The Alternative Christmas Reading List
13 12 2007Christmas is coming, repeats are fast looming, as people in Argos are still queueing and awaiting their number - some twenty minutes later…
As eventual as death and taxation, the terrestrial television will face another repetition of Bonds from Moore to Dalton, and furniture adverts.
Rant over.
(The blogger is taking deep breaths)
More to the point, I have decided for the purpose of this blog to suggest a few books, ideal for Christmas reading. A fair few within this list encompass subjects I am au fait with, though equally good for the coffee table. Most of these books are probably unlikely to feature on ‘Richard and Judy’.
- ‘All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome’, Kathy Hoopmann;
- ‘Everyday Heaven’, Donna Williams;
- ‘Loving Mr Spock’, Barbara Jacobs;
- ‘Digital Retro’, Gordon Laing;
- ‘Metro Maps of the World’, Mark Ovenden;
- ‘Greater Manchester Transport’, Stewart J. Brown;
- ‘British Hit Singles’;
- ‘The Brown Sauce is Off’, Mike Blackstone;
- ‘Shake, Rattle and Rain’, C.P. Lee;
- ‘Touching from a Distance’, Deborah Curtis.
The first book is a recent purchase of mine, which I picked up from the Oldham branch of Waterstones. A couple of people have seen the book and were enthralled by the cat pictures. Kathy Hoopmann’s book is a good non-intrusive way of bringing up a sensitive subject, accessible to the masses, leaving the reader to delve into the subject of Asperger Syndrome and other autism spectrum disorders further.
Within that subject area, I also recommend any of Donna Williams’ books, especially the four autobiographical works (’Nobody Nowhere’, ‘Somebody Somewhere’, ‘Like Colour to the Blind’ and ‘Everyday Heaven’). Though I like all four of the aforementioned titles, I could never tire of ‘Everyday Heaven’.
The fourth one is a roller coaster of a book, including: her appearance at a talk on relationships within the autism spectrum after the divorce of her first husband; her consultancy work in Great Malvern; the marriage to her current husband Chris Samuel; and her return to Australia.
At the other end of the scale is Barbara Jacobs’ book, where Barbara, local radio presenter in the West Midlands tries and fails to maintain a relationship with an Asperger male in his late 30s. This too is a roller coaster ride from start to finish.
If you fancy something visual, though not abysmal, Gordon Laing’s ‘Digital Retro’ is a good coffee table book for geeks. With full frontal images of 8 bit computers and games consules, this guide offers the reader brief histories of each machine and images of Dragon 32s and the like with their peripherals. Though the book is not exhaustive in terms of the machines covered, it is also good bogside reading.
If the geek coffee table happens to have a map of the world rather than a 1979 Asteroids game, Mark Ovenden’s ‘Metro Maps of the World’ is a must. Covering in order of size and complexity, this hardback tome details the maps of light rail, underground and heavy rail systems. From the clean cut look of the 1970s New York Metro map to Henry Pick’s classic which spawned a bastard offspring of several imitators [the London Underground], this is a worthwhile Christmas gift for the transport geek.
As one of them myself, I have been the proud owner of Stewart J. Brown’s seminal book ‘Greater Manchester Transport’. This, for my money - and anybody elses money, is the definitive reference to all things SELNEC, Greater Manchester Transport, and latterly GM Buses (where the book ends). This book chronicles all aspects of their achievements, the mess caused by bus deregulation, and even the construction of Tameside bus garage (1977 - 93). As you would expect, there is a comprehensive fleet list in the back of the book.
From one book which should be in the hands of all bus users in Greater Manchester, to one which should be in every home. From an early age, this book had been my equivalent of the ‘killer app’, and has enabled me to tell odd individuals the fact that ‘Beat Surrender’ by The Jam was No. 1 this time in 1982.
Now published on an annual basis, the ‘British Hit Singles’ is always a worthwhile read, and the greatest weapon to settle any disputes as to whether F.R David did have a second single after ‘Words’ (it was ‘Music’ and it flopped dismally, by the way).
Second only to this was my trusty copy of the Non League Club Directory, which details almost every non league side from Stalybridge Celtic to Old Malvernians. However, the one thing Tony Williams’ tome does not include is the experience of watching non league football. This is what Mike Blackstone’s book ‘The Brown Sauce is Off’ does, and does so pretty well. The author, an exiled Exeter City fan living in Lancaster, spends the whole season going to different non-league grounds throughout the North West. Among the grounds covered include the Blocksages recreation ground (Dukinfield Town) and my own team’s ground at Bower Fold. His journey sees the author writing about the ground facilities and the state of the pies.
My penultimate book, also set in the County Palatine of Lancaster is a seminal reference to the Manchester music scene before (as well as during and after) Factory Records took over the world with New Order, Joy Division and A Certain Ratio. There is also reference to Bob Dylan’s all electric gig, and the author’s involvement with Music Force and Rabid Records (the first indies to make inroads in the Manchester music scene). The author of this book, C.P. Lee, was a member of pre-punk/pub rock band ‘Albertos Y Trios Paranoias’ and his attention to detail in this book is exceptional.
The final book for this round up has been reprinted, following the success of Anton Corbijn’s film ‘Control’. The book, ‘Touching from a Distance’ by Deborah Curtis is a harrowing yet gripping tale of Ian Curtis’ life, their marriage, and the formation of Joy Division.
There you have it. I can guarantee that all ten of these books are a great antidote to yawnsome soap opera storylines and the obligatory James Bond film. I know, because I have read them.
S.V., 13 December 2007
