Monthly Archives: April 2009

Consolations of a hangover

Posted on April 23, 2009 by acb

Well, Fishing in Utopia did win the Orwell prize. This is delicious and wonderful. I knew a couple of the judges liked it. I also knew – or at least strongly suspected – that one didn’t. I knew Tony Judt … Continue reading →

Posted in Blather, Literature, Sweden | Tagged , , | 21 Comments

undiscriminating reads

Posted on April 12, 2009 by acb

on trains in and out of London Ken MacLeod, the Night Sessions: very good and tightly imagined account of what a war on religion would actually mean; and what a secular Scotland would be like. Written with great sympathy for … Continue reading →

Posted in God, Journalism, Literature, Sweden | 8 Comments

Auden at press conferences

Posted on April 4, 2009 by acb

I don’t often go to press conferences nowadays, but whenever I do, I think that Auden had been there too, on both sides. In my edition of the Collected Shorter Poems, the pertinent observations face each other across pages 190-191. … Continue reading →

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When life gives you lemons

Posted on April 2, 2009 by acb

The fatality rate on the roads goes down. No , Honest. Science proves it. Thanks to Jeremy for the link

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