bookgazing (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bookgazing) wrote2009-08-11 12:49 pm
bookgazing) wrote2009-08-11 12:49 pm
Past, Present, Future
Past
Last weekend I used what was possibly the last of the British summer sun to take a trip to Stratford on Avon, which is about an hour and a half away on the train. I had a bit of a boozy lunch with a mate at ‘The Parchment and Pen’, ate icecream, took a river cruise, convinced my friend to buy uber-cute shoes for work during a drunken shopping trip and sat watching swans with a pint at the only pub directly on the river Avon. Oh and managed to get out of Stratford alive after my friend said quite loudly ‘I hate William Shakespeare,’ as we walked past his birthplace, on the way to the train. If only every day could be as lovely (apart from that last bit).
I saw ‘Dreamgirls’ on Sunday – weak, I thought. There’s a little hint at some political substance, when the film displays the girls managers’ co-operation with the racism of the white music industry, but I thought the actors and the subject matter was let down in several significant ways (not least that sappy ending and the fact that the film couldn’t quite decide if it wanted to be a musical or a film that just featured The Supremes’ songs). Jennifer Hudson’s version of ‘One Night Only’ is worthwhile, but other film’s based on the lives of musicians like ‘Ray’ and ‘Walk the Line’ easily out class ‘Dreamgirls’.
Present
The week of doom has passed and while it’s left me with a totally annoying version of Office (which has argh just frustrated me by making me spend an hour trying to download a new compatibility pack on my laptop) I feel a bit freer at work, if still confused by some changes taking place.
Some books have appeared, but they are not mine! Free books to borrow are one of the advantages of returning home in your twenties. Among others my mum has picked up ‘The Girl Who Played With Fire' (the second book in Steig Larsson's Millenium trilogy), '84 Charing Cross Road’ (which she has devoured and I must read next) and ‘The Hearts of Horses’.
Right now I’m alternating between ‘ England’s Mistress’, Kate Hamilton’s entertaining biography of Emma Hamilton and ‘Zorro’ by Isabelle Allende. Kate Hamilton is certainly aware of the many things that may stall the average reader, attempting a work of non-fiction (long chapters, ponderous language etc) and is combining scholarship with the flair of a novel writer. I may actually finish a non-fiction book this year!
By the time you read this I'll have watched a new trashy episode of 'Dangerous Romantics', BBC2's fun drama about the rebellious young men of the pre-Raphelite Brotherhood, dedicated to changing the world forever (and getting their end away as often as possible) which will make me very happy. Right now you have 21 days to watch all the episodes for free on the BBC's iplayer (just follow the link above)!
Future
I am resisting buying books, but I’m lusting after quite a few, such as:
Dance Night - Dawn Powell
Twenty Miles - Cara Hedley
Chameleon - Charles R Smith
Leviathan - Philip Hoare
The Girl with Glass Feet - Ali Shaw
The Folded Leaf - William Maxwell
TThe Caligrapher's Daughter - Eugenia Kim
Tokyo, Year Zero and Occupied City - David Peace
What I Saw and How I Lied - Judy Blundell
Fade to Blue - Sean Beaudoin
and Doret left me a list of chick-lit with black main characters after I requested on at another site. Eep more books:
Sex Murder Double Latte - Kyra Davis
Nappily Ever After by Trisha Thomas
The Accidental Diva by Tia Williams
Dancing on the Edge of the Roof by Sheila Williams
The Chocolate Ship by Marrissa Monteilh
Mr. Right Now by Monica Jackson
I’m also resisting buying shoes. It’s more important to save, right? (I may crumble about the shoes though). I'm also considering a subscription to 'Solander' - historical novels reviewed aplenty. It seems almost ridiculously cheap at £25 for a year's subscription.
Last weekend I used what was possibly the last of the British summer sun to take a trip to Stratford on Avon, which is about an hour and a half away on the train. I had a bit of a boozy lunch with a mate at ‘The Parchment and Pen’, ate icecream, took a river cruise, convinced my friend to buy uber-cute shoes for work during a drunken shopping trip and sat watching swans with a pint at the only pub directly on the river Avon. Oh and managed to get out of Stratford alive after my friend said quite loudly ‘I hate William Shakespeare,’ as we walked past his birthplace, on the way to the train. If only every day could be as lovely (apart from that last bit).
I saw ‘Dreamgirls’ on Sunday – weak, I thought. There’s a little hint at some political substance, when the film displays the girls managers’ co-operation with the racism of the white music industry, but I thought the actors and the subject matter was let down in several significant ways (not least that sappy ending and the fact that the film couldn’t quite decide if it wanted to be a musical or a film that just featured The Supremes’ songs). Jennifer Hudson’s version of ‘One Night Only’ is worthwhile, but other film’s based on the lives of musicians like ‘Ray’ and ‘Walk the Line’ easily out class ‘Dreamgirls’.
Present
The week of doom has passed and while it’s left me with a totally annoying version of Office (which has argh just frustrated me by making me spend an hour trying to download a new compatibility pack on my laptop) I feel a bit freer at work, if still confused by some changes taking place.
Some books have appeared, but they are not mine! Free books to borrow are one of the advantages of returning home in your twenties. Among others my mum has picked up ‘The Girl Who Played With Fire' (the second book in Steig Larsson's Millenium trilogy), '84 Charing Cross Road’ (which she has devoured and I must read next) and ‘The Hearts of Horses’.
Right now I’m alternating between ‘ England’s Mistress’, Kate Hamilton’s entertaining biography of Emma Hamilton and ‘Zorro’ by Isabelle Allende. Kate Hamilton is certainly aware of the many things that may stall the average reader, attempting a work of non-fiction (long chapters, ponderous language etc) and is combining scholarship with the flair of a novel writer. I may actually finish a non-fiction book this year!
By the time you read this I'll have watched a new trashy episode of 'Dangerous Romantics', BBC2's fun drama about the rebellious young men of the pre-Raphelite Brotherhood, dedicated to changing the world forever (and getting their end away as often as possible) which will make me very happy. Right now you have 21 days to watch all the episodes for free on the BBC's iplayer (just follow the link above)!
Future
I am resisting buying books, but I’m lusting after quite a few, such as:
Dance Night - Dawn Powell
Twenty Miles - Cara Hedley
Chameleon - Charles R Smith
Leviathan - Philip Hoare
The Girl with Glass Feet - Ali Shaw
The Folded Leaf - William Maxwell
TThe Caligrapher's Daughter - Eugenia Kim
Tokyo, Year Zero and Occupied City - David Peace
What I Saw and How I Lied - Judy Blundell
Fade to Blue - Sean Beaudoin
and Doret left me a list of chick-lit with black main characters after I requested on at another site. Eep more books:
Sex Murder Double Latte - Kyra Davis
Nappily Ever After by Trisha Thomas
The Accidental Diva by Tia Williams
Dancing on the Edge of the Roof by Sheila Williams
The Chocolate Ship by Marrissa Monteilh
Mr. Right Now by Monica Jackson
I’m also resisting buying shoes. It’s more important to save, right? (I may crumble about the shoes though). I'm also considering a subscription to 'Solander' - historical novels reviewed aplenty. It seems almost ridiculously cheap at £25 for a year's subscription.