Glimpses
Lewis Shiners book begins with a part of the Beatles history, because in a book where music is a part of the engine, that seems to be a rather good place to start. Ray Shackleford one day dreams of music that never were, about the recordings that should have been, but where something went wrong. The first thing he dreamt were of a tune by the Beatles, and he is in a state of shock.
The tale Shiner tells in compelling, even though I myself never really have had a good grasp of the 60ies music scene. I don't particulary care for the Beach Boys, but Shiner pulls it off. He drags me in and make them into something else, something intriguing. It is always on the border of reality, this is really how it could have been if just something had interferred. He manages, somehow, to make it believeble in a way few other books have done lately. Glimpses is a page turner all the way through, there is something in Ray that makes me care about his actions. About what he does, and most important of all, I want to find out more about the songs and records that could have been.
The only thing that saddened me is that some bands and artists mentioned never were dealt with, and those that were got far to little time. This is one of the few times I'll say this, but, it could have been longer.
Tuesday, 22 January 2002. 11:55
Fantasy 
notes in the margin (1)