BOOKS
rethinking. ‘We’ve hoodwinked ourselves into thinking that be any criteria WE choose to apply, we're the dominant animal. Saying “why should we think twice about destroying a particular species and its habitat" is like saying, “What use is that little old lady with her handbag? Well, her handbag’s handy so why don’t we take that and get rid ol the little old lady?" That’s psychopathic behaviour, but as
occasionally overshadows the confusing plot. Essentially it‘s the .' old tale ofgood versus evil. the latter E "11983, Douglas Allah’s. eleetef 0" this time plaved by the Jeff, a such surreal romps as Hitch Hiker s malignant creature struggling Giler to the Gala“ ehd’ Ute. the against good old Fletcher (whose 3 "meme and EVthiflg . undertook a imp()r[;;ncc was somewhat ? mammoth expedition to discover some undermined by my imagining him as 0' the world’s MOSt endangered Ronnie Barker every time I read the species. The truth. he leufldi W38 mueh name). More than faintly ludicrous. . stranoerthan liction as his latest book, although Barker's use of language ‘A L381 Chance To See. . .' documents.
goes beyond one's expectations of ’ Hopping With quirky annuities and a" a species, W8 are behaving in the genre. engaging naively, it is much more than psychopathic way.‘
Lifestyle is the obsession of New a mere travelogue. As Adams explains: I, Currently working on another Hitch Woman. New Fiction ( Pan £450) to " wanted to Sta" "0'" "‘9 same base as / Hiker novel, Adams feels that his next the extent that it might have been . the reader. When a Wfiterstafts “Last may be inlluenced by the things he has "We hone“ ‘0 issue it i“ l "me ' was up ""3 Limpopm ° " and W“ learnt. ‘It has become.’ he says, ‘much
filofax-compatible format. These "tin" ‘welli l'Ve ne\lel been up the . 1 more vivid to me, the sense in which a" 5mm... collected from the magazine. Limpopo’. you're stmoolino- Also. a let ' “ lite on this planet, and possibly other are snippets of accessory-conscious of what is directed at us in terms at gravely, ‘ll this issue is not sustained, planets, is intertwined in an
lives. all-purpose moans about trying 80010!” and conservation ‘8 9'81":th “"8 in VOW sedan? "00MB. JOhflson extraordinarily complex way. I think
to hold down a high-pressure job. to the converted- Wanted to entertain said “When you're tired of London. that was always lurking in my writing keep your shoulderpads straight and and amuse people. engage them and you’re tired of tile”. When we tire of but has become charged up as a result hm.c a hit on the side. m, [can let them work out the serious stun for this issue we’re seriously tired of tile, or my experiences_' (Susan Mackenzie) cuisine literature and mostly by ihemselves.’ 88 this issue determines What 0|" the is Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams woefullv mediocre writers. Even But surely 860109l6310Ved‘llliS nigh? come to he ""3 with photography by Mark Carwardine Alice Walker's contribution is a Will people to continue to listen? It is our attitude towards lite that is published by Heinemann’ priced laughable piece of sanctimonious Adams Sincerely hopes 80. station Adams believes requires maior £13.99,
prose pushing the idea that olive oil is a panacea for most of life‘s ills. Joint asking us to wonder at the fact
lll'tlt ‘Neither Andy nor mother Wad 21 Noon- 1 _3()pm_ David Aflanbomugh Scrabble Word 300k. invite you 10 "Brian McCabc, Aly Bain‘ Flora Machill sun. anything wrong with stacking will be signing copies ofhis Challenge the experts ‘0 a game 0f arid many more. making it a night 10 mm. of grocer). products in the b0()k-0f-[hc-scrics Trials ofLife (Comm Scrabble in the shop. . remember. Bar and snacks from b.3tlpm. kitchen on open shelves for easy £169” Signed copies may be reserved than 22 6—7pm Dav” “WWW?” m". .SHERMUAND mum‘s 13/Hpr'mc“ .wcc“ yawn. name cram. guv. Thurs 22 7pm. Alan Massic reads from and 5'8“ the boekfll'lh‘e'senes- ("all oflalft’ Street. 556 3034. _ u - ~ ~ - . ‘ v « Signs copies of his new book The Hanging (Collins, £16.95). Signed copies may be Thurs 8 7.30pm. Ralph Steadman will be free (chncmann £1399). reserved in advance. signing copies of his new book. Tales ufthe ’ m_ I one wonLo Ponies Porters Lounge I PENTUND “00hl 60 The Pleasanccfim Weirrd (Jonathan (Tape. £9.99). Bar‘ Sauchicha" Street. Information 1 CXL Tue POCtI'y evening. hOStL‘d from Norman Bisscll 041 959 6033 or "0012 8-30Pm~ Edinburgh University Galliard publishers. to launch Twenty of G Catriona Oates 031 334 6430 Poetry Society presents Richard Burns, the Best (£5.95). an anthology of Tue 13 7.30pm. Open world poetics isa reading extracts from Black I.ight.’The contemporary Scottish Poetry. Wine will discussion group which considers poetic. 31“" Bum’fly and h'Sla_‘°51w9rkt .n'f’ be served and among the guest-5t “he “'1” I JOHN sm‘m AND SON (GLASGOW) LTD scientific. ecological, political and Manager. as yet unpublished In Britain. sign copies, of the book will be William 252 By,“ Road‘ 221 7472. philosophical issues in depth. Tonight‘ I POETRY ASSOCIATION OF SCOTLAND Mcllvanney. Din Rosc. Gael Turnbull Wed 14 (~,3lipm. Maurice Lindsay will sign Murdo Macdonald leads a discussion on Meetings held at 27 George Square. and Donald Campbell as well as editor his new book (‘ollected I’oems: 1940—1990 patmk chdcs. Information 334 5241. Duncan Glen and illustrator Alfons (AUP. £12.50). Wine will beprovided. .Tman EYE can“ 35033uchicha” Wed“ 7.45pm. Annual subscription £5. Bytautas. Tckphonc m msch Signed copy. Strcc1‘332 7521. single meeting £1. Jacques Darras. French Thurs 22 1—2pm. David Attenborough will I Jim" 3mm AND 50" (GLASGOW) no Fri 9 7.30pm. Free. Neil Bartlett reads from We“ Critic and rcccm Reith lemurcr‘ be in the 5m“: ‘0 PromOtc and Sign his 57 St Vincent Street. 221 7472. his first novel, Ready ,0 Catch Him Should presents a talk entitled ‘Major Themes in book-of-thc-scrics. Trials ofl.ife (Collins. Wed 14 7— 9 m. Tickets £2 from the shopor , . .. ‘ j .. ‘ Contemporary European Poetry.‘ £16.95), reservation: by phone. redeemable on the Hi fa” pUthhLd by serpent STak' I OUEEN'S HALL Clerk Street. 668 2019. I WEST ANO WILOE 25a Dundas Street. night with the purchase ofanyMitchell Thurs15 7.30pm. £5 (£3) from the Queen's 5560079. Beazlcy wine publication. Wine tasting Hall Box Office and Chapman Magazine. Tue 13 8pm. Neil Bartlett. theatre director. led by 01 Clerk. wine correspondent for 4 Broughton Place. 557 2207. Celebrate translator. video maker and writer will The Dalli Telegraph and author of ()2 Norman McCain's 80th Birthday with poetry read from and sign copies of Ready to (‘Ierk '5 Wine Guide 1991 . “MES mm 53—59 SOUlh Bridget 556 and song. Guest of honour will be the (arch Him Should He Call (Serpent‘s 'I'ai (Mitchell-Beazley ). Wine will be provided 6743- revered poet himself with friends Sorley £8.99). his first novel. His latest plav. by Oddbins. For further details phone sat ‘0 scnbhle DeY- James Thin» together Machan. Seamus lleany. lain Critchon Sarrlsl'ne will be performed at the Third Aileen (“askie on (141 204 4028. “"1" Chambers» PUhllSherS 0f the Office?! Smith. Catriona Montgomery. Tom Pow. Eye Centre from 21 Nov.
OZ Elnaer SMITH
and taste wines selected by
- O .- () (i51— b 1 n 5 at 7 p.m. on Wednesday 14th November
&SON
(GLASGOW) LTD at 57 St. Vincent Street Tel: 041-221-7472 Tel. 041 221 Tickets £2.00 from General Books Department ' A Scottish Company Since 1751 (redeemable against the purchase of any Mitchell Beazley wine book on the evenzng)
80 The 9 — 22 November 1990