In Which I Forget About Another Book I'm Reading. Though Listening To The Podcast Was Better

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Today I collected my daughter from school. Now when I say "collected" and "from school" I don't mean that literally. Times have long since gone when Dad/Mom collected their child with a smile on her face from the educational establishment. No it has gone to the stage where the parental car is hidden around the corner as she gets off the school bus to walk to her parents and all the teenage thought at that moment is focused as to what there is for lunch.

So when I'm waiting for my daughter I have a little time to spare which is why there's always a book in the car to read.

Now before you ask why I don't simply bring one of the two other books I'm reading at the moment well sometimes I do, but often I just forget. So it's just convenient that there's something there for me to read when I'm in the car and opportunity rings the doorbell. It is,as it were my "car book".

The one criterion of the car book is that it has book of short stories or articles or essays. Something that can be dipped into on a haphazard basis. Like the current one I'm reading.

 Clive James - A Point Of View

This is a collection of essays from the BBC Radio 4 series where a speaker discusses various issues . Although there are a number of contributors to it his was the voice that drew me to the show when I recently started listening to the podcasts. I was always a fan of his work anyway (Indeed have admired the way he could chat about Russian literature and The Rockford Files or write poetry without seemingly being stretched) so I listened with interest and a recognition of the classic James style.

These essays actually began for him from 2007 until 2009 and when I saw this book on sale it was automatically bought.

Alas it has been a disappointment. For although there are subsequent postscripts these are the exact essays from the radio series but what it misses is of course hearing the James voice. The tone of reflective sarcasm. A voice that is relaxed,calm but nonetheless effective when in attack mode. A voice I would suggest comfortable being heard on Radio 4.When you have heard these essays in the medium they were written for then the printed page seems pale in comparison,

I should have realised that. It's my fault.

Can't win them all.

Until the next time.