Guy Portman's Blog, page 19
July 13, 2018
Six Satires From The Last Six Decades
I am an avid satire fan who has read numerous satirical works and written two satirical books (Necropolis & Sepultura). A third is on the way (Tomorrow’s World).
This week’s post is devoted to six satirical novels from the previous six decades (1950s – 2000s). One satire for each decade. Click on the links to read my reviews.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1953)
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There is much to ponder in this satirical book whose motif is a warning about the threat posed by state censorship. Bradbury’s sem...
July 6, 2018
Hilarious One Star Book Reviews
This week’s post is dedicated to hilarious one star Amazon book reviews. Various bloggers have tackled this topic before; most recently popular Transgressive fiction author, Greg Levin. Thank you for providing me with the inspiration for this piece.
Most books worth their salt have garnered at least a few terrible reviews. Often it is a case of the reviewer being opposed to the general consensus. In many instances bad reviews reveal more about the reviewer than the book.
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Here are 12 scathing...
June 29, 2018
Writing, World Cup and More Besides
I have been tempted away from my desk on a number of occasions this week. I blame the sunny weather and the World Cup.
It hasn’t rained here in the South of England for days on end, which is unusual. If it doesn’t rain soon my garden will start looking like the Sahel.
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Last weekend I formed an ingenious plan to make a small fortune out of the World Cup. This was to be achieved by several cunningly-devised accumulator style bets. I was left seething when the Germans laid waste to my plans by l...
June 22, 2018
The 10 Books I’ve Read This Year
As is my custom at the halfway point of the year, I am devoting this post to the books that I have read so far in 2018. Well, there is over a week to go until the halfway point, but anyway … Here are the ten books that I have read in 2018. They are presented in the order in which I read them. Click on the links to read my reviews.
Skaboys by Irvine Welsh
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Genre: Transgressive Fiction
Skagboys is set in the 1980s against a backdrop of Thatcherism, the rise of dance of music and HIV.
My Revie...
June 15, 2018
Amazon’s Review Purge
It has been a worrying week for authors, what with Amazon’s ongoing Stalinesque review purge. Many authors have had reviews removed for their books, and some have lost all their reviews. For authors who have spent in many instances years gathering reviews, this is deeply distressing. The #giveourreviewsback hashtag has been trending on Twitter.
Amazon’s review writing rules change periodically. They now forbid anyone connected to the author (i.e. family members) writing a review. In addition...
June 8, 2018
Tomorrow’s World
Doomsayers have been predicting the death of the novel for years. Recently, author Zadie Smith talked of novel-nausea, and journalist and novelist Will Self has even gone so far as to say that the novel is ‘absolutely doomed’. Whether the novel is set to go the way of the dinosaurs is debateable, but literary ennui does appear to be on the rise. Reasons for this include the digitalisation of print culture, ever increasing pressures on our time and social media.
‘We’re in an era of ever-shorte...
June 1, 2018
10 Ludicrous Books
This week sees the second and final instalment in my bizarre book series highlights. Here are 10 bizarre/ludicrous book titles.
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There is a peculiar man on the front cover, but no sign of Jesus.
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Finally! I have grown tired of plain boiled placentas.
Natural Harvest: A collection of semen-based recipes
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That caramel pudding on the front cover is enough to put one off semen-based recipes for life.
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Could they not have come u...
May 25, 2018
6 Dark Humour Books
This week sees the second instalment in my dark humour book series. Here are five darkly humorous books that I have read and one that I have written. Click on the links to read my reviews.
Damned by Chuck Palahniuk
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Damned is a a light-hearted satire of hell, punctuated with comical details, pop-culture references and Theological irony.
My Review: The protagonist is thirteen-year-old Madison, the daughter of wealthy alternative parents. The privileged Madison studies at an exclusive Swiss...
May 18, 2018
5 Satires Penned by British Authors
I am an avid fan of satire. I have penned two satirical novels to date and have read numerous satirical works, including these five novels, which were all penned by my fellow countrymen. Click on the links to read my reviews.
Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh (1930)
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Published in 1930, Vile Bodies is a satirical novel whose primary purpose is satirising decadent 1920s London society. The book’s whimsical tone progressively gives way to a bleaker narrative.
My Review: Author Adam plans to marry hi...
5 Satires Written by British Authors
I am an avid fan of satire. I have penned two satirical novels to date and have read numerous satirical works, including these five novels, which were all penned by my fellow countrymen. Click on the links to read my reviews.
Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh (1930)
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Published in 1930, Vile Bodies is a satirical novel whose primary purpose is satirising decadent 1920s London society. The book’s whimsical tone progressively gives way to a bleaker narrative.
My Review: Author Adam plans to marry hi...