One of the perks to being a teacher is the nice holidays you get between terms. As we enter a two week Easter break, I’m planning to get some much needed reading done, and this is what my mini-list looks like:
A very big novel that I have been avoiding for a long time, but last night I took the plunge and I have to say, I am absolutely adoring it! Miss Rebecca Sharp is by far THE most interesting heroine I have ever come across. Unashamed, fearless and she knows her own mind.
Another very big novel, yet vastly different from Vanity Fair! This was recommended to me when I first joined Goodreads. Ironically, I began reading it last month when I was in bed with a terrible cold – not good when the book is about a killer ‘flu epidemic that wipes out the world’s population!
Started reading this a couple of months ago and had to stop because of work. Hopefully I’ll get round to finishing off this lovely story of a delightful boy who is extremely kind of heart. I don’t know about you, but I sometimes get a feel for reading something with innocence in it. It brings me back to myself again.
That’s what my Easter break is looking like. Quite unusual where I’ve got two massive tomes and one little kiddies novel, but I’ve always done things in strange ways! In fact, I rather prefer a nice selection of different things, just in case I get bored and need a change.
National Geographic explores the mystery of the Voynich Manuscript – an ancient tome discovered by chance in 1912 by the book dealerWilfrid Voynich. This documentary explores the great lengths that have gone into trying to decipher the manuscript, which was written in cipher during the 17th century.
The book itself has many illustrations of plants and seems to be a scientific study into herbology. However, further research has shown that certain illustrations can be made to ‘move’ by spinning the book around, thus giving researchers the impression that it could have been an attempt to record alchemical knowledge. This, along with the astronomical, cosmological and pharmaceutical images has led many to associate the text with many ancient European doctors who were famed throughout history to have worked ‘miracles’ with their potions.
Many codebreakers and cryptographers have tried to crack the ciphers used in the book, including those from WWI and WWII; however the Voynich manuscript still remains one of the most mysterious books of all time.
Is the Voynich manuscript real, or a hoax? I guess we won’t know for a long time yet!
Congratulations! You are 58% faster than the average adult reader!
I can be a real slow-poke when it comes to reading, I have to admit that. What it takes some people to read in two days I usually complete in a week! It’s a habit I’m not very happy with, so I was really glad I can across this neat ‘Speed Reading Test’ from Staples that lets you know how quick you are compared to the average reader… and how you square up with the world’s fastest word scanner, a lady with an astonishing 4’700 words per min. record! I may not be as fast as her, but I realise I’m not as bad as I thought either.
If you wish to take the test yourself then click on the image below. You will be prompted to read a short piece and then have to answer three questions to check you’ve actually read it. Simples!
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck in 7 hours and 8 minutes
Hmm, maybe I should have timed myself with ‘Lord of the Flies’! I’m quite surprised that it says I can complete it in 2 hours. I’m pretty sure I’ve taken over 2 hours to get to chapter 3! Anyways… Maybe this little test will help me pick up speed a little as I feel more confident for tomes like ‘The Fountainhead’!
Take the test and post your results. How fast can you read?? You might be surprised.
This is a cool little game for anyone who like me, finds the names from ‘The Hunger Games‘ pretty cool. I found this originally over at ‘Forever Young Adults’. By answering the following questions you too can have your own ‘Hunger Games’ name. Mine turned out to be: Kimet H Rushreed. I think I can live with that! Not as good as Katniss Everdeen, but it gives me a fighting chance of winning the Games eh?What will yours be?
1) Write down the second syllable of your middle name.
If you do not have a middle name – what is wrong with you? How did you know when your parents were mad at you? Anyway, you should use the second syllable of your firstname.
If your middle name is only one syllable, you may use the second syllable of your lastname.
If none of your names have more than one syllable, your parents obviously read the children’s book Tikki-Tikki-Tembo, and you may use any syllable you like from Tikki-Tikki-Tembo-No-Sa-Rembo-Chari-Bari-Ruchi-Pip-Peri-Pembo’s name.
2) Write down the name of a plant.
3) If you are a female above the age of 30, write down the word “less.” If you are a female under the age of 30, write down the word “met.” If you are a man of any age, A) welcome! and B) write down the word “petra.”
4) Write down the first initial of the last name of your favorite English teacher from school.
5) Write down one simple action verb (i.e. “run,” “jump,” etc)
Now, get your results!!
Combine the answer from #1 with the answer from #3. That is your first name.
Your middle initial is the answer to #4.
Your last name is your answer to #5 with your answer to #2 added to the end.
Can’t wait to hear what people come up with! May the odds of an attractive name be always in your favour.
Yup, it was bound to happen sometime soon. I couldn’t resist it; there had to be a Shirley Bassey in the line-up and it’s in at the letter ‘D’. ‘Diamonds are Forever’ is the fourth Fleming novel in the 007 series and it just oozes charisma and glamour. Without a doubt it epitomises the very essence of the novels. In fact, if the Bond movie franchise got one thing right again and again, it’s the quality of their opening music and Shirley Bassey is the undisputed queen of that particular success.
However, I feel the last few Bond movies have not lived up to this expectation. The music just wasn’t up to scratch, it being somewhat lacklustre and forgettable (I confess, I can’t even remember the last two Bond songs!). Even worse is the sad fact that there really IS no one good enough to take over from Bassey. Lord knows they have tried, but it just hasn’t worked. Her voice is the auditory hallmark of the 007 films and to be honest the only person who could have come close to stepping into her shoes was the late, great Amy Winehouse. But alas, that was not to be. It’s a shame that Winehouse was so self-destructive and her death is a great loss to the music world. But I believe there is still hope. There is yet some other singer out there with the special vocal chemistry that will make my skin tingle when those opening chords play and the naked ladies grace the screen in their psychedelic glory (all seen through a very suggestive ‘peeping-tom-like’ tunnel!)
I have only read two Fleming books so far: ‘Octopussy and the Living Daylights’ and ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ and found them to be entertaining in their own way, although I have it on good authority that ‘Casino Royale‘ is by far the best out the bunch. The only difference between the Bond in the novels and the Bond we are accustomed to seeing on screen is that the books don’t take the whole thing so seriously. It’s very tongue-in-cheek and quite clearly just a bit of fun. This was quite surprising after the cool, cunning and calculating Bond that Sean Connery and Roger Moore have built up over the years. I would recommend the Bond novels to anyone looking for a break from their usual genres. If you’re not sure check out my reviews above.
But I digress; here is the opening title screen to the film. Lyrics are below, enjoy!
Diamonds are forever,
They are all I need to please me,
They can stimulate and tease me,
They won’t leave in the night,
I’ve no fear that they might desert me.
Diamonds are forever,
Hold one up and then caress it,
Touch it, stroke it and undress it,
I can see every part,
Nothing hides in the heart to hurt me.
I don’t need love,
For what good will love do me?
Diamonds never lie to me,
For when love’s gone,
They’ll luster on.
Diamonds are forever,
Sparkling round my little finger.
Unlike men, the diamonds linger;
Men are mere mortals who
Are not worth going to your grave for.
I don’t need love,
For what good will love do me?
Diamonds never lie to me,
For when love’s gone,
They’ll luster on.
Diamonds are forever, forever, forever.
Diamonds are forever, forever, forever.
Forever and ever.
One of my favourite Capote novels ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ clocks in under the letter ‘B’. This is one of those books where the film version precedes the book in terms of popularity – and quite right too! The queen of style Audrey Hepburn’s iconic rendition of the independent single girl in the city type was an instant success. Fast forward to the 90’s and the band Deep Blue Something’s hit single ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ took the world by storm and has stayed a classic ever since.
You say that we’ve got nothing in common
No common ground to start from
And we’re falling apart
You’ll say the world has come between us
Our lives have come between us
But I know you just don’tcare
And I said what about “Breakfast at Tiffany’s? She said, “I think I remember the film,
And as I recall, I think, we both kinda liked it.” And I said, “Well, that’s the one thing we’ve got.”
I see you – the only one who knew me
And now your eyes see through me
I guess I was wrong
So what now?
It’s plain to see we’re over,
And I hate when things are over – When so much is left undone
And I saidwhat about “Breakfast at Tiffany’s? She said, “I think I remember the film,
And as I recall, I think, we both kinda liked it.” And I said,”Well, that’s the one thing we’ve got.”
You say that we’ve got nothing in common
No common ground to start from
And we’re falling apart
You’llsay the world has come between us
Our lives have come between us
But I know you just don’t care
And I said what about “Breakfast atTiffany’s?
She said, “I think I remember the film,
And as I recall, Ithink, we both kinda liked it.” And I said, “Well, that’s the one thing we’ve got.”
Since ‘World Book Day’ is almost upon us, I wanted to share a short film that sums up perfectly the real impact of books upon our daily lives – and how a world without them is almost unthinkable. Please enjoy it as much as I did and thank you to LKD for bringing it to my attention in her blog post “The Inside of My Brain On An Ordinary Day“.
If you’d like to know more about the short film, please visit the official website.
Please share this with as many people as you can, and let’s get literacy levels back on track. Books still have a very firm, legitimate place in our lives and without them our world is very, very empty.
Also let’s make a difference for all those who still cannot share in the joys of reading, the millions around the world who still live in poverty and destitution. You can donate some of your books to charities who will use them to get aid to those who need them. Or you can visit the World Book Day website for ideas on what to do on that day. Books can make a difference, if only we know how to treat them… please feel free to share your feelings about the film or any activities you might be doing on March 1st.
POP QUIZ! If you are up for the challenge, try to spot how many stories you can see in this short film. The beginning is obvious and reminiscent of a certain Dorothy with ruby red shoes! But what about the rest of it? Ready, steady, go!
It’s a magical moment when a song captures the soul of a well-loved book. Over the years I’ve enjoyed discovering both songs that were inspired by books and those that could very well have been. So I’ve decided to take a look and compile a little A-Z of famous (and maybe not so well-known) songs that have found life through books.
Since this is going to be in alphabetical order, our first entry must begin with:
Lewis Carroll’s delightful tale of surreal escapism has always been a firm favourite of mine. And I am so glad that the next song so perfectly sums up the wonder and fear of a world where not everything is as it seems. Here is Jefferson Airplane‘s ‘White Rabbit‘ followed by the a cover by Collide that is far darker, more techno version that far from detracting from the original, adds a certain edge and brings the song bang up to date.
And the cover: ‘White Rabbit’ by Collide…
So, which one is your favourite. I can’t decide, but with lyrics like that you can’t really go wrong no matter what you do to the song!
One pill makes you larger
And one pill makes you small,
And the ones that mother gives you
Don’t do anything at all.
Go ask Alice
When she’s ten feet tall.
And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you’re going to fall,
Tell ’em a hookah smoking caterpillar
Has given you the call.
Call Alice When she was just small.
When the men on the chessboard
Get up and tell you where to go
And you’ve just had some kind of mushroom
And your mind is moving low.
Go ask Alice I think she’ll know.
When logic and proportion
Have fallen sloppy dead,
And the White Knight is talking backwards
And the Red Queen‘s “off with her head!”
Remember what the dormouse said:
“Feed your head. Feed your head. Feed your head”
For most of us books are usually made of paper and ink. We concentrate on enjoying the story and don’t really give much thought to alternative ways in which a story can be told. However all parts of the book can actually contribute towards the telling of the story; the cover, the binding, even the words on the page and the way they are positioned. Sometimes a series of images can tell a story more vividly than words. This video illuminates the many different kinds of books out there in the world and challenges our understanding of books and the various functions it may serve.
This has highlighted how mainstream books are missing that all important tactile element. We should enjoy looking at and touching these ‘vessels’ of thought.
So what do you think? Are they books or something else? I’d dearly like to know how the last ‘book art’ opens up. It reminds me of Angela Carter‘s ‘The Bloody Chamber‘! Anyway, if you are ever around Kansas, then you might want to drop by the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library to see all these artefacts in real life. I know I’d like to some day.
I have recently found some inspiring book art, the first of which belongs to Tom Bendsten, a Canadian visual artist who uses books to build architectural structures. The tower below consists of 12’000 books, stands 16 feet high and took 4 years to complete. It is part of a series of structures called the ‘Argument’. The best bit is when you get inside it. The cloud scenery made up of the spines of all the books stacked one on top of the other is quite breathtaking!
Outside of 'The Tower'
Inside view. See all the clouds!
House of books...
The image above is particularly striking because it reminds me of a scene from ‘The Paper House: A Novel’ by Carlos María Domínguez. A book so beautiful, so wonderful, that I haven’t the courage to write a review of it yet!
More book art, this time from Brian Dettmer who is another artist who sculpts using antiquated books on a much smaller level. His detailed work seems to strip away at the barriers of language, to bring out the soul of a book. There have been many times when I wished I could dive into a book headlong. Dettmer’s work partially fulfils that desire.
Climb into a book... walk through one of it's "passage's"
The Borgian Nightmare - The endless labyrinth of meanings...
And finally, some exquisite book art from Kaspen for Anagram Bookshop in Prague. I wish I could actually BUY one of these. Would make a lovely present for a bookish person!
OK, anyone for the game 'Guess the Book?' Hmm... could it be 'Pirates of the Caribbean'?
"King Arthur and the Knight's of the Round Table!"
And finally... 'In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote. Yay!
Wordly Obsessions 