I recently bought a book of essays by Clive James. I knew of his TV work and also that he was a poet, although I haven’t knowingly read any of his work. I say knowingly, because I was a great fan of Pete Atkin when he was a performer and the two of them wrote many songs together.
I didn’t realise however what a good prose writer he is. Whether writing about Orwell or Fellini or about personal experience – like learning to sing in his late 50s or meeting Princess Diana - he is always entertaining. He also displays a surprising (to me) depth of learning, something not evident in his persona as a TV presenter.
I’m not going to write an essay about a book of essays though – just go and read.
