Recent reads and listens for recommendation
Category books&music
With a slightly sheepish peek round the side of the sofa I am coming out to blog again. More on where I've been for the last month over the next few days - yeah I know it is longer than that since I blogged, but the last month is what you are going to get
Firstly I have recently had some travelling time to get round to some reads and listens that I would recommend:
Books:
'The Eyre Affair' and 'Lost in a Good Book' by Jasper fforde.
Both these are excellent reads and if you like books and are happy to have your imagination about the book world played with and stretched then I HIGHLY recommend this series. Duffbert does a great review of 'The Eyre Affair' here - go read and then go get the books and enjoy.
I am looking forward to getting into the rest of the series and into the Nursery Crimes series too which begins by looking into who murdered Humpty Dumpty! I got into these through Gab and then Liz lent me the second one whilst we were in KC. She also introduced me to the author's website which is great fun to explore - he is quite Douglas Adams-eque in some of his expression and I would recommend having a plough through his site when you have some time to en joy it.
'The Skull Mantra' by Eliot Pattison.
I am, naturally, aware of the whole China/Tibet scenario, but my knowledge of it is limited to say the least. This book did what I love good fiction by knowledgeable and sensitive authors to do - it taught me a mass about the repression of the Buddhist monks and about the politically-canny Chinese overlords, whilst being a rattling good read with a plot that rivalled those of established writers of the genre. I found this, by chance, whilst book-buying from our local Oxfam bookshop in preparation for our travels last month and took a chance on it. I am very glad I did. This was his debut novel, though he has written many non-fiction books on Tibet - and I am now looking forward to catching up on his subsequent novels.
'Bones to Ashes' by Kathy Reichs.
I love Kathy Reich's books. I was lucky enough to discover her when she published the first in her Temperance Brennan series and have been hooked ever since. 'Bones to Ashes' is an excellent instalment and deals with what I am sure could still be sensitive issues in some areas of Canada.
Since reading her previous novel - 'Break no Bones' - I have watched lots of episodes of the TV series 'Bones', based on these books, and I was struck by how TV heightens characteristics to make compelling viewing. In the TV series Tempe is openly referred to as 'Bones' which just doesn't happen in the books and she has a distinct lack of ability to be able to relate to living human beings in a way that they are used to or expect. She often inadvertently offends or upsets people by expounding the scientific reasons for their behaviour or how they walk and she does this very baldy, almost as if she is giving a symposium on the subject. The Tempe in the novels, whilst always aware of these reasons, is too human and too marked by her own experiences and weaknesses to tackle people in the same way. I don't hold this against the TV series, but I think it is another reason why I don't particularly like books that have been made into films or series - you oftencan't don't
get the same depth of character and I like my characters deep. HOWEVER,
we can't complain too much as she gets to play opposite David
Boreanaz who
is just gorgeous!
Brilliance of brilliance: Kathy Reichs is a fan of Jasper fforde! Or at the very least her creation, Dr Brennan, is a fan of Jasper fforde. Picture my excitement when Reichs mentions that Brennan is reading fforde! I think this is why I like fforde's concept of how books interact so much - it very cleverly mirrors and then extends our individual interaction with books we love and authors we admire.
Music
I got both of these CDs from Sharper Image stores whilst we were in KC and I they have both been on heavy rotation since we got home.
'Not too late' by Norah Jones.
An excellent third album. I love it. I like it better than her second album, 'Feels like home' - it has more in common with her first album 'Come away with me'. I you haven't got into Norah Jones (just which planet have you been on?
) then I suggest you do so. She also
did a recording
with the Peter
Malick group
which is a lesser-known gem.
Favourite track so far? Sinking soon. It has not been universally welcomed by the amazon reviewers, but I just love its laid back beat.
'The Road to Escondido' by JJ Cale and Eric Clapton.
I am a Clapton fan and I was intrigued enough to take advantage of the 'listen-and-see-if-you-like-it-before-you-buy-it' system in the shop. I was hooked from the fist bar and it has been playing ever since.
In fact I am so hooked that whilst taking advantage of the magnificent HMV up to 70% off sale that I have purchased JJ Cale's 'Anyway The Wind Blows: The Anthology' and I can't wait to try it out.
Favourite track so far? Don't cry sister cry. The chorus plays in my head a lot.
I am equally excited about the new Clapton compilation 'Complete Clapton', which, while I am not sure it has a massively accurate title, does hold a mass of my favourite Clapton tracks which will replace some of my ageing and about-to-fall-apart cassette collection - shock horror, yes I still have some things on cassette :-0
Today's purchases - you can tell it was a good sale!
Rock on a week of new media!
With a slightly sheepish peek round the side of the sofa I am coming out to blog again. More on where I've been for the last month over the next few days - yeah I know it is longer than that since I blogged, but the last month is what you are going to get
Firstly I have recently had some travelling time to get round to some reads and listens that I would recommend:
Books:
'The Eyre Affair' and 'Lost in a Good Book' by Jasper fforde.
Both these are excellent reads and if you like books and are happy to have your imagination about the book world played with and stretched then I HIGHLY recommend this series. Duffbert does a great review of 'The Eyre Affair' here - go read and then go get the books and enjoy.
I am looking forward to getting into the rest of the series and into the Nursery Crimes series too which begins by looking into who murdered Humpty Dumpty! I got into these through Gab and then Liz lent me the second one whilst we were in KC. She also introduced me to the author's website which is great fun to explore - he is quite Douglas Adams-eque in some of his expression and I would recommend having a plough through his site when you have some time to en joy it.
'The Skull Mantra' by Eliot Pattison.
I am, naturally, aware of the whole China/Tibet scenario, but my knowledge of it is limited to say the least. This book did what I love good fiction by knowledgeable and sensitive authors to do - it taught me a mass about the repression of the Buddhist monks and about the politically-canny Chinese overlords, whilst being a rattling good read with a plot that rivalled those of established writers of the genre. I found this, by chance, whilst book-buying from our local Oxfam bookshop in preparation for our travels last month and took a chance on it. I am very glad I did. This was his debut novel, though he has written many non-fiction books on Tibet - and I am now looking forward to catching up on his subsequent novels.
'Bones to Ashes' by Kathy Reichs.
I love Kathy Reich's books. I was lucky enough to discover her when she published the first in her Temperance Brennan series and have been hooked ever since. 'Bones to Ashes' is an excellent instalment and deals with what I am sure could still be sensitive issues in some areas of Canada.
Since reading her previous novel - 'Break no Bones' - I have watched lots of episodes of the TV series 'Bones', based on these books, and I was struck by how TV heightens characteristics to make compelling viewing. In the TV series Tempe is openly referred to as 'Bones' which just doesn't happen in the books and she has a distinct lack of ability to be able to relate to living human beings in a way that they are used to or expect. She often inadvertently offends or upsets people by expounding the scientific reasons for their behaviour or how they walk and she does this very baldy, almost as if she is giving a symposium on the subject. The Tempe in the novels, whilst always aware of these reasons, is too human and too marked by her own experiences and weaknesses to tackle people in the same way. I don't hold this against the TV series, but I think it is another reason why I don't particularly like books that have been made into films or series - you often
Brilliance of brilliance: Kathy Reichs is a fan of Jasper fforde! Or at the very least her creation, Dr Brennan, is a fan of Jasper fforde. Picture my excitement when Reichs mentions that Brennan is reading fforde! I think this is why I like fforde's concept of how books interact so much - it very cleverly mirrors and then extends our individual interaction with books we love and authors we admire.
Music
I got both of these CDs from Sharper Image stores whilst we were in KC and I they have both been on heavy rotation since we got home.
'Not too late' by Norah Jones.
An excellent third album. I love it. I like it better than her second album, 'Feels like home' - it has more in common with her first album 'Come away with me'. I you haven't got into Norah Jones (just which planet have you been on?
) then I suggest you do so. She also
did a recording
with the Peter
Malick group
which is a lesser-known gem.
Favourite track so far? Sinking soon. It has not been universally welcomed by the amazon reviewers, but I just love its laid back beat.
'The Road to Escondido' by JJ Cale and Eric Clapton.
I am a Clapton fan and I was intrigued enough to take advantage of the 'listen-and-see-if-you-like-it-before-you-buy-it' system in the shop. I was hooked from the fist bar and it has been playing ever since.
In fact I am so hooked that whilst taking advantage of the magnificent HMV up to 70% off sale that I have purchased JJ Cale's 'Anyway The Wind Blows: The Anthology' and I can't wait to try it out.
Favourite track so far? Don't cry sister cry. The chorus plays in my head a lot.
I am equally excited about the new Clapton compilation 'Complete Clapton', which, while I am not sure it has a massively accurate title, does hold a mass of my favourite Clapton tracks which will replace some of my ageing and about-to-fall-apart cassette collection - shock horror, yes I still have some things on cassette :-0
Today's purchases - you can tell it was a good sale!
- 'All the lost souls' by James Blunt. I know there are those who don't rate James Blunt, but I do and I would urge anyone who is wavering to listen to 'No bravery' before making up their minds. James served with the British Army in Bosnia and wrote this about his experience of that conflict.
- 'Drastic Fantastic' by KT Tunstell. The second album from the Scottish chanteuse KT.
- 'Magic' by Bruce Springsteen. Been looking forward to this since I started hearing 'Radio Nowhere' on the radio.
- 'Hot fuzz'. Just classic British film making from the team who brought you 'Sean of the Dead'. If you haven't seen it - go get it.
- 'The Transporter - ultimate DVD collection'. The Transporter is a very stylish film. Jason Statham is just cool. If you like stylish action films - go get it.
- 'The One', 'Legend of the Red Dragon' & 'Meltdown'. A Jet Li collection. A bargain three-disc box set for £10 and just my sort of thing to settle down with, but then I am always being told I'm not your typical female!
Rock on a week of new media!
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Comments
Posted by T At 10:49:25 On 09/10/2007 | - Website - |
Posted by Margo At 04:37:24 On 09/10/2007 | - Website - |