Monthly Archives: November 2009

Punished for good behaviour

Posted on November 27, 2009 by Charles Lambert

If you’re in Rome on 5 December you might like to take part in No-Berlusconi Day, the product of a viral campaign to eject the Buffoon from power before he does any more damage. Don’t be put off (or encouraged?) … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, corruption, mafia, politics | Leave a comment

The Fiction Desk interview

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Charles Lambert

A couple of weeks ago I met up with Rob, the man behind one of the most interesting and wide-ranging literary blogs around, The Fiction Desk. We had an excellent lunch and talked about, among other things, writing, publishing strategies, … Continue reading →

Posted in any human face, interview, little monsters, picador, the scent of cinnamon, writing | Leave a comment

Charlotte Gainsbourg and Beck: Heaven can Wait

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Charles Lambert
Posted in beckmann, music | 1 Comment

Partial but clear-sighted vision

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Charles Lambert
Posted in USA, william burroughs | Leave a comment

Another day, another thought

Posted on November 23, 2009 by Charles Lambert

Today’s thought comes from The Waste Books, by Georg Christoph Lichtenberg: It is a question whether, when we break a murderer on the wheel, we do not fall into the error a child makes when it hits the chair it … Continue reading →

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A dark, fast-paced story…

Posted on November 22, 2009 by Charles Lambert

Amazon has just posted the cover of my next novel, published by Picador in May 2010, which makes it feel oddly official. Here it is. You can pre-order from the big boys here and from Book Depository, at a lower … Continue reading →

Posted in any human face | 4 Comments

Button up

Posted on November 21, 2009 by Charles Lambert

The France Soir correspondent in Rome, Ariel Dumont, has just been sacked for being anti-Berlusconian. This isn’t what the paper says, of course. The editor talks about the need to rationalise its overseas representation for reasons of budget and denies … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, france, freedom of speech, journalism, putin, russia | 2 Comments

Not very well known people in important places

Posted on November 20, 2009 by Charles Lambert

A lovely piece of self-fulfilling reporting yesterday on RAI One’s evening news. They were talking about the appointments made by the EU for president and foreign minister. After telling us that neither Tony Blair nor the Italian candidate for foreign … Continue reading →

Posted in europe, politics, power | Leave a comment

Bingo bongo

Posted on November 19, 2009 by Charles Lambert

People in Britain are right to be worried about the BNP, but even Griffin and his mean-spirited cronies might think twice before imitating the Northern League council of Colacchio*, a small town near Brescia. As part of their Yuletide festivities … Continue reading →

Posted in italy, racism | 4 Comments

Sticks, stones, words, lawyers

Posted on November 15, 2009 by Charles Lambert

That Berlusconi and his associates don’t trust certain magistrates hardly needs repeating. But it’s odd how much faith they put in the due process of law when they’re trying to shut up someone inconvenient. SB’s already brought cases against newspapers … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, freedom of speech, italy | Leave a comment