I’ve been reading

From The Poke.

Everyone else is writing a crime novel so why shouldn’t Paul Litterick? Parental advisory: may contain phenomenology.

Matt Nolan on that “top 1%” concept with actual NZ-relevant stats.

When River Phoenix died in 1993 my friend James said, “That is so tragic. Now he will never get to sleep with me.” At last I know how he felt. Molly Ball in the Atlantic advises that the Hermanator has been terminated so now I will never get to use the word “hermaneutics” in a sentence. Same thing, really.

A story about the demise of Borders and how indie booksellers in Nashville are benefiting. Vultures!

Karl du Fresne on political journalists. Money quote:

When Garner announces “This issue isn’t going away”, under the guise of making an objective statement about the political controversy du jour (such as the Café Urban furore), he does so with the certainty of a man who will make damned sure it doesn’t go away.

A good local stats blog new to me here. It looks to be in the spirit of the Stratford Theory of Numbers and well worth checking in with regularly. Especially if you are a journalist.

Entertaining smackdown of this Labour press release by David Farrar. Well, he would, wouldn’t he, but the numbers tell the story. 

A fantastic competition from Booksellers NZ. Free books. All you have to do is take a photo. I’m going to.

The Financial Times emails:

What does Chris Patten think of Deng Xiaoping, or Stephen Fry of Lady Gaga? Why is Istanbul the FT readers’ favourite city? What do Bear Grylls and Gary Shteyngart dream of doing on holiday. And where can you have lunch with Angelina Jolie, Roger Waters or a Shaolin abbot?

FT Life & Arts is the place to find out. A brilliantly edited mix of features, reviews and interviews updated every weekend, featuring the FT’s finest writers, it brings together the best in arts criticism, book reviews and photography.

Regular columnists include award-winning names such as Gillian Tett, Susie Boyt and Simon Kuper, as well as the extraordinary advice of Agony Uncle Sir David Tang

Talk about a mixed message. David Tang is a delightful fellow – he was at my friend Clara’s 40th in Shek O (at the second house down here) – but I have no interest in Lady Gaga and (SHOUTS!) do not wish ever to hear any more of Stephen Fry. And lunch with Roger Waters does not appeal: talk about monsters of rock. If ever I saw him in the street I’d run like hell.

Cue the Waters-less incarnation of Pink Floyd. It’s not one of their better songs but at least they had a decent bass player in Guy Pratt (whose memoir My Bass and Other Animals is very funny):

Oh yes, there is a referendum on Saturday about our voting system. Official information here.