"The Death Of Bunny Munro" by Nick Cave

Keith introduces his Nick Cave fest

On Thursday 18th July 2013, the Hove Book Group took a trip over to the dark side.  Yes, Keith sparked up yet another cigarette before announcing why he had decided to curate a festival of Nick Cave.

It all started with one sweet little taste of the music.  Surely one song won't hurt?  Alas, within a few beats Keith was hooked, and by God he was now hellbent on converting the entire Hove Book Group too.

Don, who has a nose for danger, avoided the whole farrago, claiming he was unavoidably detained in Gloucester, with a Dr Foster.  

Mr Pusherman started by suggesting we read "The Death of Bunny Munro".  It's got a sweet little bunny on the front cover so it must be a lovely little tale we could read to our children.  That's what we were promised.  By the time we were a few pages in it was too late.  Far too late.

Keith let out a cackle as he gazed upon his work.  "So what did you think then?  Did you like my little story?  Did you like my friend Bunny?  Sweet little bunny wunny.  Would you like to have spent more time with him?"

A sweet little bunny

Why Keith?  Why?  

Because it's a classic.  A take it to the max - the Mad Max - extreme.  What about the language?  Oh the language.  What would Caitlin Moran say Keith?  How could you Keith?

Because it's got humour.  Because it's so well written.  Because I have an old sock under my car seat.  Because I hide my hard on with my copy of the Daily Mail.  Because I like it.  Because I say so.  Because you let me choose. Because, because, because.  And because I gave it 7/10.

Hamish actually let his wife read it.  Hamish's wife really liked it.  Hamish found these two "facts" as disturbing as anything in the book.  Hamish, looking ashen faced, said that he "didn't really enjoy it".  5/10.

Robin, with the shiny-eyed messianic stare of the newly converted, shouted "Genius!"  Yes, you heard right.  "Genius!"  Shagging a junkie corpse is not so bad.  We've all done it.  It all makes perfect sense.  Who needs a moral compass?  Who needs a compass?  Follow your groin.  9/10 from this cocksman.

Nick "lost his mojo"

Nick was not so convinced, bandying words and phrases like "lost his mojo", "iniquitous", "gone off the boil", "tedious", "waste of space", "perfidious", "gone to the dogs".  Where's the humanity?  I trusted you Nick.  You. Betrayed. Me. 2/10

Nigel wanted to like it.  He really did.  He's a fan you see. He saw Nick and Will Self at a launch event for the book.  The father-son relationship echoes "The Road".  Or does it?  Bunny barely registers his son's needs and feelings, and registers only the vaguest sense of love or responsibility. Bunny Munro is a monstrous character: vain, sex obsessed, egotistical, and deluded. Having created this monster, Nick Cave seems unsure what to do with him and the novel is essentially a sequence of meaningless attempted sexual encounters. There is no character development. Bunny's limited self-insight gives the character nowhere to go and his devoted son can barely work out what is going on. It all feels like a short story expanded into an overlong novel. Even the black humour generally falls wide of the mark. 4/10. 

Tristan was all about the splayed buttocks.  Vile filth, depravity, raw power, Butlins.  Yes Butlins.  Our True Intent is all for Your Delight.  Unlike "Hangover Square" the descent into alcoholism and self destruction was unrealistic.  The damage was shelf inflicted.  Where were the thundering old testament prophets?  The whiskey priests?  The horned killer?  OK, we'll give you the horned killer.  6/10

The Proposition

Keith saw all that he had made, and it was very good.  Wiping the splattered blood from his brow, he offered us The Proposition.  Was it historically accurate?  Does it matter?  It. Is. Believable. 7/10

Robin likes depravity, violence, and spaghetti.  7/10

Tristan praised the costumes, and the cinematography, and the slight flaws. 7/10

Nick was reminded of Mad Max.  Epic. 7/10

Hamish likes Australia, more than the USA. 7/10

Nigel says yes to Guy, Ray, Danny, John, David and Emily - and Nick and John H.  7/10

And, so finally, we were ready to face the music.  Live Seeds.  Fresh from a Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds performance at Glastonbury, Keith was full of praise for Nick Cave who is his new favourite artist in the world ever.  I love it.  I LOVE IT. 9/10.

Robin didn't listen to it.  He was too busy listening to Mumford and Sons.  Perhaps.  Or just

Robin of Wildlife SOS takes another emergency call

too busy.  Too busy responding to Wildlife SOS calls.  

Nick loves The Mercy Seat.  It's his favourite song ever written.  Really.  He can't get enough of it.  He likes it more than Billie Jean, and Thriller. 7/10

Hamish, whilst stroking his chin, declared it was "an interesting album".  A departure from The Birthday Party. 8/10

Nigel likes it very much.  7/10

And so, with the rueful grins that frequently characterise trauma victims, and some chat about cartoon cats, the Hove Book Group broke up for the Summer.  Yes, it's the last gathering until September 2013.  In the meantime the band of brother's have Nigel's Summer-themed choices to sustain them through the long hot Summer.  

Remember the sun cream and wide brimmed stetsons.   Adios Amigos.

"The Talented Mr Ripley" by Patricia Highsmith

Old school

The Hove Book Group was back together on the evening of Thursday 6th June 2013 to discuss Robin's choices.  

Robin's book choice was "The Talented Mr Ripley" by Patricia Highsmith 

Robin kicked things off by describing how he is "a convert" to Italy and all things Italian, and this informed  his choices for Hove Book Group.  

In addition to reading the book, Robin had also watched the 1999 film adaptation directed by Anthony Minghella and staring Matt Damon and Jude Law.  The recollection of Jude Law prompted Robin to describe his strong physical attraction towards Mr Law.  Don stated that "coming out during a book review is a Hove Book Group first".  Quite so. 7/10

Tristan praised Ms. Highsmith's credible evocation of men.  The character development of Tom Ripley is what makes The Talented Mr. Ripley one of the great crime novels of the 20th century. Ms. Highsmith is an acute observer, and is able to translate her sensitivity into a multidimensional portrait of a successful criminal in a way that is virtually unmatched.  Tristan concluded with a bit of customary pedantry - something about blood stains - before lavishing the book with 7/10.

Robin: Came out

Nigel explained that this was the second time he'd read the book.  The first time was back in 2000, when he too was inspired by the 1999 film adaptation . Nigel stated that it was good to reread the book without the film adaptation fresh in his mind.  Tom Ripley is a deeply flawed individual, who - whilst clever and cunning - takes foolish risks and makes occasional mistakes. These mistakes ratcheted up the tension for Nigel.  It's a compelling tale of how the opportunistic and amoral Tom Ripley takes advantage of situations. All told from Tom Ripley's perspective, and somehow, despite his reprehensible behaviour, Patricia Highsmith had Nigel rooting for him throughout. The book is full of insights into Ripley's character, including short flashbacks to his dysfunctional childhood that credibly help to explain his personality and behaviour. Ripley is a fantastic character, and this is a well written, psychological thriller. 8/10

Nick picked up the theme of rooting for Tom Ripley, suggesting his underdog status illicits our sympathy. We meet Tom Ripley almost as casually as new friends do. It's only by following him around, hearing his thoughts and observing what he does that we realize who he is. Ripley is an immensely capable man but also extremely impulsive. If there's an opportunity he'll take it.  The ultimate anti-hero?  8/10

Hamish: Confused

Hamish was confused.  Confused until Mr Murder came a-calling.  From that moment on everything made sense and Hamish was gripped.  Ripley looks for neither approval nor acclaim. Solitude is his middle name.  The book's core theme is around identity. Who are we? Can we reinvent ourselves? How do judge others? Hamish could not remember any other crime novel that explores such subtle questions so effectively. 7/10

Don described it as a "masterpiece of crime fiction". Once Ripley is sent to Europe as a paid-for emissary with an expense account he develops a taste for la dolce vita. When his new friendship is threatened, along with his new lifestyle, he takes decisive action.  What follows was, for Don, one of the most interesting and intricate plot lines that Don had ever read.  Right up there with W. Somerset Maugham's Ashenden.  High praise indeed.  8/10

Don: Masterpiece of crime fiction

Keith stated that the book begins with an edginess that doesn't relent until the final sentence.  Highsmith took Keith on a dark rollercoaster ride of deception, jealousy, deceit, murder, lies, and evasion.   There's no senseless violence, just dispassionate pragmatism.  Keith was mesmerised as Ripley managed to just about stay one step ahead of the police. The result was riveting.  To his shock and amazement, Keith realised he was sympathising with a cold and calculating killer. Keith also praised Ms. Highsmith's ability to exquisitely capture the 1950s milieu of the book, particularly  the life of a wealthy American abroad. Her writing is elegant and simple and well worthy of 7/10.


Universal acclaim for "The Talented Mr Ripley" by Patricia Highsmith from Hove's finest, and a strong contender for the coveted HBG Book Of The Year Award.

Robin's cinematic choice Berberian Sound Studio directed by Peter Strickland and starring TobyJones, and Cosimo Fusco.  

After reading rave reviews, Robin was looking forward to this film and was expecting a treat. Sadly, he was left confused whilst watching a film which didn't make sense, and where not much happened.  One of the most awful, pretentious films Robin has ever seen and a complete waste of time. 2/10

Tristan reminded us of his high threshold for pretentiousness, before describing how much he enjoyed this film.  For Tristan this was a brilliant study of one man's unhinged descent into the dark underbelly of Italian life.  A claustrophobic sound studio devoid of natural light where an awkward sound effects recordist fragments whilst witnessing unseen horrors at The Berberian Sound Studio. 7/10

Nigel continued the love for Berberian Sound Studio.  Nigel enjoyed the 1970s styling and was blown away by the performance of Toby Jones, who gives a masterclass in acting and alienation.  The film is beautifully shot and full of black humour.  Fantasy bleeds into reality, sounds and dreams blur into each other to form a paranoid nightmare, as the film gradually eats itself.  Cinematic perfection.  9/10

Nick evoked David Lynch, and felt this film shared many of the master's qualities, whilst bandying around words like disconcerting, chilling, and gripping   Nick is partial to a bit of 1970s Italian gore-horror, and enjoys directors like Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci.  For Nick, the film's key is around the importance of sound.  Beautifully directed. 6/10.

Finally we discussed Puccini's Madama Butterfly.  Don loved it having taken the time to absorb the plot and immerse himself in the music.  Robin recommended a visit to Verona to attend open air opera.  The rest of us were less convinced.

"Super Sad True Love Story" by Gary Shteyngart

"Super Sad True Love Story" by Gary Shteyngart

On Thursday 2nd May 2013, the Hove Book Group (HBG) gathered for another evening of top flight cultural discourse.  Tristan had chosen "Super Sad True Love Story"  by Gary Shteyngart for our consideration.  Tristan has a long and illustrious history of choosing provocative and interesting titles.  To the amazement of the group he confessed that someone at work had suggested this book and, as he happened to have the book on his shelf, he went for it.  Would such a cavalier approach to selecting a book come back to haunt him?

Tristan kicked off the discussion by stating he "really, really liked it" and lauded its "big themes".  

Tristan: "Big themes"

The book is set in the very-near-future: the dollar is in free-fall, the streets are filled with privatised soldiers, China might invade, the information age dominates life.  Most professional jobs are in media or credit. People stream information about each other on their "apparati" (alarmingly smart smart-phones). Books are deeply unfashionable – apart from anything they smell.  Tristan believes that the world depicted in the book is all too plausible, and this book is rich and amusing.  He also took time to praise the Joshie character, and Jeffrey Otter.  And why not?  8.5/10

Hamish" "Modern life is rubbish"

Hamish could not attend in person however conveyed these thoughts... "My Nee-groes, I had such high hopes.  Such high hopes.  A Tristan choice.  A concept seemingly on a par with "The City and The City" (my personal Booker of Bookers).  The downfall of the American dream.  It should have been great.  And to be fair, Gary is a very good writer.  In the sense that he knows and uses the English language quite beautifully at times at least.  Unfortunately, I felt no empathy at all with the characters (except Eunice's mother - "Please forgive you do not understand my English." "I know sometimes life is suck.").  Eunice Park appears selfish.  Lenny is just a dork.  Not in an interesting way.  His colleagues in Post Human Services were even more annoying.  In fact, it was a book full of the types of characters I generally find most tedious in real life.  We all know Modern Life is Rubbish.  Blur told us that years ago.  Not sure that this Super Sad True Love Story gave me any further insights.  It seemed heavily reliant on endless new terminology, some of which was humorous, but not enough to carry the story.  I'm afraid I haven't and won't finish it.  5/10"

Nigel carried on the Tristan love-in.  "He always chooses an interesting book", and usually one that Nigel would never have read otherwise.  Lest we forget it was Tristan who chose 2012's HBG book of the year ("Blindness" by José Saramago).

Nigel stated that, whilst some might say it is wrong to invoke the names of Philip K Dick and Kurt Vonnegut, he reckons Gary Shteyngart's imagination, social satire and storytelling are right up there with those two iconic science fiction satirists. Warming to his theme, he then added he was tempted to invoke the "M" word too: "Masterpiece". Once he started reading the book he became engrossed and picked it up at every opportunity.  The world depicted in the novel feels all too plausible: constantly streaming information about each other on an "apparati"; no books; in essence a future where current social trends (social media, a preoccupation with youth, online pornography etc.) have reached their zenith and inform all aspects of daily life. 

Nigel: "Masterpiece:

Satire needs more than just a prescient and plausible future, and this book also contained a moving portrait of two lonely people - Lenny and Eunice - who, against all the odds, discover mutual love.  Shteyngart manages some great writing too. The tale is told through Lenny's self-absorbed diary entries and Eunice's honest, simple, immediate - but still insightful - social media exchanges. Two very contrasting - but very distinctive - narrative voices.   Here's Lenny describing Eunice's abused mother: "She was pretty, the features economical, the eyes evenly spaced, the nose strong and straight, but seeing her reminded me of approaching a reassembled piece of Greek or Roman pottery. You had to draw out the beauty and elegance of the design, but your eyes kept returning to the seams and the cracks filled with some dark cohesive substance, the missing handles and random pockmarks." Masterly.

Nigel concluded that there is so much richness and detail to enjoy. Shteyngart manages to make all kinds of amusing, chilling and interesting observations about: this dystopian future; Lenny and Eunice's emotional journey; early 21st century Western culture; and the human condition.  It's a compelling, moving, and remarkable book.  9/10

Keith: "Odour"

All eyes turned to Keith, a man whose opinions can never be second guessed.  "...a curious array of post-mortal odours, of which "sardine breath" is the most benign." chuckled Keith.  Keith praised Lenny's pensive diary entries and Eunice's hyperactive social media exchanges on Global Teens, and the way Shteyngart hopped between the deep soulfulness of Russian literature and the world of text acronyms, "Like flicking between Tolstoy and Twitter on an Android".  Will the information age kill the novel along with our attention span?  Keith had no answers.  Keith loved the Italian train station boards at Lenny's work place, another wry smile as he recalled Lenny's mood indicators going from "Meek but cooperative" to "playful/cuddly/likes to learn new things". All too plausible. Sadly.  7/10.

Nick was next up, and quickly observed that this was another tale of doomed love.  Romeo and Juliet, or Tristan and Iseult if you will.  A pair of second generation immigrants: Russian and Korean, who, for all their differences, are both afflicted by low self-esteem.  Lenny's compulsive need to attempt to make others like him, and Eunice's sporadic self-loathing and temper.  Both are burdened by their parents' high expectations, and both have been unlucky in love. They hope their hesitant relationship will keep them safe in a very unsafe world.  An unsafe world where every toxic development has been magnified to unbearable proportions, and given a darkly satiric edge.  Nick found lots to love in Gary Shteyngart's powerful apocalyptic satire spliced with a supersad true love story.  Nick then murmured, "If we are really as oversexed, consumerist, gadget-loving and stupidly superficial as described by Gary Shteyngart will the book's prophetic messages be wasted on us?"  Nick's eyes seemed to suggest the question needed no answer.  7/10

Robin: "Mixed feelings"

Would Hamish's review be the only one out of sync with the otherwise unanimous praise for "Super Sad True Love Story"?  Robin milked the tension, cleared his throat, and then began in his distinctive baritone... "I had mixed feelings about this book...." Robin thought that the writing was clever; the near future setting was executed with aplomb; but he couldn't connect with the characters. After the rupture, the super sad true love story became super sad.  The forced relocation of communities in post-rupture New York echoed the Nazis, and reminded Robin of the apartment scams in post-Glasnost Russia as described in AD Millers 'Snowdrops'. Was the ending bitter-sweet? Or just bitter-bitter?  THIS is New York: Lifestyle Hub, Trophy City.  Quite so.  6.5/10

So Tristan does it again: another interesting, provocative and compelling choice.  HBG eagerly awaits his next book choice.  

Next we turned out attentions to "The Girl From Monday" a 2005 American film directed by Hal Hartley.  After some amusing discussion, we all concluded that this is the worst film HBG has ever discussed.  The words of one critic seeming to sum up our feelings...

"Profoundly unnecessary"

...those of us who had enjoyed "Simple Men" and "Amateur" were baffled by how how Hal Hartley had managed to make such a poor film.  That said, the film made for an interesting companion piece to the book (sex as a commodity, dystopian future etc.), however the low production values, and the slightly hammy acting, undermined an interesting premise. Why even add the extra terrestrial dimension?  Everyone confessed to feelings of boredom and annoyance during the film.  An interesting idea quickly became confused, incoherent and tedious.  Shame.

Finally we discussed "Dear Science" by TV on the Radio.  Tristan and Nick will be attending a festival curated by TV On The Radio.  

Nick loves them, lavishing the album with 9.5/10.  

Tristan remained unconvinced by the album's merits and hopes to be converted once he sees them live.  

Hamish weighed in with an email review: "Hipsters.  I just don't get them.  No, not at all.  I know my HIPNESS RANKING faces a big hit but No."

Nigel recalled Dear Science getting a big thumbs up from critics, and also seeing them appear on Later.  He played this album a few times when it came out, and quite enjoyed it.  Once Tristan had picked it as his HBG musical selection, he played it again, and - as before - he enjoyed it.  So all of this made his inability to remember any of the songs, or feel inspired to keep listening all the more baffling.  It's a good album, by an interesting band, but does it lack something, or does Nigel just need to listen a few more times? 

Keith appreciated the sonic trickery: handclaps, horns, layer upon layer of tasty pop goodness.  Yummy.  

Whilst Robin, who admitted his opinion was based on two YouTube videos that may or may not have been of songs from this album, highlighted the awkward drums and avant jazz squawks, before concluding that Dear Science is both visceral and cerebral.  "I'm gonna shake you, I'm gonna make you come", he whispered.  

And, on that bombshell, HBG called time on the gathering.  Onwards and upwards compadres.  Next time out HBG will be discussing Robin's Italian-tinged choices. 

Caitlin Moran "How To Be A Woman"

Caitlin Moran on hearing Don's comments

On Tuesday 19th March 2013 Hove Book Group met up for another evening of top flight cultural discourse.  Here is an eye witness account of what went down.

Nick implored the group to explore their female sides with three selections that took us down Equality Avenue.  We came to the event having all read Caitlin Moran's best selling book "How To Be A Woman".  Nick felt the book was mis-sold and was more about Caitlin than a generic book about women.  Nick likes to think of himself as someone sympathetic to feminism, as long as it doesn't involve too much shouting at men that is. Despite this modern and enlightened approach Nick felt the book did not offer much more than some great one-liners and sporadic wisdom - specifically the sections on abortion and child birth.  A good read.  6/10

To Nigel, a renowned 50 something liberal male, Caitlin Moran is preaching to the converted.  There's very little in her book for him to disagree with.  He will encourage his daughter to read it once she is 15 or 16.  Nigel felt there were some parts of the book where Caitlin could have been far more succinct without diluting the message.  Nigel ran through the notes he had made at the end of each chapter.  Some chapters were far more successful than others.  The ones that Nigel thought were most effective included "I Start Bleeding", "I Become Furry" ,"I am Fat", "I Encounter Some Sexism", "I Am In Love", "I Get Married", "I Get Into Fashion", and "Abortion".  Nigel took issue with Caitlin's support of celebrity gossip magazines, "Buying them only encourages them and their agenda to undermine women Caitlin".  Her style is fairly strident and opinionated which might not be to everyone's taste, and some sections are a little overlong, but fundamentally it's a wise and funny book with some helpful and thoughtful insights.  7/10  

Before the meeting there had been some speculation about Don's reaction to this book.  Previous books that Don disliked having been shredded, thrown on a compost bin etc. Don confessed that this was a new genre for him and that he really liked Caitlin's column in The Times newspaper.  So far, so encouraging, alas he then stated that a lot of the content had already appeared in her newspaper columns, that she was "fine in small doses" before a parting shot that this book was "witless, turgid and unfunny".  Don stopped reading on page 161.  Ouch.  Take that Caitlin Moran.

Don said what?!

Jason's wife had read him some funny sections of the book a few months before this gathering, and so inspired Jason to read the whole thing.  Once Jason sat down and started reading "How to Be a Woman" properly he felt he'd already heard the best bits.  That said, by the time Caitlin Moran stated "in many ways, there is no crueller or more inappropriate present to give a child than oestrogen and a big pair of tits. Had anyone asked me I think I would have requested a book token or maybe a voucher for C&A instead", Jason realised he was reading a helpful book and as Caitlin states, "I'm neither 'pro-women' nor 'anti-men'. I'm just 'Thumbs up for the six billion."  "Right on", murmured Jason. 6.5/10

Robin lost his kindle on a plane and, with it, his copy of this book.  Nigel's copy arrived too late for him to finish it.  Doh!  Robin then digressed, and described how none of his girlfriends had ever engaged in masturbation.  Whilst the group digested this sensational news, Robin then questioned the extent to which Caitlin had masturbated.  Robin felt this was a book that might as well have been subtitled "common sense, with some jokes and improbably high levels of masturbation". 5/10

Caitlin hears Robin's remarks about female masturbation

Hamish felt this was not a book about feminism, rather a book about Caitlin and modern life.  His wife had found it hilarious, Hamish less so.  Was it more funny to female readers?  The jokes are integral to the book. Hamish thought her account of the birth of her first child was absolutely brilliant; and her husband's tears at her suffering is beautifully and memorably described. She can also squeeze in a gag on how the whole experience has given her perspective: "I doubt that I will get angry about Norwich Union changing its name to 'Aviva' ever again." 5/10

Keith stated that this was his kind of feminism and Caitlin was his kind of woman.  Great news.  Persuasive, honest, passionate, inclusive.  Keith was impressed by Caitlin and her book. The book's achievement is to make feminism seem unthreatening and simple. Caitlin is not anti-men and believes that we're all just "The Guys", that sexism is just a form of bad manners, and that one thing that would help is more imaginative porn.  Keith says a hearty "Yes" to all of the above.  9/10

Tristan heartily enjoyed it.  A funny, liberal book.  Tristan then distributed an eye opening photo of Germaine Greer to illustrate a point about female-centric pornography.  Tristan stated that it is really important that we talk about this stuff and understand it.  That Caitlin Moran's book is also engaging, brave, clever, and funny is a bonus.  Everybody should read it.  8.5/10 

An interesting debate with a variety of views - with most participants from Hove's number one book group feeling that this was a well written book with humour, insight and power.  Thank you Caitlin Moran.


The Pixies' legendary female bassist informed Nick's musical choice "Doolittle" by The Pixies....

Sadly at this point the notes became a series of illegible scrawls and crude and childish drawings.

The Allmusic review concludes with "A fun, freaky alternative to most other late-'80s college rock, it's easy to see why the album made the Pixies into underground rock stars."  Broadly speaking: 

Nick and Nigel are fans and very positive about the band and this album.

Jason and Robin don't like it.

Keith, Hamish and Tristan were only partly convinced by it.

Thelma and Louise

Finally the group discussed the film "Thelma and Louise".

Despite some dreadful music, Nick really enjoyed this film.

Nigel loved it when it first came out, however felt it had dated badly and was struck by the almost universal overacting.  Still watchable but not as good as it seemed all those years ago.

Once again, at this point the meeting notes degenerate into stream of consciousness mumbo jumbo and arcane symbols that not even the experts at the British Museum could interpret.  

The end.

"Remainder" by Tom McCarthy

The Hove Book Group gathered together on Thursday 22nd November 2012 to discuss Keith's choices.

First up was "Remainder" by Tom McCarthy.

"Why Keith?  Why?"

Keith replied that he wanted something modern, new and unknown, and that's what he got from this book.  Original, intriguing, intense, and humorous.

Tom McCarthy couldn’t get Remainder published in the UK at first. He eventually sold it to a French house who marketed it through art galleries rather than bookstores. It proved a critical hit and so was then picked up for a more traditional UK release.

Keith thought it was "an excellent book" and lavished it with an excellent 9/10.

As Keith is a fan of alternative scoring systems, Hamish emailed through a different approach for his review.  Using Kurt Vonnegut's eight rules for story writing he had this to say:

Hamish: alternative scoring system 

Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted: Was Hamish's time wasted?  The novel was certainly readable enough, dramatic action took place, the story progressed and Hamish kept turning pages.  It wasn’t hard work.  Sadly Hamish felt little emotional attachment to the novel though. Half a Vonnegut

Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for: The narrator totally dominated the book.  None of the other characters were developed enough.  The narrator suffered some mental illness or was just self obsessed and didn’t care.  Either way, Hamish found him vaguely irritating and difficult to relate to.  No Vonneguts 

Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water:  The narrator wanted to be real.  Naz initially wanted money but, as the book went on, wanted to feed his addiction to making things run like clockwork.  The other characters presumably just wanted money.  So they did all want something.  But Hamish gave no points because both the narrator and Naz’s desires seemed contrived and plain daft.  No Vonneguts

Every sentence must do one of two things—reveal character or advance the action: Hamish felt that no sentences revealed character.  The action was regularly and dramatically advanced however, although to what end?  Half a Vonnegut

Start as close to the end as possible: The narrator started with the accident and ended with the last re-enactment.  We learned nothing superfluous about his earlier life.  There were no offshoots from the plot, cameo appearances or flowery Rushdiesque descriptions of nearby vegetation.  It was succinct and to the point.  Whatever the point might have been.  One Vonnegut

A sadist

Be a Sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them—in order that the reader may see what they are made of:  Sadly nothing awful happened to the narrator.  No Vonneguts

Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia: Mr McCarthy cannot possibly have written this hoping to make love to the world surely?  The self obsession suggests he wrote it just for himself.  Which is of course how it should be and Hamish scored it  One Vonnegut

Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To hell with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages: The opening page telling us of some awful accident, but the book then actively refuses to give further details.  Early hopes were that things would be explained, it became increasingly evident that they would not.  The narrator/McCarthy actually took some pleasure in not explaining things.  Tom McCarthy utterly failed to make his story similarly believable.  No Vonneguts

So overall, Hamish awarded a grand total of 3 Vonneguts out of a potential 8.  In summary, "a fairly readable pile of complete old tosh".  Tristan converted the "Vonneguts" into the traditional HBG scoring system to reveal a dismissive 4/10.

Nick - used to live in Brixton

Nick, as an ex-Brixton resident, enjoyed the book's Brixton setting.  It was a way in for him.  Alas, after getting in the book never took off.  Too many reconstructions and re-enactments.  Remainder is a novel of ideas. It was clear to Nick that to have any chance of understanding what this book might be about he'd have to pay attention more to the themes than to the events: repetition; the barrier of consciousness from direct experience; the intransigency of matter.  Alas, this approach merely resulted in Nick concluding that this book was Iain Banks-lite.  5/10

Don, quickly got into the book, so much so that he was buoyed.  It was a page turner.  Akin to Blindness.  Don loved the cats...part of the re-enactment of the building and old apartment includes the view from it of a sloping tiled roof on which cats would lie in the sun. This part doesn’t work out so well as the cats placed on the roof keep falling off it and dying. The cats were not enough for Don though.  He demands more than dead cats from his reading, and - as he read on - the book's lack of characters started to annoy, and - at the conclusion of the book - he felt it was only worthy of 6/10.

A cat

Nigel, whilst a fan of Kurt Vonnegut, was not convinced by all of his rules (See Hamish's review above).  Nigel enjoyed the way the book allowed the reader to fill in the blanks.  Nigel was not really sure what it was all about, however he found it beguiling and it sparked off many thoughts and ideas around memory, feelings, experience, time, and life.  

As the book's mysterious councillor reminds the reader towards the book's conclusion: "No less than one hundred and twenty actors have been used. Five hundred and eleven props — tyres, signs, tins, tools, all in working condition — have been assembled and deployed. And that’s just for the tyre shop scene. The number of people who have been employed in some capacity or other over the course of all five re-enactments is closer to one thousand.” He paused again and let the figure sink in, then continued: "All these actions, into which so much energy has been invested, so many man-hours, so much money — all, taken as a whole, confront us with the question: for what purpose?"  For what purpose indeed?  8/10

Tristan

Tristan found the book irritating.  Was it meant to be irritating?  Where was the cleverness?  Tristan felt that the only cleverness was in the madness of the narrator.  Where was the humour?  To what extent is the narrator trustworthy? Is he awake? Was the book a dream? At one dizzying juncture the narrator admits that a conversation he just described didn’t actually happen. Later the narrator is dogged by a smell of cordite. Nobody else can smell it except for one man.  We can’t trust the narrator.  Who can we trust?  4/10

Robin explained he didn't like the book.  Robin recently went to an exhibition in London. By chance he got talking to one of the curators of the exhibition - a sculptor. Robin mentioned that he was reading Remainder. Was sculpture a theme?  The cutting away of stuff until what remains is revealed? Michelangelo spoke of the statue being inside the block of marble already. Cut away the excess material and the statue will be revealed. 3/10

Robin - chance encounter with a sculptor

So, in summary, a book that inspired a mixed set of reactions, and a great discussion.  The average score from Hove's finest - 6/10.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Keith & Nick

With his second choice, Keith wanted to push his own boundaries, and having obsessively perused numerous obituaries he was inspired to find out more about Chris Marker (RIP), and specifically La Jetée (The Pier, 1962).  It's a c30-minute post-third world war story, made up entirely of stills, except for one brief moving shot of a woman opening her eyes. This futuristic photo-novel film was semi-remade by Terry Gilliam as 12 Monkeys in 1995.

Keith felt that La Jetée abstracts cinema almost to its essence in bringing to life the story of a post-apocalyptic man obsessed with an image from his past.  "A little wonder" with fantastic style and excellent images.  Those images endured for Keith.  8/10

Hamish thought that for a short slideshow of photos backed by sounds and narration, this was highly effective.  It reminded him of Godspeed You Black Emperor for some reason.  Hamish enjoyed it.  Five Godspeeds out of a possible seven.  Tristan converted this into a score of 7/10.

Good news for Don

Nick watched the film in French, despite not speaking the language.  When questioned, he was a bit vague on the plot.  He still loved it though.  8/10

Don watched a different film by Chris Marker - San Soleil.  The good news for Don was that the film featured some cats.  Cats and owls were Marker's favourite animals and were a central theme of Sans Soleil.  Don explained that San Soleil also focuses on the weird and the titillating (taxidermied animals in sex poses, an animatronic JFK in a shopping mall).  Marker explains what he sees with the curiosity and empathy of an anthropologist.  San Soleil also has an uneasy relationship with truth.  Don explained that it undermines itself at every opportunity. What is stock footage and what is original? Are scenes separated by geography also separated by years?  Don was unsure.
7/10.

Robin - shocked

Nigel explained the reasons for his high tolerance for art cinema.  These included a woman called Lemmy, carrot cake, coffee in polystyrene cups, and The Electric Cinema in Notting Hill Gate.  Nigel liked the photography and the film's dream-like quality.  7/10

Tristan marvelled at how the still images traced one man's attempt to reclaim an image from his past, and in particular, the poetic, provocative meld of global catastrophe and human frailty.  Why isn't there more of this stuff?  8/10

Robin was also enthused, so much so that he watched both the French version and the English version.  Robin was shocked by the moment the woman blinked - the only moving image in the film. 7/10.

"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain

Don - master of accents

The Hove Book Group met on Tuesday 16th October at The Poets Corner pub in Hove.  We discussed Don's choices, the first of which was "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain.

Don explained that he had chosen the book due to "The Twain Factor".  Lest we forget it was Mark Twain who said, "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter".  A quote dear to Don's heart.

Don admitted that he struggled with the accents.  Despite this he managed to uncannily evoke Jim, the slave character, as he read out one of Jim's early quotes.

Don described the book as tortuous however added that it improved as he progressed.

Ultimately he awarded the book 7/10 and stated he was glad to have read it.

Nick "came to resent the book"

Nick read the book on his iPhone.  For Nick, reading on an iPhone is sometimes a fluid and unconscious experience, on other occasions (e.g. whilst reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn), he was tempted to skip chunks of the book's 1,200 pages.

Nick, as a self-confessed early 21st century English liberal, struggled with the repeated use of the word "nigger".

Just as Huckleberry Finn resented his father, so Nick came to resent this book.  Nick finally awarded it a reluctant and resentful 5/10.

Nigel was unsure how he'd managed to have lived on the planet for fifty years without reading anything by Mark Twain.  He thanked Don, before explaining that he didn't even know what it was about - all he knew was that it is regarded by many as an American classic.

Nigel - he's 50

It took Nigel a while to get into the vernacular style.  The writing style grated in parts and was especially hard to follow when Jim, the slave, was talking, that said Nigel also thought that the style made the book feel very contemporary - far more than any other 19th century novel he'd read.  Ultimately Huckleberry Finn's world was made wonderfully vivid through his seemingly authentic first person voice.

Nigel concluded that it's an enjoyable, if rather long, adventure with as many twists and turns as the Mississippi River that features so extensively.  The plot appeared to be a vehicle for Twain to highlight issues around freedom and slavery.  Huckleberry Finn is held captive by his abusive father and, quite understandably, wants to escape to freedom.  Jim the slave faces far more serious issues when he tries to escape.  Nigel doesn't fully understand its status as a classic. Perhaps, the long journey is part of the appeal, perhaps it has greater resonance for Americans who are closer to the Civil Rights struggles of their country? 6/10

Keith had low expectations.  He liked Tom's alternate take on reality.  Twain complicates Tom’s position on the border between childhood and adulthood by ridiculing and criticising the values and practices of the adult world toward which Tom is heading. Twain’s harshest satire exposes the hypocrisy - and often the essential childishness - of social institutions such as school, church, and the law, as well as public opinion. 

Keith discussed how the tale is told from the first person point of view of an only-partly-educated thirteen-year-old southern boy in the 1830s. As narrator, Huck describes the story in his natural, everyday voice, and he addresses his readers directly during his storytelling with a friendly, trusting attitude. Taking that into consideration – along with Huck’s age, education level, and social background – Twain’s choice of a colloquial style made sense to Keith.  Despite this, he felt the book was only worthy of 5/10. 

Robin - read a different book

Robin didn't finish the book as he was reading Kate Atkinson's Behind the Scenes at the Museum.  Consequently Robin was only halfway through "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn".  Robin explained that it is hardly surprising that Ruby Lennox, the narrator of Kate Atkinson's Behind the Scenes at the Museum, should, aged 17, fantasise about her own funeral - the open coffin strewn with flowers, a church filled not just with friends and family but also "an admiring Leonard Cohen and a soulful Terence Stamp", and with Maria Callas singing. It is 1968. For the novel, which is her story of her family, has more deaths than even Dickens would have dared include. "As a family, we are genetically disposed towards having accidents"  stated Ruby the all-seeing narrator. 

Robin gave the book 7/10.

Hamish wondered how, given Don's penchant for classic adventure yarns, he hadn't chosen this book earlier. Hamish, reading it for the second time, described the book as a great action story that captures the excitement of childhood.  The language is great.  Huck is a brilliant character, who we see wrestling with his conscience.  The book is about complete freedom.  Despite a rushed ending, Hamish was unapologetic for his 9.5/10 rating.

Tristan confessed he was swayed by Hamish's articulate enthusiasm for the book and despite "quite liking it" he upped his score from 5 to 6/10.  Tristan also described how the book evoked a period of US history where steamboats, rafts, settlements, river transportation, slavery, lawlessness, and abuse were everyday occurrences.  That said, Tristan felt the racism and slavery marred the book - even though Twain was clearly a progressive thinker who helped abolish slavery.

Average rating of 6.5/10

And on that note, we moved on to Don's second choice, the film "Seven Samurai" directed by Akira Kurosawa.

Don - Gangnam style

Don described it as a classic, and a great film.  Don wondered if it was completely true to notions of Bushido -  literally "the way of the warrior" - a Japanese word for the way of the samurai life, loosely analogous to the concept of chivalry. The Japanese understanding of the word is predicated on the samurai moral code stressing frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and honour unto death. Born from Neo-Confucianism during times of peace in Tokugawa Japan and following Confucian texts, Bushido was also influenced by Shinto and Zen Buddhism, allowing the violent existence of the samurai to be tempered by wisdom and serenity. Despite these concerns Don still felt comfortable to lavish the film with a score of 7/10.

Hove Book Group ponder the merits of Seven Samurai

Nick praised the film and described how he was transfixed and shell-shocked by the way the finale's images had catapulted him into the rain-drenched violence.  He described the film as "remarkable" and awarded it with a 8/10.

Nigel stated that, as with the book, it was wonderful to finally watch a film that is often cited as one of the greatest films of all time.  Whilst it is a good film, Nigel didn't think the years had been that kind.  He could think of plenty of films from the same era, that he regards as better films, for example, from the same year, On The Waterfront is a better film, and other films from the same decade that he prefers include Some Like It Hot, Sunset Boulevard, A Touch Of Evil, and The Wild One.  Nigel reflected on how some of the action sequences, which are the best part of the film, are now staples of mainstream action filmmaking and this probably accounts for the film's stellar reputation.  The Seven Samurai inspired The Magnificent Seven which ultimately led to the “spaghetti Westerns” of Sergio Leone and others - which Nigel adores. And whilst Seven Samurai is clearly a lot more than just an action film - Nigel found too much of it a bit slow moving.  The themes of sacrifice, friendship, and camaraderie were not enough.  Nigel concluded that he was glad to have seen it but it's more about the great films it's influenced.  Nigel acknowledged that perhaps the cinema is the place to watch it, before rating it 6/10.

Keith was surprised by how much he liked Seven Samurai - a blockbuster in every sense, and a period film conceived on an epic scale, pitting the wise, zen-like leader against the wildcat intensity of the son-of-a-farmer samurai. Along with the five other swords-for-hire what follows is pure cinematic dynamite. Keith had no hesitation in awarding it 7 out of 7.  Magnificent.

Robin stopped the Seven Samurai love-in right in its tracks.  "An abomination" he declared, and a film that "looked like it was made in 1910".  The Magnificent Seven is a much better film as far as Robin is concerned. 2/10.

Hamish said he agreed with Robin and "switched off after an hour".  3/10.

Tristan thought there was some good cinematography, a lot of over acting and some below par sword fighting.  5/10

Average rating of 5.5/10

And so, with Hove Book Group coming to some very disparate conclusions about Seven Samurai, we bade each other farewell and wandered into the cool night air.  

See you again next time.