His entry begins:Whatever happened to one book at a time? I ask myself this question constantly as over the years I have moved from near monogamy to outrageous promiscuity in my reading habits. Ridiculously large towers of books sit by my desk and by my side of the bed, all in some sense ‘on the go’. That said, having dipped into new books – which I am acquiring constantly - I tend to put them aside and only return to them intensely later. And, mercifully for this entry, the list of books in that latter stage at this moment is much briefer.About The House of Journalists, from the publisher:
John Maynard Keynes, Vol. 3: Fighting for Freedom, 1937-1946 - by Robert Skidelsky
I’m only fifty or so pages into this third and final volume of Skidelsky’s monumental biography of Keynes, having greatly enjoyed the previous two volumes. Fighting for Freedom was published in 2001 at a time when Keynes could hardly have been more out of fashion: neo-liberal market capitalism was at its Fukuyamian zenith, not least among the mainstream Left. Then came the financial crash and with it renewed interest in Keynesianism. Indeed...[read on]
Welcome to the House of Journalists. Who are you and what is your story?Visit Tim Finch's Twitter perch, and learn more about The House of Journalists.
These are the questions that confront newcomers to the House of Journalists, the internationally renowned refuge for writers in exile at the center of this haunting Orwellian novel. Home to a select group of fellows, the House is located in a fashionable London terrace. But just how stable is this hallowed institution? Julian Snowman, the obsessive founder and chair, sees the threat of dissolution at every turn. Perhaps this explains why petty rules and restrictions abide: men live in one wing, women in the other; smoking is restricted to the central courtyard; tea is optional, but everyone attends.
As the fellows strive to remake their lives, they are urged to share their tales. Epic and intimate by turns, these stories—of courage, tragedy, and shame—become a mesmerizing chorus of voices in search of home. Among the fellows are Mustapha, who yearns for thefamily he tore himself from when he resisted a coup; Agnes, a photojournalist implicated in a brutal civil war; Sonny, a slight figure with don’t-mess-with-me hair, who describes a harrowing escape across continents; Edson, who perilously confides his story to his writing mentor; and Mr. Stan, who draws on the noxious cigarettes of his home island, despite having been tortured there.
Only one man manages to guard his past: the mysterious new fellow AA, whose secrecy ratchets up Julian’s paranoia. Julian suspects that AA is conspiring with a celebrated visiting writer to bring down the House. In fact, AA is planning something else entirely.
A world as beguiling as it is disturbing, Tim Finch’s The House of Journalists is a novel of heartbreak, humanity, and wit, and announces the arrival of a striking new voice in fiction.
Writers Read: Tim Finch.
--Marshal Zeringue
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