I stayed over at a rooming house in Hackney where I hoped to finish Blood Rites of the Bourgeoisie. I was grooving to the story until page 94. That was where I saw my name in the book and my third eye opened and I understood. I was merely a very minor character in a story. Everything - my trip, my blog, my Self - all this, was a subplot in an extended narrative that existed beyond the book.
And now, I realize my role in this narrative is finished, and it is time for me to go. And I am gone.
Road Trip Day 14
I dropped by the Book Works office to pick up my copy of Blood Rites of the Bourgeoisie. Every one wished me well on the rest of my trip.
(Photo by Sage)(c)
FYI, you do not need to travel to England as I have to get Blood Rites of the Bourgeoisie. If you do not live in the UK, the easiest way to get a copy is to order directly from Book Works. As noted in an earlier post, bookstores should also be able to order from the North American supplier (for those who do not wish to order online).
Road Trip Day 13
Today, I toured London in a taxi. I saw all of the sights - Granville Island, Stanley Park and the Sea Wall. With all of the sightseeing, I lost track of time. By the time I made it to Hackney, the office had closed. Here's a picture I took through the window. I can see my book sitting on a table inside.
Road Trip Day 11
Today, I arrived in London and settled into a rooming house on Gower. It seems like a nice place.
Road Trip Day 10
World Exclusive!
I've managed to get my hands on an authentic Blood Rites of the Bourgeoisie bootleg. I was browsing in a used book and record shop in Wells when I came across this find behind the glass case at the front counter. The clerk was rather cagey when I asked how he had obtained this before the official on-street date, only saying that he knew people who knew other people. It was something I had to have!
Here's a scan of the cover. I might do excerpts as well in the next couple of days, depending on how my trip to London goes.
While digital books have been getting all of the attention lately, I have found a wonderful new book format being sold in a quaint bookstore in Milton Keynes - shredded books. The book is sent through an industrial shredder and voila - the book has been transferred into this new shredded format.
While this store sells the shredded books for list price, some art galleries have been selling them as "artist editions", fetching upwards of $1000 per book. The clerk disapproved of this practice and felt, in the end, it may kill this format from being embraced by the populace. And this would really be a shame.
Here is a picture of the copy of Gravity's Rainbow I purchased.
As I strolled through Nottingham, I happened across one of the three remaining bookstores in England. I walked in to see if they had Stewart's latest book, Blood Rites of the Bourgeoisie. While my copy was waiting for me somewhere in London, I thought I'd take a quick peek at the work. I asked the clerk and she laughed.
"Oh, don't you know the joke? It's really an open secret in the industry. Stewart Home does not exist. "He" [air quotes] is actually a computer program that randomizes text and spits the results out as a novel. In any case, I heard that this latest work has been declared out of print. And this is before it has actually been printed! Which is quite an achievement."
She gave me directions to a bookstore in Milton Keynes, and suggested I try there. I thanked her, although I thought her theory about Mr. Home to be ludicrous. How could someone with a webpage not be real?
My webpage exists, therefore I am.
Road Trip Day #5
I was on my way to Staines to meet up with the guys from Descending Light Explosion. I was to join them for their rave gig in the Tesco parking lot there. Unfortunately, I got on the wrong train and ended up in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Since I had some time to kill before the next train, I took in a performance of a recently discovered play by Shakespeare - The Brother Called Trouble. "Big Money, Big Pimpin', Big Knuckin' and Buckin' equals Big Trouble on the Thames!" Which, I might add, equals AWESOME! His best play so far.
I made a little detour to Durham. I wanted to make my way to the top of the tower at the Cathedral. Here's some graffiti I found scrawled in the stairwell leading to the tower roof.
"A.O.S. was never here"
The 8:13 South Eastern to London was late. While standing on the platform, a man stood beside me and said something to me I did not catch.
"Pardon me?" I said.
"That's your first mistake." He said.
"What?"
"You spoke to me. That was your first mistake."
"You know, I expect this sort of crazy shit back in Vancouver, not here in the Cotswolds!"
Fortunately, just then, the train rolled in.
My Train ticket
I’m setting out to pick up my copy of Blood Rites of the Bourgeoisie by Stewart Home. It should be waiting for me at 19 Holywell Row, second room on the left, bottom shelf of the book case beside the window. I think. I’ve lost the directions. However, I have a vague recollection that this is where the book is waiting for me.
No problem. I can work things out on the fly. Now, it’s time to head off. You know what they say – even a 1000 mile trip begins with a single tab of acid.
