Howard Jacobson wins the Man Booker Prize (and cheered me up)

I must admit that I haven't read any of his books beforehand but following his interview's on Radio 4 "The Today" this morning as winner and last week when he was featured as being on short list - I have ordered his book.

I don't think some of the things he says in his  newspaper column have always been very wise but he is genuinely very, very funny, self deprecating, and a "real" person (IMO).  There are so many cardboard nonentities around nowadays.  He cheered me up no end while running (very slowly) around Wanstead flats. 

The reviews of and readings of the book "The Finkler Question" have tickled my fancy even though it is a very dark but comic book. As he says - so are all the best novels.

Jimmy Reid: 'We don't only build ships. We build men'

I'm pretty sure that (nearly) all of us will forgive trade union leader, Jimmy Reid, who died this week aged 78, for the implicit sexism of the above wonderful comment.

I was hobbling along (dodgy Achilles heal) Wanstead flats on Thursday morning listening via headphones to "Today" on Radio 4 and was simply bowled over by this marvellous clip (only 3 minutes) of an interview with Jimmy from 2007.

Enjoy on playback here (not sure how long it will be available?).

Hat tip picture and a surprisingly interesting and even sympathetic story on Jimmy from the Torygraph.