VILE BODIES - Evelyn Waugh

If you have ever wondered where Monty Python got their idea of the absurd, you only have to read this book and its all there.

This is a book full of preposturous characters in improbable situations. The main characters are wealthy and bored and dense, who live a life going from party to party trying to avoid boredom, with no responsibility.

There was such a class in Britain between the wars and there may still be, but Waugh is just scathing of this type and group. Brilliant

This is very very funny and like I stated a blueprint for the Pythons.

IS FURTHER AWAY - A A Gill

Another collection of travel pieces from AA Gill. I admit I am a fan and he never writes anything that is not interesting or unreadable.

The collection is broken up into two parts, 'near' and 'far'. The 'near' section comprises stories written concerning the UK and it then follows the ' far' portion are off shore tales.

My favourite is the article written concerning Hyde Park, a very interesting place. Gill is a bit negative on the the exploration of space according to me, the writings good, I just disagree with him in this article.

A great collection, read all his stuff you'll not be disappointed

HUMBOLTS GIFT - Saul Bellow

Humboldt's Gift is a slice-of-life novel with undertones of dark comedy. From the perspective of Charlie Citrine, a poet and essayist of considerable success, it examines life in America from the 1930s through the mid-1970s. Much of the novel consists of Charlie's memories of his childhood in Chicago and his days in Greenwich Village with his mentor, Von Humboldt Fleischer, who has already descended into madness and death at the time of the telling. Charlie is driven throughout the novel by memories and recriminations of Humboldt.

Citraine intersperses his reveries over Fleischer with his adventures or incidents with Rinaldo Cantabile, a try hard mobster who attaches himself to Citraine after a card game.

This is wonderfully written and gives a fine view of America into the early '70's with the start of the celebrity culture. The novel was published first in 1975.

Charlie is too weak for my liking wandering through life semi-detached due to his success- he has money troubles, women troubles, gangster troubles - all due to his desire that all life should be " nice" "artistic", for a want of better words. In the end Charlie was frustrating, he needed a good slap to bring him back to the real world.

But in saying this, I will read this again, it is great and I can see why Bellow is Martin Amis's hero and I can also see why Bellow was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature.

Tom Wolfe's Bonfire of the Vanities is very similar, a man completely out of touch with what is happening about him.

There is several layers to everything written in this novel and I was not able to comprehend them all at the first go, but I will go back as there is much more to get from this.

CAT AMONGST THE PIGEONS: A Memoir - Cath Tizard

Another memoir by a left leaning politician. Cath was married to Labour M.P and Minister, Bob Tizard, they separated in 1980. She went on to become mayor of Auckland and was then appointed Governor General.

This a good entertaining read, not brilliant writing but informative.

She was such a hard worker, really amazing, firstly being the politician's wife, when they got no government support, raising four kids at the same time, lecturing at Auckland University. Then being on the Auckland City Council.

There are lots of anecdotes about her private and public life and those she met.

For me there are lots of memories as I was working in Auckland during her mayoralty. She is however slightly mistaken regarding the Queen Street riot and how it began. I was one of the 5 police members rostered to work that crowd of several thousands so I had a first hand view. But that's just a slight quibble.

Another complaint is that in the early 80's Helen Clark regularly stayed with her at her home. I just wish that Cath had had the forethought to smother her one night while she lay sleeping. Never mind.

A good read, interesting and enlightening about the office of Governor General and how it operates.

Recommended as a Christmas read. Don't let the cover put you off, but the person who allowed this book to go out with this cover on it should be taken out and shot.