Geoff Nicholson

Goodreads recommended this novel to me, probably because I’ve read several ‘retail space as theatre of social breakdown’ novels. In fact I have a tag for them. This one is fun, but not as dark or violent as I've come to expect. Possibly because the exemplar of this little sub-genre is JG Ballard. ‘Everything and More’ is set in a gigantic department store, owned by an eccentric recluse who lives in a penthouse at the top. (This is a very similar setup to [b:Days|1550076|Days|James Lovegrove|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1185069790s/1550076.jpg|1542436] by James Lovegrove.) The narrative centres on two new employees with very different agendas, Charlie Mayhew and Vita Carlisle. Although I was entertained by the farce that plays out in a gigantic baroque temple of consumerism, it didn’t have a lot of depth. There was some very snappy dialogue, which could work quite nicely in film format, but not much insight into the oppressive psychology of conspicuous consumption. I prefer it when things get a little weirder, as in [b:Maul|1280157|Maul|Tricia Sullivan|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1182462635s/1280157.jpg|1269161] by Tricia Sullivan and [b:Yarn|8844696|Yarn|Jon Armstrong|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1391343212s/8844696.jpg|13719602] by Jon Armstrong. I think the reason might be setting - [b:Maul|1280157|Maul|Tricia Sullivan|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1182462635s/1280157.jpg|1269161] and [b:Yarn|8844696|Yarn|Jon Armstrong|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1391343212s/8844696.jpg|13719602] are both sci-fi, while ‘Everything and More’ is set when it was first published, 1994. It certainly reminded me how much more febrile and pervasive consumerism has become since. The satire here thus wasn’t quite sharp enough for my taste, which is admittedly very specific. Nonetheless, the pseudo-revolutionary furniture porters and secret tunnels were amusing conceits and Vita’s counterproductive revenge neatly executed. Worth reading of a weekend.… (more)

I liked the idea of this book and found much of it of great interest. However, not to sound too prissy, I didn't like the author's tone. He just seemed so dismissive, which bothered me. Walking is a subject about which much can be said, and indeed the book did not claim to say all that there is to say about it. Nonetheless, the level of dismissiveness (for example, of 'Mrs Dalloway', an absolutely wonderful novel) struck me as impolite. I appreciated the breadth of references, but wished they were treated more respectfully. Perhaps I'm unduly sensitive to this because I'm used to a more academic tone in non-fiction? Still, I enjoyed 'Into The Wild' Jon Krakauer, which has a very different focus but is also essentially a book about walking, much more.… (more)