Triggers is a book written by a friend of mine, Pete Zulu.
For the avoidance of doubt, here are three reasons that ARE NOT reasons for why I am reviewing it:
- Because Pete is my friend. I am reviewing it because I like it and I think you will too.
- Because Pete asked me too. He didn’t.
- Because I was gifted it. I bought it. In fact, I bought four copies. 1 for me. 3 for friends. It’s £15.
Triggers.
This is the book that any of us could have written.
In the same way that we could have all done a Picasso or a Hockney or a Pollock sketch or painting.
That Jackson Pollock Pillock.
Have you seen his stuff?
It’s like the floor of my shed.
Well if the floor of your shed is worth £75 million then yes, I suppose it is.
Eyes and Brains.
Triggers is a book for the eyes and the brain in equal measure.
Because the story (for the brain) is punctuated with 88 photographs (for the eyes) that Pete has taken.
The photographs are all lovely.
And some are here: https://www.instagram.com/petezulu3/
Simplicity.
The idea for the book is simple.
Pete chops his life into 8 segments, each segment attached to an aftershave, the smell of which trigger memories.
It’s neat and relatable.
And you’ll read the whole thing in about an hour if you just devour the words and sentences.
And you’ll read the whole thing in about a month if you too remember Aramis, Kouros, Denim and Brut – because you will read it more than once and some of the time you are reading it it will be out loud, to other people.
Because you’ll want them to remember what you remember too.
Writing Style.
Triggers is the book you could have written because of its writing style.
But it is also the book you could not have written because of its writing style.
Debbie Owen, TV Scriptwriter commented:
It’s odd to read something that follows so few writing rules and makes me genuinely not care.
I don’t know you Pete, but from reading this I really like you because you let me in.
When you read this book it’s like you are listening to Pete chat to you.
Pete is the best writer that doesn’t really write that I have ever read.
I want one.
It’s £15.
And I don’t know how you get one.
But as one of the things that Pete and Sarah do these days is run The Black Horse in East Bolden I do know that you can get one there if you pop in there.
The food is superb so even if there are no books left, if you’re hungry, you’ve still scored.
Or if you want me to help you get one, email michael@50odd.co.uk.
I’ll speak to Peter.
