Mailbox The List, 14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE or The List at the CCA 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD or email letters@list.co.uk

FLYING OFF THE HANDLE

Ryanair I don’t like to complain. I am Scottish and I will happily eat a cold steak and say ‘yum this is delicious’. I will sip on corked rancid wine and state to the waiter ‘this wine is simply wonderful’. I will indeed stand in a queue and let 73 Italians jump in front of me. I really don’t like to complain.

However what drives me to complain is silly behaviour, silly and ridiculous behaviour, as experienced on a recent trip with Ryanair.

I am a law abiding citizen. I get the fear if a parking ticket is not paid on the date of receipt or if my tyres are not pumped up to the standard issue. I like the law. I ensured my suitcase was 15kg on the nose. Far be it for me to be the cause of our flight being dragged to its murky demise by the excess in my luggage. We arrived two hours before the flight left as instructed to do. In fact, we rushed to the airport to do so. In our rush I did not print off my boarding pass we were in the back of beyond where a kettle was the height of luxury. We arrived and queued and smiled and weighed and were gleefully asked for £40 each (£80 in total) for Ryanair to print out our boarding passes. Bizarre.

LETTER OF THE FORTNIGHT OUT OF AFRICA

Article: Lola Shoneyin The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives A friend of mine heard this author on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour and bought me a copy of the novel for my birthday. I read it in two nights and couldn’t get it out of mind for days. This novel is so moving, yet so funny. In life, we don’t plan sadness, or joy; funny things happen and they are often followed by shockingly sad events. I found the novel captured, with sensitivity, hilarious characters in a tragic situation. Nothing wrong with that! Unlike the reviewer, I had no problems distinguishing between

the wives’ voices at all. One way of looking at it is that the gradual introduction to the individual wives might be what you find in a polygamous home. At first, the wives appear to be similar but as you hang about, you begin to see how different they are one devious; one damaged; one obsessed with power. I found the author’s language fascinating and I still chuckle when I think about Baba Segi (the patriarch)’s shenanigans. I don’t think the reviewer did this novel justice. This is a real shame because people might lose out on a fantastic read. I don’t normally go for books by African authors but I will look out for them from now. Human beings are the same wherever they’re from. I knew that already but I know it better now. Susie G, Edinburgh Comment posted at List.co.uk

THE LETTER OF THE ISSUE WILL RECEIVE ONE BOTTLE OF THE BLACK GROUSE WHISKY Smoky and Smooth a marriage of fine peated Scotch malt whiskies and The Famous Grouse

The lady held the boarding passes hostage until we attended another office further down the building to pay our

£80. On payment of the £80 we were to return to check-in where the boarding passes would be released.

Why? I don’t even want the £80 back I just need to know; why? The printing of the passes could not have been £80, the manning of the desk may have been £80, but had our passes been released we would not have needed this service. Please tell me why and make it make sense to me in a world where such idiotic processes exist. Jenny Duffy

ENVIRONMENTAL WEALTH

Article: Green Living Three cheers for the Green Living items in issue 654. A few points. Firstly, the short and breezy

Guide to Greens gave the ‘facts man, just the facts’ and the info on wild garlic and cavalo nero (really our familiar Kale) was all that was needed. Thankfully there was no fancy, affected prose!

Secondly, the Glasgow Guerrilla Gardeners piece read very well. Success to their efforts.

Thirdly, I’m not sure about the role of environmental wardens. Don’t we have too much of the top-down control of our streets and lives? I guess the rising generation are being taught more about good green practice than we were, at least I hope so. Keith Dyson

Next issue out Wednesday 26 May

Summer Festivals Festival fever hits The List. In our bumper special issue, we’ll be rounding up the best of the fests coming to Scotland this summer. Get ready for: All the gossip from T in the Park and Rock Ness. Our previews of the must-visit festivals. Advice on where to get your foodie kicks. Details of the best summer fashion accessories. Our guide to the European festival circuit. The essential list of new bands worth catching this year.

And much, much more.

YOU’VE GOT 15 DAYS TO LIVE 96 THE LIST 13–27 May 2010

CONTRIBUTORS Publisher & General Editor Robin Hodge Director Simon Dessain EDITORIAL Editor Jonny Ensall Assistant Editor Henry Northmore, Allan Radcliffe, Claire Sawers Subeditor Hamish Brown Research Manager Laura Ennor Research Siân Bevan, Tasmin Campbell, Rosalie Doubal, Henry Northmore, David Pollock, Fiona Shepherd Editorial Assistant Niki Boyle Editorial Intern Hannah Ewan

SALES & MARKETING Advertising Sales Manager Brigid Kennedy Senior Media Sales Executive Juliet Tweedie Media Sales Executive Aimi Gold Business Development Executive Adam Coulson Business Development Manager Brendan Miles Sponsorship & Promotions Manager Sheri Friers Promotions Executive Amy Russell Circulation Executive Murray Robertson

PRODUCTION Senior Designer Lucy Munro Production Manager Simon Armin Production Assistant Miriam Sturdee

DIGITAL Web Editor Hamish Brown Senior Developer Andy Carmichael Senior Designer Bruce Combe Software Developer Iain McCusker Online Editorial Assistant Alice White ADMINISTRATION Accounts Manager Georgette Renwick Accounts Assistant Tasmin Campbell Office & HR Manager Jo Morgan Glasgow Office Manager Sharon Stephen

SECTION EDITORS Around Town Kirstin Innes Books Brian Donaldson Clubs Henry Northmore Comedy Brian Donaldson Dance Kelly Apter Eat & Drink Donald Reid Film Paul Dale Kids Kelly Apter LGBT Allan Radcliffe Music Claire Sawers News Anna Millar Shopping Claire Sawers Theatre Allan Radcliffe Visual Art Allan Radcliffe