Charlie Citrine is, was, a big literary figure but his ego, lust and lack of real awareness get him into all kinds of scrapes. Lawyers, crooks and Chicago itself are beautifully described and skewered. Clever and funny, this is Bellow at his best.
Gwn mai marw sydd yn rhaid
Try y blodau pinc yn llaid.
Ond gwanwyn nesaf cwrddwn ni
Pan dyrr dy wawr uwchben ein tŷ.
Diolch #MagnoliaWeek 🌸
Dad's man cave, those old photos, books and just, stuff. Ask yourself, 'After I've gone, will anyone I know be happier if I save this?' Having a dump is a great relief! Here's how to do it and why we all should. Tack.
#books #booksworthreading
A few quibbles and maybe a man of his time but he's a great American writer. Anyone want my collection of Saul Bellow? DM me!
#BooksWorthReading #bookstagram
Isn't there a deal to be made here? Let's discuss terms. You seem to like that kind of thing.
How do I know I exist?
Well, who's asking the question?
Effi marries well but is bored living on the Baltic coast. She has an affair, moves to Berlin but the truth catches up with her. A tragic Prussian story of C19th ideas of honour as Fontane mocks morality and societal strictures. A bit like Madame Bovary. Loved it.
Bet one in ten people don't know the real meaning of to decimate.
Seven people catch the Lilac Bus home from Dublin every Friday night. Back in Rathdoon their tales of love, duty, ambition and friendship intertwine. Something Dylanesque about the small town storytelling reflecting the changing face of Ireland in the 1980s. Sweet.
'Your idea of secrecy seems to consist of keeping the chief of your department in the dark.' Based on a real anarchist bombing in 1894, this tale of terror, establishment collusion and moral corruption has Dickensian characters and grim descriptions of London. A classic with some resonance today.
Sofia takes her hyperchondriac mother to southern Spain for treatment. But is the doc a quack and who is the one in real need of 9help? A complex, weird story about familial bonds, duty and identity. Layered and memorable but not sure if I liked it.
Oligarchs with AK47s, rewriting history, ordinary lives and Putin's halucinogenic pecker! Part travelogue, part contemporary history, this is a roller-coaster ride through Russia and its neighbours. When the Wall fell we celebrated. Anyone laughing now? Stunning reportage.
Take three girls. UC Dublin, 1958. Family and fate play their part as the friends navigate their way to independence in the modern age. Chick lit set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing Ireland. Great holiday read.
Is there a course I can take to become a philanthropist? I'd be really good at it.
Said this after his first rehabilitation. What has changed to now make him fit for office? Seems like they give a short punishment without considering the guy's true suitability.
Judi shares her lifetime's love of the Bard's magic, wit and lyricism as well as offering an insight into the art of acting. Readable, funny and compelling. You feel like you're sitting there having a chat with her. Delightful. #Shakespeare #BooksWorthReading
There's got to be a model of ownership which allows real investment while not diluting the supporters rights and legitimate interests. I know a Wrexham Trust diehard who voted for the American takeover while disagreeing with it.
Ar drothwy'r Ail Ryfel Byd mae dwy ferch ifanc yn diflannu ar Ynys Môn. Dyn lleol sy'n cael y bai ond oes grymoedd tywyllach ar waith? Mae DI John ar y cês. Nofel ddarllenadwy sy'n cadw'r gyfrinach tan y diwedd un.
Ignore the rights or wrongs of the operation but is anyone else uneasy at the images of Maduro being paraded on his, way to prison? Feels like old fashioned pillorying. Unnecessary, degrading and potentially morally undermining any case against him to me. Thoughts?
Timeless novella on greed, self loathing and the redemptive spirit of Christmas. The Cratchit family celebration is delightfully described. Merry Christmas!
Giulia, an orphan, is used to test a nobleman's virility before he can marry one of the Medicis. Guiliano marries her for the dowry but... A tale of motherhood, sacrifice and true love in the midst of a vile, powerful patriarchy. Sound familiar? #MeToo
Tair ffrind wedi troi 60. Creisis briodasol, diffyg hunanhyder a'r cwestiwn oesol - be wi fod i neud 'da mywyd nawr wi fod yn 'rhydd?' Angst a hiwmor am yn ail. Byddwch chi eich hun!
Tair ffrind wedi troi 60. Creisis briodasol, diffyg hunanhyder a'r cwestiwn oesol - be wi fod i neud 'da mywyd nawr wi fod yn 'rhydd?' Angst a hiwmor am yn ail. Byddwch chi eich hun!
Strether is sent from New England to Paris to bring Chad home. But there's Madame de Vionnet and, well, freedom to think of. Humorous clash of early C20th cultures with some delicious characters. Can self realisation trump duty? Great sense of time and place but a bit long.
Pilar meets her childhood sweetheart. He's turned into a spiritual leader and takes her to Lourdes. The Virgin, Mother Earth, miracles, talking in tongues are all here. Love and vocation. It's simple and superficial but just not for me. Apparently Coelho is very popular. 🤔
Sin, suffering and beauty. That's our lot in life and it's messy. Set against the backdrop of a changing C19th Paris, some say these often visceral poems kick started literary modernism. Why didn't they teach this stuff at school?
Phone hacking, intimidation, cover up and criminality. This detailed expose shames not only the Murdochs but also the police, politics and regulators. Beware the concentration of media power and influence. Shocking stuff. And I fear it's still going on.
ICYMI.
As the West struggles with sluggish growth, Central Asia is enjoying something of a boom. #Kazakhstan has to balance relations with Russia and China. But what price continued growth? My report is at 16'40 in.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
#Kazakhstan's economy is on the up, forging closer ties with China. I returned there after two decades as I followed the #Wales football team and consider how the country has changed. My report on @BBCRadio4 From our own Correspondent is at 1130 today.
Once allies, a Labour MP and Conservative minister are forced to face their murky past. A tale of power and ambition. Lobbyists, big business and the media are all skewered in this gripping political thriller. Can friendship, loyalty and love survive Westminster?
