

LISTEN: Ghosteen (2019) by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Nick Cave confronts an unbearable tragedy - some felt it works brilliants others were less convinced, but a musical version of Mythago Wood? C’mon Roland

WATCH: The Straight Story (1999) dir by David Lynch

To varying degrees we were all very positive about The Straight Story despite being distinctly un-Lynch-ian. In other Lynch news Robin loves Mullholland Drive and describes it as “hot”. Oooh

HBG endorse it: 27 October 2022 -> 24 November 2022

Diorama (Netflix)

The English (BBC iPlayer)

SAS Rogue Heroes (BBC iPlayer)

In Bruges (Film) (Netflix) 

Everything Everywhere All At Once (Film) (Prime) 

Liquorice Pizza (Film) (Prime) 

Klara and the Sun (2021) by Kazuo Ishiguro

 On Thursday 27th October 2022 we assembled in the upstairs room at The Poets pub in Hove to discuss Roland’s Robots themed selections.

Theme: *Robots*

READ: Klara and the Sun (2021) by Kazuo Ishiguro

A winning and provocative of what it is to be human through the eyes of a not-quite-human.

Klara is well realised - her AI logic, perceptiveness, intelligence and naivety all felt really convincing.

Her narration forces the reader to fill in the gaps in the story and to work to understand the world of the novel - and the agendas of the various characters.

The ending doesn’t fully deliver on the promise of the set up.

A deceptively simple book that asks profound questions.

Roland had this book lined up for weeks - he loved it. Hamish less so, an early start and then downhill. Robin warmed to it. Keith was lukewarm. Nigel was positive. Tristan was impressed but disappointed by the ending. Nick liked it.

Nick 8 / Tristan 7 / Nigel 8 / Keith 6  / Roland  8 / Robin 7 / Hamish 3

LISTEN: Bad Apples (2022) by Objekt

Some love it, some hated it

WATCH: Ex Machina (2014) dir by Alex Garland

To varying degrees we were all very positive about Ex Machina. Those that watched it.

HBG endorse it: 20 September 2022 -> 27 October 2022

TraumaZone (iPlayer)

Miriam Margoles - This Much is True (Book)

Liquorice Pizza (Prime) 

Detachment (Prime)

La Fosse (Cranbourne B&B, Dorset)

Am I Being Unreasonable? (BBC iPlayer)

Trevor Nelson (BBC Radio 2)

The Banshees of Inisherin (Martin McDonagh film)

Queen and Slim (iPlayer)

Welcome to Wrexham (Documentary) (Disney +)

Tornado - Stewart Lee (iPlayer)

Get Back (2021) dir by Peter Jackson (Beatles Doc) (Disney +)

Elvis (2022) dir by Baz Luhrmann (Film)

Love and Let Die (2022) by John Higgs (Book)