No One Round Here Reads Tolstoy (2022) by Mark Hodkinson
May 25, 2022 14:41:26 GMT
jsm, stu77, and 1 more like this
Post by Lord Emsworth on May 25, 2022 14:41:26 GMT
No One Round Here Reads Tolstoy (2022) is a tremendous book. A gem
Part autobiography, part confessions of a book addict, part social history, and part recent publishing trends.
I was already a fan of Mark Hodkinson, having loved his novel The Last Mad Surge Of Youth (2009). Off the back of that I bought a few more of his books but have yet to read them yet. This is something Mark could readily identify with as he now realises he owns more unread books than time left in his life to read them.
No One Round Here Reads Tolstoy (2022) is initially concerned with Mark’s childhood in the mid 1970s. Educated in a brutal comprehensive school where any sign of braininess had to be carefully concealed. No one in his family read books (excepting the one book in the house, Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain) and so it was a surprise when he became obsessively drawn to books. This is the starting point for a wonderful tale which embraces lots of inspirational and classic books, punk rock, Mark’s career, how he started his own publishing house Ponoma, the books he has written, journalism, and which ends with his musing on 21st century reading and publishing trends.
No One Round Here Reads Tolstoy (2022)....
Mark Hodkinson grew up among dark satanic mills in a house with just one book: Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain. His dad kept it on top of a wardrobe with other items of great worth - wedding photographs and Mark's National Cycling Proficiency certificate. If Mark wanted to read it, he was warned not to crease the pages or slam shut the covers.
Fast forward to today, and Mark still lives in Rochdale snugly ensconced (or is that buried?) in a 'book cave' surrounded by 3,500 titles - at the last count. He is an author, journalist and publisher.
So this is his story of growing up a working-class lad during the 1970s and 1980s. It's about schools (bad), music (good) and the people (some mad, a few sane), and pre-eminently and profoundly the books and authors (some bad, mostly good) that led the way, shaped a life. If only coincidentally, it relates how writing and reading has changed, as the Manor House novel gave way to the kitchen sink drama and working-class writers found the spotlight (if only briefly).
Mark also writes movingly about his troubled grandad who, much the same as books, taught him to wander, and wonder.
Part autobiography, part confessions of a book addict, part social history, and part recent publishing trends.
I was already a fan of Mark Hodkinson, having loved his novel The Last Mad Surge Of Youth (2009). Off the back of that I bought a few more of his books but have yet to read them yet. This is something Mark could readily identify with as he now realises he owns more unread books than time left in his life to read them.
No One Round Here Reads Tolstoy (2022) is initially concerned with Mark’s childhood in the mid 1970s. Educated in a brutal comprehensive school where any sign of braininess had to be carefully concealed. No one in his family read books (excepting the one book in the house, Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain) and so it was a surprise when he became obsessively drawn to books. This is the starting point for a wonderful tale which embraces lots of inspirational and classic books, punk rock, Mark’s career, how he started his own publishing house Ponoma, the books he has written, journalism, and which ends with his musing on 21st century reading and publishing trends.
No One Round Here Reads Tolstoy (2022)....
Mark Hodkinson grew up among dark satanic mills in a house with just one book: Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain. His dad kept it on top of a wardrobe with other items of great worth - wedding photographs and Mark's National Cycling Proficiency certificate. If Mark wanted to read it, he was warned not to crease the pages or slam shut the covers.
Fast forward to today, and Mark still lives in Rochdale snugly ensconced (or is that buried?) in a 'book cave' surrounded by 3,500 titles - at the last count. He is an author, journalist and publisher.
So this is his story of growing up a working-class lad during the 1970s and 1980s. It's about schools (bad), music (good) and the people (some mad, a few sane), and pre-eminently and profoundly the books and authors (some bad, mostly good) that led the way, shaped a life. If only coincidentally, it relates how writing and reading has changed, as the Manor House novel gave way to the kitchen sink drama and working-class writers found the spotlight (if only briefly).
Mark also writes movingly about his troubled grandad who, much the same as books, taught him to wander, and wonder.
