http://www.kerraway.com ...in which an editor escapes from his day job Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:18:04 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The Prince of Wales’s recent comments on GM food reopened the debate over whether he is fit to be king. But what else is he fit for? Paul Theroux has a suggestion. In his new book, Ghost Train to the Eastern Star, he reports an encounter he had in India ... http://www.kerraway.com/2008/08/29/the-prince-of-travel-writing/ Looking for an authoritative and frank guide to Barcelona? I’d recommend Pepe Carvalho, a former cop, former Marxist and constant gourmet. You can find him in the crime fiction of Manuel Vázquez Montalbán, the Catalan journalist and novelist. That enterprising publisher Serpent’s Tail is issuing this month, for the first ... http://www.kerraway.com/2008/08/04/pepe-carvalhos-barcelona/ The New York Times is time-travelling, Going Down the Road, revisiting states and landmarks covered by the American Guide Series of books, produced between 1935 and 1943 by the Federal Writers Project. Thousands of writers – including Studs Terkel, Saul Bellow and Nelson Algren – were sent out to pen ... http://www.kerraway.com/2008/07/24/revisiting-thirties-america/ In an age when newspapers are folding or turning into multimedia “content” providers, there can’t be much of a future as a paperboy.  Unless, of course you’re Eli “Paperboy” Reed, who with his band the True Loves played support to James Hunter at the Arts Theatre in Covent Garden last ... http://www.kerraway.com/2008/07/22/eli-reed-%e2%80%93-a-paperboy-wholl-prosper/ At an editorial meeting this afternoon, one of my colleagues, for a reason I can’t remember, had us reeling off names of the greatest lyricists in rock. Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman all got mentions. But what of the younger ones? What of Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys, ... http://www.kerraway.com/2008/07/15/arctic-monkeys-way-with-words/ The New York Times asked several writers this week to reflect on the consequences of “really expensive” (ie, by British standards, still cheap) fuel. Michael Paterniti waved goodbye and, in his view, good riddance to the great American road trip. Of course he’s already had his fun. He’s the author ... http://www.kerraway.com/2008/07/02/end-of-the-road-trip/ Returning today from a memorial service for my old colleague Peter Wilsher, I read in the order of service this tribute to him from Peter Pringle, who was one of his correspondents: "For me, Peter was one of the last great foreign editors of Fleet Street, always fascinated by stories not ... http://www.kerraway.com/2008/07/02/the-stories-not-being-told/ That Springsteen goalscorer's slide I mentioned in an earlier posting -- here is it is on YouTube:   http://www.kerraway.com/2008/06/26/158/ My colleague Paul Mansfield, reviewing a new book about the States (Divine Magnetic Lands by Timothy O’Grady) finds evidence within it that American society is not as litigious as we think, and that Americans sue each other no more than they did 30 years ago. Maybe, but American lawyers do put ... http://www.kerraway.com/2008/06/23/a-lawyers-guide-to-jogging/ “So, who was good?” I was asked on coming back into the office after reviewing the Isle of Wight Festival for the Telegraph. Iggy Pop, I answered immediately. I own one Stooges album, Raw Power, which hasn’t had a lot of play and probably won't get much more. In terms ... http://www.kerraway.com/2008/06/18/iggy-in-the-isle-of-wight/