Well Stan, I think you know my taste in music well enough to know there isn't much overlap with yours so we'll not bother with that avenue, books may be more fruitful. Over the last year or so I've enjoyed: Siegfried Sassoon by Max Egremont Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Kline The Tent, the Bucket and Me by Emma Kennedy and I have to mention QPR, the Old Days by John Clifford (all the proceeds go to the QPR in the Community Trust) http://www.qprtheolddays.com/ I was very disappointed by The Fear Index by Robert Harris and disliked: Mason and Dixon by that Pynchon fella mentioned above Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel and I'm currently struggling with The & Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence (of Arabia) and am continually cast an eye at Danny Baker's autobiography which will be my rewards for finishing that mighty tome. I don't know if you've been watching The Following on Sky Atlantic, but if not and if it is on NetFlix yet, give that a go. Films: I definitely not up to date, or even close. I did enjoy The Sting the other weekend!!!
I agree Dave, one of the funniest films to come out of the USA, the humor is so subtle in places you could almost think they understand irony. SWEEEEEEEEET!
Books - recently read The Spy Who Came In from the Cold and The Hobbit. Currently on Demons by Dostoevski which has reminded me how vividly he depicts Russian society. Don't do non-fiction - escapism all the way. Films - saw The Hurricane (excellent), Righteous Kill (overblown), Night of the Hunter (beautifully paced), Fraction (predictable) and Spy Game (typically slick Tony Scott and very sharp) in the last month. Music - Currently, Phoenix, Shed Seven and Queens of the Stone Age. Looking to get the Foals and Courteeners new offerings at the next opportunity. TV - South Park, Rhod Gilbert's work experience and 8 out of 10 cats (showing my maturity here. Place - idyllically Slovenia but I just had a week off and now, back at work, really appreciate my homely comforts.
Have any of you guys seen the French film Untouchable - it is brilliant. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Based on a true story. Uplifting, funny and moving. I dare anyone not to love it.
If that is the one with the rich bloke in a wheel chair who employs a big fella from the other end of society to take care of him, who was only trying to collect enough job application signatures to collect social, then yes I agree. It was one of the best and funniest films I seen in a long time.
Sans Soleil is a great film, another vote for that Film: "2046"/"In the mood for love". For the cinamatography, the clothes and above all the amazing beauty of Zhang Ziyi and Maggie Cheung. Book: "Things fall apart" or the "The Buru Quartet" Music: to choose but one album? Bellemou Messaoud from a long time ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-L-SY1a_X4 Edit: Place: Mazara del Vallo for old friends: https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=...urce=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=AjZKUbKvLqOM7AbsqoGgDg
Me? Done all me book reading for the time being - though mention of In Cold Blood and The Seven Pillars of Wisdom brought some fond memories flooding back. (Roller, if you ever wanna get me going, talk about Lawrence - what a weirdo - but what a ledge!). What keeps me entertained? History. Right now I'm addicted to YouTube. What a place, can't believe it's all free too! Loads of stuff on any subject. I'm in there rooting round like a kid in a sweet shop every night! For me it's documentaries... and lectures! Put one and one together and suddenly it's all docs and seminars on American history. Mayflower crossing to WW1. Never been a fan of things U.S. - but for a country that laments its lack of history and whose standard documentary making is normally anything but, YouTube's stacked to the rafters with quality the like of which we see little of over here. Civil War's particularly well covered and the facts as ever, show the fiction we get for what it is. Fanciful propaganda. (Did you know for example, that some reservation-dwelling Cherokee kept black slaves and fought for the CSA; that the Rebs took the White House at one point but abandoned it after just one day; or that Longstreet and Grant were best mates before and after the war, but fully committed to their opposing causes for the duration??? I certainly didn't.) As for feature films. Don't watch many but the most recent have been Gettysburg made in 93 (but which I actually understand now!) and Spielberg's latest, Lincoln. I wonder why! Lincoln though, was a brilliant summary of the run up to the emancipation proclamation but a bridge too far for the average movie fan I reckon. We'll see.
I've just bought Paul Preston's book called 'The Spanish Holocaust' about the crimes and atrocities committed during the Spanish Civil war by both sides. It's a period of history I know a little about but really would like to know more.
If you haven't already read it, Orwell's "Homage to Catalonia" is about him going to fight in that war, setting off without having decided which side to fight for, and the amateurism and futility of the whole thing, and is, of course, beautifully written. Stan, I meant to add to my previous comment, that, if you have a kindle, you can get virtually every Dickens book for free. Who could want more?
Cheers Roller, 'HTC' was recommended to me by another mate of mine who reads a lot. Definately on my 'to read' list. Talking of reading, do you read actual books or on a kindle ?? Mrs wants to get me one (a kindle) for my birthday but I'm not too sure. Any opinions ??
I have a Kindle and love it - light, will store more books than I can possibly read (for example the complete works of Dickens, Roller!) and clever in terms of lighting - it does look/feel like reading a book, no harsh backlighting like on iPad. Brilliant when travelling. But poor/useless for illustrations/maps (the newer versions, which look more like ipads, may be better at this). But if I forget my specs I can just change the size of the font - or could if I could see the controls properly.... I can't deny that I still like the feel of books. Refused to ever get rid of books, even those I did not like/would never look at again, until a couple of years ago when we moved house and I realised a material attachment to piles of paper was a bit weird. I'm much more selective about what I need a hard copy of now. Another thing which has made the transition easier is the fact that bookshops are nothing like they used to be, pointless if you have something specific in mind unless its in the book charts, and frequently not stocking anything by crucial authors on the 'not much call for it round here' rationale. Hence no Hunter S Thompson in my local Waterstones. They'll order, but I can get it instantly, and cheaper, from Amazon. One thing I do regret is not having used a public library for more than 10 years. Something about these places screams 'protect at all costs' to me. Recommend you don't look at it as and 'either/or' Staines, you'll use a kindle I guarantee, but also continue reading books in the olde worlde way. PS just had a brilliant example of the enduring power of literature. Wife has just come in, having heard Ed Balls on the radio. Her comment: "every time I see or hear him a powerful image of Napoleon the pig from Animal Farm comes to mind" This is right on just about any level you want to think about it - thank you Mr Orwell.
Thanks for that sb. I know what you mean about the feel of books, and my bookshelves are piled with books I've read and have kept....just 'cos I like looking at them on my shelf. Weird ?? Maybe Btw, thanks Roller. Just bought 'Homage To Catalonia' and will read that next
Very interesting thread here, folks ................ here are my latest. Books - Albert Speer - Inside the Third Reich .......... rereading this amazing book. Also read his British counterpart, Bomber Harris - His Life & Times. Both fascinating, (if that's your thing) Film - Just watched The Wedding Crashers, again ............... went close to wearing the grandsons nappy cause I couldn't stop pissing myself laughing. TV - American Pickers - Some of the stuff they find is remarkable + any cars show - Top Gear, Wheeler Dealers, Mecum Auto Auctions, Chasing Classic Cars, etc .......... Music - Listening to Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue, whilst partaking in some beverage. Place - It nearly all happens in the 'doghouse' in the garage ............... the place is rockin on a Friday night!
I've do both too. The kindle is great for holidays, it saves carrying 10 or so books (I read a lot on holiday), but the rest of the time I prefer the old fashioned method.
Which kindle/e reader do you recommend Roller (and sb) ?? Is the basic model ok or should i be looking at a more advance one ?? Sorry for the questions but just booked the family holiday for August and think it might be just thing i need to save taking 10 or so paperbacks for the plane and beach.
"Libertarias" is a decent film on the period as is "Land and Freedom". Libertarias is complete on YouTube but in Spanish without subtitles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBv5LaHHWCw Land & Freedom also complete: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITTlvf0vfto Forgot to add this, excellent documentary: [video=youtube;I0XhRnJz8fU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0XhRnJz8fU[/video]
On the subject of books...gutted to hear about the death of James Herbert yesterday. The man truly had a way in terrifying you with his books. 'The Dark' gave me nightmares for years afterwards.
No problem mate. I've only got the basic model, which is absolutely fine for my needs. It holds truck loads of books and is easy to read in the bright sunlight. From my limited understanding the paperwhite enables you to read in the dark (but uses more power to do so) and the kindle fire should never have been invented. However, I'm not a gadget man so others may disagree. The download time for books through your wireless router at home is incredible, you can get a whole novel in literally seconds. Books are generally (but not always) cheaper as there is no paper cost, but some older books, though available, aren't properly formatted for the kindle meaning that you can't skip from chapter to chapter - hardly the end of the world, the kindle always remembers where you are up to. The only down side for me is that I do most of my reading when at home in the bath, which is one of the reasons why I stay with printed books by default. Hope that helps Stainsey.
