Trials and Treats
Well a busy weekend - sorted out sock drawer and other vital matters...
...including THE TAX FORM - the hideous thing. It looms up every year at the tail-end of summer, preoccupying me whenever I think about September. I don't know why it worries me so much - maybe because I'm not very good at filling it in. Each year I think I've finished the thing then an hour later think of something else that should have gone in - it almost makes me wish for some sort of gainful employment where this sort of thing would be done for me automatically. The on-line version is a great innovation though. I have now got to the 93% stage or thereabouts and shall save it there for a few days in case something else occurs to me and then send it through at the last minute.
However tomorrow I am having a little treat. I am going down to London for a couple of days: to the AGM of the Society of Authors at Imperial College where the subject under discussion afterwards is to be 'The State of Bookselling' (I shall be wearing black for that one), and then the next day meeting my mother to go and see the terracotta warriors at the British Museum (at 12 noon sharp - the tickets are timed and you only have ten minutes leeway) followed by a meeting on 'The Facts About Non-Fiction' (for children's writers) at the Society of Authors' premises in Drayton Gardens. Then I shall scamper up to Euston to catch the last train home.
I have, at last, got into MONEY by Martin Amis (having been distracted by a bit of non-fiction recently). I think it is the most brilliantly villainous work I have ever read and I am loving it enormously. I have read some excellent (and very different) books recently and intend to do a few reviews very soon.
...including THE TAX FORM - the hideous thing. It looms up every year at the tail-end of summer, preoccupying me whenever I think about September. I don't know why it worries me so much - maybe because I'm not very good at filling it in. Each year I think I've finished the thing then an hour later think of something else that should have gone in - it almost makes me wish for some sort of gainful employment where this sort of thing would be done for me automatically. The on-line version is a great innovation though. I have now got to the 93% stage or thereabouts and shall save it there for a few days in case something else occurs to me and then send it through at the last minute.
However tomorrow I am having a little treat. I am going down to London for a couple of days: to the AGM of the Society of Authors at Imperial College where the subject under discussion afterwards is to be 'The State of Bookselling' (I shall be wearing black for that one), and then the next day meeting my mother to go and see the terracotta warriors at the British Museum (at 12 noon sharp - the tickets are timed and you only have ten minutes leeway) followed by a meeting on 'The Facts About Non-Fiction' (for children's writers) at the Society of Authors' premises in Drayton Gardens. Then I shall scamper up to Euston to catch the last train home.
I have, at last, got into MONEY by Martin Amis (having been distracted by a bit of non-fiction recently). I think it is the most brilliantly villainous work I have ever read and I am loving it enormously. I have read some excellent (and very different) books recently and intend to do a few reviews very soon.
posted by Clare Dudman at 12:28 pm
7 Comments:
Hey there,
There's a new writing project up at The Shameless Lions Writing Circle site. Please check it out and I hope you can take part and promote it. Also, check out the "latest news" section. P.S I don't see your lovely lion displaye here! Boo hoo. :-)
Cheers, Seamus.
Looking forward to the reviews!
Oh, I want to go see the terracotta fellows with you and your mother--years ago, a mere sprat, I went to The Chinese Exhibition in London. Delicious. That trip will make you forget all about taxes.
Be sure and wear your pall shawl for the booksellers.
"Brilliantly villainous." I suppose that I will have to get a copy of Money now. I saw him read once in Durham. He had quite the penetrating stare, I recall.
I wish I could make it back to London to see those terracotta warriers. That sounds amazing.
I think that's the best two-word summation of Money I've ever heard. I think it might just be his best novel, too.
JeffV
HOpe youre having ( had) a marvellous time, Clare.
Shameless: I shall be there, once I get a sec...
Dewey: thank you - I think maybe I shall adopt at least some of your format.
Marly: you're right - I have forgotten the taxes. But I mustn't! I recommend Money. I'm only about a third through but it is great so far.
Susangalique - I expect they'll be over the the US soon. Now I want to go over to China and see them in situ.
Thanks Jeff. I've heard that from other quarters too. Maybe it is not a good idea to read an author's best work first - maybe the rest wil disappoint.
Thanks Jan...I did - some of the time, at least.
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