Category Archives: writing

Jonathan Williams

Posted on March 31, 2008 by Charles Lambert

I first met Jonathan Williams when he came to Cambridge to read for Blue Room, a poetry society founded by John Wilkinson and run by John, his old school-friend Charlie Bulbeck and the more recently co-opted me. I had the … Continue reading →

Posted in charlie bulbeck, death, gay, john wilkinson, jonathan williams, writing | 5 Comments

Boxes, texts

Posted on January 11, 2008 by Charles Lambert

I wonder how many writers would rather have been visual artists. We know that Frank O’Hara would (see “Why I would rather be a painter than a poet”), but I’m sure he’s not alone. The idea of working a field … Continue reading →

Posted in art, dh lawrence, frank o'hara, writing | 2 Comments

Edward St Aubyn: On the Edge

Posted on January 9, 2008 by Charles Lambert

Much as I admire the Some Hope trilogy and its sequel Mother’s Milk, this novel, written between the two, is an odd – and to my mind unsuccessful – book. It’s concerned with the adventures of a group of people … Continue reading →

Posted in crank, review, writing | 2 Comments

Icons

Posted on January 8, 2008 by Charles Lambert

I was reading a review in a recent London Review of Books (Vol 29, No 23) of a book called No Caption Needed: Iconic Photographs, Public Culture and Liberal Democracy, by Robert Hariman and John Louis Lacaites. The book, as … Continue reading →

Posted in holocaust, perec, photography, sebald, writing | 2 Comments

Starving Makes it Fat

Posted on December 19, 2007 by Charles Lambert

If you’re feeling peckish for something throught-provoking and slightly creepy, try Kay Sexton’s fabulous new story on East of the Web. It’s called Starving Makes it Fat and it’s a cracker (a high-fibre, low-fat cracker, naturally).

Posted in east of the web, kay sexton, writing | 2 Comments

Books of the year

Posted on December 11, 2007 by Charles Lambert

Picador asked me to write something about the books I’ve most enjoyed this year. I did. You can read it here.

Posted in picador, review, writing | Leave a comment

The Almost Corner Bookshop

Posted on December 10, 2007 by Charles Lambert

Once upon a time there was a bookshop in Rome called the Corner Bookshop. It still exists, but it’s moved slightly up from the river – wisely, as climatic things go – and is now the Almost Corner Bookshop. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in bookshops, little monsters, rome, writing | Leave a comment

Warwick Collins: Gents

Posted on November 15, 2007 by Charles Lambert

Cottaging – the use of public lavatories for fugitive sexual encounters – can be thrilling, titillating, dangerous, delusory, exquisite, sordid, debasing, indescribably erotic, and all these things at once. I should know. I spent a brief summer over thirty years … Continue reading →

Posted in gay, gents, race, review, warwick collins | 3 Comments

Squabbling over kippers

Posted on November 15, 2007 by Charles Lambert

Finally, a story that combines great literature, down-and-dirty sex with minors, gratuitous violence and, er, cultural heritage issues. The house in London in which Paul Verlaine and Arthur Rimbaud loved, wrote and fought over smoked fish has been saved from … Continue reading →

Posted in london, paris, poem, rimbaud, verlaine | Leave a comment

Out of strength comes forth, er, strength

Posted on November 15, 2007 by Charles Lambert

Grr! I don’t know what else to say. Thanks to the generosity and impeccable taste of Ms Baroque, I’ve received the award A Roar for Powerful Words, initiated by The Shameless Lions Writing Circle in recognition of powerful writing. Naturally, … Continue reading →

Posted in prize, writing | 4 Comments