Ben's Book Nook #3
go west!
Nook Nook!
It’s your old pal Ben, reporting from a heatwave that I wish was over with every fibre of my being. My human body (traditionally 70% water) is now, categorically speaking, closer to biltong. Last night I slept with a wet teatowel on my belly like a supermarket chicken fillet coddled by a damp styrofoam pad. Extended exposure to this heat teaches you things. Culturally, I feel more empathetic. The other day I had the thought: no wonder Spain invented Flamenco! It’s the only way to get a little breeze going!
In keeping with the temperature (33 degrees), mood (fury) and vibe (dust), I did a little Wild West reel of book recommendations the other day over on rival despotic media platform Instagram. It’s always good to have a couple of Westerns up your sleeve because they satisfy a surprising number of demographics. Those demographics are, in order of rarity: boys (obviously), historical fiction fans, general escapists, nostalgists, men (rare), Americana-nuts (at an all-time low), and, of course, horse girls.
For brevity, I kept it to the three books listed above - but here I can be a bit more exhaustive. I obviously love True Grit by Charles Portis, a real classic. The writing has a careful, thorough feel to it that makes the wry humour well-earned when it arrives. One of very few novels that has a worthy film adaptation too! I’ve also recommended Callan Wink’s work on here before - both his novel Beartooth and his short stories Dog Run Moon have that well-worn, dusty quality. They’re true contemporary Westerns - dealing with modern rural concerns, with prose that’s tough and lyrical simultaneously, and not skimping on descriptions of natural awe. If you want any more tips - check out this full Lonesome Dove-adjacent list I put together.
Meanwhile, we are but ONE MONTH away from the Edinburgh Fringe - where I’ll next be taking Ben’s Book Club: my literary comedy/book club night. Are you at Edinburgh in August? Then you need to check out one of these shows:
Aug 17th - The Salt Path by Raynor Winn - with guests: Pierre Novellie + Celya AB
Aug 18th - Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain - with guests: Rhys James + Amy Matthews
Aug 19th - A Court of Thorns & Roses by Sarah J. Maas - with guests: Ania Magliano + Temi Wilkey
You don’t have to have read the books! It obviously helps, but there’ll be loads of jokes and chat for folk who haven’t had a chance to finish the books too - so don’t let that put you off! Get stuck in and grab yourself a ticket.
For eager beavers, I’m also taking up a WIP stand-up hour (that is also book-flavoured). You can see that on:
9th-13th Aug - 12.05pm at Cabaret Voltaire 2 (Monkey Barrel)
Ok paid subscribers, my inner circle. You’re getting a real exclusive here…