Watchwords

by Philip Neal

A curious old shop and a watch that wouldn't work. This is how it all began. Clerkenwell, a fascinating old quarter of London, was once the heart of a thriving watch making industry. Chronology is one of the few remaining vintage watch repair shops, run by the same family for generations. The malfunctioning watch was a mistake made on eBay, the seller a wily criminal in South America. The straight speaking watchmaker quickly listed what was wrong with it (nothing was right) and so the buyer was able to return it for a refund. There began a friendship between the buyer, the watchmaker, and vintage watches; an expensive one for the buyer for which only he is responsible. One watch has grown to hundreds.Jon, the watchmaker, asked the buyer to write a review of the shop on Google. The review prompted Jon to suggest that he and the buyer write about watches together. As his collection grew, the buyer had an inspiration. These watches had unknown histories. Who owned them, what did they do with them, where had the watches been? Had they been involved in war, crimes, sexual histories, fantasies? The buyer became the author. He began writing a short story in which one watch became an integral part of the story. This was the oldest, made in 1916, and, it being 2016, the battle of the Somme was in the public imagination. At the same time, the writer's grandfather had served in World War 1, but the writer knew very little about the man, who died four years before he was born. The story which emerged, 'Gunner Saddler Yates' was imagined biography in which the relationship between two men is represented symbolically by the watch.This story was the springboard for this collection. Sixteen stories in which the watch was the focus soon felt like too onerous a task, which might make for a repetitive read. Instead, the first idea suggested by looking at each watch was chosen by the author as the starting point for what became a diverse collection combining imagination with a strong autobiographical thread. In looking back at his life from middle age, the author ranges over sexuality and growing up, the trauma experienced by asylum seekers, the funny and the sad, transgender identity, Africa, Berlin, London, unusual mental experiences, the security services, dementia, and a present for a buffoon. In other words, everyday life.You can visit the moon with Copernicus, and join a choir on their way to a peculiar corner of Norfolk. The people don't have webbed feet but are otherwise odd. A mangled message leads a psychotherapist to an enormity with a client, then takes his revenge on the messenger. A day on the Suffolk coast is seen from the perspectives of a group of children with special needs, and a man who is depressed. Are you being trolled if you find postings on your Facebook account and in emails apparently sent by you, which read like the ravings of someone on substances? If you are interviewed for a job, but don't know what the job is, which bit of the Civil Service might be involved? If you lived in a Zambian village in the 1980s, what alcoholic refreshment might you expect?You will find answers in these stories. Each is accompanied by an image of the watch which inspired it, which might just set off the joy of vintage watches in you.

206 pages, Paperback

First published January 10, 2018

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unassuming at first glance, this collection of short stories, all inspired by watches owned by the author, was an easy but interesting read. Before the stories, the author suggests there’s little common ground between the stories, excepting some being quite autobiographical, and at first, I thought the stories did feel mostly unconnected. However, by the end of the book, it was clear to me that thematic threads run through this collection, and very interesting ones, queerness in different time periods and location, psychosexual behaviour, mental illness and addiction. I had a few particular favourites, those being the somewhat darker and emotional stories.

There was wry wit, dark humour and irreverent conversation amongst it all. It doesn’t shy away from foul language or uncomfortable parts of human nature; for that reason, I can see why it wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Structurally, the collection did feel at times quite random, and I think it might have benefited from more obvious signposts of the connected themes. But I genuinely enjoyed reading this collection of shorts which was oftentimes reminiscent of minimalist poetry in the writing style.

[Justin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read this as my first book on Online Book Club and wish I didn't. The watches at the beginning of every story are neat and all but I found the stories tasteless, random, boring, confusing and just having no depth and lacking any substance of connection to watches or the point it makes in the beginning.

[Ashlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

My full review is up on Onlinebookclub.org