Will Self's Blog, page 22

Madness of crowds: Large cars

It is a cliche much beloved of the British that all things American are bigger. Of course this gee-whizzery doesn’t apply to every standardised object, and ever since the oil crisis of the 1970s there have been plenty of dinky little hatchbacks on US roads. Even so, there are occasions when even I – a demi-
American – am stunned by its embrace of the gargantuan. One such occurred last summer, when Family Self arrived in Los Angeles. I had reserved a standard rental car, but as we waited, blea...

Rachel Howard At Sea

Watch Will Self in conversation with Rachel Howard about her exhibition at the Jerwood Gallery in Hastings, Rachel Howard At Sea, which is on until 4 October.

Melbourne writers festival events

Will Self will be attending three events at the Melbourne writers festival at the end of this month (28-30 August), on the death of the novel, the politics and pleasures of walking and the closing night address.

Melvyn Bragg: Wigton to Westminster

Will Self is one of the contributors (near the end) to this rather excellent documentary on the broadcaster and author Melvyn Bragg, still available on the BBC iPlayer.

On Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour party

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6nbZWfg8R8

Will Self and former Blair special adviser John McTernan discuss the likelihood of the election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour party and the wider implications of this on Channel 4 News.

Real meals: Vegetarianism

“What used to freak me out about the repasts they prepared was their meaty mimicry: bean burgers, nut roasts and – worst of all – pizzas decorated with roundels of aubergine cut and cooked to resemble slices of pepperoni.”

I have become a vegetarian – inadvertently. Here’s what happened: I went away last weekend to stay with people who eat not the flesh of the kine, so from Friday to Monday neither did I. Then on Monday I came down with a severe stomach bug, so although I haven’t eaten any me...

Architectural Salvage by Will Self

Listen to a new short story written and read by Will Self, or read it at the Guardian here.

Madness of crowds: The Who’s 50th anniversary tour

I was talking to a small crowd of doctors a while back and came out with one of my favourite headlines from the US satirical magazine the Onion, which reads: “World death rate holding steady at 100 per cent”. Most of the medics dutifully chuckled at this evidence of their own lack of omnipotence – but one of them objected. “Strictly speaking, that isn’t true,” said the stethoscope-toting pedant. “Given that all the people currently alive constitute half of those who have ever lived, we can on...

The Internet is not the Answer

Landmark – Jaws: Sharks and Whales

Great interview with Will Self, shark expert Gareth Fraser and film critic Ian Hunter on Radio 3 about sharks, whales and the impact of the book and film Jaws.