WRS | Speed Read: Jesus and other gurus

Top picks on Radio World Switzerland from the Guru. matt on books:

WRS | Speed Read: Jesus and other gurus

Sleeping man,
On my sofa,
Do I wake him?
Do I leave him?
Do I take a heavy book,
Draw back,
And cleave him?

Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi

Maybe you know what it is like. You are going away for a few days and pack a selection of books that you feel will match your holiday mood. Arriving at your destination, you pick a book almost at random from someone else's bookcase and totally fall for it. Such is my relationship with 'Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi'.

I can't help thinking that in Geoff Dyer I have at last found the authentic voice for people who grew up in England in the late 80's and early 90's. Douglas Coupland got closest with his books, starting with Generation X. However, I am slightly too young to be truly a part of this era and his books are set in North America.

'Jeff in Venice' evokes for me many memories of being young and monied in London. As a result I have, somewhat rashly, ordered all his other books for the shop. I can't wait to get, 'Yoga For People Who Can't Be Bothered To Do It'. I think in my position you'd do the same.