#CastawayCollection Books 9.

Sticking to books I currently own, time for some short stories - and JG Ballard was one of the best at writing these:

So I’ll go with The Complete Short Stories ( I only have volume 1 but will pick up volume 2 on the way to my boat!)

Another huge review for our debut album by RGM

rgm.press/we-review-the-…

#CastawayCollection 8.

Staying Alive is one of a series of poetry anthologies edited by Bloodaxe editor Neil Astley. I'm taking all of them, but for anyone looking at dipping into contemporary poetry I can't think of a better starting point.

#CastawayCollection Books 7.

I'm taking my VIP edition (one of only 25 no less!) of the official history of Portsmouth F(C) 🏆

I'm going to be bored on my castaway island, so this will give me the time to prepare for Mastermind & my specialist subject of Pompey centre backs 1898 - 1920

Off to see The Howlers album launch in Portsmouth tonight. Its being held in the StaggeringlyGoodBeer brewery...anyone else going I'll see you at the bar!

For anyone out there who for some reason hasn't heard of The Howlers...try this

I Need Your Love

open.spotify.com/track/1nyOHFB3…

Brilliant to receive this in the post today from SILVI ... now to find a CD player that I can listen to it on!

#CastawayCollection Books 4.

Contains one of my favourite poems, The Nightfishing.

I have the original first edition of his book of the same name, but I'll take his collected works to the Island instead.

New Collected Poems - W.S. Graham

#CastawayCollection Books 3.

My very well-read copy and a book I'd definitely take to my castaway island if only to remind myself of these two lines of poetry...

Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

New and Selected Poems - Mary Oliver

#DownUnderTop15 1. Crowded House

Thanks barry martin for hosting

I’ll go with Nails In My Feet as my final choice.

open.spotify.com/track/7FNqD0gR…

For various reasons I'm in bits after watching this.

If you are struggling reach out to some one. Please.

#DownUnderTop15 2. The Triffids

Hugely underrated Perth band. I see they've been picked a fair bit already, which is good to see.

I'll go with the opening track from Born Sandy Devotional.

The Seabirds

open.spotify.com/track/2ImCB7nr…

#CastawayCollection Books 2.

A near 200 page long (mainly) prose poem about the experiences of one soldier in WW1 interwoven with references to much earlier British history & myth.

Auden called it the greatest book about the First World War

In Parenthesis - David Jones

#CastawayCollection Books 1.

My first book choice needs no introduction

Slaughterhouse-5 - Kurt Vonnegut

#DownUnderTop15 3. The Go-Betweens

I blow the dust from your lips
and beg forgiveness
there's too much
moonlight on your skin

The Statue

youtube.com/watch?v=dwwAVD…

#CastawayCollection 10. Album

My last castaway album choice is by Professor Yaffle

I'm now imagining lying in a hammock on a tropical beach with a Pina Colada while listening to this (instead of being stuck in a windowless office!)

Sigh.

Let There Be Light - Professor Yaffle