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Brilliant even in translation, Bolano's tale of wandering delinquent Mexican and Chilean poets is life-based writing The two lead actors in the drama are Arturo a 'more extrovert version of Roberto'and his mate Ulisses. It's nonstop, wide canvas, multiple narrative. Women sometimes take the stage, suffer worse consequences from their rambling life and some emerge alive. The road ahead, the hasty vivid glance behind... Jack Kerouac the famous-man...

Carl MacDougall’s grandfather was a head waiter in a hotel before the Second World War. What’s that got to dae with anything? you might be asking. Well, it changes the nature of time and the ordinary working day. When other workers are knocking off service staffs are going to work. They have a different sense of time. Andy Paterson was a waiter before he was fitted up on a drugs charge and sent to prison. Prison also changes a man’s sense of...

Leggings – the next day. I was so tired I slept again, that makes three nights in a row, which means the Maggots are losing their effectiveness no matter who they pull in with stories of what they will hand out as prizes. I began to wonder if my old radio set was still up in the loft, years before, when I lived here during the war years or just after I had one in the safety cubbyhole I called my bedroom in the loft. Paul (who was famously Greek...

A drunken man is stumbling along a river bank, when he comes upon a fiery preacher baptising people in the water. The preacher points to the drunk and shouts, “Are you ready to find Jesus?” The man raises his arms high and exclaims, “Yes, I am!” So the preacher grabs hold of him, dunks him in the water, pulls him straight out and asks, “Brother, have you found Jesus?” The drunk splutters and replies, “No, I haven't found Jesus.” The preacher...

Leggings - Weird talk in M & S Before work yesterday I went into M & S clad simply in a skirt and T-shirt, plus a heavy blue (dustbin) Sainsbury's coat which molds itself into a back brace which keeps the rain off in the playground. It looks as if I have absolutely no fashion sense when it comes to the coat I admit. It is very comfortable though! In case you're wondering I paid for it... in the sales... Anyway a tall (perhaps 6 foot...

Leggings – A feeling of Relief. I went into Dereham yesterday, and found no anger there. This is the first time I've felt able to say this. There was an attempt at anger by a large family group in Wright Walk (unfortunately named) which was squashed by the citizens immediately. People came out from the shops and told them clearly not to start up again! They are dealing with loss of friends, from the factory folk who left years ago, too afraid to...

My optician advised me that because I have a 'complex prescription' if I see flashes or floaters in front of my eyes I should get to A & E straightaway as it could be a detached retina. Eight nights ago I was reading in bed. I thought I had a speck of dirt on my left lens but no. I have a little spidery thing that swivels round when my eye moves. Sunday morning at RD & E was quiet. I was seen in under 3 hours by the eye nurse. I would...

There's been a treasure trove of pieces this week - such a range that everyone will have found a good read. I've pulled out a couple of particularly dazzling pieces. Story of the week comes with the promise of more, as it is part 1. An intriguing opening from Proudwing https://www.abctales.com/story/proudwing/astrobleme-part-1 Poem of the week is also full of narrative, a rich treat from Kilb50 https://www.abctales.com/story/kilb50/old-dog-fox-...

I’m a duff reviewer. The narrator is a former Glasgow journalist trying to make sense of his life after his wife dies, but I don’t know his name. I’m not sure he has a name. Let’s call him everyman adrift. His background is on the page. And I like to play detective and mitch and match with the author. She was a second-year student and I was her tutor; a disgraceful state of affairs, as popular then as now. I was attracted by the difference. My...

On the flyleaf Heather Morris’s The Tattooist of Auschwitz is ‘based on the powerful true story of Lale Solokov’. You see that kind of affirmation attached to film titles. Lion , for example, was based on the screenplay of a book by Saroo Brierly and Larry Buttrose and it’s Saroo’s story that is told. Morris’s book is based on the screenplay she wrote based on the life of Lale Solokov (Ludwig Eisenberg). Gita (Gisela Fuharmannova [Furnam]) also...