Tosh
1) Hangover Square - Patrick Hamilton
Patrick Hamilton is the voice and poet of the losers who hung out in
London Pubs during World War Two. You can basically smell the warm
beer and desperation of these characters – and then of course one of
them is a serial killer. The roots of Patricia Highsmith (another PH)
are in his books. After reading this novel you would want to take a
bath to rub off the grime of London during the war years. Essential
read really.
2) Fantômas - Marcel Allain and Pierre Souvestre
On one level pure pulp with the Victorian attitude. On another level
these books were written during World War One, and then you realize
that the fantasy is actually a view of a world being blown apart.
Fantômas is a figure of pure evil and we the reader, are seduced by
this character that takes on many disguises and forms. A devil, in
other words a terrorist.
3) Paul Ruscha's Full Moon - Paul Ruscha
Paul Ruscha is one charming character and through this book he takes
us by the hand and leads us to his magnificent art collection. But
being Ruscha he's going to go off and talk about the artist's
boyfriend or girlfriend or pet or whatever. Not a straight-ahead trip
to someone's collection, but insights that makes a collection great.
One's obsession is another's playground. Fantastic.
4) Les Fleurs Du Mal - Charles Baudelaire (Trans. By Richard Howard)
Baudelaire is the greatest cocktail one can read. Richard Howard is a
great translator and this book looks like a faded flower before death.
5) Autumn in Peking - Boris Vian
Ok, I am pushing one of my projects, but nevertheless it is an
enjoyable masterpiece. So I will stand by it! If we can have a war
for no purpose than to hand some dough to some select corporations,
than why can't train tracks be built that go from nowhere in an
imaginary desert to whatever. All the crazy characters in this book
are hysterical. If Peter Sellers was alive he would love this book.
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