Filtered Visions

Here I was sitting at home on another exciting Friday evening, considering starting a Blog, and here look - I have one!

It looks like I started this blog just as I moved house last year, and with all of the upheaval and settling into a new world, I'd completely forgotten about it!  Strangely, I was just reading a note in my phone about Owen Meany, and that is what lead me back here - something must have sparked in  my subconscious as that was the last thing that I had written about.  Since that time I've read some more novels, seen a fair few more movies AND experienced the ending of Lost - it wasn't spoiled in advance and I wasn't disappointed in the least.  Confused? Yes. Disappointed?  No.  Really, it was fitting that Lost ended with more questions, if there were no questions, it just wouldn't be Lost - it was a giant puzzle from the word go, and will be a puzzle till the end of time.

I'm hopefully that I can actually maintain some sort of connection to this blog from here forward, because I really do enjoy the words - lets see!

I was reading tonight on the way home, and a passage struck me. Johnny Wheelwright was talking about teaching literature to his school children, and bemoaning how they never understand the wit in novels. He states 'It's always the description that they miss; I swear, they think it's unimportant. They want dialogue, they want action; but there's so much writing in the description!'. It struck me that I have become a lazy reader, I want dialogue and action.


Books like the Twilight series are amazingly gripping, and filled with dialogue and action, but there is little of the nuance that makes a novel truly great. I'm wondering if I'm turning more and more to this type of novel because it's easier? It is easier to read a fast paced novel that pulls you into the story so easily, that keeps you on your toes by having some new plot twist every chapter, and they are ultimately fun to read. A novel of more substance demands greater concentration, the storyline may not be so obvious, subtle connections may be made and there are finer character traits.

I wondering if I have become a lazy reader, or my habits are being dictated by the way in which I currently read. Recently my reading has purely been reserved for my daily commute... and my daily commute is crammed full of distractions. Before every station, and at every station, the driver of the train makes an announcement, often there is someone on the telephone, or someone knocking me with there bag / leg / suitcase; it is incredibly difficult to remain locked into a novel long enough to really enjoy the finer details. I think that this is shown by the significant amount of time it is taking me to get through Owen Meany - it is a book with a lot of layers, a lot of threads that link together in a very delicate way. The nearer to the end I am getting the more I am feeling that this is a book NOT to be read on a train.

This one passage that stood out to me in today’s reading has made me re-evaluate my reading habits. I intend to spend more quiet time with my books, and not keep them exclusively for travel. I will make more of an effort to chose the 'heavier' books on my to be read shelf, rather than reaching for the fluff... and while I'm making declarations, I will finish A Prayer for Owen Meany this weekend!

...in the meantime... Lost returns to our UK screens tomorrow evening for its sixth and final series, and I for one cannot wait to see how it is all explained away!! ...if you are harbouring spoilers, please do not deposit them on my doorstep, I'm excited to see it all unfold!

 

I've just updated my back catalogue of reviews, all books, as I'd like them all in one place - I think I've found them all! From here on I'd like to keep more up to date, discussing rather than just reviewing, and looking at books, tv and film.


I'm currently reading 'A Prayer for Owen Meany' by John Irving; I've been finding it incredibly difficult to get through, it has taken me at least since last November to get *almost* to the end. Even though I'm finding it slow going, there are lots about it that I'm enjoying. I've never really sat down and focussed on the Vietnam War before, for example. I'm enjoying gaining an insight into another period in history, as with other books, this one is inspiring me to learn more in a way that history teachers always failed at.

In particular I’ve been shocked to learn about ‘Project 100,000’, whereby America’s recruitment for the army was seemingly targeted towards people of low income, low mental ability or of African American descent; assigning them to combat duty and essentially sending them to die. This to me feels like underhanded genocide. Obviously I’ve just taken this in part from a novel, so I will need to read into it further, but I am truly horrified that the ‘Operation Get Behind the Darkies’ as spoofed by South Park, may really have existed. It makes me think about recruitment drives for today’s armies, and how they do focus on building a career for people with fewer opportunities. The connotations of this whole topic give me the shivers, to quote Owen Meany.

Owen Meany himself is such a unique character, he’s almost other worldly in some respects. He is opening my eyes to religious belief, having never found religion myself, this is a concept that I've been struggling with. It's incredibly difficult to bend your mind around the idea of total dedication to something that you have no proof of; a complete unwavering trust, even if the path this leads you down is not an easy road to travel. This book and 'Life of Pi' by Yann Martel, have both helped to show me the real power of religion.

As I'm reading I'm conscious that I know what’s coming, maybe it’s the fear of the ending that’s making me read so slowly?

…on a different note… I’ve just started a journey into the BFI’s Top 100 movies, I’ve ordered from 100 down to 90 to be delivered and I’m *really* surprised to note that there is a Carry On movie at number 99. I almost didn’t add this to my rental list, but then I thought that there is no reason why a Carry On movie shouldn’t be on the list! There is no reason why the best films should be high brow or artsy, just entertaining…and I’m ready to be entertained!

Join me in watching if you like! http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/bfi100/91-100.html

- since posting I've swapped lists!  I'm now going to be working my way through the AFI's Top 100 movies, as registered on the 'LoveFilm' website.. the AFI list contains lots more of those 'classic' movies that I really want to get to know.

Another book by Marika Cobbold with so much heart it made my heart break in many places. The twin threads of a relationship breakdown and the deteriation of an elderly relative are painful topics, you can't read this without feeling. Saying that, there where lots of light comic touches and feel good moments throughout.

Christopher Brookmyre is a good author, incredibly clever, sickening sometimes and very funny; this one fell a little short for me though. By no means a bad book, and I'll definately keep reading him - you can't like them all!

Loved this book! The moon is knocked out of balance by an asteroid, after which the world becomes a truely frightening place. This book follows the life of one girl and her family, trying to survive in the face of what could be the end of the world. It shows real courage, strength of relationships and really gives a reminder into just how lucky we are.


Fantastically gripping read from beginning to end - can't wait to read more of Susan Beth Pfeffer

This really could be a life changing read. Mitch Albom tells the story of the period of time he spent with his old tutor, Morrie, at the end of Morrie's life. Morrie is suffering from a deginerative terminal illness, so as you can imagine, the reading is tough in places - but, it is so enriching. Morrie's outlook and perspective on the world is one that we could all learn from. I normally mark the pages of books where there are interesting quotes - this book is covered in sticky tabs! If I could recommend one book that I think that everyone in the world should read, its this one, we could all learn so much.