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Radio Activity By John Murray Flambard Press First published in 1993, Radio Activity was immediately hailed by the critics as a comic tour de force, and was listed in both the Spectator and Independent Books of the Year. A riotously tall tale (or is it?) about Chernobyl, Sellafield, valve radios and Morocco. As the punning title suggests, the novel is about both the dangers posed by the nuclear industry (especially Sellafield in Cumbria) and radio as a means of communication. But, as is to be expected from the literary heir of Flann O'Brien, John Murray's treatment is far from conventionally realistic, incorporating wild fantasy, uproarious satire and very funny linguistic inventiveness. Especially hilarious is the former Sudeten-German POW, Klaus Asbach, who speaks his own variety of Cumbrian English. With the aid of a special, indeed magical, valve radio, it is possible to travel the globe, especially between Sellafield and Morocco. Meanwhile in Cumbria itself, the annual Biggest Liar in the World Competition is being held at Santon Bridge, close to Sellafield. Tall tales abound, but since this is 1986, the year of Chernobyl, Murray's own tall tale turns out to be much truer to life than any documentary.
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