Book cover: Patterns of Isolation by John Moss (a seminal work of Canlit criticism from the 1970’s)

Page 128 of this book on the left side, with page 97 on the right (where 129 should be)

Again, page 128 on the left, but now page 161 is on the right.

Frustrated to discover that my copy of this book (which I have owned for a long time) duplicates a section of 32 pages and omits the following 32- which of course includes one of the chapters I am most interested in.

Yes, I agree, and I also feel that his films with contemporary settings are generally underrated, probably because of the great popularity of his samurai films.

Poster for Kurosawa’s One Wonderful Sunday, showing a smiling couple seemingly ready to take part in a light comic romp. If only they knew what was coming.

Continuing my quest for Kurosawa completionism, I just watched this fantastic film. This poster is incredibly deceptive though- it is a film about finding hope in hopeless times (so yeah, appropriate and timely).

I was first introduced to Chabrol’s films in the early ‘90s, so I have a special fondness for this period- this one and La Ceremonie especially.

The Razor’s Edge with a hard-boiled-looking cover

Not a tie-in cover, but I never miss an opportunity to post my equally comical cover of that book.

Book Cover: The Female Wits: Women Playwrights of the Restoration- Fidelis Morgan

Passage from the book’s introduction in which the way in which Nell Gwynn is now remembered is described as being “as gross as it would be for future generations to remember of Glenda Jackson only that she worked as a counter assistant for a high street chemist”

Back cover blurb: “Fidelis Morgan’s book is not only an indictment of our lack of imagination in ignoring works from other centuries but also a delight to read for its combination of scholarship, wit and compassion. I feel sure that it is only a question of time before these neglected plays will be gracing our stages again”- GLENDA JACKSON

Amused by the fact that this book, which includes a passing reference to Glenda Jackson, also features a blurb by Glenda Jackson. One imagines the publicity team reading the introduction and getting no further than page 2- “problem solved- we’ll just call up GJ!”

Seconded. That film was my first experience of Kiarostami many years ago.

Well, 2 of those 3 looked pretty impressive tonight, at least.

And my daughter filled out her bracket based on how much she likes the mascot of each team- not terribly effective, but a lot of fun.

Funny, for me it was “from the age of the dinosaurs, cars have run on gasoline” (which admittedly makes less sense)

I haven’t read that one either, but it is coming up soon for me, so I’m happy to hear this, and I’m excited that there seems to be so much love for it here!

I’m with you on this, but I’d probably put at least 3 Woolf novels in my Top 50 novels of all time, so the margins are pretty slim either way. In any case, I’m really looking forward to hearing what you all have to say!

Thanks- I’ll be interested to hear what you think if you do read him. Part of me still feels I was too harsh, and the other part thinks I raised some valid points.

Same. I keep catching myself complaining about “kids these days” and starting to realize I will be a full-fledged grumpy old man before I know it.

Reminds me of when they “invented” “silent walking” - walking without earbuds - where I come from, that’s just called walking.

Mine’s a bit dim too, but you’re probably right, although I think it was still much more unsettling than people who just watched it for the Peter Pan connection would have liked. It has a shockingly low rating on IMDB, and I suspect that’s why.

Oh no! Yes, that would nag at me forever too.

I am on a much slower pace (as with most things) but, coincidentally, will be finishing Leviticus tonight.

I’m just impressed that you managed an X. It is the only letter missing from my project.

I saw the film many years ago and thought it was very good (Alan Rickman especially), so I am intrigued (even though my last attempt at Bainbridge did not go so well).

Yes!

Judith Hearne- Brian Moore, NCL edition from 1964

Now reading: I know this book has been reissued, but I am a sucker for these old New Canadian Library editions- probably because of my childhood memories, as my parents had many of these.

In which I mention multiple masterpieces and malign many mediocrities:

This is such a great album- I go back to it a lot.

Thanks- I really was torn on this one.

You both make me feel that I was too cranky with this one. And I totally agree about the hope/dread- I just couldn’t put it down during those last 50 pages needing to know how it would turn out.

CD cover: Sonic Temple- The Cult

In The Cult song, “New York City”, I know the line is “Hell’s Kitchen is a DMZ” but my brain always hears it as “Hell’s Kitchen is a DMV”

I have read a bit about it and it sounds like just my kind of thing. I’m looking forward to it!

Book stack: Sybille Bedford- Jigsaw, Goethe- Elective Affinities, Gogol- Dead Souls, Mikhail Lermontov- A Hero of Our Time, Mulatali- Max Havelaar, Jan Potocki- The Manuscript Found in Saragossa, Alejandro Zambra- Chilean Poet

There were also some birthday books:

The World of Frankenstein- A Jigsaw Puzzle by Adam Simpson. Image depicts a number of scenes from the novel.

My daughter’s commitment to her tradition of giving me a Frankenstein themed birthday present every year is truly impressive.

A worn and stained blue-covered hard back book with an Everyman logo just about visible in the centre.

Cover page: The Essays of Montaigne, John Florio’s translation. With Montaigne’s birth and death dates, and a biographical note usefully added by a previous owner.

During grad school, I spent the better part of a summer with this book, and it came to mean a lot to me. Fortunately, I didn’t read the whole thing, so there is still more to look forward to.