the amazing adventures of

I may have mentioned my incredible love for the author michael chabon once, twice, or three times. since I first read the mysteries of pittsburgh, aged 14, i've wanted to see him speak - there are a few videos, and podcasts around, but it's never quite the same as actually seeing the author in the flesh.

it seemed incredible that he hadn't come over to this country in all that time - true, his books have a kind of classic americana feel to them, but that didn't have to mean that he was a pariah in this country. so when i spotted that he was going to appear at foyles, i was pretty fucking excited.

and last night stu and i went to see him read from his newest novel the yiddish policemen's union. and it turned out i was exactly right that he hadn't been over to the uk in 12 years. he very kindly signed my copies of the new novel, kavalier and clay and his debut the mysteries of pittsburgh (mine has the original, much less attractive cover), and posed with me for a photo (in which i look like i'm about to burst with joy). he is such a nice man.

i am slightly disappointed to see that the mysteries of pittsburgh has been made into a film with sienna miller. what the heck is it with that woman, turning up in films i would like to enjoy. also i think mena suvari is too old to be playing phlox. and they've cut out arthur.... i think i feel an an aneurysm coming on...

awfulness

the bbc's gaza correspondent alan johnston has been missing presumed abducted for 37 days, on sunday, a previously unheard of group claimed responsiblity for his murder, on monday, the director general claimed that this was unverified, but that the bbc was highly concerned for johnston's safety.

this followed last week's day of action - marking a month since his disappearance - which included mark thompson meeting with the palestinian president. palestian journalists have been striking on and off to mark their respect for him, and there have been regular vigils at television centre and at bbc locations around the globe.

on monday, the author hanif kureishi accused the bbc of "censorship" for postponing the planned airing of his short story 'weddings and beheadings' on radio 4 tomorrow. kureishi stated that "There are journalists and newspapers in peril all the time around the world. We support them by supporting freedom of speech rather than by censoring ourselves."

he appeared on the bbc's today programme this morning, and appeared to argue that the feelings of johnston's friends and family were irrelevant when it came to kureishi's work being broadcast.

to me, this seems like the work of an idiot. his story is probably excellent - it takes the perspective of a would-be filmmaker who is coerced into filming the executions performed by a jihad group - the buddha of suburbia is a terrific book - in fact, i blogged when i first read it. but kureishi has done himself no favours here.

this really doesn't feel like an argument for free speech. it feels like the argument of a self-obsessive who finds it hard to consider the emotions of others - hardly an asset in a novelist.