Not much pictorial excitement here. Sophie's visiting so there have been family gatherings and eating - far too much eating. Walks on the beach for the fitter animals and shop-sitting for me happily combined with reading on the really horrid days in the middle of the week when more snow fell and there were no customers. I've read "Solar' by Ian McEwan and been properly impressed by it. He's a versatile author which means, as far as I am concerned, that sometimes I like his books and someimes I don't. It depends on the subject, the 'argument' and the setting I suppose. This one I found surprisingly gripping though rather depressing. Human nature is generally deeply flawed and personal gain or personal safety both influence all areas of our lives, marriage, sex, politics, arts, and now, potentially disastrously, he shows it also affecting science. The the scientists, who as personalities are often supposed to be the most rational and least emotional beings amongst us, the one faction who could help us through the climate change crisis, have feet of clay after all and will fail us because they too have emotional lives which take precedence over all else, warping their focus and direction.
I re-read the Millenium Trilogy, was as engrossed by his characters and enjoyed the detail of his narrative as much as before, even when it apparently slows down the action. I've decided not to see the film now out. Graphic sexual torture is one thing in a book - I can slide over it taking in only what I need, but in a film it's much harder to dilute and I'm told the director has relished it which makes sense because that's the sort of stuff that sells films, sadly. It's necessary for the story but could be spoken of and flashed onto briefly but these days it's getting hard to find something to shock the viewing public so this is a bit of a gift.
I've ordered 'Lourdes' which looks like the best of a bunch of otherwise unpleasant films currently out. Might manage Alice next week with grandson.
I've also ordered the new Philip Pullman. It will be interesting to see what that's like. I'm re-reading the Northern Lights trilogy to limber up for it and read an interview with him in the Independent in which he says that though he is anti-religion he's a pro-Jesus man!
So really no news. My world is full of the columns in the Inde and their April Fools day joke about the proposed use of the Circle Line for another Hadron Collider. The possibility of a black hole opening up somewhere under Westminster was obviously popular with many readers.
Also this new maxim: If at first you don't succeed don't try sky-diving!
And after all that waffle I've totally forgotten to mention the miracle that occured Wednesday (even when prompted by thoughts of the Lourdes film.) G'son is walking on two feet again. Dancing around shouting jubilantly and even cycling the 3 miles up to his g'father's house. I think we are all a bit scared of what might happen next.... there's been too much history to just blithely assume that's that! All the same - finger's crossed....
2 comments:
I have been resisting Solar, because each time I buy an Ian McKwan I hate it by page 5. But I am tempted having seen several progs on the Polar boat trips and seen Rachel Whitereads sugar cube/icebergs in the turbine hall of the TateM. Not impressive enough I thought. I guess I find IM too cerebral, what do you think should I risk it?
Glad Sanders is back on his feet.
Not sure what to say. It wasn't at all what I had expected, doesn't have much to do with the global ice cap or even global warming really, but I suppose I enjoyed his insights into humanity. Buy it from a charity shop then you won't waste too much money on it - just in case!
Post a Comment