BOTM: P. Paphides, Broken Greek (2020)
R. Calasso, The ruin of Kasch (1983)
A. Horne, The terrible year: a history of the Paris commune (1971)
J.H.C. King, Blood and Land (2016)
B. Bishop, The big sort (2008)
D. Defoe, Journal of the plague year (1722)
I've read Defoe before - a decade ago. I'd forgotten that, but I'm glad I reread it; a lot is reminiscent of today. It was however heavy going. Not as heavy going as Calasso, which I thought was vastly overrated once it strayed off Talleyrand, and it wasn't great on him either.
My favourite wasn't heavy going at all. Paphides' book is joyful and brilliant. Billed as a memoir, which is is, just about, its quality lies in its saturation with the music of the time (very specifically about 1975-1982) and his writing about that. That writing that is enhanced by the adult critic adding layers to this childhood insight. It has its fair share of actual memory too, with flashes of acute observation about the nature of his family and their experience. It rattles along, and for me at least those two things hugely complement each other. My memories are also fixed by place and sound. It's a book filled with love: for the music (almost all music) and for the people around him and as such an excellent read for right now, but would be anytime. Right now, it also has the added advantage that it has a long playlist, and you can listen to that without leaving your house.
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