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Eilidh G Clark (177 KP) rated Optograms in Books
May 13, 2017
Great Collection
Stephen Watt is a poet and spoken word artist from Dumbarton. I stumbled upon his work by accident, and was drawn by his likeness in style to a favourite poet of mine, Raymond Carver. Delighted by what I had read, I preceded to watch some of his spoken word performances on You Tube. I was not disappointed. Watt’s poetry and indeed his spoken word delivery, is smart, punchy, intelligent and contemporary. I was delighted to be offered the opportunity to review his new poetry pamphlet Optograms, published by Wild Word press in 2016. Optograms is a wonderful representation of Watt’s finest work, and is a fresh new approach to Scottish poetry. The poet tackles some controversial topics such as prostitution, homelessness, and gender as well as delving into the more intimate topics such as miscarriage and Alzheimer’s. The imagery is his work is striking and each word and line carefully crafted, but it is the way in which the poems radiate emotion that make this work unique. The readers need look no further than the opening poem to get an understanding of the poet’s compassion and understanding of contemporary society. ‘Lipstick’ explores gender representation and discrimination,
I go to my room, wiping
the admirer’s lipstick clean
with tights beneath jeans
retrieved from a friend’s house,
and with the words
Big Girl’s Blouse
reverberating inside my head
This poem speaks volumes in so little words and the reader is forced to look inwardly at their own behaviour toward people who do not conform to the norm. Similarly, ‘Prayers to Aliens and Satellites’ is a raw and candid view of homelessness which digs deep into the readers conscience,
where bloodless, xylophonic fingers
sink into armpits –
petitioned hands closed to benefits
and the friendships of passersby.
Like the previous poem, ‘Prayers to Aliens and Satellites’ urges the reader to become more aware of the social problems in society. If these poems are not enough to capture the heart of the reader, Watt surprises us with his heart crushing honesty in poems such as ‘Clinics Lip’ – a grief stricken account of miscarriage,
A husband, once the acme of affection,
now lollygagging in the garden;
crossmaker in waiting
for the small plot earmarked for the hill’s crest.
My own personal favourite is ‘Trouble was Someone Else’s Kid’, a short account of childhood memories, like a fragment of memoir condensed into neatly arranged stanza’s. There is something funny yet tragic about this poem that brought to me both nostalgia and a desire to relive my own fading youth.
We moved in shadows, kept the lid
on, as if peanut butter sandwiches
had pasted our lips together.
Other neighbourhoods sizzled
with pyromaniacs and politics,
alcoholics who played tin whistles
when Di and Charles got hitched.
These are only a few of the delights that can be found in this little treasure of a pamphlet and I would urge poetry lovers as well as those who are new to poetry to seek out a copy of this work. With twenty-six wonderful poems Optograms, is undoubtedly one of the best collections of contemporary Scottish poetry that I have read.
To learn more about the Stephen Watt you can visit The Scottish Poetry Library, http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poetry/poets/stephen-watt or like his Facebook page @StephenWattSpit. Optograms, can be purchased from stephenwattspit299@gmail.com or the publisher Marc Sherland marcsherland@me.com at Wild Word Press.
I go to my room, wiping
the admirer’s lipstick clean
with tights beneath jeans
retrieved from a friend’s house,
and with the words
Big Girl’s Blouse
reverberating inside my head
This poem speaks volumes in so little words and the reader is forced to look inwardly at their own behaviour toward people who do not conform to the norm. Similarly, ‘Prayers to Aliens and Satellites’ is a raw and candid view of homelessness which digs deep into the readers conscience,
where bloodless, xylophonic fingers
sink into armpits –
petitioned hands closed to benefits
and the friendships of passersby.
Like the previous poem, ‘Prayers to Aliens and Satellites’ urges the reader to become more aware of the social problems in society. If these poems are not enough to capture the heart of the reader, Watt surprises us with his heart crushing honesty in poems such as ‘Clinics Lip’ – a grief stricken account of miscarriage,
A husband, once the acme of affection,
now lollygagging in the garden;
crossmaker in waiting
for the small plot earmarked for the hill’s crest.
My own personal favourite is ‘Trouble was Someone Else’s Kid’, a short account of childhood memories, like a fragment of memoir condensed into neatly arranged stanza’s. There is something funny yet tragic about this poem that brought to me both nostalgia and a desire to relive my own fading youth.
We moved in shadows, kept the lid
on, as if peanut butter sandwiches
had pasted our lips together.
Other neighbourhoods sizzled
with pyromaniacs and politics,
alcoholics who played tin whistles
when Di and Charles got hitched.
These are only a few of the delights that can be found in this little treasure of a pamphlet and I would urge poetry lovers as well as those who are new to poetry to seek out a copy of this work. With twenty-six wonderful poems Optograms, is undoubtedly one of the best collections of contemporary Scottish poetry that I have read.
To learn more about the Stephen Watt you can visit The Scottish Poetry Library, http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poetry/poets/stephen-watt or like his Facebook page @StephenWattSpit. Optograms, can be purchased from stephenwattspit299@gmail.com or the publisher Marc Sherland marcsherland@me.com at Wild Word Press.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death in Books
Jul 27, 2017
A unique series of crime
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads
In 2014, ITV broadcasted the first episode of Grantchester, a drama series based on books by British novelist, James Runcie. Although written during the twenty-first century, the story is set in the 1950s in a village on the outskirts of Cambridge. Sidney Chambers, a young Canon in charge of the Church of St Andrew and Mary, is a polite and friendly character who, despite his reluctance, ends up acting as a detective in a variety of crimes.
Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death is the first book of six in The Grantchester Mysteries. Split into six individual baffling cases, the background story of Sidney’s private life continues to develop throughout. Each crime is committed and swiftly solved by the Canon and his friend, Inspector Geordie Keating, although it is Sidney who ultimately resolves the case.
Murder, jewellery theft and art forgery and just some of the felonies Sidney grudgingly gets involved with. In fact, unresolved crimes tend to land in his lap rather than offering his assistance willingly. Up at dawn to work on sermons before rushing off to capture criminals, Sidney is never off duty.
A vicar may seem like an unlikely candidate for a detective, however, people tend to open up to him and unintentionally reveal delitescent information. Listening to suspects and witnesses without pre-judgement allows Sidney to think things through carefully rather than jumping to conclusions. From the moment the crime is committed right up until the story’s denouement, Sidney passionately does everything he can to make sure the correct culprit is discovered.
What makes this series different from other crime novels is the focus on Sidney Chambers’ own life. James Runcie emphasises the loneliness of a bachelor living in a vicarage with only a curate and crotchety housekeeper for company. Readers are drawn into Sidney’s stories and hold onto the hope that his dalliances with the beautiful Amanda turn out to be something more concrete.
Those who have watched the ITV series will be familiar with the stories in this book because the producer has stuck to the exact storyline, not missing a single thing out or adding anything extra. The fact that there were only two years between publishing and screen production goes to show how well written and thought out these stories are. Unlike famous detective novels such as Sherlock Holmes or those by Agatha Christie, The Grantchester Mysteries are not set at the time of writing, so, although they are historically accurate, the prose is suitable for present day readers.
Each story is quick to read and is easy going, making it a relaxing and enjoyable book. It is not a thriller or horror, although some of the crimes are quite terrible. Instead, it is entertaining and often humorous. It is suitable for crime fiction fans as well as those new to the genre.
Regardless of whether you have watched the television series or not, Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death is a delight to read. Of course, ITV has given away all the endings, but it is a different experience to read it in print rather than seeing it acted out on screen. Featuring the face of James Norton on the cover so as to work as a TV tie-in, the series will be easy to spot in prime position on bookshelves both in shops and personal collections.
In 2014, ITV broadcasted the first episode of Grantchester, a drama series based on books by British novelist, James Runcie. Although written during the twenty-first century, the story is set in the 1950s in a village on the outskirts of Cambridge. Sidney Chambers, a young Canon in charge of the Church of St Andrew and Mary, is a polite and friendly character who, despite his reluctance, ends up acting as a detective in a variety of crimes.
Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death is the first book of six in The Grantchester Mysteries. Split into six individual baffling cases, the background story of Sidney’s private life continues to develop throughout. Each crime is committed and swiftly solved by the Canon and his friend, Inspector Geordie Keating, although it is Sidney who ultimately resolves the case.
Murder, jewellery theft and art forgery and just some of the felonies Sidney grudgingly gets involved with. In fact, unresolved crimes tend to land in his lap rather than offering his assistance willingly. Up at dawn to work on sermons before rushing off to capture criminals, Sidney is never off duty.
A vicar may seem like an unlikely candidate for a detective, however, people tend to open up to him and unintentionally reveal delitescent information. Listening to suspects and witnesses without pre-judgement allows Sidney to think things through carefully rather than jumping to conclusions. From the moment the crime is committed right up until the story’s denouement, Sidney passionately does everything he can to make sure the correct culprit is discovered.
What makes this series different from other crime novels is the focus on Sidney Chambers’ own life. James Runcie emphasises the loneliness of a bachelor living in a vicarage with only a curate and crotchety housekeeper for company. Readers are drawn into Sidney’s stories and hold onto the hope that his dalliances with the beautiful Amanda turn out to be something more concrete.
Those who have watched the ITV series will be familiar with the stories in this book because the producer has stuck to the exact storyline, not missing a single thing out or adding anything extra. The fact that there were only two years between publishing and screen production goes to show how well written and thought out these stories are. Unlike famous detective novels such as Sherlock Holmes or those by Agatha Christie, The Grantchester Mysteries are not set at the time of writing, so, although they are historically accurate, the prose is suitable for present day readers.
Each story is quick to read and is easy going, making it a relaxing and enjoyable book. It is not a thriller or horror, although some of the crimes are quite terrible. Instead, it is entertaining and often humorous. It is suitable for crime fiction fans as well as those new to the genre.
Regardless of whether you have watched the television series or not, Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death is a delight to read. Of course, ITV has given away all the endings, but it is a different experience to read it in print rather than seeing it acted out on screen. Featuring the face of James Norton on the cover so as to work as a TV tie-in, the series will be easy to spot in prime position on bookshelves both in shops and personal collections.
