"Erewhon", by Samuel Butler

Novel, 1872

A curious Victorian muddle of fiction, narrative and philosophy, detailing the topsy-turvey practices in Erewhon, where some counter-intuitive institutions and beliefs are lightly satirised, set within a slight travel and escape story. This is pretty dense stuff for the most part and fairly tricky to get through, with the narrative ploughing on, not giving any real relief to the contemporary reader looking for short sentences, spiky dialogue and the like. Some points of interest and amusement keep things on at least some kind of footing, although overall, by no means a 'must read'.

"Modern Times", directed Charlie Chaplin

Movie, 1936

Satirical situations and a hard time for Chaplin's tramp in a hostile, exploitative industrial environment, before salvation is suggested through a 'gamin' (street urchin). The physical comedy and repeatedly unlucky antics of the well-meaning duo point to the uncaring, greedy society, best illustrated at the beginning of the film, before the the gamin's emergence, and through the casual dictatorial style used by the CEO of the tramp's original employer. Some iconic scenes and empathy generated as the hapless couple struggle with the tramp's continual failures.

"R.I.P." by Nigel Williams

Novel, 2015

Exploration of the unsightly behaviours and undignified actions following the death of the main protagonist. Through George, a retired bank manager's eyes, a story slowly - sometimes too slowly, especially at the beginning - evolves, exposing a good deal of suburban middle-class rot, which ends up, almost, as a 'whodunnit'. That the book isn't a whodunnit, nor magical realism or more straightforward social satire, but a rather ungainly mixture of all three, is problematic and while the prose is skillful it does little, at times, to engage the reader. A good book in places; though not so in others.

"Symposium", by Muriel Spark

Novel, 1990

Wonderful satire offering flashbacks of a group of largely unlikable acquaintances trying to work through burglaries, prejudices, wills and weddings. This slim book starts at a cracking pace, landing the reader right into the story, but manages to build with a horror and focus sharpening towards a clever conclusion. This is a book containing a wonderfully eccentric collection of nuns, mad uncles and thieves and really grips the reader and builds a thick, stimulating atmosphere. Not a particularly cuddly read, but an enthralling one all the same.