Books
Reviews
ESSAY COLLECTION KEVIN SMITH
Silent Bob Speaks (Titan) .0.
KEVIN SMITH
Filmmaker and superhero comics soribe Kevm Smith's likening of his collected scmbblings - production diaries. glOSSy Iads' mag articles and blogs — to the writings of fellow hairy fat bloke Michael Moore is son of fair enOugh. But it's also a bit bogus. Like Moore. the foul- mouthed New Jersey nerd (who met the Michigan satirist when they were both reeling from cinematic crapshoots: Mal/rats
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Fine that Moore's writing is underpinned by politics and Smith's by scatology. but where Mike muckrakes and dishes the dirt. Kev makes promises he doesn't keep. “This shit that I'm about to tell you.’ he writes. ‘is the real inside dope.’ Aside from inventive use of cock and ass-related expletives. a great deal of self-deprecation and an odd rant about 'Greasy Reese Witherspoon'. there's nothing here in the way of real bean-spilling. Not prudish, but definitely a prick-tease. (Miles Fielder)
AUTHOR MEMOIR NEIL CROSS Heartland
(Scribner) COO. Novelist Neil Cross opens this memoir of his tumultuous childhood with a disclaimer: 'l've always distrusted a certain kind of memoir. the way I distrust people who
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hector strangers with long jokes.‘ The author is right to be wary of such tedious emotional purging. but the account of his upbringing. while unflinching, never feels like picking an Open sore. Much of the power of Cross' tale comes from his relating the experience of being dispatched to live With his mother and her strange. fastidious Iover in grey Edinburgh with all the Wide—eyed detachment and resilience of the outsider chzld.
Also compelling s the fact that. while Neil is bullied at school. the real threat to the boy's
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welibe'ng comes from the slowly dawning realisation that the adults in his life are as screwed up as he is. And at the book's heart is Neil's ambivalent relationship With his stepfather Derek Cross. this massively influential figure rendered ViVidIy and compassionately. (Allan Radcliffe)
TARTAN NOlFi STUART MACBRIDE Cold Granite (HarperCollins‘) 0..
Stuart MacBride is doing nothing for Aberdeen '3 tOurist board here With a tale that charters the gOry reality of child abuse and murder set in the grey grimace of a (10an eastern Winter. There's more than a Subtle nod to Rankin‘s Rebus series here and. though the usual crime cliches apply. engaging Characters With sparkfing d-alogue are led through a series of revelations. Still. at least MacBride's ‘tec McFiae isnt a recovering alcoholic.
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The debutant brings a real authenticity to the daily trudge of policing. aided and abetted by his local knowledge. The police are overloaded With WOrk. frustrated by a concerned and overzealous public and hounded by a baying press. They do. however. appear to Jump rather rashly (and conveniently) to dubious conc|u8ions at times. But by pulling no punches. MacBride leaves the reader in no dOubt that. under constant attack from grey skies. an Aberdonian poiicemen's lot is not a happy one. (Mark Edmundson)
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DEBUT AUTHORS FESTIVAL Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 3-Sun 5 Jun
ALSO PUBLISHED
Graham Forbes Flock and Flo/I Mountains The Incredible String Band man with a reflection on extreme sports. Mainstream. Gregory Normlnton Ghost Portrait Three periods in the life of 17th century painter Nathaniel Deller. Picador.
AIIne Templeton Cold in the Earth As foot and mouth ravages Galloway. the finding of human remains brings in DI Marjory Fleming. Hodder 8 Stoughton. Dan Rivers Congratulations, You Have Just Met the Casuals Here comes ‘The True StOry of Aberdeen's Staunchest Fans'. John Blake. Benjamin Prado Snow is Silent A hotshot Spaniard with a simmering, noirish tale of sexual obsession and murder. Faber.
Pity the lot of aspiring writers. First there is the inevitable mountain of rejections to get over for their literary masterpiece. Then, even if they do get published, their well-crafted gem can so easily get lost on the shelves among bigger, established names. Well, fear not, the Debut Authors Festival, is here to save them.
Organised by Pru Rowlandson, former publicist at Canongate, the festival includes new writers such as Will Napier, Helen Walsh and Diana Evans in a range of exciting debates, discussions and other events. ‘There will be a lot of people here who will go on and become established writers,’ says Rowlandson. ‘So it’s a great opportunity to see the new blood of literature in action.’ Rowlandson developed a special love for new writers at Canongate, working on the debuts of the likes of Louise Welsh, Anne Donovan and Jennie Erdal (who is also appearing at the festival). ‘lt’s so difficult to get published these days,’ says Rowlandson. ‘In fact, a debut novel has the potential of being particularly good, because it’s so difficult to get your book shining out of the slush pile, whereas some authors’ third books might get published even if they’re not that brilliant.’
Rowlandson is keen to make events as lively as possible, encouraging debate not dry readings. ‘Some events are done badly and that puts people off. But they can be fantastic if you do them right. People talk and gel, and everyone goes away saying, “That was amazing.”’ (Doug Johnstone)