A.A. Gill is probably the most read columnist in Britain. Every weekend he entertains readers of the Sunday Times with his biting observations on television and his unsparing, deeply knowledgeable restaurant reviews. Even those who want to hate him agree: A. A. Gill is hopelessly, painfully funny. He is one of a tiny band of must-read journalists and it is always a disappointment when the words 'A. A. Gill is Away' appear at the foot of his column. This second book is a further collection of those absences; 22 travel pieces and essays on other subjects that belie his reputation as a mere style journalist and master of vitriol. This is writing of the highest quality and ambition.
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Gill manages to be entertaining and evocative in a way that puts supposedly literary writers to shame (HERALD )
Book Description
The second collection of travel writing (and other essays) by Britain's funniest and most feared critic.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I first encountered A.A. Gill through his restaurant reviews in the Sunday Times, where he came across as a somewhat more cerebral alternative to the entertainingly bumptious Michael Winner. He seemed to be a good writer (he once used the adjective "insistent" in his description of a sauce, which I thought a deft touch), so I was pleased to be able to pick up this collection of essays in a remaindered bookshop a few weeks ago.
It's a nice set which ranges over a variety of topics in the "here" section, and some good travel pieces filed under "there". They're all easy to read, although sometimes their brevity leaves you wanting more (I thought his essays on Las Vegas and Haiti very good). And I still think he's a good stylist (though I wouldn't rate him, as one reviewer claims, one of the "best in Britain"). In particular, his description (p192) of a capable game ranger as "a man who can handle a hysterical couple from Dundee and a surprised hippo", had me smiling broadly.
It's a nice set which ranges over a variety of topics in the "here" section, and some good travel pieces filed under "there". They're all easy to read, although sometimes their brevity leaves you wanting more (I thought his essays on Las Vegas and Haiti very good). And I still think he's a good stylist (though I wouldn't rate him, as one reviewer claims, one of the "best in Britain"). In particular, his description (p192) of a capable game ranger as "a man who can handle a hysterical couple from Dundee and a surprised hippo", had me smiling broadly.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By William Burn
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
This is a collection of articles and essays by A.A. Gill from a period of about 20 years, covering everything from the Glastonbury festival, to beetles, to modern Haiti. They are, by and large, fairly short piecees, and many are very funny, so they make for entertaining little bursts of reading.
It is not, however, a book which I can enjoy reading for any length of time, and that can be put down to a number of reasons. It must be admitted, I accept, that Gill is an excellent prose stylist, but there is at times a slight glibness about the writing that suggests deep and meaningful insights, but they are never really developed or rewarded. The description is frequently masterful: Gill's evocation of the appalling squalor of Haiti is striking, but it often ends there. But these merits cannot carry the book as a whole.
For this book can never really be successful as a book, simply because of its origins. These are journalistic pieces, and must perforce lack the thoroughness and rigour of more literary writing, regardless of the panache of the prose. When Gill writes about his father's dementia (in what is a touching and thoughtful piece), the reader is offered no more than a brief vignette, with no more than a passing gesture towards the wider issues which the article raises.
So, a recommendation? For holiday reading, or to take on the train, this is a very good book. As a book itself, it is frustrating.
It is not, however, a book which I can enjoy reading for any length of time, and that can be put down to a number of reasons. It must be admitted, I accept, that Gill is an excellent prose stylist, but there is at times a slight glibness about the writing that suggests deep and meaningful insights, but they are never really developed or rewarded. The description is frequently masterful: Gill's evocation of the appalling squalor of Haiti is striking, but it often ends there. But these merits cannot carry the book as a whole.
For this book can never really be successful as a book, simply because of its origins. These are journalistic pieces, and must perforce lack the thoroughness and rigour of more literary writing, regardless of the panache of the prose. When Gill writes about his father's dementia (in what is a touching and thoughtful piece), the reader is offered no more than a brief vignette, with no more than a passing gesture towards the wider issues which the article raises.
So, a recommendation? For holiday reading, or to take on the train, this is a very good book. As a book itself, it is frustrating.
By derek
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
My brother put me onto this book . It is a very interesting and perceptive read. A A Gill's usage of the English language is as good as it gets.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Same old stuff
It's been said that if you've read one Gill article you've read them all...well the same holds true for his books it seems. Read more
Published on 29 Jan 2008 by Olympus Trip
5.0 out of 5 stars
Savagely and seriously entertaining
If you haven't read A A Gill do try him. He's a mate of Jeremy Clarkson and it shows in a number of the pieces here. Read more
Published on 6 Dec 2007 by Hywel James
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