Lance Greenfield's Blog, page 72
November 15, 2015
Review: The Martian
The Martian by Andy Weir
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The story itself is great, and has the potential to be full of tension from beginning to end. However, that potential is not realised.
Most of the narrative is Mark Watney’s account of his survival on Mars after he has been left on the surface, presumed dead, by the rest of his crew. Colour is added by the interactions back at mission control in NASA as they plan the rescue.
Mark works out exactly what he needs to do to survive until the next scheduled mission. There is a lot of arithmetic involved as he calculates his rations, his air and water consumption, how to build a farm and grow potatoes, and all sorts of other factors to contribute to his journey. As a mathematician, I initially found this very interesting and I followed the sums to ensure that they were true. But, after three hundred or so pages of this, it became boring.
His log is interspersed with some lovely, wry humour, which I enjoyed.
I understand that the film is much more exciting than the book. Normally, for me, this works out to be the other way around. I must make the effort to see the film.
My lingering thoughts are that this was a wonderful first attempt at self-publishing. I have gone down this route myself, and it is difficult. Mark Weir has done a tremendous job. I feel that, had he put it aside for a few months, and re-written it, his book would have been even better. It’s a brilliant achievement that it has been made into a movie. Well done Andy Weir!
As the world sheds tears for Paris . . .
. . . I thought that this piece of music, by musicians whom I have always greatly admired, including Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, was most appropriate to share with all of my friends. It was recorded in this month, in Paris, sixty-eight years ago.
November 14, 2015
Review: Whisky Galore
Whisky Galore by Compton Mackenzie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is very amusing, and it is based upon a true story. It gives a great insight into why the simple lives of Highlanders and Islanders are to be so admired and envied.
The SS Cabinet Minister runs aground on the rocks of one of the Hebridean islands. The locals, naturally, take advantage of the availability of the ship’s cargo: whisky. The authorities have other ideas about what should happen to this precious cargo.
The conflict which ensues, and some of the cunning methods that the locals employ, are hysterically funny. I am sure that you will enjoy this delightful tale.
November 11, 2015
Lymington Artist’s Brilliant Poppy Tribute to the Fallen
As I was driving home this evening, I was listening to Louisa Hannon on BBC Radio Solent. She was interviewing Michael Turner, who is an artist from Lymington, Hampshire, who specialises in steel sculptures. Michael came up with a brilliant idea to support the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal, which supports all current and former British military personnel.
He has made eleven beautiful, steel and lacquer poppies and, throughout the day, he has distributed them around Lymington and posted photographs of them, in location, on his Facebook page. Anybody who found them could keep them in return for a donation to the Poppy Appeal.
For more on this story, and to see the poppy locations, please follow the link to Michael’s FB page.
November 10, 2015
No Prejudice – No Hate
I recently posted a blog in Silver Threading’s Writer’s Quote Wednesday slot, and Ronovan’s Be Wonderful on Wednesday page, regarding my strongly held view on prejudice. Today, I spotted the following image on Facebook.
It says it all really.
The current wave of prejudice and hate that seems to be sweeping through my own country and many other countries that I visit, depresses me and brings me to tears. It is fueled by politicians and the media, and is further built to explosive proportions by the viral and vile spreading through “social” media.
The voices of reason, tolerance and understanding must speak louder than those of prejudice and hate. Otherwise, I dread to think where the tide will take us.
One world, one people: care about them all
November 9, 2015
3 Minute Song with a Health Warning for the Politically Correct
Although this song was performed by Tim Minchin at the Royal Variety Show in 2011, it has not dated and it has me in stitches every time I hear it. It will be forever on my YouTube “Fun” playlist.
Even if you’ve heard it before, treat yourself to three minutes of laughter. You deserve it after the day you’ve had!
November 6, 2015
Near Death Experience – or just a ride in the park?
I already posted this incredible video on my FB page, but I felt that it merited a place on my personal blog too. Just standing at the top of the run would scare the #### out of me. This guy, who cycles down a mountain track with steep cliffs either side, is a complete nutcase!
The rider, Sam Reynolds, could be killed at any moment from the start to the finish of this amazing trip. Just watching it from the comfort of my armchair makes me feel very nervous.
So strap yourself in and watch the whole video on full screen.
Warning: Don’t look down!
November 5, 2015
Incredible Solar Images from NASA
I really don’t have to say too much about this, apart from recommending that you take some time to watch this amazing video from NASA.
If you want to see more, just click on this link.
Scene 10/04 Momentous Mountains
I love this. It’s a great start to NaNoWriMo and this excerpt has sucked me in already!
Originally posted on sherijkennedyriverside:
My NaNoWriMo novel this year is set here in the Snoqualmie Valley in 1910. I thought I’d share an excerpt where Miss Livingstone looks up to Mt. Si as she contemplates taking a journey on an alternate time line:
“Will you remember what has unfolded so far, in the future, as you have seen it now?” Again MJ hit the mark as quickly as my own mind arrived at the point.
“I don’t know.”
We are both silent this time.
“But I will go.” I declared.
“So be it.” She accepted in my support.
“I just wanted you to know. Like on my other journeys. I know if you can you will keep me safe and cover for me.”
“Of course.” Her words were spoken with less conviction that her first pledged support. But then undoing the future’s past is quite a different thing. In looking at her I see she is no less…
View original 243 more words
November 4, 2015
Writer’s Quote Wednesday – The Power of Vulnerability
Guest Host: Ronovan of RonovanWrites and LitWorldInterviews.com
On behalf of Host in Transit: Silverthreading and Writer’s Quote Wednesday
A while back, a very good friend of mine and I sat down and went through some SWOT analysis on each other. It was a very useful exercise. For me, the most interesting point that my friend mad about me, and I challenged him on it at the time, was that he put “Instant trust” as an attribute in both my Strengths box and my Weaknesses box.
What he meant was that I open up with people as soon as I meet them. I tell the truth about what I think and what I feel. That is sometimes a risk that could come back to bite me but, more often, I find that I quickly gain the respect of my new acquaintance. There have been many times when that approach has paid great dividends in both my work life and my business life.
Of course, if I am conveying what could be perceived as a negative message, I always take care to do so diplomatically and I try to avoid causing hurt if at all possible. I also try to balance negative messages with positive messages.
If I see something which I think is beautiful, I like to share it widely so that others may enjoy it too. This is why I love writing and reading book reviews. If I can help somebody to improve their lives by making a small sacrifice of my own, I’ll do so.
This puts me in danger of becoming a doormat, to coin a cliche. It does make me vulnerable and could eventually lead to my downfall. But I would rather trust a person from the first second that I meet them until they give me a reason not to trust them, than suspect that they are going to lay me on the ground and wipe their dirty boots on me.
The point that Hemingway was making, I think, was that people should enjoy the freedom of their actions and writing without fearing the consequences of sharing the beauty, telling the truth or of getting hurt.
I’ve just done so in this post, so please be gentle with me in your responses.
But write with freedom!
The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, the capacity for sacrifice. Ironically, their virtues make them vulnerable; they are often wounded, sometimes destroyed.
Ernest Hmingway
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