tonyfrobisher's reviews
267 reviews

Britain's Soul/Sole

Mike Carter captured the essence of Britain, its challenges and changes, as he walked the 330 miles between Liverpool and London, retracing the 1981 March for Jobs. In doing so he catalogues the downward spiral of succesive governments and their erosion of the cornerstones of society, social cohesion, community and equality. The walk is illuminating, enlightening and many times enraging. The gap between rich and poor is widening, the impacts of neoliberalism, of austerity, hurting and hitting hard.
And at the same time, the book reveals much of the relationship between Mike and Pete, his father, one of the organisers of the march. Like Britain now, a fractured relationship.
A brilliantly written, thought provoking book. I learned much and recommend everyone to read it. With Brexit looming, the schisms widen. But maybe, just maybe, there is still hope. And that is down to the spirit of the people on this amazing island.

There is something that appeals in the pure simplicity of the wandering of a modern day troubadour...the daily walk along an unfamiliar path, absorbing sights and sounds and experiences before earning your keep performing your poetry to an audience. Hoping they will part with a few pounds to fund the next part of your journey.
Simon Armitage writes with an eye for the unexpected, his descriptive narrative of the South West Coastal Path is beautiful, evocative and never repetitious. Highly enjoyable, and a cut above other books that all too often become a simple 'I walked here, I saw this, I did that'. Armitage conveys weather, place, people and perspnal experience so well. A wonderful book.

20th Century History - by way of a centenarian.

An extraordinary book, weaving 20th century events through the coincidental exploits of a 100 year old Swedish man, with a penchant for explosives and vodka.
History was never this interesting at school. Highly recommended.

Powerful and evocative. Lemn Sissay is a voice we should all listen to. The poems in this collection are thought provoking and astonishing in their construction. A superb collection.

Extraordinary. The poems create such rich visions of place, identity, longing. You read and absorb their words. You linger on their meaning. You read them again.
And then you note the age of these brilliant young poets. 12, 15, 17, 18. Many of whom came to England through displacement, refugees and immigration. Many of whom had to learn English. And what a gift they have shared.
A superb collection, wonderfully collated and edited by their teacher, Kate Clanchy. Read this book. Amazing.

The North in all its wonderful presence

Simon Armitage's writing is intriguing and eclectic, but never dull. A recollection of a lifetimeof northern-ness, an identity forged in and around the Yorkshire moorlands and town, villages and cities. Occasional excursions to episodes that read as fiction, though may be truth. Intriguing yes. And no less interesting for it.

Everyone needs kindness. And we all possess kindness. It is us to share. Beautiful book.

Vivid, brutal, honest and important.

I first read Chickenhawk in the early 90's. I consumed everything about the Vietnam war. In 1997 I spent 3 weeks in Vietnam and discovered the country behind the war headlines, the beauty of the people, food and culture.
I heard a radio interview with Robert Mason a few days ago. Chickenhawk? I recalled reading the book all those years ago and how it moved me profoundly then. I grew up around military helicopters, my father was a helicopter engineer in the army.
After reading Mason's account of his time in the war, flying the fabled Huey helicopters, the writing still has the same effect. Mason writes with brutal and frank honesty. It is visceral and raw. Death becomes a routine encumbrance, taking hits to the aircraft expected.
A shocking indictment on the folly of war and the madness of a war that cost over 58000 US lives and millions of Vietnamese civilians and combatants.
A sobering book and one I strongly recommend.

There are few books I have read that have moved me to anger. Four Hours in My Lai is one. Not only the brutal and senseless massacre of innocent villagers in My Lai, but the way the massacre was covered up through to the highest levels of government. And the sham of the subsequent investigation and trial.
A thorough and unflinching account of one of the darkest episodes in American military history.