Ox-Tales: Earth

Ox-Tales: Earth

Ian Rankin, Jonathan Buckley, Marina Lewycka, Jonathan Coe, Kate Atkinson, Hanif Kureishi, Rose Tremain, Nicholas Shakespeare, M

Language: English

Pages: 89

ISBN: B00DO90FGS

Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub


Ox-Tales is a set of four compelling and collectible books, each themed on one of the elements. 'Earth' features stories by Rose Tremain, Jonathan Coe, Marti Leimbach, Kate Atkinson, Ian Rankin, Marina Lewycka, Hanif Kureishi, Jonathan Buckley and Nicholas Shakespeare, and a poem by Vikram Seth.

The idea behind Ox-Tales is to raise money for Oxfam and along the way to highlight the charity's work in project areas: agriculture in Earth, water projects in Water, conflict aid in Fire, and climate change in Air.

The four books will play a central role in the first ever Oxfam Bookfest, a new annual event launching in July 2009. Created in partnership with Hay Festival, the program includes more than 300 events across the UK.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

telling me to mind my business. ‘All right, but wouldn’t it be a good idea to see what is inside?’ He seems perplexed, turning the envelope over several times. When finally he uncovers the invitation, he lifts it gently by the corners as though handling a film negative. On it is the name of the birthday boy, a time and date. There is also a location, a farm park, and I can tell exactly the moment Alex realises that this party will take place among donkeys and ducks, sheep and miniature ponies,

cake,’ he says to no one in particular. The cuckoo clock was always his favourite toy. It always cuckooed, or whatever you call it, exactly on the hour. Film times, listed in bulleted lights across a black screen, held him for ages. He danced beneath them, memorising the times for any number of films he had no interest in seeing, preferring always to watch videos. A single video will wear out after about 150 viewings; this I have learned. The first song on the album must be the first song you

to take risks, to enter into the complex, broadband style of communication the rest of us have. That he will not want to remain always within the safety of the predictable – videos, timetables, computer games, Lego instructions – but will seek out the erratic, shifting world of social exchange. Seek it out, not be pushed into it. ‘I’m not going to the birthday party,’ he tells me. ‘I don’t like mammals.’ For the birthday party he has a new pair of combat trousers I picked up at Marks and

he was absorbed with – these were his companions. Their lives were exemplary, but only a fool would try to emulate them. Meanwhile I would slip my hand inside his pyjama top and tickle his back, or I’d scratch his head or rub his arms until his eyes rolled in appreciation. Now in his bedwear, sitting down to eat, Dad told me he was embarked on a ‘five-year reading plan’. He was working on War and Peace. Next it would be Remembrance of Things Past, then Middlemarch, all of Dickens, Homer,

about my female interests.’ ‘You’ve never been unfaithful?’ ‘I’ve always liked women.’ I asked, ‘Do they like you?’ ‘The local secretaries are friendly. Not that you can do anything. I can’t afford a professional.’ ‘How often do you go to the pub?’ ‘I’ve started popping in after work. My Billy has gone.’ ‘For good?’ ‘After university he’ll come running back to me, I can assure you of that. Around this time of night I’d always be talking to him. There’s a lot you can put in a kid, without

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