A novel by Argentinian Jorge Consiglio, a personal dictionary by Uruguayan Ida Vitale, and poetry by Mexican Homero Aridjis
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The curious adventures of ‘Robin Hoodkostas’
Vassilis Palaiokostas and, in the background, Athens' Korydallos prison from where he escaped in a helicopter
MIK SABIERS savours the first headline solo show of the stalwart of Brighton’s indie-punk outfit Blood Red Shoes
New releases reviewed by IAN SINCLAIR
STEVEN ANDREW is moved beyond words by a historical account of mining in Britain made from the words of the miners themselves
CAILEAN MCBRIDE welcomes a refreshing and timely study of the way officialdom creates structures that exclude LGBT+ rights and humanity
The bard mourns the loss of comrades and troubadours, and looks for consolation with Black Country Jess
CHRIS MOSS relishes the painting and the life story of a self-taught working-class artist from Warrington
A Normal Life
by Vassilis Palaiokostas
Freedom Press £15
“HOW can you slow down when you’re driving a Lada Niva on a wet highway, and there’s a deadly roadblock in front of you?” writes Greek bank robber and fugitive Vassilis Palaiokostas, describing how he raced towards the cops at full throttle in the rain.
“Obviously, the Bolsheviks had never imagined car chases in Parga, Epirus [north-west Greece] when they revolted. The Lada, communist feat that it was, was not made for such dangerous missions.”
After zooming past the roadblock at 75mph, soaking the cops in the processes, Palaiokostas saw four police officers take off after him in an Alfa Romeo.
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