Spin-Off Archives - DaneCobain.com

Title: Talking Heads

Author: Alan Bennett

Type: Fiction

Page Count: 272

Rating: 3.5/5

I was pretty excited when I spotted this going cheap in a charity shop because I’ve read and enjoyed quite a few Alan Bennett books and this is one of his most well-known. I also know that it’s a huge influence on fellow writer and BookTuber Charlie Heathcote, and indeed his Our Doris series is also a series of monologues.

But dare I say it? I think Charlie’s book is better. It certainly made me laugh more, and while the two obviously have a lot in common, I think Charlie leaned more towards writing a good book while Bennett leaned towards writing a good monologue for TV/radio. It’s a subtle distinction, but it just meant that for me, I felt as though I was missing something.

I think that this book is probably better suited to people who are already Talking Heads fans. That’s kind of what it feels like, a sort of spin-off from a TV show. It reminds me of the A Bit of Fry and Laurie book, which was basically just the scripts from the show. It was okay, but seeing them actually performed was better.

I am still glad I read this though, and Bennett as always raises some interesting points and discussion subjects. It just wasn’t quite on the same level as The Lady in the Van, The Uncommon Reader and some of his others. I felt like that about The History Boys too, so maybe it’s just a case of the books sometimes being overtaken by their hype.

Learn more about Talking Heads.

If you liked this, you might also like:

Alan Bennett – Kafka’s Dick [REVIEW]

Alan Bennett – The Wind in the Willows [REVIEW]

Alan Bennett – Office Suite [REVIEW]

Philip Lymbery – Farmageddon in Pictures | Review

Title: Farmageddon in Pictures

Author: Philip Lymbery

Type: Non-Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 192

Rating: 4*/5

Philip Lymbery – Farmageddon in Pictures

Farmageddon in Pictures is effectively a spin-off version of Lymbery’s earlier Farmageddon, which I’ve already reviewed elsewhere on the site. I’ve been reading books about factory farming for a new novel that I’m working on, and this one has been invaluable for research because it includes images and infographics that help to put factory farming into perspective.

Interestingly, this version of Farmageddon is much easier to read if you just want a general overview, and the images and easy-to-read layout make sure that you whizz through it. It’s basically a redacted version of the main book, and so if you’ve already read that then you won’t find anything new here, but it’s an important subject and so it’s a good idea to read it twice.

Overall, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to anyone, whether you eat meat or whether you don’t. Be warned, though – it will change your perspective on how food is created and how it makes its way into your mouth. Definitely has a place on everyone’s bookshelves.