Mike Robbins's Blog, page 4
April 8, 2018
Margaret Thatcher, five years on
Margaret Thatcher died five years ago today. What is her legacy? Did she transform Britain as she wished, or did she fail completely? Thoughts, written in a hurry at the time. http://mikerobbinsnyc.blogspot.com/20...
February 15, 2018
Year of the Dog!
Happy New Year. It's Tibetan Losar this week, when we usher in the Year of the Earth Dog.
And this dog would like to meet you. As would Tshering, the Himalayan monk who comes to understand him, and the long journey that he has made.
Dog!: You'll Never Look At Your Dog the Same Way Again.
Dog! is a bit of fun. But the dog and Tshering do also have something to say about where we have come from, and where we are going. Join them in a world in which the human spirit can descend into the most profound darkness, but redemption is never beyond those who seek it.
From reader reviews of Dog!:
“This novella was utterly captivating, funny, touching and thought- provoking. The voice of the dog was hilarious and if I had to imagine what a dog would sound like if it could speak, then this author nails it. ...My next step is to read more of this author’s work, because this captivating novella made my ears stand up and my nose twitch with anticipation.”
“A good story does two things, it entertains and teaches. This one hits it on both marks. Very enjoyable.”
“This is a terrific story with a charming premise.”
“This short novel by Mike Robbins is a wonderful little meditation on relationships: with each other and with our animals.”
“If you've ever wondered what your four-legged, furry friend, was thinking as he/she looked up at you with that complex, yet perplexing stare, this book is for you.”
“The premise is simple and yet brilliantly executed. The pace unfolds gently, the writing is expertly crafted and easy on the eye, the humour is wry and also laugh-out-loud funny ...In Dog!, you will find Himalayan monks, Special Brew, sexual fantasies of Jack Russells..." What more do you want? Dog! comes highly recommended.”
“I actually thought the ending of Dog! was particularly fantastic and I found myself thinking about it for a good while.”
“This is truly innovative literature. A remarkable achievement. It's not often you come across a work like this. A melange of philosophical musings, hair raising events, and reflections on the nature of the universe. But all this rattles along like an Iris Murdoch, revealing new discoveries every new chapter, and it all finishes up with a redeeming end.”
“Dog! Is a tale of redemption, of a soul in torment, but with some hilarious, laugh out loud moments as well as some profound sadness. For an unexpected, entertaining and surprisingly deep read, I thoroughly recommend this novella. I particularly liked the way that Dog started to lick his bits in the middle of the room every time he got bored with the conversation of the humans.”
“...The pace of the narrative does not let up in this short book, building very effectively to a final revelation, and an ending that produced a rush of emotion. This is a lovely piece of writing.”
And this dog would like to meet you. As would Tshering, the Himalayan monk who comes to understand him, and the long journey that he has made.
Dog!: You'll Never Look At Your Dog the Same Way Again.
Dog! is a bit of fun. But the dog and Tshering do also have something to say about where we have come from, and where we are going. Join them in a world in which the human spirit can descend into the most profound darkness, but redemption is never beyond those who seek it.
From reader reviews of Dog!:
“This novella was utterly captivating, funny, touching and thought- provoking. The voice of the dog was hilarious and if I had to imagine what a dog would sound like if it could speak, then this author nails it. ...My next step is to read more of this author’s work, because this captivating novella made my ears stand up and my nose twitch with anticipation.”
“A good story does two things, it entertains and teaches. This one hits it on both marks. Very enjoyable.”
“This is a terrific story with a charming premise.”
“This short novel by Mike Robbins is a wonderful little meditation on relationships: with each other and with our animals.”
“If you've ever wondered what your four-legged, furry friend, was thinking as he/she looked up at you with that complex, yet perplexing stare, this book is for you.”
“The premise is simple and yet brilliantly executed. The pace unfolds gently, the writing is expertly crafted and easy on the eye, the humour is wry and also laugh-out-loud funny ...In Dog!, you will find Himalayan monks, Special Brew, sexual fantasies of Jack Russells..." What more do you want? Dog! comes highly recommended.”
“I actually thought the ending of Dog! was particularly fantastic and I found myself thinking about it for a good while.”
“This is truly innovative literature. A remarkable achievement. It's not often you come across a work like this. A melange of philosophical musings, hair raising events, and reflections on the nature of the universe. But all this rattles along like an Iris Murdoch, revealing new discoveries every new chapter, and it all finishes up with a redeeming end.”
“Dog! Is a tale of redemption, of a soul in torment, but with some hilarious, laugh out loud moments as well as some profound sadness. For an unexpected, entertaining and surprisingly deep read, I thoroughly recommend this novella. I particularly liked the way that Dog started to lick his bits in the middle of the room every time he got bored with the conversation of the humans.”
“...The pace of the narrative does not let up in this short book, building very effectively to a final revelation, and an ending that produced a rush of emotion. This is a lovely piece of writing.”
November 26, 2017
Three Seasons: Free download
I am offering free downloads of one my books - link at the bottom of this post.
Three Seasons: Three Stories of England in the Eighties
Blurb:
A washed-up trawler captain. A sleek young businessman. And the Master of an Oxford college. Through these three characters, all beautifully drawn, Mike Robbins has created a vivid picture of the 1980s, a divisive era of great change.
Three Seasons is a book of three novellas, unconnected with each other, but all set in the south of England in the 1980s.
In Spring, a middle-aged Hull trawler skipper, his great days gone, has one last throw of the dice in a South Coast port.
In Summer, an ambitious young man makes his way in the booming Thames Valley property market, unconcerned with the damage he does to others.
In Autumn, the Master of an Oxford college welcomes his two sons home, but they awake difficult memories from half a century before.
Three Seasons is about the Thatcher era in Britain, but it is not about politics. These three stories are portraits of a country and its people on the verge of change.
You can download a free e-copy (choice of formats) from here: https://www.instafreebie.com/free/VWcPr
You will be asked to give your name and email for Instafreebie's email list, but it is not sent to me; and while reviews are welcome, first and foremost I just hope you enjoy the book.
Three Seasons: Three Stories of England in the Eighties
Blurb:
A washed-up trawler captain. A sleek young businessman. And the Master of an Oxford college. Through these three characters, all beautifully drawn, Mike Robbins has created a vivid picture of the 1980s, a divisive era of great change.
Three Seasons is a book of three novellas, unconnected with each other, but all set in the south of England in the 1980s.
In Spring, a middle-aged Hull trawler skipper, his great days gone, has one last throw of the dice in a South Coast port.
In Summer, an ambitious young man makes his way in the booming Thames Valley property market, unconcerned with the damage he does to others.
In Autumn, the Master of an Oxford college welcomes his two sons home, but they awake difficult memories from half a century before.
Three Seasons is about the Thatcher era in Britain, but it is not about politics. These three stories are portraits of a country and its people on the verge of change.
You can download a free e-copy (choice of formats) from here: https://www.instafreebie.com/free/VWcPr
You will be asked to give your name and email for Instafreebie's email list, but it is not sent to me; and while reviews are welcome, first and foremost I just hope you enjoy the book.
October 25, 2017
Three great satires on feral Fleet Street
Have Fleet Street and its feral tabloids changed in 80 years? Not much, according to three remarkable satires - one new, the other two from the 1930s. Read all about it.
http://mikerobbinsnyc.blogspot.com/20...
http://mikerobbinsnyc.blogspot.com/20...
August 13, 2017
On whether he warned us: The legacy of Stefan Zweig
Stefan Zweig
Stefan Zweig was an Austrian writer from the 1920s and 1930s. Exiled by fascism, he committed suicide in 1942. Now liberals hold him up as a prophet of tolerance and internationalism. Why? And who was he really? A long hard look.
http://mikerobbinsnyc.blogspot.com/20...
Stefan Zweig was an Austrian writer from the 1920s and 1930s. Exiled by fascism, he committed suicide in 1942. Now liberals hold him up as a prophet of tolerance and internationalism. Why? And who was he really? A long hard look.
http://mikerobbinsnyc.blogspot.com/20...
July 29, 2017
The Lost Baggage of Silvia Guzmán
I'm offering The Lost Baggage of Silvia Guzmán as a free download for a limited period. Choice of formats available. Please go to the web page I have about the book at http://mikerobbinsnyc.blogspot.com/20... and scroll down for the link.
Here is the blurb:
When Silvia’s country falls apart after a coup, she flees to London. Picked up by the police, she is dumped for weeks in a bed-and-breakfast with a crazy landlady, then rescued by cold intellectuals. She finds she is a nuisance to one side and a cause to the other, with no dreams, family or opinions of her own. Until she meets another, earlier, refugee; and then she has a surprise for everyone.
The Lost Baggage of Silvia Guzmán is a story of flight, loss and the pain of exile. But it is also a sideways look at liberal London – perceptive, caustic and sometimes very funny.
Here is the blurb:
When Silvia’s country falls apart after a coup, she flees to London. Picked up by the police, she is dumped for weeks in a bed-and-breakfast with a crazy landlady, then rescued by cold intellectuals. She finds she is a nuisance to one side and a cause to the other, with no dreams, family or opinions of her own. Until she meets another, earlier, refugee; and then she has a surprise for everyone.
The Lost Baggage of Silvia Guzmán is a story of flight, loss and the pain of exile. But it is also a sideways look at liberal London – perceptive, caustic and sometimes very funny.
July 3, 2017
Dog! for free
Dog!: You'll Never Look At Your Dog the Same Way Again. will be available in Spanish (as ¡Perro!) in about two weeks. To celebrate, I am offering the English original for a limited time as a free download - link below, at bottom of post.
If you do download it, and enjoy it, please consider telling others, and maybe writing a review on Amazon or Goodreads. (I won't know if you have or not - downloads are anonymous.) Be aware that the book includes some adult material. Here's the blurb:
"So you think you know your dog?
"Bazza is an easy-going middle-aged college lecturer with a taste for weed, porn, beer and redheads. When he adopts a rescue dog, he sees nothing odd about the animal. Then a Himalayan monk comes to visit, and senses something strange.
"Dog is a powerful story of love and loss, sin, redemption and dog mess. You’ll never see your pet the same way again."
https://www.instafreebie.com/free/dNuYC
If you do download it, and enjoy it, please consider telling others, and maybe writing a review on Amazon or Goodreads. (I won't know if you have or not - downloads are anonymous.) Be aware that the book includes some adult material. Here's the blurb:
"So you think you know your dog?
"Bazza is an easy-going middle-aged college lecturer with a taste for weed, porn, beer and redheads. When he adopts a rescue dog, he sees nothing odd about the animal. Then a Himalayan monk comes to visit, and senses something strange.
"Dog is a powerful story of love and loss, sin, redemption and dog mess. You’ll never see your pet the same way again."
https://www.instafreebie.com/free/dNuYC
June 24, 2017
Fact ferreting
We are at war.
Back in 1977 Paul Johnson, Boris's uncle, published a book called Enemies of Society, in which he castigated all those who made meaningless or unverified statements. They would, he said, destroy the basic certainties societies need to function. The book was written from a right-wing perspective; Johnson was a polemicist. But he was not wrong about this. Hannah Arendt made a similar point, in a very different way, from farther left, in her essay On Lying in Politics. They weren't joking; and now the Internet has arrived in politics in a big way and it ain’t pretty.
It shouldn’t be a surprise. The late Günter Grass foresaw its use by the alt-right back in 2004, in his last novel, Crabwalk, which I reviewed here on Goodreads a day or two after Grass died. He was all too prescient. The Web is heaving with stories from dodgy websites, propagated by social media and reinforced by half-truths from the nastier newspapers. And let’s be clear – while the worst abuses come from the right, the left has had a hand in this as well.
In an era of fake news, half-truths, social-media silos, bent media, etc. etc., I am - how shall I put it? - a fanatical fact ferret. I am sharing some of my ferreting techniques with you. Good luck. The enemies of society are all around you, and this is a war we have to win.
http://mikerobbinsnyc.blogspot.com/20...
Back in 1977 Paul Johnson, Boris's uncle, published a book called Enemies of Society, in which he castigated all those who made meaningless or unverified statements. They would, he said, destroy the basic certainties societies need to function. The book was written from a right-wing perspective; Johnson was a polemicist. But he was not wrong about this. Hannah Arendt made a similar point, in a very different way, from farther left, in her essay On Lying in Politics. They weren't joking; and now the Internet has arrived in politics in a big way and it ain’t pretty.
It shouldn’t be a surprise. The late Günter Grass foresaw its use by the alt-right back in 2004, in his last novel, Crabwalk, which I reviewed here on Goodreads a day or two after Grass died. He was all too prescient. The Web is heaving with stories from dodgy websites, propagated by social media and reinforced by half-truths from the nastier newspapers. And let’s be clear – while the worst abuses come from the right, the left has had a hand in this as well.
In an era of fake news, half-truths, social-media silos, bent media, etc. etc., I am - how shall I put it? - a fanatical fact ferret. I am sharing some of my ferreting techniques with you. Good luck. The enemies of society are all around you, and this is a war we have to win.
http://mikerobbinsnyc.blogspot.com/20...
June 3, 2017
Download free until June 8
I am keeping Such Little Accident: British Democracy and Its Enemies available as a free download until the British election on June 8. There is a choice of formats, here: https://www.instafreebie.com/free/4XcCH
Cover and blurb:
“When the people shall have nothing more to eat,” said Rousseau, “they will eat the rich.” But the rich are rather good at getting the poor to eat each other instead. In this provocative novella-length essay, Mike Robbins looks at how the British electoral system, social media, bullying by business, and a growing gap between rich and poor have led to deep fissures in British society. These have been exploited by those with an agenda of their own. As a result, democracy is now fragile. To repair it, we must look hard at the way information cycles through our society, and how our opinions are formed.
Cover and blurb:
“When the people shall have nothing more to eat,” said Rousseau, “they will eat the rich.” But the rich are rather good at getting the poor to eat each other instead. In this provocative novella-length essay, Mike Robbins looks at how the British electoral system, social media, bullying by business, and a growing gap between rich and poor have led to deep fissures in British society. These have been exploited by those with an agenda of their own. As a result, democracy is now fragile. To repair it, we must look hard at the way information cycles through our society, and how our opinions are formed.
May 20, 2017
Free download of Such Little Accident
I've decided to make Such Little Accident: British Democracy and Its Enemies available as a free download. Not sure for how long, but the UK election means that the issues discussed are now very urgent, and I am anxious for as many people to read this as possible. Download from here (choice of formats): https://www.instafreebie.com/free/4XcCH
Here is the blurb:
“When the people shall have nothing more to eat,” said Rousseau, “they will eat the rich.” But the rich are rather good at getting the poor to eat each other instead. In this provocative novella-length essay, Mike Robbins looks at how the British electoral system, social media, bullying by business, and a growing gap between rich and poor have led to deep fissures in British society. These have been exploited by those with an agenda of their own. As a result, democracy is now fragile. To repair it, we must look hard at the way information cycles through our society, and how our opinions are formed.
Here is the blurb:
“When the people shall have nothing more to eat,” said Rousseau, “they will eat the rich.” But the rich are rather good at getting the poor to eat each other instead. In this provocative novella-length essay, Mike Robbins looks at how the British electoral system, social media, bullying by business, and a growing gap between rich and poor have led to deep fissures in British society. These have been exploited by those with an agenda of their own. As a result, democracy is now fragile. To repair it, we must look hard at the way information cycles through our society, and how our opinions are formed.
