Every 14 Days...(45)

Tokyo Trilogy (David Peace)

Inspired by finally getting round reading "The Damned United", based purely on my liking of Michael Sheen's performance in the film adaptation, I soon learnt that The Yorkshireman also likes writing about Tokyo - the city where he has lived for many years - as well as Yorkshire and 1970s football managers.

My main reason for reading the trilogy, however, was the recently released final instalment "Patient X", based on the life of Ryunosuke Akutagawa. I can't particularly say it was based on my enjoyment of Peace's writing style. The repetitive nature of "The Damned United" placed one firmly in the head of Mr Clough, though it isn't exactly classic literature. This style, however, could also be applied to the life of the troubled writer and is perhaps equally controversial.

But let's start at the beginning. "Tokyo Year Zero" starts off with Tokyo at its most low. The year after the end of the Second World War, Tokyo is a city destroyed in every which way. Detective Minami is a man disillusioned with everything around him, hating his job, his bosses, the occupying Americans, everything. Tasked with the near impossible cases of murdered young women found on wastelands, it's perhaps the final straw, left to hunt invisible people in dead surroundings. As the case progresses, Minami's own problems become more apparent: having an affair and never seeing his family; addicted to drugs; and a murky secret from his days in China during the War.

Where "Tokyo Year Zero" works is in creating the sense of the hopelessness of the city and its people following the War. Minami's case represents Tokyo at the time: seemingly impossible to see how the mess will get resolved. Minami can only see the vile, with little hope for a bright future. The repetitiveness, however, which walks a fine balance in "The Damned United", is again apparent and makes you wonder what you're paying for (1p on Amazon + P&P, I think I remember). Creating the sense of deja vu may heighten the character's "madness", but does also make you feel like you know what is coming on the next page. I've already read this, and so, things could be cut down...which would do wonders for my days per book average.  

The fractured writing style also grates a little in the second instalment: "Occupied City". While focused on one specific event, the Tokyo bank robbery resulting in the deaths of twelve employees in 1948, each chapter focuses on a different character involved in the case, bringing its own style with it. Diaries, newspaper cuttings, personal letters, reports all feature, leaving you wondering as to what the actual story is any more.

"Occupied City" is a book it is easy to get lost in - and not in a good way - with its ever-changing style. While this may keep things interesting, you fail to get absorbed in any of the characters or the event itself. Laszlo Krasznahorkai can do this to wondrous effect, but works more to an underlying theme, rather than different angles for one event. Here, too many angles leave you unable to see the wood for the trees, with the off button gradually switched in my mind.

A series of "shorts" is again used in "Patient X"; luckily here to greater effect. Akutagawa is the Japanese author of great repute, written about and studied to great extent and his name given to awards. This perhaps makes him a good figure to analyse based on the rich pool of sources, but also requires a new angle to be taken.

In chronological order, various stories from Akutagawa's life are included in an attempt to paint a picture of the man of many layers. His childhood and upbringing, his development in his early career and relationship with Natsume Soseki, right through to his increasing illness and death. 

As with any collection of shorts, it can be an inconsistent ride in terms of quality. There is often a tendency to break from the main subject, with stories within stories focusing more on others than the titular character. This can again cause one's mind to drift as the characters change when consistency is expected, but this is a definite step up in terms of keeping engagement from "Occupied City". 

However, "Patient X" seems more to give an impression of the people around Akutagawa, rather than Akutagawa himself. His deteriorating health well documented, this is an interesting collection, though perhaps some gaps in the story of Akutagawa are felt throughout. Though, as with many of the lives Peace's work has focused on, writing based on source material rather than actual experience of the man will always make the task a difficult one.

So, what do I make of Peace? The four pieces (Peace's?) I have read are based on true events and lives, and so are fictionalised versions of fact rather than case examples, which is something that sits a little uneasy with me in terms of the authority of the author.

But that pre-existing knowledge is where the intrigue is created, and as such, the controversy is a draw that definitely makes them worth reading. But Peace's style is flawed throughout. The repetitive use of repetition becomes tiring, making you can believe you can read without thinking. This "madness" of repetition perhaps reflects some of his subjects, but to read can become a bore. His unconventional sentence structuring also makes it feel a little simplistic and easy, considering the ambition in his choice of his subject matter.  

His ideas are interesting and make you take notice, and are indeed worth the read. But, perhaps like "Match of the Day": you get some highlights, but don't get a complete picture, and already know the result.

Tokyo Year Zero

Days to read: 15

Days per book: 14.9 

Occupied City

Days to read: 14

Days per book: 14.9

Patient X

Days to read: 14

Days per book: 14.9

Every 14 Days...(30)

Through no clever intention on my part, I have recently read three biographies by comedians. However, to call these autobiographies might be a little confusing. What follows is a selection of works by British men of the funny, but either written by or from the perspective of an alter ego. Much as Stewart lee will refer to the ‘character Stewart Lee,’ here we see a collection of comedians showing their schizophrenic sides. Comedia schizophrenia, as it were.

Me:Moir (Vic Reeves/Jim Moir)

To start, we see beloved funny man Vic Reeves writing on the childhood upbringing of James Moir, or ‘Rod’ (his middle name) as he was known to his family. That’s a confusing start.

Here, the fictional Mr. Reeves describes the first eighteen-or-so years of his life from his first days in Yorkshire, to County, to eventually moving down to London to start his journey to adulthood. Accompanied by his own doodles throughout, there are elements of Reeves' trademark eccentric humour throughout, though it's difficult to say if these were early seeds or embellishment by his adult self.

This is a steady effort, but nothing too sensational. Focusing more on his youth, this doesn't go into the origins of his 'Big Night Out' and starting in comedy, making this very much a book about James 'Rod' Moir than Vic Reeves. Though, the fact that this comes with the addendum 'Volume One' this may be to come.

Days to read: 13

Days per book: 14.7

My Perfect Cousin (Kevin Eldon)

Here, ‘The Actor’ Kevin Eldon writes a true biography…about someone who doesn’t exist. One of Eldon’s best-known works as a stand-up and performer is as his poet alter ego, Paul Hamilton. Seen as part of Cluub Zarathustra, Eldon has gone on to feature him in much of his stand-up work, and on the Radio 4 – hahaha – comedy ‘Poets’ Tree’.

Eldon writes as a version of himself, the cousin of fictional poet Hamilton, writing a biography on his ‘perfect’ family member as he was commissioned to write a book but simply had no idea what to write about. The book is a collection of extracts from interviews with Hamilton himself and various people in his life, cobbled together by Eldon’s storytelling.

Much like ‘I, Partridge’ before it, this is a book to give extra depth to a comedy character, writing a full biography on the made-up. Hamilton, as the character has always been is pompous about himself and the life he has lead. Things are made to be much grander or dark than the complete normality featured when taken from his perspective. What adds the comedy here is the perspective of others: His parents, on-off girlfriend, former work colleagues, The League Against Tedium, all paint the picture of a sad little man. A poet with only a handful of poems ever written; a man with a string meaningless odd jobs, whose life has been paid for by his parents and wealthy girlfriend.  

Being that it’s fictional, there is no sense of ‘having learnt’ a lot about the character, as maybe I’d never thought about Hamilton in such a way. What this certainly is is entertaining, and so leaves plenty of room for poetic license.

Days to read: 12

Days per book: 14.7

Becoming Johnny Vegas (Johnny Vegas/Mike Pennington)

Much like 'Me:Moir', 'Becoming Johnny Vegas' is the story of the early years that formed Mike Pennington's transformation from that of new-born baby to internationally-known stand-up of different name.

From a random collection of memories of his working-class upbringing in St. Helens, Pennington made the decision at a young age to join a seminary and train to become a priest. However, instead of taking him down the straight and narrow, his short time there led to the first 'seeds of Johnny' being sewn.

A prodigal son, he soon became a failed art student, spending days between his Argos job, art college and time in the pub. But it was these days as a trainee potter and barman that began to mould his comedy career, eventually arriving on stage while studying in London. On arriving back in St. Helens, the act was developed and Johnny Vegas was born, with Edinburgh awaiting.

This does not focus on the successes and life after fame, but specifically looks into the moments that shaped his on-stage persona. As expected from his act, this isn't always a pleasant ride, with numerous tales of revulsion.

Written from the perspective of numerous voices, one of which is Vegas; one Pennington, this is an essay on the multi-personality disorder that is stand-up comedy.

Days to read: 20

Days per Book: 14.7

Rashomon and Other Stories (Akutagawa Ryunosuke)

How did this get in there?! Well, I had no new books on me and I was approaching a five-day weekend away, so I grabbed whatever. But, this maybe something a little more appropriate than it initially seems.

Something I've read a number of times before, 'Rashomon and Other Stories' is a short collection of Akutagawa's works, featuring his most famous 'Rashomon' and 'In A Grove'.

With the differing stories of the three main protagonists of 'In A Grove', this could be interpreted as a tenuous link to the art of stand-up comedy that I am making right now. With stand-up a form where different people express their differing opinions on everyday life, 'In A Grove' shows how we all see things differently.

Anyway, enough wankery...

Days to read: 7

Days per book: 14.7

Are you Dave Gorman? (Dave Gorman and Danny Wallace)

Speaking of multiple personality disorder, here's one man's search for fifty-four versions of himself. Well, two men's search. Enjoying the BBC TV series that covered the same journey, I first read the story of Dave Gorman and Danny Wallace's quest for well over a decade ago. But, with Christmas looming, not having any new books at my disposal and not being allowed to buy myself anything, plus thinking this would be a nice addition to my schizophrenic comedians angle, I decided to read once more.

Switching between the alter-egos - and indeed alter-persons - of Gorman and Wallace, it tells the story of a drunken bet gone too far with too much time and credit card limit at their disposal, as they travel Europe, the US and the Middle East to meet Gorman's namesake: fifty-four, to be exact.

This was a silly bit of fun, but what's depressing reading this so many years later is just how this would not happen in this day and age of fast Internet access and social media. What was months of searching through telephone directories, random e-mails and a little bit of luck, would now be a simple search on any social media platform, finding as many as possible the world over. This shows that creativity and invention are no longer really required in 2016, with the end result more important than the journey. But it's the journey that provides the story.

It's now five years that I've been doing this pointless exercise. Blimey!

Days to read: 17

Days per book: 14.7

Every 14 Days...(14)

The Beautiful and the Grotesque (Akutagawa Ryunosuke)

Japanese literary legend Akutagawa is a writer I’ve come across more from film adaptations than actually reading his work. I have polished off a few of his shorts (boom boom) in the past, most notably ‘Rashomon’ and ‘In a Grove’, but with ‘The Beautiful and the Grotesque’ I have more than doubled the number of his works that I have consumed.

A mix of weird and wonderful, the collection is started by a rather intriguing, if not overly long and bemusing, introduction by translator, John McVittie, which sets the collection in  a strange context. Typically well written, the collection is full of interesting life lessons in short story format that chiefly inform, educate and entertain.

But while each story has its own place, reading endless back-to-back new stories can leave some flying passed with barely a word being taken in. while some show why so much has been put on his talents, others I can barely remember, and so may have to be read another day…if I can be arsed.

Days to read: 22

Days per book: 14.3

Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman (Murakami Haruki)

From one legend of Japanese writing to a more modern day equivalent – though not so much in his motherland. And another long collection of short stories – will I ever learn?! With an introduction by the author himself, the collection is both old and new, with some of his very first short stories previously unreleased in English combined with some newer works.

Like in previous anthologies of his that I’d read, some of the shorts were turned into full novels and so some of what was read was familiar, and the inclusion of ‘Tony Takitani’, made into an excellent film, I was often aware of the end results.

The stories here all have something in common: being rather strange. As with much of his work, there has to be a sense of accepting the incredible and once that’s done, they can be enjoyed. There are hits and misses here, but overall entertaining.

This now marks my completion of all Murakami’s work translated into English and available in the UK, so someone needs to either translate his earlier stuff of he needs to write some more.

It was also while reading this book that my ‘Every 14 Days’ experiment shot to fame via Richard Herring’s ‘Warming Up’ blog. Read here and listen there. 50 books read in 716 days, falling just short of my target two years in to this failed experiment and counting…

Days to read: 16

Days per book: 14.3

I Can Make You Hate (Charlie Brooker)

The latest in the line of the father Konnie Huq’s son’s columns from ‘The Guardian’ and more of the same. With the death of his ‘Screen Burn’ column part way through the time period, some scripts from his television shows have been thrown in for fun. However, as these are items done using cutaways and video clips, they are not always as effective in print and so could have been left out at little detriment to the overall collection.

The removal of ‘Screen Burn’ means that there are less ‘Big Brother’ obsessed moments and more of a range of topics to entertain while your anus is expanded as you evacuate your bowels.

Days to read: 11

Days per book: 14.2

Back Story (David Mitchell)

Sex, drugs and rock n roll. This is neither the time nor the place.

It’s fair to say that David Mitchell hasn’t exactly lived a wild and crazy existence up until now. Despite obviously having the interesting aspect of a career in television comedy to comment on, his life outside of work could be described as quite unremarkable: He went to a minor public school, then was chairman of Footlights at Cambridge before taking the leap to work low level jobs in London while trying to fulfil the ambition of a career in the media that many fail to achieve.

While he’d certainly be the most interesting of your friends and one to definitely include on the invites to a dinner party, he has little of a love life in which to speak of and the only real scandal surrounding him is that he isn’t as similar to Mark Corrigan in real life as one might have originally thought. And that’s what makes this a more interesting autobiography than many.

Keeping in line with a lack of any shocking life events of which to speak, the memoir is based around the fact that after suffering from a bad back, he was encouraged to take walks to improve his physical state. Staring off in his home in Kilburn, Mitchell makes his way through the London streets, ending at Television Centre, Wood Green. Along the journey, various landmarks recall a chronological account of the various stages of his life. Maybe not completely original in chronological and metaphorical recounting, but nice nonetheless.

What it lacks in shock value it makes up for in pure pedantry in his trademark logical manner. It’s an honest account – particularly regarding his recent engagement – and provides insight into his opinions on how television works and why most of it is lacking. And if reading at Waterloo Station, a fat woman might say ‘good choice’ to you.

Days to read: 19

Days per book: 14.3

Every 14 Days...(6)

Kappa (Akutagawa Ryunosuke)

On reading alone, ‘Kappa’ would seem like a book written by a man at the point of madness. A man is thrown into the ‘kappa world’ to live among these strange, mythical creatures from Japanese folklore, gradually learning their idiosyncrasies and customs.

Akutagawa Ryunosuke was at the point of madness when writing one of his longer works; finished not long before his suicide. On writing about the kappa world, he looks at all aspects of life: politics, religion, love, war, law, entertainment, health, etc., serving as a critique from an outsider’s perspective. Obviously doubling as a critique of the Japan in which he lived and how customs often get in the way of logic and sense to an onlooker.

Akutagawa himself was marginalised at this stage, being in and out of psychiatric hospitals, and so chose to look at society for what it was from a distance; and saw madness in the method.

Days to read: 12

Days per book: 15.3

The Japanization of Modernity: Murakami Haruki between Japan and the United States (Rebecca Suter)

This is a book written in English by an American about a Japanese author that I bought in Hong Kong. Read coincidentally to coincide with the UK release of his new work ‘1Q84’, Suter’s work is essentially a PhD look at his work across cultures in both Japan and the US.

Mainly looking into his shorts (ho ho), the differing reception of his work in the US and Japan is compared, with more traditional critics in Japan believing his works are not Japanese in style or content. Western critics, however, are more praising of his work and his look into identity from a global perspective.

Indeed, Suter believes that Murakami’s use of Western reference points in a Japanese setting give him a global appeal that is both normal and exotic at the same time. A timely conclusion with his latest offering creating midnight openings on its release.

Days to read: 39

Days per book: 16.5

I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan (Alan Partridge*)

‘A real corker!’ (Toby Anstis)

With every Tom, Dick and Harry feeling the need to tell us about their – quite frankly pitiful – lives, I thought it best that I, Alan Partridge, set the world to rights with my follow up to the Loddon Eye Best Seller, ‘Bouncing Back’.

Think of the book as thus: An all-out, balls-to-the-wall account of my life, career and the bits in between. Shooting from the hip and taking absolutely no prisoners, much of what was written was deemed ‘too hot’ by my original publishers, Penguin. ‘Goolies to that!’ was my uncompromising response. Harper Collins being a much more thorough company, I decided to take my work to them instead.

So, sit back, relax, grab a mug of Nestle’s Milo Nutritious Energy Drink, prepare a dictionary and thesaurus (it gets a little tricky in parts) and do not p-p-p-p-pick up a Penguin. Pick up a fantastic Harper Collins. But don’t take it from me, take it from mambo soul crooner, Lou Bega…

‘This is my mambo number 1!’ (Lou Bega)

*I would like to make it categorically clear that, contrary to controversial e-rumours on the world wide website, Steve Coogan, Armando Iannucci, Rob Gibbons and Neil Gibbons (whoever they are!) wrote not a jot of this mini-masterpiece. Every ruddy word was written by me, Alan Partridge.

Days to read: 11

Days per book: 16.2

Every 14 Days...(4)

after the quake (Murakami Haruki)

Given the end to my recent holiday to Japan, ‘after the quake’ seemed an appropriate next Murakami book to read. And so I did, being that I’d left my copy of ‘The Elephant Vanishes’ in Solihull.

Contained are six short stories about six different Japanese and how the Kobe earthquake of 1995 impacted on their lives. Delightfully weird and wonderful, the stories are full of metaphors – most of which I’m not sure I fully understand – reflecting the very individual impact that the natural disaster can have, despite being a nationally tragic event.

Designed to show changing times among the people of modern Japan through the inner-turmoil of the main characters, Murakami shows how such an event will impact on everyone in some way, however it manifests itself. From my own experience, despite the recent Fukushima earthquake impacting on thousands upon thousands, meeting individuals made it feel like a very individual event, with all having their own experiences, and after the quake shows as much, in its own unique way.

Days to read: 12
Days per book: 15.5



Hell Screen (Akutagawa Ryunosuke)

Taken from his Rashomon and Other Stories collection (the one that I do not own), ‘Hell Screen’ is a small, literally pocket-sized short, telling the story of a crazed artist, tasked with painting a screen depicting the Eight Buddhist Hells for His Lordship. Focusing on the artist, Yoshihide, and his unconventional techniques, ‘Hell Screen’ serves as a typically old-fashioned parable about the dangers of all-consuming passion and questioning one’s superiors.

A great storyteller, ‘Hell Screen’ is among Akutagawa’s finest works and brilliantly paints a haunting image, not only the screen itself, but also in the mind of the man that created it.

Followed by the incredibly short ‘The Spider Thread’, another Hell-themed parable, it makes for a captivating read about medieval Japan.

Days to read: 1
Days per book: 14.7



Kusamakura (Natsume Soseki)

Kusamakura is the second novel of the hundred years ago Japanese writer Natsume Soseki. The self-narrated story of a wandering artist from Tokyo as he travels through Japan’s mountains, it is an internal monologue as to debates about art and poetry, as the artist seeks for new inspiration in his work. From this, the story is littered with haiku and other poetry as the artist tries to capture distinct moments.

In terms of plot or story, there is little here; it is merely a wandering man and the conversations he has with himself – around art – and the locals that he meets. As with the other Soseki novel that I have read, it is very much of the time it was written, with references to the Russo-Japanese war and his contempt for it. What is within the lines is a comment on how a move from isolation is now apparent in Japan and how this is extending to those isolated in the countryside, with one of his new companions now off to become a soldier at the book’s close.

Kusamakura serves as a haiku to capture a moment in time, painting a picture with words.

Days to read: 14
Days per book: 14.2



The Elephant Vanishes (Murakami Haruki)

Started on my penultimate day in Japan (the actual one, not the original, budgeted one), this collection of short stories travelled back with me to London, and then up to Birmingham, where I accidentally left it at my mate’s newly bought house before going to watch Villa play a dull and lifeless draw against Stoke City Rugby Football Club. It did, therefore, take me a while to make my way through this strange and bizarre book of stories about the weird and wonderful.

The second collection of shorts by Murakami that I have read takes works from various publications that he has written over the years and leaves a mixed bag of offerings; some outright weird, others too strange to comprehend the intended meaning. All different, this is almost like flicking through Miike Takashi’s oeuvre, creating intrigue and confusion in the reader, but not always satisfaction.

Days to read: 89
Days per book: 13.9