Guy Portman's Blog, page 26
March 31, 2017
10 Ludicrous Religious Books II
This week sees the second instalment in my Ludicrous Religious Books series. Here are 10 more ludicrous religious-themed books. I have added pithy/fictitious comments below each.
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Do you ever feel embarrassed by something, even though you are not responsible for it in any way, shape or form.
A Holistic Approach to Exorcism
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Finally, I was getting so tired of specialised approaches to exorcism.
Does GOD Ever Speak through CATS?
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Cat: ‘Meow! Meow! Purr, purr…’
Person: ‘...
March 24, 2017
10 Ludicrous Religious Books
As my bizarre book series has proven to be popular, I am sticking with the topic. This week it is the turn of religious-themed books. Here are 10 ludicrous religious books.
Thinking Biblically About The iPod
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If there is a more obscure book title out there, I am yet to come across it.
Help Lord – The Devil Wants Me Fat
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Why would The Devil want you fat? He is not a fat fetishist.
What’s Wrong with Christian Rock?
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Have you got all day.
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Living in fear is not...
10 Curious Religious Books
As my bizarre book series has proven to be popular, I am sticking with the topic. This week it is the turn of religious-themed books. Here are 10 curious religious books.
Thinking Biblically About The iPod
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If there is a more obscure book title out there, I am yet to come across it.
Help Lord – The Devil Wants Me Fat
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Why would The Devil want you fat? He is not a fat fetishist.
What’s Wrong with Christian Rock?
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Have you got all day.
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Living in fear is not jo...
March 17, 2017
8 Morbid Books
I have a healthy interest in the morbid/macabre. Evidence of this is the subject matter of my second novel, Necropolis. It is a black comedy about a sociopath who works for the burials and cemeteries department in his local council.
This week’s post is dedicated to 8 morbid books. I have added pithy comments/fictitious commentary below each.
Necromance: Intimate Portrayals of Death
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Proud winner of worst book cover in the morbid category.
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
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The co...
March 10, 2017
My Favourite Books (Part II)
Last April I devoted a blog post to some of my favourite books. This week sees the second instalment. Here are six more of my favourite books. Click on the links to read my reviews.
The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West
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Published in 1939, The Day of the Locust is a short, plotless and poignant novel with a surreal aspect, that is prescient in its prediction of the Hollywood-obsessed society of today.
My Review: Talented artist Tod Hackett has relocated to Los Angeles where he is working...
March 3, 2017
6 Nihilistic Works of Fiction
Nihilism Definition: A philosophical doctrine that suggests the lack of belief in one or more reputedly meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism, which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value…(more)
In literature the term ‘nihilism’ was first popularised by 19th Century Russian author Ivan Turgenev in his novel Fathers and Sons.
This week’s post is dedicated to six works of fiction that could be de...
February 24, 2017
6 Recent and Contemporary Satirical Novels
Last week’s post was devoted to historical satires. This week we turn our attention to more recent and contemporary satires. Click on the links to read my reviews. If you haven’t done so already you might be interested in signing up to my newsletter (more information at bottom of this post).
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961)
Based on Heller’s own experiences as a bombardier in WWII, this best-selling, satirical, anti-war novel, took its American author eight years to write.
My Review: Set...
February 17, 2017
6 Historical Satires
This week’s post is dedicated to six of history’s most famous literary satires. There will be a second instalment featuring more recent and contemporary satires next week. Click on the links to read my reviews.
Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift (1726)
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Gulliver’s Travels is a humorous and vulgar satirical work that mocks politics, non-conformist churches, science, the social order and the accepted role of the family.
My Review: Intrepid English adventurer Lemuel Gulliver’s fictional memo...
February 10, 2017
14 Curious Literary Terms (Part 2)
A while back I devoted a blog post to the subject of curious literary terms. This is the second and final instalment. The following literary terms are presented in alphabetical order.
Beast Fable — A narrative with speaking animals for characters. These didactic texts aim to teach us lessons about morality. George Orwell’s Animal Farm is one beast fable we are all familiar with.
Bowdlerise — A form of censorship that entails removing perceived indecent, immoral and/or pornographic words/passa...
February 3, 2017
5 Recommended Non-Fiction Books
In recent years, in addition to my writing (3 novels to date) I have read a lot of fiction. But of late I have been indulging in some non-fiction reading for a change. After all variety is the spice of life, or so they say. The following 5 works of non-fiction intrigued me due to their subject matter, and they did not disappoint. Perhaps one or two might interest you too. Click on the links to read my reviews.
Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones (2015)
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Nar...
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