The Swipe Volume 3 Chapter 24
Apologies to anyone who received a very early draft of today’s Chapter in the emails earlier this week. I had one of those fat-fingered moments, pressing Publish on the WordPress dashboard instead of Save. So, you’ve had some spoilers, obviously, but I hope not enough to ruin the enjoyment of this week’s soaraway Saturday Swipe.
Please, don’t all rush in and tell me you prefer it without my contextual bloviations. That would be heartbreaking.
This week—fancy bread, insights from the Bake Off Tent and a call to action on behalf of Fantagraphics. Who are nothing to do with the fizzy drink.
Wherever you are, whenever you are, however you are, welcome to The Swipe.
Rob is reading…
True Grit by Charles Portis. Well, I just finished rereading it, actually, as I presented it yesterday for the annual Reading Writers Book Club. This was an honour bestowed as the 2024 Don Louth Award winner, for the member who has made the most progress creatively through the year. I wanted to talk about True Grit as a brilliant example of first-person narrative, and how that voice, done well, can completely change the way you perceive the plot. Mattie Ross is one of a kind, that’s for sure. I can’t recommend it more highly.
Rob is watching…
This incredible lecture from one of my writing heroes, Ray Bradbury, delivered in 2001. It’s chock full of wisdom, advice and sheer heart. Take an hour out of your weekend and bask in a lesson from the master.
Rob is listening…
To The Blue Nile. If you’d like to join me, try these five tracks.
Rob is eating…
Fancy bread.
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Rob’s Low-Key Obsession Of The Week…
John Cena on coffee. Smart, articulate, knowledgeable. Could pull your head clean off your shoulders without breaking a sweat.
I was deeply saddened when Tim Smith of prog-punk mystics The Cardiacs moved to a higher plane a couple of years back. I am deeply joyful to hear they are returning with an album which celebrates his legacy and art. Can’t wait to hear this one.
John Constantine is 40. Here’s a look back at the life and times of (in my opinion) comic’s greatest magic practitioner and tragic hero.
The golden age of cinema was really great at glamourising the habits which time and science have proved are really bad for us. Smoking, murder, drinking strong liquor—man, that stuff looks like a lot of fun!
A gentle reminder that the most important muscle in the human body is the brain, which needs regular exercise as much as any other.
Carrying on from that, some fascinating facts from Mike Sowden at Everything Is Amazing on the extraordinary capabilities of that spongy mass of goop throbbing away on the inside of your skull. You’re incredible, you know that?
I loved this interview with Guy Singh-Watson of Riverford (we used to be subscribers to his excellent box scheme, and can recommend it highly), whose bracing honesty about the state of the farming industry should come as a wake-up call to all of us. We’ve somehow thrown obstacles in our own path and the challenge ahead is principally to remove or at least get round them.
Something To Put Your Arms Around
A call to action. Fantagraphics, a comics company with an amazing roster of talent and an incredible library of beautiful reads, are in trouble. They are essentially being held to ransom by their old distributor. There’s a big risk that Fantagraphics could be pulled under and lost for good. We can’t let that happen. Please help out a little if you can.
Perspective matters, especially when it comes to maps. We have a skewed view of the world because of the way the globe represents the size and relationships between our great land masses. All it could take to change our minds is a simple flip of the script.
Ruby Tandoh, one of our best contemporary food writers, opens up about her time in the Bake Off Tent. GBBO is a show which has helped to redefine Britishness for foreign viewers and launched the careers of some beloved celebrity names. Even in its sunset years, it remains wildly influential.
Advertising copywriter Kathy Hepinstall Parks nails the argument against AI. I need say nothing more.
Let’s Outro. The Geordie Springsteen makes magic with the girl who opened the shows on his recent tour. A gorgeous song becomes even more poignant and powerful when Olivia’s voice is added to the mix. I’ll be honest—this got me misty on first listen.
See you in seven, fellow travellers.
