Futures by John Barker

[eoin_k]

Hey All

Some of you may know or have heard of John Barker. Amongst other things he was one of the Stoke Newington Eight.

PM Press are using Kickstarter to try and raise funds to bring it out in English:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/futures/futures-a-novel-by-john-barker?ref=search

Looks like they are close to getting there.

Since I'm neither John nor PM Press, I hope this isn't seen as advertising - I just thought some people on here might be interested.

Cheers

Eoin_k

 

[DaveCinzano]

Cheers for the heads-up.

 

[eoin_k]

Cheers for the heads-up.

Here are some more details about John and the book in case anyone else is interested:

It's 1987. A hurricane and stock market crash bring the world of finance capital, corrupt cops, cocaine and a single mum in collision.
Hello. I'm John Barker. I was born in London and I still live here. My prison memoir,Bending the Bars was published in 2002.
Over the years, in between other projects I've spent time working on the novelFutures which is set in 1987. The manuscript has undergone several revisions and have already been published to enthusiastic reviews in French (Grasset) andGerman (DuMont). The striking similarities with the present financial crisis have prompted me to try and get it published in English. Working in collaboration with PM Press, I'm now raising money to publish Futures in a range of formats.
My writing has also appeared both online and in print, in places like, Mute Magazine, 3ammagazine, Adbusters, Edinburgh Review and Variant. For the last two years I have been collaborating on the political art project Not Dressed for Conquering: Loomshuttles Warpaths with Ines Doujak.
ABOUT FUTURES

Carol aka Simone, is a small-time cocaine dealer and single mother. Phil and Jack, friends since school days are financial analysts, one speculates in dollars, the other with gold - and both use cocaine. Gordon Murray and his brothers Derek and Keith have evolved into 'successful' business men and are at the top of the cocaine supply chain.
Phil and Jack have a fantasy of developing a cocaine Futures market. A hurricane and simultaneous stock market crash in October 1987 bring the worlds of Carol, Phil, Jack and the criminal Murray family colliding and not all ends well.

They've got 2 days to raise the rest of the cash so it looks quite tight.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I enjoyed Bending The Bars and some of his writing for Mute, so I've chucked in some dosh.

 

[Spanky Longhorn]

I'll defo support this, the walking tour sounds cool

 

[DaveCinzano]

We're slowing getting there... £220 to go and 26 hours left on the clock...

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Looks like they have done it.

 

[eoin_k]

Great news - Looks like I might meet a few Urbans at the launch!

 

[Kate Sharpley]

I think the book is now published - The Grauniad has a piece by Duncan Campbell: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jun/03/angry-brigade-prison-bombings-john-barker
(though it's certainly not a review of the book).

 

[Fozzie Bear]

It is published, I went to the launch on Friday and forgot to post about it. Looks good.

Mr Barker is doing a talk/reading at the weekend as part of Stoke Newington literary festival

 

[butchersapron]

John is doing a talk on the book and other things at the Hydra Bookshop in old Market Bristol tonight, 7 kick off i think.

 

[goldenecitrone]

It is published, I went to the launch on Friday and forgot to post about it. Looks good.

Mr Barker is doing a talk/reading at the weekend as part of Stoke Newington literary festival

Sunday afternoon in the White Hart, isn't it? Would go, but have an exam the next day. Shame.

 

[butchersapron]

That's 7 39 kick off tonight. Not 7.

 

[Kate Sharpley]

I thought it was really good (more on the "What book are your reading" thread) http://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/what-book-are-you-reading-part-2.180864/page-288

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I thought it was really good (more on the "What book are your reading" thread) http://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/what-book-are-you-reading-part-2.180864/page-288

Yes I enjoyed it too - got quite adrenalized towards the end!

 

[Kate Sharpley]

John Barker is due to do a reading from Futures, branching out into a discussion of "the nature and possibilities of ‘political’ fiction"
When: 4pm, Sunday 26th October
Where: Canny Little Library at the Star and Shadow Cinema, Stepney Bank, Newcastle upon Tyne
Free.
More info at: http://cannylittlelibrary.tumblr.co...ture-and-possibilities-of-political-fiction-a

 

[Kate Sharpley]

John Barker is due to do a reading from Futures, branching out into a discussion of "the nature and possibilities of ‘political’ fiction"
When: 4pm, Sunday 26th October
Where: Canny Little Library at the Star and Shadow Cinema, Stepney Bank, Newcastle upon Tyne
Free.
More info at: http://cannylittlelibrary.tumblr.co...ture-and-possibilities-of-political-fiction-a

which is today...

 

[Kate Sharpley]

Reviewed by Tom Jennings: http://libcom.org/blog/futures-john-barker-04062015

"Finally, Curtis et al of the Met represent tarnished government checks-and-balances painfully transitioning from the archaic blunt institutional monopoly of force to New Public Management fetishes for performance targets, pop psychology, flexible human resources and spin – promising not less ineptitude, hypocrisy and malevolence in the service of money and power, but more mystified varieties of the same ... Not going to end well, is it?"

 

[Kate Sharpley]

Those who've enjoyed John Barker's fiction might like to know he has a website where you can read some of his non-fiction (among other things) Essays and other non-fiction - The Harrier

 

[Kate Sharpley]

A new collection of John Barker's short stories: "Criminal Justice Acts" is available as an ebook.
Criminal Justice Acts by John Barker. Like Futures, a mix of memorable characters and disturbing situations.