Bøger af Philip Goddard

Not just fantasy, but a unique blend of 'clear-minded surrealism' and mischievous earthy satire, directed to achieve a powerful end...Philip Goddard wrote five novels from 1990 to 1993, and Three Blind Executioners is the last of these. He was at that time gestating as a significant symphonic composer, and he approached his literary works as though they were music compositions, indeed all five novels and some of his short stories and poems actually being the literary equivalent of complex, organically structured symphonies, in which ideas, phrases and even individual words are treated like melodic motifs in such a symphony. At that time his particular model of symphonic organization and structuring was the late symphonies of Sibelius and especially the symphonies of the 20th Century Danish composer Vagn Holmboe - though Goddard's own musical symphonies, when they did come, were more diverse in approach.Each of the novels defies standard (say, BISAC) categorization, overlapping equally with a number of categories - which means that labelling with any one of those categories would misrepresent the respective work.On what is destined to be remembered by many as Good Saturday, darkness and earthquake come to Dave Unglebury's very own town of East Thruxted; he has chanced upon the lynching and crucifixion of Fred, the new supposed 'Messiah'. On the Third Day an extraordinary letter arrives amongst Dave's mail, resurrecting a childhood ambition of his; it is an invitation to join a team of eminent mountaineers to ascend a new and extremely challenging route up the South-West face of Mount Everest. The catch is that Dave is no mountaineer and cannot imagine why such an invitation has come his way - except for the possibility that a monumental boob has occurred as a result of the similarity of his name to that of a very famous mountaineer, Dave Inglebury. Unbelievably, however, when the 'error' is pointed out to the team organiser, he insists that there is no error, both Daves being in the computer list, and indeed both having been invited.The ambiguity implicit in the novel's title, which in the first instance refers to Dave's phobia of mice, is the starting point of a surrealistic linking of images that cloak the narrative with mystery and menace, leading us through a succession of phantasms and bogeys, which culminates in the final denouement upon Mount Everest that is suggested in the subtitle. This is the focus for an eventual startling - even traumatic - fusion of title and subtitle images in an unexpected way. And the betrayal referred to is only the last of several betrayals and let-downs that beset Dave on his progress toward the highest point on earth to which Man can aspire...

From the absurd to the visionary - Enjoy the challenge!Here we have Philip Goddard's entire output of poetry (including several 'poem-stories') - at least, what remains after various extensive purges over the years. They were written from 1973 to 1995.A stimulating and invigorating set of poetry, in which each poem is some sort of experiment in organising words and language to portray both simple 'physical' pictures and to explore within the processes of the mind itself and often to create visionary experiences out of what underlies or sits between our regular thoughts and imaginings. Surrealism becomes particularly powerful and purposeful in the more 'advanced' poems.Entrenched, socially inculcated outlooks and beliefs, including religious ones, are held up to critical scrutiny, often being played about with, being looked at in quizzical ways and challenging contexts. Even true hells (of which the Author has much experience and an apparently uniquely deep understanding) are visited, though generally with a certain mischievous sense of humour.As well as giving an explanatory preface, the Author provides annotations here and there (after the respective poems, so as not to interfere with the reading experience) to explain points that are liable to mystify or confuse many readers, and to add some usefully informative contextual notes.

Not just fantasy, but a unique blend of 'clear-minded surrealism' and mischievous earthy satire, directed to achieve a powerful end...Philip Goddard wrote five novels from 1990 to 1993, and Forbidden Flood Warning, the sixth and final novel was notionally half-written (early and later parts) in 1994, he then not being sure how to develop the intended major middle section. In 1995 he suddenly had other priorities, and so it came that the novel remained unfinished till he revisited it in 2015 to see if it would make a satisfactory short novel, with only a small amount of new writing to join the earlier and later sections and make an effective whole - and found that, from his perspective, it worked brilliantly and powerfully. In the early 1990s he was gestating as a significant symphonic composer, and he approached his literary works as though they were music compositions, indeed all his novels and some of his short stories and poems actually being the literary equivalent of complex, organically structured symphonies, in which ideas, phrases and even individual words are treated like melodic motifs in such a symphony. At that time his particular model of symphonic organization and structuring was the late symphonies of Sibelius and especially the symphonies of the 20th Century Danish composer Vagn Holmboe - though Goddard's own musical symphonies, when they did come, were more diverse in approach.Each of the novels defies standard (say, BISAC) categorization, overlapping equally with a number of categories - which means that labelling with any one of those categories would misrepresent the respective work.Forbidden Flood Warning - A biting, acidly humorous surrealistic satire upon religious fanaticismThe new 'Noah', Edmund McFardle, is initially something of a national laughing stock, for he continues building his truly enormous ark on Scottish moorland at the top of Ballyhooly Hill (altitude some 200 metres) despite the decade-old drought. Nonetheless, McFardle isn't altogether alone in seeing the calamitous drought as one of God's signs of very different things to come. Throughout Britain all manner of religious sects are in one way or another seeking to convert those who are surviving the drought to their particular beliefs, supposedly to save them from the imminent end of the world and Day of Reckoning.It is against this background that the gentle and affable Geronwy Bishop takes his annual holiday in Ballyhooly, soon finding himself the subject of an entertaining scandal and then gaining first-hand acquaintance of the legendary 'Noah'. He enjoys his stay so much that he returns the following year, by which time the rains have started and local flooding is becoming more and more of a problem.One day during that holiday the heavens open more purposefully than hitherto and the flood waters rise to float the ark in some two hours as though through some miracle of God's wrath.The true nature of the ark zealots' 'New Order of God' progressively reveals itself as something both absurd and most unwholesome, and ultimately self-defeating.Caution - this work contains a few brief scenes that will shock the shockable!

Not just fantasy, but a unique blend of 'clear-minded surrealism' and mischievous earthy satire, directed to achieve a powerful end...Philip Goddard wrote five novels from 1990 to 1993, and Still Life with Strangled Porcupines is the fourth of these. He was at that time gestating as a significant symphonic composer, and he approached his literary works as though they were music compositions, indeed all five novels and some of his short stories and poems actually being the literary equivalent of complex, organically structured symphonies, in which ideas, phrases and even individual words are treated like melodic motifs in such a symphony. At that time his particular model of symphonic organization and structuring was the late symphonies of Sibelius and especially the symphonies of the 20th Century Danish composer Vagn Holmboe - though Goddard's own musical symphonies, when they did come, were more diverse in approach. Each of the novels defies standard (say, BISAC) categorization, overlapping equally with a number of categories - which means that labelling with any one of those categories would misrepresent the respective work.This novel has the dubious distinction of opening with the naughty 'F' word: a dustman's purple exclamation echoes round the block when some rather unusual sharp objects in a refuse sack stick into him. Thus begins the unfolding of a crazy multifaceted satirical drama (indeed a grotesquely humorous caricature of a soap opera), whose main target is society's failure to relate to the individual, as distinct from the label, the category. In this context the common plight of the eccentric and genius is starkly portrayed.The Government of the day has closed mental hospitals as part of what they call their 'Care in the Community Scheme', which, to put it uncharitably, has dumped inmates amongst the population at large and left them to 'stand on their own two feet' - which would be almost laudable, were it not merely politicians' language for abandoning the poor b-----s and saving a little money.Of the various central characters the most central is Tim Bawlscroper, cruelly nicknamed the Polecat - one of a number of ex-inmates from the recently closed-down Tetch Vale mental hospital, who have been parcelled out into Council flats along a street in central Tetchborough. The narrative follows some of Tim's struggles there, starting with his brief love affair with Henry, a very affectionate polecat ferret. But Tim's life is not a happy one. Quite apart from continuing verbal bullying from his father on the phone and torment from his lonely frustrated homoeroticism, he is plagued by visitations from demons and very demoralizing angels. But then a porcupine quill mysteriously comes into his life. It appears to have the power to make the demons and angels disappear. Tim soon starts gaining success and public recognition as one of this century's greatest painters - even to the extent of beginning to overshadow such masters as Pablo Picrasso and Salvador Dalek. Nonetheless, as though cursed by God, he still has a dark and desolate cross to bear...Talking of porcupines, yes, something mysterious and crazy is happening behind the scenes. Dead, or sometimes live, and occasionally giant, porcupines are starting to turn up, often in the most unlikely places - even inside a piano and causing sewer blockages. Black magic? Insanity of the author?Well, any answers that do come are provided in the form of further, quite unexpected riddles. The whole process of organically evolving 'symphonic surrealism' brings about a really disturbing - even savage - turn of events that leads us to the mind-boggling multiple enigma of the end of the work. A preface by the Author explains some inevitable questions that would be raised by this highly unorthodox work.

From the sublime to the delectably absurd - Enjoy the challenge!Here we have the Author's entire output of short stories - fourteen of them - though excluding a few of what he calls 'poem-stories', which latter will appear in his Collected Poetry volume. They were written from 1981 to 1992.This collection embraces a considerable diversity - from truly short to novella-length, from intently, purposefully, serious (albeit still with a certain humour) to the most preposterous overtly humorous romps, and from simple narrative to a labyrinthine 'symphonically' organised dream-like creation (enter Nothing, Sweet Nothings!)All the stories were written with the intent of some sort of mental challenge for the reader - even to varying extents in the humorous pieces, and satire often raises its cheeky head, no matter whether the story is supposedly serious or humorous. This particular author has little interest in entertainment without some sort of positive function that goes beyond it, and the stories will be found to repeatedly challenge in all sorts of ways a whole range of habitual outlooks and attitudes among people generally. They will therefore come under fire from some of the people who find themselves discomfortingly challenged by various aspects of the stories' contents.Find perhaps a friend's, a relative's, or even your very own parental behaviour being shown up starkly for what it is, in A Squoggle Comes Home to Roost. Sit in with Rodney (Nothing, Sweet Nothings) to experience from an unusual viewpoint, laced with black humour, the monumental absurdity of the couch potato's life, forever watching TV and having no notion of there being anything worthwhile for which to live an active life. See some of the absurdities that everyone takes for granted without question in the traditional biblical Christmas story, with a more up-to-date happening of that sort (Madonna with Child). Enjoy the entertaining / disturbing 'what if' scenarios of Tasty Morsels (Danish pastries with other ideas than being eaten), and The Man Who Turned Into a Shoe. For the fireside at Halloween we have a nice little tale (Dark Horse) with a particularly disturbing element. And, quite absurd, one might think, two young 'gay' men having a stay in the guest house of a Benedictine monastery? Probably best to just blush and turn away from that one (A Monastic Weekend), which figuratively raises the frocks of the monks and indeed the whole establishment; what on earth could have been in the Author's mind to write such a piece? What is the world coming to, with authors like this on the loose?: -)

Not just fantasy, but a unique blend of 'clear-minded surrealism' and mischievous earthy satire, directed to achieve a powerful end...Philip Goddard wrote five novels from 1990 to 1993, and The Awful Destiny of Physalia Gorgon is the third of these. He was at that time gestating as a significant symphonic composer, and he approached his literary works as though they were music compositions, indeed all five novels and some of his short stories and poems actually being the literary equivalent of complex, organically structured symphonies, in which ideas, phrases and even individual words are treated like melodic motifs in such a symphony. At that time his particular model of symphonic organization and structuring was the late symphonies of Sibelius and especially the symphonies of the 20th Century Danish composer Vagn Holmboe - though Goddard's own musical symphonies, when they did come, were more diverse in approach.Each of the novels defies standard (say, BISAC) categorization, overlapping equally with a number of categories - which means that labelling with any one of those categories would misrepresent the respective work. Here, then, is a nutshell description of this novel, the most light-hearted and strongly humorous of the five...Out of the black of night in darkest Africa comes an urgent message. On no account must you shake hands ever again - with anyone at all. For a most unspeakable scourge is now spreading through the population. To be frank about it, people's genitals are disappearing. This dreadful affliction is being passed on by, of all things, the shaking of hands. May the Lord have mercy!But heed this warning. In the course of this apocalyptic narrative (or lot of old b*lls, depending on your viewpoint) you will encounter a freak with such hideous and dreadful pedigree that you may be turned to stone on the spot or have some other terrible effect or corruption visited upon you. In particular, whatever you do, do not attempt to picture the face of that fateful monster. You have been warned!This complex love-story-with-a-difference, satire upon Britain's discreetly camouflaged middle-class racism, and parable about nature's cycle of death and renewal, has many ramifications and sub-themes, and comes complete with porn film and baby-eating scenes, not to mention Longsquat nuclear disaster and pestilential scourge of Portuguese Man-of-war. Certain to ruffle the feathers of the squeamish and the uptight, it's as entertaining as it's serious, and as serious as it's absurd.

Not just fantasy, but a unique blend of 'clear-minded surrealism' and mischievous earthy satire, directed to achieve a powerful end...Philip Goddard wrote five novels from 1990 to 1993, and Dead Pigs is the second of these. He was at that time gestating as a significant symphonic composer, and he approached his literary works as though they were music compositions, indeed all five novels and some of his short stories and poems actually being the literary equivalent of complex, organically structured symphonies, in which ideas, phrases and even individual words are treated like melodic motifs in such a symphony. At that time his particular model of symphonic organization and structuring was the late symphonies of Sibelius and especially the symphonies of the 20th Century Danish composer Vagn Holmboe - though Goddard's own musical symphonies, when they did come, were more diverse in approach.Each of the novels defies standard (say, BISAC) categorization, overlapping equally with a number of categories - which means that labelling with any one of those categories would misrepresent the respective work.N.B. This novel is not the 'Dead Pigs' by Michael Maus, alluded to in the Author's first novel. That 'Dead Pigs' would be too dangerous for anyone to contemplate writing!A mystery sausage-thrower's activities culminate in a dead pig being pushed over a wall into Mrs Mawkish's garden - an especial cause for concern as the devil appears to be involved. A piglet is smuggled out of Pukesters bacon factory during a Hogleigh Women's Institute outing. This grows up as Alice the endearing pet of the Crunt household. Behind the scenes, Mike Mousley is running a sophisticated computer model of the town of Hogleigh and its inhabitants. With these three themes this bizarre and complex black satire starts its exploration of human sense and nonsense, of love, generosity and diabolical nastiness, and, above all, of responsibility and irresponsibility. As Geoff Wurdling, the man who smuggled the baby Alice from Pukesters, recognises, "In every person is a spark of 'God' - it's just that sometimes that spark takes a bit of finding".Once again there are reports that the ARA is extending its terrorist campaign from Northern Animalrightsland to the British mainland. As though that were not enough for the police to contend with, some of the most decent of Hogleigh's policemen are killed in a Poll Tax riot: PC George Crunt meets a particularly shocking and grisly death at the hands of a band of skinheads. Local opposition to Alice (yes, the pet pig), with a pub-bombing incident along the way, culminates in a lynching in which Alice is hanged - an undignified and harrowing scene.Behind an increasingly convoluted sequence of bewildering happenings, including the odd 'shocking' scene, Mike Mousley, who ceases to be amused by the idea of pigs flying, continues to be addictively, unhealthily absorbed in his Hogleigh computer model. But the writing's on the wall for him, and he's in for some horrible shocks (including waking up from an erotic dream to find himself being ravished by a pair of severed hands), which lead on to an unthinkable ultimate confrontation... The final pages, for better or worse, are probably unlike anything you've seen in a novel before.

Not just fantasy, but a unique blend of 'clear-minded surrealism' and mischievous earthy satire, directed to achieve a powerful end...Philip Goddard wrote five novels from 1990 to 1993, and The Hunting-Down of Michael Maus is the first of these. He approached his literary works as though each was a music composition, indeed all five novels and some of his short stories and poems actually being the literary equivalent of complex, organically structured symphonies, in which ideas, phrases and even individual words are treated like melodic motifs in such a symphony. At that time his particular model of symphonic organization and structuring was the late symphonies of Sibelius and especially the symphonies of the 20th Century Danish composer Vagn Holmboe - though Goddard's own musical symphonies, when they did come, were more diverse in approach.Each of the novels defies standard (say, BISAC) categorization, overlapping equally with a number of available marketing categories - which means that labelling with any one of those categories would misrepresent the respective work. Among the categories that partially relate to it would be satire, psychological fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction (except that the latter appears not to be available) and literary fiction.Here, then, is an adaptation from the Prologue of this novel...In the beginning was the book. As if werewolves upon the land were not enough. That iniquitous book. And the ripples spread. And spread. Here follows the backdrop to our little fable. The publisher sighs a long sigh of relief: the new book, unlike all previous ones from the same author, has absolutely nothing in it that could offend anyone. Indeed some cynics would say it has absolutely nothing and nothing, full stop. Others would then point out that in fact it has no such full stop. Then come the surprisingly animated reviews. Next the demonstrations. Many killed around the world in riots. Before long it's the bombs. Not just bookshops and premises of the publisher, either. Britain really sits up and takes notice when 500 children attending a live Walt Disney pantomime event in Darkton are converted into sausage meat in one fell blast. Then the Holy Leader of an extremist religious sect pronounces. Michael Maus, the author of that book, has insulted The Prophet. De'ath to Michael Maus! An arrow of de'ath has been launched. It will seek out and kill the blasphemer. There will be no escape and no mercy. The arrow of de'ath is irretrievable, and will reach and exterminate Michael Maus according to their religion's law, no matter where in the world he tries to escape to and what protection he may be given by any government, and no matter what representations or pronouncements are made subsequently to this edict.What follows here is an absurd fable about many things, of which the ripples from that book are just one facet. Rest you assured, it's all just make-believe. It speaks of some other century than our own - indeed, a purely imaginary one. "It's not believable!", some will complain; "People just don't behave like that". Others, though, may not be quite so sure....But now the stage is set. The Holy Leader has spoken. The arrow of de'ath is on its way, and Michael Maus is loudly proclaimed to be nothing more than a walking corpse. Meanwhile werewolves could even be copulating in your own back yard for all you know, and something hideously unmentionable is preparing to emerge from a secret underground bunker not a million miles from the delightful Glosshire country town of Pewkely Snorton. So, are you sitting comfortably now, with your back firmly to the wall? -- Then let us begin....

This book provides the first comprehensive history in English for eighty years of the origins and development of the Holy Week liturgy in the Roman Rite. Describing how the first apostles and disciples, and their immediate successors, came during the years following 33 AD to celebrate an annual feast of the Resurrection, and the form which this first-century celebration took, it goes on to explain in detail how the ceremonies with which we are familiar today began in fourth-century Jerusalem. These ceremonies were then elaborated and developed during the early and late Middle Ages in Western Europe, particularly in the Frankish kingdom, and at Rome itself, down to the Tridentine reform of the 16th century, a reform which endured for some four hundred years with very little change. Looking at the two significant 20th century reforms of the rites, that of 1955 and that of 1970, Philip J Goddard then explains the various changes which were made, the sources from which innovations were introduced, and the reasons for the introduction of those changes and innovations, as given (so far as possible) by those involved in making them. While accessible to the ordinary reader with no particular knowledge of liturgical history, this study will be if great interest to liturgical specialists and scholars, to those in seminaries and religious orders or to clergy interested in the history of the Roman liturgy. Comprehensive notes give full references to both primary and secondary sources.Philip J Goddard is a graduate of the University of Oxford, and has had an interest inliturgical matters for many years. He is the author of 'The Plain Man's Guide to the Traditional Roman Rite of Holy Mass', and contributes articles and book reviews to the magazine 'Mass of Ages'.