TLS

I had been wondering whether the TLS would have a go at me when their computer noticed that the direct debit had been cancelled, and after a couple of months or so they did and I was phoned up by a young female person. I was an easy touch for 12 issues for £12 and the plan is that I will not get around to stopping the new direct debit. I suppose, that with a good computer system and direct debit, every little helps. Stopping and starting subscriptions is not the big deal it might have been in the olden days.

Now had my first issue after the interval, an issue which is not good enough to make me think that I will let the direct debit ride yet. But there was a review of interest for all that: 'The Mussel Feast' recently translated from the German of Birgit Vanderbeke and published here by Peirene, a publisher of whom I had not previously heard but good old Amazon knew all about them and the book was here in 24 hours or so.

They are to be found at http://www.peirenepress.com/ and do private & intimate literary suppers at http://www.thehospitalclub.com/. They also produce rather handsome, small & short paperbacks, if this one is anything to go by.

It takes the form of a monologue by the daughter of a professional couple in Germany, with a son as well as the daughter, on the occasion of the father not turning up for a family mussel feast organised for his return from a business trip. A father who is obsessed with his family being a proper family and doing proper family things, to the point where they all hate it. And they probably are all a bit wonky in consequence. But an entertaining read and it will be interesting to see what BH makes of it given her family background. According to the blurb, or perhaps the TLS review, it struck a real chord in its native Germany where is a set book for lots of older school children.

PS: I have noticed that even the Economist is into fairly aggressive loss leaders, so perhaps the periodical market is not in good shape and twits are ruling the waves.