Book review: ‘Lines in the Sand’ by A.A. Gill

I didn’t expect to enjoy this book, but was assured by someone who knows me well that I might. It turned out they were right.

The late A.A. Gill was an intelligent, entertaining writer. This collection of his journalism begins with several moving pieces about refugees in different parts of the world. Then it’s on to more general, less heavy pieces about travel, reminiscences, being a dad, writers, and so on. Throughout the book, Gill gets the mix of humour, self-deprecation, and seriousness just right. In the penultimate piece, he announces he has cancer before heading off to Whitby in a helicopter for fish and chips. When we get to the final piece, the prognosis is not looking good, and we realise why it’s the final piece.

An excellent collection of essays. I shall certainly be investigating some of A.A. Gill’s earlier books.