Ben Granger Borges is that rare writer, one who can truly change your outlook forever. To read Labyrinths or Ficciones is to experience the universe anew, to find a poetry in mathematics, a mysticism in reason. In tales like “Funes the Memorious”, “The Library of Babel” and “The Garden of Forking Paths”, Borges explores the […]
Joe Dunthorne – Submarine
Ben Granger The “coming-of-age” teenage novel is now a well-weathered archetype, every bit as established in the literary pantheon as the state of the nation diorama, or the star-crossed romantic tragedy. A teenage narrator has the potential to reflect the world in a purer and starker state. At the same time, the self-righteous certainty and […]
Justified Anger: Belinda Webb Interview
“…Tony Blair’s ridiculous lie that we’re all middle-class now – he’s clearly never visited Moss Side. That’s a message I wanted to come over clear…”
Belinda Webb – A Clockwork Apple
Ben Granger As you may guess from the title of this first novel by Belinda Webb, she isn’t shy in acknowledging its chief influence. This iApple/i shares with Burgess’ iOrange/i more than merely its title. Once again we have a teenage gang leader by the name of Alex, indulging in artful thuggery and vicious wordplay […]
The Literary and Political Catholicism of Graham Greene and Evelyn Waugh
George Monbiot – The Age of Consent
David Baker – It’s Mawdsley
Sir Oswald Mosley: Blackshirt – Stephen Dorril
Pedro Carolino: English As She Is Spoke
“…This whole book is of course, a “mistake”, and a very extreme one too. But every progression of language develops from mishearing, from distortion. While undoubtedly funny, the undulating incongruity of the language is enough to stimulate realms of the mind previously unexplored…” Ben Granger Some of the best-loved writing in the world has been […]
The Fall: Reformation Post TLC
“…very much into the bellowing apparently- random- words- as- associational- poetry mode. “Cheese-sticks!” “Goldfish bowl!” “No Newsnight for you Baby!”…” Ben Granger Reformation Post TLC – The Fall See all books by The Fall at Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com Chapter 303: In which our hero, the greatest lyrical visionary of the past century to spring from […]
The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil: George Saunders
“…Saunders manages to amuse, entertain, and shake out thought on a great variety of subjects, and does so in a subtle, sideways style which could so easily be annoying but isn’t…” Ben Granger The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil – George Saunders See all books byGeorge Saunders at Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com Someone once wrote […]
Someone To Drive You Home: The Long Blondes
“…with this far less feted CD, the Long Blondes definitely made the best album of that year, on every level…” Ben Granger Someone To Drive You Home – The Long Blondes See all albums by The Long Blondes at Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com To be one of the immortals, one of the greats, a band needs […]
The Charlatans : Simpatico
Ben Granger Simpatico – The Charlatans See all albums by The Charlatans at Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com A childish and vapid point, but some bands make it really easy for childish and vapid reviewers to have a go at them when they first come up with their names. Back in the day there was Dodgy and […]
Alexei Sayle: The Weeping Women Hotel
Ben Granger The Weeping Women Hotel – Alexei Sayle See all books by Alexei Sayle at Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com It is wise to greet novels by comedians with trepidation. It should go without saying the qualities needed for performing comedy are not necessarily the same ones needed of a novelist, but say it I must, […]
Jack London: The Iron Heel
Ben Granger on Jack London’s neglected dystopian novel that rivals 1984 and Brave New World in its prophetic vision of the future When it comes to accolades for the most lauded prophetic dystopian satirical novels of the early twentieth century, there’s no doubting which are the big two. The hyper-Stalinist all-surveillance paranoid nightmare of Orwell’s […]
Morrissey : Ringleader Of The Tormentors
Ben Granger Ringleader Of The Tormentors – Morrissey See all albums by Morrissey at Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com Morrissey, for so long adrift in the incongruous lanes of Los Angeles, seems on this album to have finally come alive on the streets of his new home Rome. His art has always laid in the tension of […]
Bret Easton Ellis: Lunar Park
Ben Granger Lunar Park – Bret Easton Ellis See all books by Bret Easton Ellis at Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com Lunar Park presents itself as the straightforward first-person narrative of “Bret Easton Ellis”, spoiled, self-obsessed, solipsistic rich boy etc. etc. etc. author in a state of debauched twilight. We join up with Bret as he half-heartedly […]
The Fall : Fall Heads Roll
Ben Granger Fall Heads Roll – The Fall See all music by The Fall at Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com It’s time again for the Seer of Salford to blast forth his enchanted bombast. With more albums now than anyone can count, and with its title surely a sly reference to the number of foot-soldiers fallen from […]
Half Man Half Biscuit : Achtung Bono
Ben Granger I may as well declare my stance at the outset. Half Man Half Biscuit are Britain’s most under-rated band, and their singer/writer Nigel Blackwell is not only one of the land’s finest humourists and satirists, but also a chronicler of the tawdriness of modern British life whose vision is shot through with true […]
The White Stripes : Get Behind Me Satan
Ben Granger They may have been going for years beforehand but it was in 2001 that weirdo-duo The White Stripes became known to the world, arriving in fine feral style with their supercharged brand of primeval punk blues. They were hyped to the max with their red and white uniforms and carefully contrived sister/brother/lover cartoon […]
Ron Callari, Jack Pittman: Uncle Dubya’s Jihad Jamboree
Ben Granger It’s so very easy to get bored of the endless invective directed at the Bush White House. By turns bilious and sniggering, it’s all so very superior isn`t it? It’s just so boring and obvious. Thomas Frank’s What`s The Matter With Kansas? showed recently that the Republicans have a key weapon to solidify […]
Kevin O’Hara – …Tell Someone?
Ben Granger The web has done wonders for democratising freedom of expression, with information more easily shared than ever before. When it comes to the old-fashioned medium of books however, a few major publishing houses continue their stranglehold on the market. It’s always good therefore to see a smaller indie publisher making an impact. …Tell […]
Julie Burchill: Sugar Rush: Hurricane Julie
Ben Granger collides with Julie Burchill over several bottles of wine to seek out the dreadful truth on chavs, Stalin, Ariel Sharon and Morrissey “Never meet your heroes; they always disappoint” runs the old saying. Invited from my humble Lancastrian abode down to the Brighton realm of the greatest shit-stirring iconic hack of our […]
Charlie Brooker: Screen Burn
Ben Granger I judge newspaper TV reviewers by a very high standard indeed. Why the hell shouldn’t I? Let’s face it, this is the dream job any human being can have. Sitting, scratching your mardy arse whilst staring out the flickers that would bombard your face anyway and getting paid for it. Jesus! They have […]
Jason Burke – Al Qaeda
Ben Granger The most striking fact Jason Burke hammers through time and again in this meticulous and comprehensive study is that “Al Qaeda” does not exist. Or at least, “Al Qaeda” the organised terrorist group, cohesive and complete we hear of in the media doesn’t. I like Spooks as much as anyone, but I fear […]