Reading Matters

It's not that Contemporary and Modernist American poetry isn't sufficiently challenging. But, like so many Scots at the moment, I am in a frenzy of reading, having realised that knowledge, if not power, is at least ammunition, and that I have some huge areas of ignorance on current issues.! If I want to ask awkward or at least provocative questions of people who may genuinely have the answers , I need some basics.

And it works. Yesterday I heard Professor Paul Younger talking (reassuringly) about fracking on Radio Scotland. Emailed him with questions; got a lovely reply with masses of information. Doesn't mean I have to believe everything he says (and there's Greenpeace info by the ton to balance it!) but I least I am learning.

Today the lovely Sunday Herald, with the brilliant Ian Bell to the fore, has helped me become more informed of the realities of poverty in Scotland with particular reference to Mr Osborne's latest plans. If I thought I could read the Telegraph without choking, I might seek some balance but do I need to think which angle I'll prefer?

All this on top of TTIP (War on Want's excellent booklet - must find some balance for that. I mean there's sure to be an up side to global corporatism's secret meetings, eh?)

Fortunately, I have the second Cormoran Strike story as light relief!