Books for Amnesty is a another wee shop in Brighton which is well worth visiting, there is always something to buy at a reasonable price, or indeed to donate for free so they can sell it on. But I am really pleased this sign doesn't say Amnesty for Books. Imagine if a shop like that was the only place where books were free to be viewed. And you can imagine what it would be like if that was the case, police raids on a regular basis, Pussy Rioters turning up to do readings, and across the road Special Branch would have cameras trained on those who were browsing... any kind of tyranny or obstruction of freedom must be a terrible thing. Ooh, I remember where I was when I first heard this song - it was 1970, in Oban, hitching a lift on a boat to Iona. The guy who owned the boat had Imagine on an eight track loop - remember them - but the most amazing thing happened on the crossing. We were just hitting the middle of the straight when a bloody great whale rose out of the sea about twenty yards from us. Bigger than the boat by half again, it was one of the most exhilarating things I have ever seen in my life. I can't believe it was so long ago.
