"I didn't have any friends at school, didn't want any. I felt better being alone. I sat on a bench and watched the other play and they looked foolish to me."

No, this isn't an extract from Kevin Chesters' 'The Penzance Years' (soon to be available in all good book stores), but a quote from Bukowski's 'Ham on Rye' W+K's first Book Club read.

It was a controversial choice which provoked some lively debates as we enjoyed the most expensive chocolates in the world thanks to a currency mis-calculation but Neil Christie.

Overall our collective view was probably best summed up by Helen Foulder: 'What I love about literature is the way it lets you spend lots of time with people you'd never normally meet.  After reading this book I really know Henry Chinaski, boils, wanks and all.'

Not for the faint hearted but definitely worth a read.

A beautiful summer's evening.  Not quite the dark and dastardly atmopshere suited to a 'Gangs of the East End' walk, but luckily sunshine was quickly dulled by the grim tales of the Kray Twins and their violent empire.  Cool!  The tour was touched with tales of mindless murder, horrible hangings, fascists and fisticuffs, robbers, riots and "respect". 

Pies and ale to help us on our way.

And what did ever happen to Ginger Marks body?  Rumour has it that the Kray's hitman Freddie Fingers shot him outside the Carpernter's Arms on Cheshire St (run by Mama Kray) but the body was never recovered.  The police could tell someone had been shot through the stomach as there was stomach lining and a chip with the bullet embedded in the wall.

These bricky flats reside on the old site of the Kray family home where apparently, at the height of their fame, the twins invited Judy Garland back to their slummy local where she sang and danced into the early hours.  Turns out both brothers were friends of Judy.