Author Archives: Charles Lambert

Thought for the day (not necessarily part of a series)

Today’s thought comes from the collection of Georges Perec’s occasional writings, Species of Spaces and Other Pieces (beautifully translated by John Sturrock). It’s part three of a short piece called The Countryside. Nostalgic (and false) alternative To put down roots, … Continue reading

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Animal sense

And when you’ve finished considering the dolphin, consider this.

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Hot

One of the great pleasures of sitting at a computer for hours on end pretending to edit reports about food security in the Philippines is that you can nip over to Marie Phillips’ blog every now and again. It’s a … Continue reading

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Disease is not mass

If you have a scrap of rationality and the merest modicum of scientific knowledge, here’s a video which will make you laugh until you weep. You just have to get to it before the lawyers pull it down. Thank you, … Continue reading

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When you despair…

…of people, consider the dolphin.

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Scum rising to the top

Last night’s edition of Anno Zero talked about Fondi, the town I’ve lived in for the past eight years. Anno Zero is one of the programmes Berlusconi accuses of being fazioso, a holdall term that roughly translates as not being … Continue reading

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Asswipe party

See these people? See how happy they are? They’re down on their knees, clutching their hands together in prayer, waving their mass-produced, church-funded banners! They’re ecstatic with religious fervour! They’ve won their apocalyptic battle! They’ve beaten off the evil perverted … Continue reading

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Strange fruit

Two items in today’s newspapers here that throw an oblique light on each other and on Italian society as a whole. The first is about the decision of the Ku Klux Klan to conduct a recruitment campaign in Italy on … Continue reading

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IMPAC

I’ve just discovered that Little Monsters (still available from all good booksellers) has found its way onto the long list of the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. It’s a very long list indeed, but it’s still a pleasure to have … Continue reading

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Masai root juice

If you need help with problems regarding your love life, business activities, personal enemies and sexual equipment (and, let’s face it, who doesn’t?), happen to live in or near Johannesburg and have a spare nine euros in your pocket, this … Continue reading

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