I remember once skating in South Woodford Sainsbury’s carpark with the Robinson brothers when we were about 14 when these 2 little chavs started firing an air pistol at us. John promptly disarms him and chucks the gun onto the Sainsburys roof. Chavs ran off threatening to get big brothers etc.
About 10 mins later the big brothers turn up and want to fight. John said ‘There’s absolutely no point us fighting you, you’ll kill us’. This surrender completely swerveballed the chavs big brothers, they had absolutely no idea what to do. There was clearly no point in fighting as we already said they’d win. So they just walked off.
It was brilliant. Whenever I find myself in situations like that I do exactly the same thing. completely confuses knuckleheads.
Iain Borden also writes book about the hidden side of architecture - how things designed for one function by architects and town planners end up getting used for something completely different by skaters and others.
I read/audiobook’d Anthony Bourdain’s kitchen confidential last week and it was fantastic. What a story and life he had especially the way he writes it . Such a natural writer and no wonder it was a best seller .
Very inspiring too , the dedication needed in that industry is nuts . Makes me appreciate my work even more .
Yeah I’ve got that, a great read. From my experience chefs are often massively over worked, alcoholic / coke enthusiasts with borderline sex addiction. Goes with the job
It also goes to explain his turbulent mental health too. Such a shame about his death , but he did leave us with many amazing tv series documenting more than just food of the world that’s been done to death but the people and political landscapes . So good.
And he wasn’t afraid to get smashed and think out aloud .
I’ve watched nearly all his programmes, he was such a good presenter and well informed about the countries he’s in, which is sadly quite rare for an American (see the Nine Club) and an unapologetic Socialist which is even rarer.
I’m enjoying Grayson Perrys Descent of Man, (looking at toxic masculinity) at least partially because of how angry neckbeard incels get about books like this even existing. But also because as the target group for the book (white, middle aged, middle class, male) it points out all the stuff you might miss by being in that demographic.
Just rewound this thread to the start as I’m looking for ideas on what to read next.
This one wins - cheers Snurp.
I’m about to finish (second read) Humans by Matt Haig
In a nutshell… A mathematician discovers the secret of prime numbers that will unlock mysteries of the universe and an alien race doesn’t believe humans are ready for this power so send one to earth to erase him and all traces of his discovery.
Read it last week - enjoyed it, quite whimsical which I guess is the style
Ideally would have liked more car park detail - concrete composition, construction data, bustiest / quietest etc but maybe I’ll do that book when I retire
Those Peter James books are my wife’s guilty reading pleasure. I’ve not read any but I have met him and he’s a prize tit. I might give one a go though now that I’ve seen your take on it.
It’s so Partridge. There’s so many highlights i wish i underlined them now.
There’s a bit in the Partidge book where he describes his idea for a regional detective and I wonder if they were taking the piss out of this character…
