Reading etc.

This Icelandic film is described as bleakly funny.  It is not bleakly funny, it is bleakly bleak.  Most of the film is spent establishing how bored and miserable our hero is. The director masterfully conveys just how little there is to do in a small town in Iceland in Winter. The five minute shot of a fly climbing up a wall is a highlight here. The film ends with all of the characters who have speaking parts (other than our hero) being wiped out by an avalanche. Fun stuff.

Just finished this. Very good. Took a while to get into but worth the effort. It had been sitting on my bedside table for some time saying “I’m a hardback and a birthday present, are you ever going to read me?”Am now looking at the remainder of my bedside pile with some alarm; it is somewhat worthy. Which of the following should I tackle:

“The Bridge over the Drina” by Ivo Andric

“Le Bébé” by Marie Darrieussecq (in French please note, a pressie from the French mama)

“The Blindfold” by Siri Hustvedt (I know that I thought that “What I loved” was brilliant but this is from her back catalogue, suppose it’s disappointing)

“No Vague Utopia” by Emily Cullen (a book of poetry, ok maybe not for reading cover to cover at a sitting).

“Guns, germs and steel” by Jared Diamond (this is very good, but you need to stick with it and every time I get about 100 pages in I abandon for a couple of months and have to start all over again and, to be honest, I’m getting a little tired of the first 100 pages.)

Maybe I’ll just leave them all fester a little longer and reread “Pride and Prejudice”.

Wow, Jack, two minds with but a single thought between them (conveys, I feel a subtle difference to two minds with but a single thought), see my comment in your Cher thingy. Might buy Shade but as discussed am a little dubious. Thing it might end up stockpiled.

Just polished off “Running with Scissors” by Augusten Burroughs.  Entertaining description of, frankly horrific, childhood.  Does not, however, entirely live up to the hype.

Last night saw the flic “In this World” absolutely brilliant, but very, very harrowing story of two refugees trying to make their way from Peshawar in Pakistan to London.  Really excellent though director’s social conscience can be a bit trying when he does voice overs.  This is, however, a minor quibble.  You have to get it out on video/DVD.  Suspect this will not be a problem as it is not exactly top of anyone’s list for an evening in (only got it myself because the rom com I wanted was unavailable).  Do see it, it’s fab.

As I seem to spend a lot of time in the car and my books on tape are all finished, I was listening to the World Service again the other day (I know, it’s like a terrible affliction). There was a programme on blogging. I particularly liked this comment:

“The artist Andy Warhol believed that everyone would be famous for fifteen minutes, but now – say the wits – with a weblog everyone can be famous to at least fifteen people.”

Quite.

And I finished “The Dante Club”. And it is brutally disappointing. In my heart of hearts, I know it is going to be made a huge Hollywood blockbuster, just to spite me. Like bloody “Cold Mountain”.

And finally, from this week’s London Review of Books:

“Summer, 1974. Everybody was kung fu fighting.  Not me, I was revising the sociology of Paulo Freire.  Who’s laughing now, sixth-formers of Sherbourne Fields School, Coundon?  Mortgage-free M and perennial Friends Reunited outcast.  Box no. 06/06”

Just polished off the following 3, b’day pres from sister in law the publishing exec:

“Jude the Obscure” by Thomas Hardy – could this be more depressing?

“Jamaica Inn” by Daphne Du Maurier – enthusiastic review elsewhere

“The Mill on the Floss” by George Eliot – have a bit of difficulty with George Eliot, I did “Silas Marner” for the Leaving and frankly, learning that maudlin, depressing tome in detail when I was 17 put me right off George Eliot.  However, I met a guy at a party who convinced me that I had misjudged her and had to read “Middlemarch” which, he said was fantastic. I did and I didn’t like it much: So, I approached “The Mill on the Floss” with some trepidation. It is beautifully written (or, abridged, given that I heard it on tape) and I did actually enjoy it, but it was a bit depressing. Should I try further George Eliot? I just don’t know.

Anyway, after the “Mill on the Floss” finished, I tuned into the World Service and there was an interview with Tracey Emin which was mildly interesting as the Glam Potter knew her at college. She, Tracey Emin, was on a programme called “Masterpiece”. If I were the GP, I think I would die of envy, but she is a better person than me, so doubtless will bear it with equanimity. Is most unfair though because, if you ask me, GP is infinitely more talented.

And finally, read a mildly amusing book called “Mortification: Writers’ stories of their public shame“. The motto appears to be, if you are a writer, avoid book readings. I gather from this book, that everyone else avoids them anyway and must confess, I have never been to one myself.

And, finally, on things cultural, due to my contacts in the diplomatic underworld, I have managed to get various Irish Presidency goodies, including 2 CDs containing, allegedly, the best of up and coming Irish music.  Frankly, not as restful as you might expect…but not bad either. If anyone is interested, I might be bothered to list some of the 32 offerings that it is felt represent the best of new Irish music, since, as far as I can see, they don’t rate a mention on the Pres website.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I have a crisis.  I didn’t read the rules on sweeties. I thought that you got a new supply every week. Was wondering why I hadn’t got any new ones and read the rules.  I have nothing at all interesting or sweetie worthy to post, so am sweetie bereft.  Can you get sweeties on credit?

Yours in anxious anticipation,

BW

(Jojo, wouldn’t it be a good idea to give everyone a couple every week, go on, please…)