Books: Aircraft - Le Corbusier / The Unlimited Dream Company - J. G. Ballard / Aircraft coincidences

 

I can't say for sure that Corbusier started it. Or I could. It would be a more interesting opening sentence: 'Le Corbusier started it!', but you know as well as I do that he couldn't 'start' anything. Hold on...

It could be said that Le Corbusier's book, Aircraft, started something....I suppose. Start again...

It started when I pulled Le Corbusier's Aircraft out from whatever it was wedged between and stuck it on display. What started? You'll see...

I was struck by how beautiful the cover is...how simple, direct, clear, graphically. Anyway, a few days later I'm browsing the basement of a West End bookshop when I come across The Unlimited Dream Company by J. G. Ballard, wondering 'Do I have this? I must have this...perhaps I don't.' I bought it. Luckily, no other edition lurked on the shelves. I couldn't believe it had escaped 'the net'. It had also escaped my memory, which is full of holes, big holes, like the most useless net imaginable.

Turns out it's one of the wildest books Ballard has ever written and yes that includes Crash. When Blake crashes his plane in the Thames at Shepperton it begins a series of fantastical events as Blake, being dead/not dead, discovers he has amazing powers and rampant desires. He transforms the environment completely. I'll say no more for fear of ruining your enjoyment. 

So I went from Aircraft to Blake's aircraft crashing, quite by coincidence. I'm sure Ballard was aware of Le Corbusier's book. Maybe not. 

As I neared the end of Ballard's novel we decided to go for a day out at Shoreham-by-Sea. LJ chose the place. It's an enjoyable little town on a river over which there's a bridge leading to the sea. We walked the other side of the river, heading West, over the road and into the countryside, following the Adur. Guess what was to our left...an airport for light aircraft. We stood and watched a few taking off and landing. I was mesmerised, partly thinking of Ballard's character, Blake, but also by the sight of people brave enough to fly. 

The airport (Brighton City Airport) terminal is a thing of beauty in itself, opened in 1936, a year after Le Corbusier's book was published. From the elegance of Aircraft to the sight of this Art Deco gem seemed like an appropriate way to end the recent flight theme in my life.