Katheryn Thompson's Blog, page 11
March 17, 2020
New Releases in the Age of Corona
New books always need people to shout about them, but this is especially true at the moment. So here's a list of some new and upcoming releases I'm excited about:
Out of Touch (2 April)
When a brother and sister receive a letter from the father they haven't seen in twenty years, they must confront long-buried tensions in ways that will change them for ever.
This Lovely City (12 March)
A 1950s murder mystery set amongst the Caribbean community in south London.
The Lost Family: How DNA Testing Is Uncovering Secrets, Reuniting Relatives, and Upending Who We Are (out now)
A deeply reported look at the rise of home genetic testing and the seismic shock it has had on individual lives.
All in Her Head (2 April)
A psychological suspense novel, exploring the darkest corners of a mother’s mind, where nothing is as it first seems.
She-Clown, and other stories (26 March)
Short stories depicting the ordinary and extraordinary lives of women coping with the demands of society, the demands of men, of their fellow women, of their own bodies.
The Keeper (out now)
An addictive literary thriller about domestic violence, a crime as shocking as it is commonplace.
Then the Fish Swallowed Him: A Novel (24 March)
An critically-acclaimed Iranian author makes his American literary debut with this powerful and harrowing psychological portrait of modern Iran.
The River Home (out now)
A wise and emotionally powerful story of a broken family and the courage it takes to heal.
Writers & Lovers (out now)
At thirty-one, Casey is still clutching onto something nearly all her old friends have let go of: the determination to live a creative life.
Are any of these on your to-read list? What new and upcoming releases are you excited about?
Out of Touch (2 April)
When a brother and sister receive a letter from the father they haven't seen in twenty years, they must confront long-buried tensions in ways that will change them for ever.
This Lovely City (12 March)
A 1950s murder mystery set amongst the Caribbean community in south London.
The Lost Family: How DNA Testing Is Uncovering Secrets, Reuniting Relatives, and Upending Who We Are (out now)
A deeply reported look at the rise of home genetic testing and the seismic shock it has had on individual lives.
All in Her Head (2 April)
A psychological suspense novel, exploring the darkest corners of a mother’s mind, where nothing is as it first seems.
She-Clown, and other stories (26 March)
Short stories depicting the ordinary and extraordinary lives of women coping with the demands of society, the demands of men, of their fellow women, of their own bodies.
The Keeper (out now)
An addictive literary thriller about domestic violence, a crime as shocking as it is commonplace.
Then the Fish Swallowed Him: A Novel (24 March)
An critically-acclaimed Iranian author makes his American literary debut with this powerful and harrowing psychological portrait of modern Iran.
The River Home (out now)
A wise and emotionally powerful story of a broken family and the courage it takes to heal.
Writers & Lovers (out now)
At thirty-one, Casey is still clutching onto something nearly all her old friends have let go of: the determination to live a creative life.
Are any of these on your to-read list? What new and upcoming releases are you excited about?
March 7, 2020
March Books on My Radar
These are the books, published this month, which I'm most excited about:
The Animals at Lockwood Manor
Hetty Cartwright is tasked with the evacuation and safekeeping of the natural history museum’s collection of mammals. Once she and her exhibits arrive at Lockwood Manor, however, where they are to stay for the duration of the war, Hetty soon realises that she’s taken on more than she’d bargained for.
Writers & Lovers
Blindsided by her mother's sudden death, and wrecked by a recent love affair, Casey Peabody has arrived in Massachusetts in the summer of 1997 without a plan. A former child golf prodigy, she now waits tables in Harvard Square and rents a tiny, mouldy room at the side of a garage where she works on the novel she's been writing for six years. At thirty-one, Casey is still clutching onto something nearly all her old friends have let go of: the determination to live a creative life.
Thin Places: Essays from In Between
In this essay collection, Jordan Kisner explores the various ways in which we try to make ourselves better.
Hex
Nell Barber, an expelled PhD candidate in biological science, is exploring the fine line between poison and antidote, working alone to set a speed record for the detoxification of poisonous plants. Her mentor, Dr. Joan Kallas, is the hero of Nell's heart. Surrounded by Nell's ex, her best friend, her best friend's boyfriend, and Joan's buffoonish husband, the two scientists are tangled together at the centre of a web of illicit relationships, grudges, and obsessions. All six are burdened by desire and ambition, and as they collide on the university campus, their attractions set in motion a domino effect of affairs and heartbreak.
Temporary
A young woman's workplace is the size of the world. She fills increasingly bizarre placements in search of steadiness, connection, and something, at last, to call her own. Whether it's shining an endless closet of shoes, swabbing the deck of a pirate ship, assisting an assassin, or filling in for the Chairman of the Board, for the mythical Temporary, "there is nothing more personal than doing your job".
Which books published this month are you most looking forward to? Have any of these caught your eye?
The Animals at Lockwood Manor
Hetty Cartwright is tasked with the evacuation and safekeeping of the natural history museum’s collection of mammals. Once she and her exhibits arrive at Lockwood Manor, however, where they are to stay for the duration of the war, Hetty soon realises that she’s taken on more than she’d bargained for.
Writers & Lovers
Blindsided by her mother's sudden death, and wrecked by a recent love affair, Casey Peabody has arrived in Massachusetts in the summer of 1997 without a plan. A former child golf prodigy, she now waits tables in Harvard Square and rents a tiny, mouldy room at the side of a garage where she works on the novel she's been writing for six years. At thirty-one, Casey is still clutching onto something nearly all her old friends have let go of: the determination to live a creative life.
Thin Places: Essays from In Between
In this essay collection, Jordan Kisner explores the various ways in which we try to make ourselves better.
Hex
Nell Barber, an expelled PhD candidate in biological science, is exploring the fine line between poison and antidote, working alone to set a speed record for the detoxification of poisonous plants. Her mentor, Dr. Joan Kallas, is the hero of Nell's heart. Surrounded by Nell's ex, her best friend, her best friend's boyfriend, and Joan's buffoonish husband, the two scientists are tangled together at the centre of a web of illicit relationships, grudges, and obsessions. All six are burdened by desire and ambition, and as they collide on the university campus, their attractions set in motion a domino effect of affairs and heartbreak.
Temporary
A young woman's workplace is the size of the world. She fills increasingly bizarre placements in search of steadiness, connection, and something, at last, to call her own. Whether it's shining an endless closet of shoes, swabbing the deck of a pirate ship, assisting an assassin, or filling in for the Chairman of the Board, for the mythical Temporary, "there is nothing more personal than doing your job".
Which books published this month are you most looking forward to? Have any of these caught your eye?
February 10, 2020
My Book-to-Screen TBR
I often prioritise books because I want to watch adaptations of them. I've recently finished reading Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, and am currently watching the BBC adaptation, and I've just started Little Women, because I have plans to watch Greta Gerwig's adaptation later this week.
So it seemed like a good time to think about the 10 books at the top of my to-read list because I want to watch their adaptations after I've read them:
1. The Pale Horse
This is at the top of my list, because Sarah Phelps' BBC adaptation has already started! I'm not entirely sure which Agatha Christie novels I read when I was younger, but I don't remember this one.
2. David Copperfield
I'm not normally a fan of Dickens, but the trailer for the film adaptation starring Dev Patel looks fantastic.
3. Normal People
I've heard so many good things about this one, and the upcoming BBC adaptation has convinced me it's finally time to read it.
4. Fingersmith
This is one I already own, so I have no excuse. The book sounds fantastic, and the film it inspired (The Handmaiden) looks exquisite.
5. Sense and Sensibility
I have a vague recollection of trying this one and deciding it wasn't for me, but I've decided to persevere and reward myself with the Emma Thompson adaptation.
6. We Need to Talk About Kevin
I really enjoyed The Mandibles: A Family, 2029–2047, and the film adaptation of this one by the same author looks superb.
7. Carrie
I want to read more Stephen King, and this one sounds especially good. The only question is which film to watch - the original or the remake?
8. Revolutionary Road
It was the film that first caught my eye, but when I looked into the book it's based on I found some very persuasive reviews.
9. The Talented Mr. Ripley
I've wanted to read Patricia Highsmith for too long, and this one seems as good a place to start as any, especially since the film also looks excellent.
10. Misery
Another Stephen King with a film adaptation that looks as good as the book.
Do you like reading books before you watch the adaptations? Which books and adaptations are on your TBR?
So it seemed like a good time to think about the 10 books at the top of my to-read list because I want to watch their adaptations after I've read them:
1. The Pale Horse
This is at the top of my list, because Sarah Phelps' BBC adaptation has already started! I'm not entirely sure which Agatha Christie novels I read when I was younger, but I don't remember this one.
2. David Copperfield
I'm not normally a fan of Dickens, but the trailer for the film adaptation starring Dev Patel looks fantastic.
3. Normal People
I've heard so many good things about this one, and the upcoming BBC adaptation has convinced me it's finally time to read it.
4. Fingersmith
This is one I already own, so I have no excuse. The book sounds fantastic, and the film it inspired (The Handmaiden) looks exquisite.
5. Sense and Sensibility
I have a vague recollection of trying this one and deciding it wasn't for me, but I've decided to persevere and reward myself with the Emma Thompson adaptation.
6. We Need to Talk About Kevin
I really enjoyed The Mandibles: A Family, 2029–2047, and the film adaptation of this one by the same author looks superb.
7. Carrie
I want to read more Stephen King, and this one sounds especially good. The only question is which film to watch - the original or the remake?
8. Revolutionary Road
It was the film that first caught my eye, but when I looked into the book it's based on I found some very persuasive reviews.
9. The Talented Mr. Ripley
I've wanted to read Patricia Highsmith for too long, and this one seems as good a place to start as any, especially since the film also looks excellent.
10. Misery
Another Stephen King with a film adaptation that looks as good as the book.
Do you like reading books before you watch the adaptations? Which books and adaptations are on your TBR?
January 14, 2020
My Top 10 New and Upcoming Books
It's a new year (a new decade, even!) so there are lists of new and upcoming book releases everywhere. To help narrow it down (or maybe just to add to the noise), here are my top ten:
1. Topics of Conversation (Miranda Popkey, 7 January)
Twenty years in the life of a narrator hungry for experience and bent on upending her life, composed almost exclusively in conversations between women.
2. Imaginary Museums (Nicolette Polek, 14 January)
A collection of short stories set in a gently unsettling realm.
3. Children of the Land (Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, 28 January)
The true story of the author’s migration from Mexico, a testament to the ways in which US immigration policy fractures lives.
4. Show Them a Good Time (Nicole Flattery, 28 January)
A collection of short stories of pitch-black humour and deep, disquieting sorrow.
5. Interior Chinatown (Charles Yu, 28 January)
A metafictional send-up of Asian American tropes.
6. A Beautiful Crime (Christopher Bollen, 28 January)
A literary thriller which tacks between Venice’s soaring aesthetic beauty and its imminent tourist-riddled collapse.
7. Indelicacy: A Novel (Amina Cain, 11 February)
A cleaning woman at an art museum dreams of a life where she is free to do nothing but write about art - until she gets it, and it turns out to be not exactly what she imagined.
8. Amnesty (Aravind Adiga, 18 February)
Over the course of one day, a young illegal immigrant must decide whether to report crucial information about a murder and thereby risk deportation.
9. Too Much: How Victorian Constraints Still Bind Women Today (Rachel Vorona Cote, 25 February)
Combines cultural criticism, theory, and storytelling to encourage women to reconsider the beauty of their excesses.
10. Writers & Lovers (Lily King, 3 March)
The pleasure of this novel comes from walking alongside Casey, a waitress clinging to dreams of becoming a writer, in her everyday life.
What are you looking forward to reading this year? Which new and upcoming book releases have caught your eye? If you're looking for even more inspiration, I picked my top ten from this enormous list over at Lit Hub. Happy reading!
1. Topics of Conversation (Miranda Popkey, 7 January)
Twenty years in the life of a narrator hungry for experience and bent on upending her life, composed almost exclusively in conversations between women.
2. Imaginary Museums (Nicolette Polek, 14 January)
A collection of short stories set in a gently unsettling realm.
3. Children of the Land (Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, 28 January)
The true story of the author’s migration from Mexico, a testament to the ways in which US immigration policy fractures lives.
4. Show Them a Good Time (Nicole Flattery, 28 January)
A collection of short stories of pitch-black humour and deep, disquieting sorrow.
5. Interior Chinatown (Charles Yu, 28 January)
A metafictional send-up of Asian American tropes.
6. A Beautiful Crime (Christopher Bollen, 28 January)
A literary thriller which tacks between Venice’s soaring aesthetic beauty and its imminent tourist-riddled collapse.
7. Indelicacy: A Novel (Amina Cain, 11 February)
A cleaning woman at an art museum dreams of a life where she is free to do nothing but write about art - until she gets it, and it turns out to be not exactly what she imagined.
8. Amnesty (Aravind Adiga, 18 February)
Over the course of one day, a young illegal immigrant must decide whether to report crucial information about a murder and thereby risk deportation.
9. Too Much: How Victorian Constraints Still Bind Women Today (Rachel Vorona Cote, 25 February)
Combines cultural criticism, theory, and storytelling to encourage women to reconsider the beauty of their excesses.
10. Writers & Lovers (Lily King, 3 March)
The pleasure of this novel comes from walking alongside Casey, a waitress clinging to dreams of becoming a writer, in her everyday life.
What are you looking forward to reading this year? Which new and upcoming book releases have caught your eye? If you're looking for even more inspiration, I picked my top ten from this enormous list over at Lit Hub. Happy reading!
October 25, 2019
My Top 10 Halloween Recommendations
If, like me, your idea of the perfect Halloween is staying in and watching/reading something spooky, here are my top 10 recommendations:
1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The whole programme makes for perfect Halloween watching, but I'd particularly recommend Halloween (2.6) and Fear Itself (4.4), both of which are set at Halloween, and Hush (4.10), which is arguably the creepiest episode of them all.
2. Practical Magic
I only discovered this brilliant film in the past few years, and I still need to read the book (by Alice Hoffman).
3. The Last Days of Jack Sparks
I absolutely adore this book, and will keep shouting about it until it is better known and appreciated.
4. Meddling Kids
This one sounds really fun, and I need to get around to reading it.
5. Doctor Who
The best episodes are the perfect blend of creepy and fun which Halloween calls for. Blink (3.10) is my go to, but I'd also recommend the more recent Arachnids in the UK (11.4). Both are currently on BBC iPlayer.
6. Luther
It takes a lot to creep me out, but this programme manages it. If you're in the mood to be scared, I'd particularly recommend 2.1 (the killer with the Punch mask), 3.1 and 3.2 (the killer who hides in his victim's homes), and 5.1 (the killer with the infamous bus scene). All five series are currently on iPlayer.
7. 'The Red Room' by H.G. Wells
I read this short story in high school, and it's really stuck in my memory. A brilliant read for Halloween. H.G. Wells is another author on my to-read list.
8. Interview with the Vampire
I'm very tempted to read and watch this one this Halloween (for the first time).
9. Se7en
Check out this brilliant Halloween-themed article on The Real-World Horror of Mid-90s Brad Pitt.
10. The Three Witches of Eastwick
I tried watching this one before, a while back, but I just wasn't in the mood. It looks fabulous though, so I think I might give it another go this Halloween.
1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The whole programme makes for perfect Halloween watching, but I'd particularly recommend Halloween (2.6) and Fear Itself (4.4), both of which are set at Halloween, and Hush (4.10), which is arguably the creepiest episode of them all.
2. Practical Magic
I only discovered this brilliant film in the past few years, and I still need to read the book (by Alice Hoffman).
3. The Last Days of Jack Sparks
I absolutely adore this book, and will keep shouting about it until it is better known and appreciated.
4. Meddling Kids
This one sounds really fun, and I need to get around to reading it.
5. Doctor Who
The best episodes are the perfect blend of creepy and fun which Halloween calls for. Blink (3.10) is my go to, but I'd also recommend the more recent Arachnids in the UK (11.4). Both are currently on BBC iPlayer.
6. Luther
It takes a lot to creep me out, but this programme manages it. If you're in the mood to be scared, I'd particularly recommend 2.1 (the killer with the Punch mask), 3.1 and 3.2 (the killer who hides in his victim's homes), and 5.1 (the killer with the infamous bus scene). All five series are currently on iPlayer.
7. 'The Red Room' by H.G. Wells
I read this short story in high school, and it's really stuck in my memory. A brilliant read for Halloween. H.G. Wells is another author on my to-read list.
8. Interview with the Vampire
I'm very tempted to read and watch this one this Halloween (for the first time).
9. Se7en
Check out this brilliant Halloween-themed article on The Real-World Horror of Mid-90s Brad Pitt.
10. The Three Witches of Eastwick
I tried watching this one before, a while back, but I just wasn't in the mood. It looks fabulous though, so I think I might give it another go this Halloween.
September 16, 2019
5 Things I'm Loving this Week
1. J.D. Robb
My reserved copy of Robb's latest book, Vendetta in Death, arrived at the library last Tuesday. I had fallen behind, so I also checked out number 48, Connections in Death, which I finished reading on Friday night. So now I am reading the latest in the series.
2. The Hollow Crown
I like watching Shakespeare adaptations before reading the plays, and I discovered The Hollow Crown series last year when I watched then read the second tetralogy. I also watched Henry VI, Part 1, but only got round to reading it yesterday. This week I intend to finish watching the series, reading the rest of the first tetralogy as I go.
3. Sports films
I am not a sporty person, but I have just finished watching Senna (2010), and I really enjoyed it. I also surprised myself recently by watching and enjoying Moneyball (2011) and The Fighter (2010). I have my eye on Journeyman (2017) next.
4. Street style
I enjoy looking at highlights from the runways, but, for both New York Fashion Week and London Fashion Week, I prefer looking at street style pictures. It is better suited for personal inspiration.
5. QI
The new series of QI started two weeks ago. It is not something I normally watch regularly, but I watched and really enjoyed the first two episodes. Sandi Toksvig is brilliant, and Alan Davies always makes me laugh. 10pm on Friday is also the perfect time for this programme.
My reserved copy of Robb's latest book, Vendetta in Death, arrived at the library last Tuesday. I had fallen behind, so I also checked out number 48, Connections in Death, which I finished reading on Friday night. So now I am reading the latest in the series.
2. The Hollow Crown
I like watching Shakespeare adaptations before reading the plays, and I discovered The Hollow Crown series last year when I watched then read the second tetralogy. I also watched Henry VI, Part 1, but only got round to reading it yesterday. This week I intend to finish watching the series, reading the rest of the first tetralogy as I go.
3. Sports films
I am not a sporty person, but I have just finished watching Senna (2010), and I really enjoyed it. I also surprised myself recently by watching and enjoying Moneyball (2011) and The Fighter (2010). I have my eye on Journeyman (2017) next.
4. Street style
I enjoy looking at highlights from the runways, but, for both New York Fashion Week and London Fashion Week, I prefer looking at street style pictures. It is better suited for personal inspiration.
5. QI
The new series of QI started two weeks ago. It is not something I normally watch regularly, but I watched and really enjoyed the first two episodes. Sandi Toksvig is brilliant, and Alan Davies always makes me laugh. 10pm on Friday is also the perfect time for this programme.
September 9, 2019
The Best Things I Read This Summer
Since summer is (for all intents and purposes) over, I decided to look back on the best things I read this summer. There are far too many to choose from, but I did my best. Here are my top ten:
1. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams (read 5 - 7 June)
I have possibly found the pinnacle of my sense of humour in this series, of which this, the second, is my favourite thus far.
2. Life, the Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams (13 June)
The third in the series, and the book that transformed my experience of the World Cricket Cup this summer (you will have to read it to understand).
3. Common People: An Anthology of Working Class Writers edited by Kit de Waal (13 - 14 June)
This ground-breaking anthology, only published this year, gave voice to so many of my personal experiences.
4. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (19 - 23 June)
This utterly brilliant, satirical novel made me laugh and cry, and its ambitious and mesmerising adaptation was possibly the best thing on television this summer.
5. Revolting Prostitutes: The Fight for Sex Workers’ Rights by Molly Smith and Juno Mac (24 - 26 June)
This book is one of those rare books that I think people need to read.
6. Murmur by Will Eaves (26 June)
A beautiful, almost mesmerising, book; the kind that makes you want to savour every word.
7. The Birdwatcher by William Shaw (11 July)
This slow-burn thriller has really stuck in my mind; for its focus on the more local element of policing, and for its evocative portrayal of Dungeness.
8. King Lear by William Shakespeare (29 - 30 July)
A prime example of how Shakespeare is able to strike the perfect balance between language and content.
9. Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare (6 August)
This comedy seems to me the culmination of everything Shakespeare does well.
10. Milkman by Anna Burns (15 - 20 August)
Last year's Booker Prize winner, and a book that requires concentration, I loved the ambiguity and perspective of this one.
1. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams (read 5 - 7 June)
I have possibly found the pinnacle of my sense of humour in this series, of which this, the second, is my favourite thus far.
2. Life, the Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams (13 June)
The third in the series, and the book that transformed my experience of the World Cricket Cup this summer (you will have to read it to understand).
3. Common People: An Anthology of Working Class Writers edited by Kit de Waal (13 - 14 June)
This ground-breaking anthology, only published this year, gave voice to so many of my personal experiences.
4. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (19 - 23 June)
This utterly brilliant, satirical novel made me laugh and cry, and its ambitious and mesmerising adaptation was possibly the best thing on television this summer.
5. Revolting Prostitutes: The Fight for Sex Workers’ Rights by Molly Smith and Juno Mac (24 - 26 June)
This book is one of those rare books that I think people need to read.
6. Murmur by Will Eaves (26 June)
A beautiful, almost mesmerising, book; the kind that makes you want to savour every word.
7. The Birdwatcher by William Shaw (11 July)
This slow-burn thriller has really stuck in my mind; for its focus on the more local element of policing, and for its evocative portrayal of Dungeness.
8. King Lear by William Shakespeare (29 - 30 July)
A prime example of how Shakespeare is able to strike the perfect balance between language and content.
9. Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare (6 August)
This comedy seems to me the culmination of everything Shakespeare does well.
10. Milkman by Anna Burns (15 - 20 August)
Last year's Booker Prize winner, and a book that requires concentration, I loved the ambiguity and perspective of this one.
September 4, 2019
What I Read and Watched in August
1. A Midsummer Night's Dream (1981)
This is one of the BBC Shakespeare productions which I own the DVD box-set of. I really enjoy watching them before reading the play. The scenes with Helen Mirren as Titania, surrounded by child-actors playing the fairies, were my favourite.
2. The Boss (2016)
I mainly watched this for Melissa McCarthy and her character's excellent style.
3. A Midsummer Night's Dream (written 1595-96) (read in The Norton Shakespeare, 3rd edn.)
I loved the way this one played with the idea of drama and dreams. The only thing that troubled me was the lack of resolution for the manipulation of Titania.
4. Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
Such a fun film.
5. Moneyball (2011)
I am not really a sports fan, but this is definitely the kind of sports film I can get behind.
6. Twelfth Night (1980)
Another BBC Shakespeare production I watched before reading the play. This one stars Felicity Kendal as an excellent Viola.
7. Twelfth Night (written 1601-02) (read in The Norton Shakespeare, 3rd edn.)
This one seems to me to be the culmination of all the things Shakespeare does best.
8. Fargo (1996)
I absolutely adore Frances McDormand's character. I was also pleasantly surprised by how artfully this one was shot.
9. What Men Want (2019)
An enjoyable enough watch, but do not expect anything more than a light distraction.
10. Moby Dick (1851)
I was pleasantly surprised by how readable and engaging this one was, and I am very glad I have read it.
11. The Fighter (2010)
I watched this one for the cast, and Christian Bale is particularly good in it. I also really enjoyed the portrayal of family, and the boxing scenes.
12. How Democracy Ends (2018)
This one is delivered with the same clarity and conversational style of the podcast hosted by David Runciman, Talking Politics, which I enjoy. A very relevant read.
13. Heat (1995)
Al Pacino's performance in this one has received a lot of criticism, but it really worked for me.
14. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood (2019)
The film on everyone's lips at the moment. I adored it.
15. Milkman (2018)
I am so glad I finally got round to reading this one. It will definitely be one of my books of the year.
16. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016)
A charming film, perfect for recovering from travel exhaustion.
17. Marie Antoinette (2006)
I am immediately on board with any period piece that plays around (well) with authenticity.
18. 20th Century Women (2016)
A beautiful, thought-provoking film. Annette Bening is indescribably good in it.
19. Stonehenge: The Story of a Sacred Landscape (2016)
The perfect book to accompany my first visit to this iconic landscape. It is beautifully illustrated.
20. The Social Network (2010)
I enjoyed Jesse Eisenberg's lead performance, and the direction of David Fincher. It was also interesting to find out a bit more about the origins of something which has become a household name, Facebook.
I have also watched several episodes of Quantum Leap (1989-93) this month, and am currently reading Middle England (2018) and The Oxford Illustrated History of Tudor & Stuart Britain (1996).
This is one of the BBC Shakespeare productions which I own the DVD box-set of. I really enjoy watching them before reading the play. The scenes with Helen Mirren as Titania, surrounded by child-actors playing the fairies, were my favourite.
2. The Boss (2016)
I mainly watched this for Melissa McCarthy and her character's excellent style.
3. A Midsummer Night's Dream (written 1595-96) (read in The Norton Shakespeare, 3rd edn.)
I loved the way this one played with the idea of drama and dreams. The only thing that troubled me was the lack of resolution for the manipulation of Titania.
4. Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
Such a fun film.
5. Moneyball (2011)
I am not really a sports fan, but this is definitely the kind of sports film I can get behind.
6. Twelfth Night (1980)
Another BBC Shakespeare production I watched before reading the play. This one stars Felicity Kendal as an excellent Viola.
7. Twelfth Night (written 1601-02) (read in The Norton Shakespeare, 3rd edn.)
This one seems to me to be the culmination of all the things Shakespeare does best.
8. Fargo (1996)
I absolutely adore Frances McDormand's character. I was also pleasantly surprised by how artfully this one was shot.
9. What Men Want (2019)
An enjoyable enough watch, but do not expect anything more than a light distraction.
10. Moby Dick (1851)
I was pleasantly surprised by how readable and engaging this one was, and I am very glad I have read it.
11. The Fighter (2010)
I watched this one for the cast, and Christian Bale is particularly good in it. I also really enjoyed the portrayal of family, and the boxing scenes.
12. How Democracy Ends (2018)
This one is delivered with the same clarity and conversational style of the podcast hosted by David Runciman, Talking Politics, which I enjoy. A very relevant read.
13. Heat (1995)
Al Pacino's performance in this one has received a lot of criticism, but it really worked for me.
14. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood (2019)
The film on everyone's lips at the moment. I adored it.
15. Milkman (2018)
I am so glad I finally got round to reading this one. It will definitely be one of my books of the year.
16. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016)
A charming film, perfect for recovering from travel exhaustion.
17. Marie Antoinette (2006)
I am immediately on board with any period piece that plays around (well) with authenticity.
18. 20th Century Women (2016)
A beautiful, thought-provoking film. Annette Bening is indescribably good in it.
19. Stonehenge: The Story of a Sacred Landscape (2016)
The perfect book to accompany my first visit to this iconic landscape. It is beautifully illustrated.
20. The Social Network (2010)
I enjoyed Jesse Eisenberg's lead performance, and the direction of David Fincher. It was also interesting to find out a bit more about the origins of something which has become a household name, Facebook.
I have also watched several episodes of Quantum Leap (1989-93) this month, and am currently reading Middle England (2018) and The Oxford Illustrated History of Tudor & Stuart Britain (1996).
August 27, 2019
Locations Can Be Characters Too
This blog post is inspired by this article by Claire Wong, in which she makes the interesting argument that she treats the settings for her books as if they were people.
This has been on my mind a lot, because I am currently reading Stonehenge: The Story of a Sacred Landscape by Francis Pryor, having been to visit Stonehenge (for the first time) this past bank holiday weekend, which so beautifully evokes that iconic place.
Here are my top 5 books, in which the location is treated like a character:
1. The Birdwatcher by William Shaw
A slow-burning police procedural, set in the bleak and isolated landscape of Dungeness on the Kent coast.
2. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
Arguably the first detective novel, and as memorable for its scenes featuring the Shivering Sand near the Verinders' house in Yorkshire, as for those featuring the eponymous stolen jewel.
3. Ayiti by Roxane Gay
A collection of moving and often brutal short stories, which aim to explore the Haitian diaspora experience.
4. Common People: An Anthology of Working Class Writers edited by Kit de Waal
A powerful and exciting collection of essays, poems, and pieces of personal memoir from thirty-three established and emerging working-class writers across the UK.
5. Pictures From Hopper by Neil Campbell
An evocative collection of short stories inspired by the paintings of Edward Hopper.
This has been on my mind a lot, because I am currently reading Stonehenge: The Story of a Sacred Landscape by Francis Pryor, having been to visit Stonehenge (for the first time) this past bank holiday weekend, which so beautifully evokes that iconic place.
Here are my top 5 books, in which the location is treated like a character:
1. The Birdwatcher by William Shaw
A slow-burning police procedural, set in the bleak and isolated landscape of Dungeness on the Kent coast.
2. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
Arguably the first detective novel, and as memorable for its scenes featuring the Shivering Sand near the Verinders' house in Yorkshire, as for those featuring the eponymous stolen jewel.
3. Ayiti by Roxane Gay
A collection of moving and often brutal short stories, which aim to explore the Haitian diaspora experience.
4. Common People: An Anthology of Working Class Writers edited by Kit de Waal
A powerful and exciting collection of essays, poems, and pieces of personal memoir from thirty-three established and emerging working-class writers across the UK.
5. Pictures From Hopper by Neil Campbell
An evocative collection of short stories inspired by the paintings of Edward Hopper.
August 21, 2019
Top 10 Upcoming Book Releases
Since I enjoy adding books to my to-read list almost as much as I do actually reading them, here are my top 10 upcoming book releases:
1. Girl by Edna O'Brien
The latest work from O’Brien, 88, is a fictionalised account of the lives of the women students kidnapped by Boko Haram in Nigeria in 2014.
2. Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke
Acclaimed crime writer’s latest novel is set in a town in Texas where the election of Donald Trump has caused a wave of racial violence. Now a local racist has been mysteriously murdered.
3. Equal Pay for Equal Work; The Story of the Struggle for Justice Being Made by the Women Teachers of the City of New York by Grace Charlotte Strachan
The journalist who caused a kerfuffle last year by resigning as the BBC’s China editor over equal pay tells the story of her campaign — and why it matters.
4. Breaking and Mending: A doctor’s story of burnout and recovery by Joanna Cannon
The subtitle says it all — Joanna Cannon tells tales from the wards.
5. For the Record by David Cameron
The former prime minister has spent many months bashing away at this memoir in his shepherd’s hut. Here is his side of the story on Brexit and coalition government.
6. The Book of Gutsy Women: Favorite Stories of Courage and Resilience by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton
More than 100 “gutsy” women, historical and contemporary, are celebrated by the former US secretary of state and her daughter.
7. Coventry: Essays by Rachel Cusk
A series of essays that reflect on themes central to Cusk’s fictional writing, including life choices, politics, womanhood and art.
8. The Windrush Betrayal: Exposing the Hostile Environment by Amelia Gentleman
The prize-winning Guardian reporter builds on her investigative journalism to tell the story of the scandal that has exposed disturbing truths about modern Britain.
9. She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey
An account of the beginning of the #MeToo movement from the New York Times reporters who investigated Harvey Weinstein.
10. Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem by Michael Schmidt
Schmidt shares the multi-millennia story of one of the world’s oldest known works of literature, an epic at once unimaginably ancient and enduringly relevant.
1. Girl by Edna O'Brien
The latest work from O’Brien, 88, is a fictionalised account of the lives of the women students kidnapped by Boko Haram in Nigeria in 2014.
2. Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke
Acclaimed crime writer’s latest novel is set in a town in Texas where the election of Donald Trump has caused a wave of racial violence. Now a local racist has been mysteriously murdered.
3. Equal Pay for Equal Work; The Story of the Struggle for Justice Being Made by the Women Teachers of the City of New York by Grace Charlotte Strachan
The journalist who caused a kerfuffle last year by resigning as the BBC’s China editor over equal pay tells the story of her campaign — and why it matters.
4. Breaking and Mending: A doctor’s story of burnout and recovery by Joanna Cannon
The subtitle says it all — Joanna Cannon tells tales from the wards.
5. For the Record by David Cameron
The former prime minister has spent many months bashing away at this memoir in his shepherd’s hut. Here is his side of the story on Brexit and coalition government.
6. The Book of Gutsy Women: Favorite Stories of Courage and Resilience by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton
More than 100 “gutsy” women, historical and contemporary, are celebrated by the former US secretary of state and her daughter.
7. Coventry: Essays by Rachel Cusk
A series of essays that reflect on themes central to Cusk’s fictional writing, including life choices, politics, womanhood and art.
8. The Windrush Betrayal: Exposing the Hostile Environment by Amelia Gentleman
The prize-winning Guardian reporter builds on her investigative journalism to tell the story of the scandal that has exposed disturbing truths about modern Britain.
9. She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey
An account of the beginning of the #MeToo movement from the New York Times reporters who investigated Harvey Weinstein.
10. Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem by Michael Schmidt
Schmidt shares the multi-millennia story of one of the world’s oldest known works of literature, an epic at once unimaginably ancient and enduringly relevant.
