Loach on Loach: Updated edition by Graham Fuller

Since its original 1998 publication, Loach on Loach has been updated to reflect the director's extensive work, including fourteen feature films like The Wind That Shakes the Barley and the North East trilogy. These films mark a period of stylistic assurance and deep compassion, shaped by Loach's collaboration with screenwriter Paul Laverty and producer Rebecca O'Brien, continuing his critique of ruling-class oppression and the exploitation of ordinary people. Through a series of lively conversations, Ken Loach offers detailed insights into the making of these humanistic films and shares his thoughtful commentary on British politics from the Thatcher era to the rise of Keir Starmer. This book not only traces the evolution of Loach's cinematic style but also underscores his unwavering dedication to portraying social realities and political struggles.

Reviews

imusic.co · Unknown · 2025-09-20

intriguing 3.50

The review discusses Jamaica Kincaid's novel 'See Now Then,' which delves into a messy divorce with characters resembling the author and her ex-husband, Allen Shawn. The novel is seen as a raw and unflinching exploration of marital breakdown, though the author denies strong autobiographical elements.

Jamaica Kincaid's 'See Now Then' is a novel that explores the complexities of a failing marriage, with characters that bear a striking resemblance to Kincaid and her former husband, Allen Shawn. The book is described as a deeply personal and unflinching look at the dissolution of a relationship, filled with raw emotion and introspection. While Kincaid has denied that the novel is strongly autobiographical, the parallels are hard to ignore. The novel's adverb-heavy title is noted for its similarity to Lillian Ross's memoir about her affair with William Shawn, adding an interesting layer to the discussion. The review suggests that the novel is a powerful exploration of marital breakdown, though it may leave some readers wanting more in terms of narrative structure and clarity.

Quick quotes

The adverb-heavy titles of the Ross and Kincaid volumes are weirdly similar.

Now comes Jamaica Kincaid with 'See Now Then,' her first novel in 10 years, about an ugly divorce in which the main characters bear a striking resemblance to Ms. Kincaid and to her former husband, Allen Shawn.

She outed this famously private man, while his wife was still living, as an enthusiast for pornography who 'longed for the earthiest and wildest kinds of sexual adventures,' among many other things.

ebay.co.uk · Unknown · 2025-09-20

unsettling 3.50

See Now Then is a beautifully written but unsettling novel that chronicles the dissolution of a marriage between two artists. The stream-of-consciousness style and poetic prose make it a compelling read, despite the harsh and unbalanced portrayal of the characters.

See Now Then by Jamaica Kincaid is a novel that stands out for its poetic beauty and raw emotional intensity. The story revolves around the crumbling marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Sweet, two artists living in rural Vermont. The narrative is told in a stream-of-consciousness style, with long, repetitive sentences that create a hypnotic rhythm. While the writing is exquisite, the characters are starkly contrasted: Mr. Sweet is depicted as a deeply unsympathetic figure, harboring intense hatred for his wife and son, while Mrs. Sweet is portrayed as a saintly, loving mother. This imbalance makes it difficult to fully suspend disbelief. However, the power of Kincaid's prose is undeniable, making See Now Then a memorable, if flawed, reading experience. The novel's exploration of marital strife and artistic passion is both poignant and unsettling, leaving a lasting impression despite its shortcomings.

Quick quotes

one of the most beautiful nasty novels I have ever read.

The Sweets have two children. Their daughter, Persephone, was born in Manhattan, and Mr. Sweet loves Persephone from the moment he sees her.

The rhythm Kincaid establishes with these sentences makes it difficult to stop reading once you’ve begun.

tgjonesonline.co.uk · Unknown · 2025-08-14

mixed 3.50

The reviewer found the book beautifully wrought and evocative, exploring the complexities of marriage and family with a unique talent for seeing beyond the surface. However, they felt the book became overly long and unnecessarily wordy, making it challenging to fully appreciate.

The reviewer appreciated the novel's examination of marriage and family, finding it beautifully wrought and evocative. They admired Jamaica Kincaid's ability to see beyond the surface and create a world that is both familiar and startling. The reviewer noted the book's attempt to blur the lines between past, present, and future, creating a nonlinear narrative that is both challenging and intriguing. However, they felt that the book became overly long and unnecessarily wordy, making it difficult to fully appreciate the depth of the story. The reviewer also mentioned that while the book had moments of beauty and emotional resonance, it ultimately felt like an experiment that did not fully succeed in justifying its length and complexity.

Quick quotes

The book is a volcano spewing metaphors, metaphors that connect all things, connect Homer and Heracles, connect the mind's eye and the Paleozoic, but also metaphors that destroy things, that destroy trees and houses in their path, that destroy credibility.

it was TMI, it was crossing a boundary, and there was a compulsion to continue even so, although at the time, when this reviewer began the book, the book seemed fresh and challenging, but later toward the end of the book, then and from then on, it seemed overly long and unnecessarily wordy, it became this sentence;

and it was quite beautiful and sometimes this reviewer shed tears while reading although not enough to water the shrub of genus Forsythia in the yard behind the house of this reviewer

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