“... freight depots, massive grain storage facilities. Night had fallen by the time I reached Mitchell, South Dakota, where a felony drunk-driving court was scheduled to take place at the Public Safety Centre the following morning.The centrality of the car to life in the US isn’t news, but less well-documented is the necessity of driving to the many ...”

“... blue-framed glasses, floppy dyed-blonde locks and middle-aged paunch, I was beginning to resemble David Hockney. But she has become a lot less dangerous overall. I take advantage of her inattention and quiz Blakey under my breath: Do you think I look like a MAN? B. gives me an appraising glance but is non-committal. Then everything lands on our table in a ...”

“... other people became stalwarts of a kind, didn’t they? Hugo Williams?Oh, they came in. David Harsent was another.Peter Dale?I think we published some of his poems. He never became quite one of the gang. There was a certain amount of indecision about him then. David Harsent appeared from nowhere. I think via the ...”