odyssey…

It was long (2hrs 53mins), it was loud… and, yes, it was impressive.
I went along to the Watershed this afternoon to see Christopher Nolan’s film ‘Odyssey’ (Moira was put off by the film’s length) – featuring, among others, Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway.
You probably know the bones of the story: Odysseus, king of Ithaca, embarks on a perilous journey to return home after the Trojan War… but, crossing the Mediterranean Sea with his fellow soldiers, they soon find themselves battling not only the elements, but an array of deadly obstacles and mythical creatures along the way. Odysseus’s perilous homecoming journey after the ten-year-long Trojan War (plus his journey from Troy to Ithaca - lasting an ADDITIONAL ten years, during which time he encounters many perils and all of his crewmates are killed) – with the survivors no doubt suffering from PTSD. In Odysseus's long absence, he is presumed dead, leaving his wife Penelope and son Telemachus to contend with a group of unruly suitors competing for Penelope's hand in marriage.
Apparently, in 2018, BBC Culture polled ‘experts’ around the world to find literature's most enduring narrative… and Homer’s ‘Odyssey’ topped the list.
The film has received a high number of rave reviews and, yes, it WAS very impressive… but I’m afraid this type of ‘Hollywood blockbuster’ is really not for me.
I’m not really a fan of ‘action-packed drama’ at the best of times and, on top of that, old codger that I am(!), I’m afraid I often struggled with much of the hoarse, breathy, whispered tones of many of the actors (usually American, sorry!)… yes, it all sounds very dramatic, but actually leaves me wanting them to use sub-titles!
But, hey, if you’ve got the time, please go and see it for yourself.
PS: The afternoon screenings tend to attract a somewhat older audience(!) and, as you might imagine, this afternoon’s showing featured a fairly regular line of people making their way to the loo (not me, I hasten to add!).  

more july 2026 books...

Electric Shadow (Heidi Williamson): Apologies that my recent books have included quite a lot of poetry! I’ve been finding it a good way to start the day (especially sitting on our balcony, early in the morning, enjoying the emerging sun). I came across this book in the library (I’d never previously read anything by Williamson) – it was largely compiled during her time at a residency at the London Science Museum and explores less usual poetry subjects such as mathematics, chemistry and computer programming(!)… as well as space travel, electricity and evolution. Interesting, without being compelling.
Idle Thoughts Of An Idle Fellow (Jerome K Jerome): The author’s ‘Three Men In A Boat’ (first published in 1886) has long been a favourite of mine and so, having recently read Jenny Wren’s response to Jerome’s ‘Idle Thoughts’ book, it seemed only right that I should read the original for myself! Actually, having been a little disappointed by Wren’s book, I found this much more to my liking (with more of the typical ‘Three Men’ humour and tongue-in-cheek remarks… but also some surprising melancholic moments) – apart some of the horrible, dated, sexist remarks (eg. referring to men as the “intellectual sex”!). The author writes about all manner of subjects (eg. being ‘hard up’; vanity; weather; shyness etc) and frequently, rather like Ronnie Corbett’s meandering storytelling on tv, digresses from the subject in hand. An enjoyable, relaxing read (albeit very dated, of course!) and somewhat annoying at times!
Land (Maggie O’Farrell): I adore O’Farrell’s writing and, so, you won’t be surprised to hear that I absolutely LOVED this book. Set in 1865 on a windswept Irish peninsula (just a few years after the Great Hunger), it follows the life of a cartographer (and his family) mapping the scarred landscape for the British Ordnance Survey. I COULD write much more, but I think I’ll just leave this extract from the book’s cover to give a flavour of the novel: it’s “…about separation and reunion, tragedy and recovery, colonisation and rebellion. It is a story of buried treasure, overlapping lives, ancient woodland, persistent ghosts, a particularly loyal dog, and how, when it comes to both land and history, nothing ever goes away”. I really think you need to read it… it’s rather wonderful.
Fire Songs (David Harsent): As you might be aware, I’m a great lover of Harsent’s poetry. There’s something about his way with words that resonates for me… and I enjoy reading his poems out loud to myself in my early morning ponderings. That’s not to say that his poems aren’t challenging! This is how one reviewer described (accurately, in my view) this collection (published in 2014): “It delivers a stream of feverish, oneiric visions, of apocalypse brought about through war or environmental catastrophe or the boundless human capacity for self‑deception and bedevilment; and everywhere there’s the lick of flame – ‘it will be fire’ is a recurring line”. The poems aren’t all doom and gloom(!) but, a dozen years on, they still felt incredibly relevant to the daily turmoil of today’s troubled world.
A Different Kind Of Power (Jacinda Ardern): You might not like political memoirs (but I do!). For me, Ardern was an utter breath of fresh air during her term as New Zealand’s leader (2017-23) and she will no doubt continue to be an inspirational figure outside politics. Sincere, personable, intelligent, decent, respectful, and empathetic. The book provides a fascinating insight into the making of a politician, a mother and a head of state (and, typically, all done in an understated, honest and informative way). It underlines many of the challenges and difficulties that come with high political office (in her case, these included a pandemic, a volcano, floods, fires and shootings… climate change, child poverty, gun control, LGBTQ+ issues, international trade deals etc). But such roles take their toll and are almost impossible to sustain effectively for a prolonged length of time – when people in her position are not only having to withstand all the political pressures, but also the type of hate and abuse that get reported about on a daily basis. I was very sad to see her go. I very much enjoyed this memoir – informative, often quite funny… but also quite moving (one passage had me in tears)(I know!). What comes across is Ardern’s humanity and compassion. I read it in the week that Andy Burnham became the UK’s latest prime minister… it would be good to think that he might bring some of Ardern’s qualities to that office.

blue heron...

It seems like an awful long time since I last went to the Watershed (very nearly 2 months!), but I’m really pleased that I made the effort to go this afternoon.
I went to see Canadian film-maker Sophy Romvari’s excellent, powerful, painful film about a
Hungarian immigrant family grappling with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD - a behavioural condition in children and teens characterised by a persistent pattern of angry or irritable moods, argumentative and defiant behaviour, or vindictiveness).
On a flippant level (I’d never previously heard about such a condition – I was totally ignorant), it seemed to me to sum up the behaviour of a lot of children at the end of the long school summer holidays(!)… but it’s absolutely NOT. It’s an utterly awful disorder.
The film is set on Vancouver Island in the 1990s. A young girl, aged 7-8 years, named Sasha (Eylul Guven), lives with her two brothers and older teen half-brother Jeremy (Edik Beddoes). They’ve just arrived at their new house; their parents (played by Iringó Réti and Ádám Tompa) are Hungarian and, emotionally, they’re all really, really struggling. Jeremy is deeply troubled and his behavioural condition means he refuses to cooperate with his parents’ increasingly desperate requests. He behaves destructively and dangerously, threatening to burn the house down, and is often brought home by the police in handcuffs.
As you will appreciate, the film is NOT a bundle of laughs… but it IS utterly compelling and somewhat underplayed (thankfully) and definitely not ‘in the Hollywood style’.
In fact, the film is partly autobiographical - based on Romvari’s own childhood experiences with her own troubled brother… with the film’s Sasha being upset by Jeremy’s behaviour in a way that her brothers aren’t. The mysterious condition wounds Sasha as a child and even more so as an adult – with the adult Sasha (played by Amy Zimmer) working as a film-maker and played in flash-forward scenes (including videoing a panel of social workers discussing Jeremy’s case).  
I found it a very moving, dignified film which (in the words of CBC Arts review) “beautifully blends documentary and fiction to explore the slippery, often unreliable nature of childhood memory”. The kind of film that will linger in my memory (in a good way).

july 2026 books...

Gwen John (Emma Chambers): I went to the excellent Gwen John exhibition in Cardiff earlier this year and also read Alicia Foster’s book about the artist. But, although I had long been an admirer of her work, I still felt that I knew only rudimentary facts about her life and was keen to learn a little more – hence this book (first published in 2024). Frankly, Chambers’s and Foster’s short books were very similar in content (about John’s time at the Slade; that much of her life was spent in Paris; that she was Rodin’s lover and frequent model; and that, later in life, she embraced Catholicism), but I did enjoy learning more about her changes in painting techniques (from say 1910 onwards) and how, because she’d spent so much of her life in Paris, one article described her as ‘an undiscovered artist’ when she re-engaged with the London art world in 1926. The book also introduced me to a number of unfamiliar (to me) paintings – particular from the late 1910s/1920s. A useful read.
Lazy Thoughts Of A Lazy Girl (Jenny Wren): I first read this short book of comic essays (first published in 1891) 10 years ago and recently came across it while trawling through our bookshelves. Essay subjects include love, politics, afternoon tea, children+dogs and watering places! Jenny Wren is the pseudonym of an unknown, purportedly female, author. It was produced as a reply to Jerome K Jerome’s “Idle Thoughts Of An Idle Fellow” (first published in 1886). The essays provide a revealing, amusing insight into the day-to-day morals, manners and mindset of the Victorian middle class. They are entertaining, silly and snobbish (although, I admit, not quite as entertaining perhaps as I found them on first reading).
Dream Work (Mary Oliver): I never tire of Mary Oliver’s writing! Her words always resonate for me – uplifting, consoling, thought-provoking. This book was published in the USA in 1986, but first published in the UK in 2025. Yet again, reading her poetry out loud to myself in the early mornings, provided a degree of solace in this harsh and challenging world.
Dad Had A Bad Day (Ashton Politanoff): This is our next Storysmith book selection, first published in 2026 (theme: sporting novels). A 39-year-old American man has lost his job and now looks after his 6-year-old son while his wife works. He comes across his old tennis racket buried in the garage and unearths part of his former self. He re-joins his former tennis club without his wife’s knowledge… finds life outside the realm of domesticity and becomes captain of a local men’s team. Trouble is that it becomes something of an obsession… and we end up with a thought-provoking/depressing examination of traditional masculinity and toxic father-son dynamics. I think I’ll leave it there (*no spoilers*), apart from saying that, although it was compelling in its way (I’ve seen one review that called it ‘deranged’!), I really didn’t enjoy it.
The Enchanted World Of Jessie M King (Colin White): Another art book from the library. Shamefully, I have to admit that, although I recognised lots of her illustrations, I knew very little about King herself (1875-1949). The author describes her as the “most important illustrator of the 20^th century”. She was a contemporary of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and, indeed, in conjunction with him, his wife Margaret Macdonald and her sister Frances Macdonald at the Glasgow School of Art (where they all studied), they were frequently referred to as ‘The Four’… and developed what became known as the ‘Glasgow Style’. King’s illustrations are a blend of fantasy and reality (‘stylised formality’); she and her husband lived in Paris for a time, but spent much of her working life on the isle of Arran (Kirkcudbright). During her career, she produced a huge quantity of drawings (including beautiful sketches of buildings) largely based on Scottish ballads, chivalrous knights, northern fairy tales and pageantry. By the time of her death in 1949, her work had become almost totally neglected – but, thankfully, a number of high-profile retrospective exhibitions of her work in the 1970s restored her reputation. Note: I was sad to note that Wikipedia described her as being “known for her illustrated children’s books” – while she certainly did work on children’s books, especially later in her life, this completely overlooks work undertaken 1910-35… which I consider to be her best. A fascinating book. 

june-july 2026 books...

The Hand That First Held Mine (Maggie O’Farrell): I love O’Farrell’s writing and absolutely loved this particular book (published in 2010). It’s about two couples (one in the 1950s and one in the ‘present day’) and how the portraits of two extraordinary women, separated by 50 years, are revealed – in ways neither of them could ever have expected. Beautifully-written and hugely thought-provoking. It left me feeling quite bereft by the end (in a good way!).
The World’s Two Smallest Humans (Julia Copus): Yet more early morning poetry… I picked up this book (first published in 2012) at the library, having never previously come across Copus’s poetry, and was very impressed. The book (first published in 2012) is split into two halves: the first explores memory, the elasticity of time, and shifting perspectives, while the second is a brave, confessional sequence detailing the Copus’s emotional and physical journey through IVF treatment.
Raising Hare (Chloe Dalton): This is our next Blokes’ bookgroup selection. The author lives part of her life in a restored stone barn situated somewhere in the English countryside. She finds a newly-born hare, endangered, alone and no bigger than the palm of her hand. She feels compelled to give it a chance at survival… and so begins their journey together – chronicling their relationship. I have to say that this is definitely NOT ‘my kind of book’. It provided some fascinating insights of nature and of the behaviour of hares in the wild, but it wasn’t quite for me.
Glad Of These Times (Helen Dunmore): For me, there’s a comforting familiarity about Dunmore’s poetry (this book published in 2007) - exploring, reflective, challenging. This collection frequently focusses on the environment. I particularly liked her title poem – reflecting on being stuck on a motorway observing the packed lanes due to road works… but ‘glad of her times, glad not to be ill, not to be poor’ (as one reviewer described it). Perhaps, somewhat strangely, I also detected an occasional allusion to death (‘push towards to death’ in the words of the same reviewer) – which, to me, being familiar with her final book of poetry, ‘Inside The Wave’ (written just before she died in 2017), felt particularly poignant. Count your blessings!
My Yorkshire (David Hockney): I picked up this book from the library a week or so after Hockney’s death. As well as containing lots of his Yorkshire paintings from 2000-2010, it’s book that records two extended, fascinating conversations (in 2008 and 2010) with art historian Marco Livingstone. It was a reminder of the artist’s creative mind and his constant pursuit of new ways of thinking and doing – his art knowledge; his energy; his inventiveness; how he positively embraced technology; how he constantly asked questions of himself (the complete opposite to me!); and about seeing+looking and looking+seeing. I really enjoyed the pair’s fascinating, gentle (and yet sometimes quite probing) and enlightening exchanges. I knew I’d enjoy seeing all the familiar images again, but I was surprised by just how touched I was by their musings. The book was also a lovely reminder of the ‘David Hockney RA: The Bigger Picture’ exhibition at the Royal Academy in 2012.

june 2026 books...

Serious Concerns (Wendy Cope): More early morning poetry. I hadn’t really come across much of Cope’s work (this collection first published in 1992, when she was in her late 40s). She’s a very amusing writer (and reminded me of Brian Bilston’s poems), but I also (rightly or wrongly) detected a sense of sadness and frustration in some of her poems. A very different kind of poetry to the stuff I usually read, but very enjoyable nevertheless.
The Overhaul (Kathleen Jamie): Another early morning book of poetry (well, that’s when I read ‘my’ poetry)… this time borrowed from the library. I’d never come across Jamie before (she was Scotland’s fourth ‘Makar’ poet, 2021-24). It deals with a whole mix of things, such as: ‘aspects of the world our rushing lives elide, and even threaten’ (as described on the book’s cover). Nature is a frequent feature of her work, but she also touches on difficult personal challenges we all face in our own lives (it’s a ‘mid-life book of repair, restitution, and ultimately hope – of the wisest and most worldly kind’). I enjoyed its simplicity and its querying nature (despite me occasionally failing to understand some of the Scottish vernacular!). 
We Solve Murders (Richard Osman): There’s part of me that always feels guilty about buying books by an author who already has ‘shedloads’ of money, rather than novels by a writer who really needs support and encouragement… but hey. This is a (slight) departure from Osman’s ‘Thursday Murder Club’ adventures – featuring a retired, ex-police officer who loves the pub quiz and afternoons at home; his daughter-in-law who is a private security officer to billionaires; and one of her clients (a world-famous author who currently lives on a remote island). The story is all very ridiculously complicated – hired killers hired to kill other hired killers, money-laundering (involving massive sums), influencers, extortion, protection rackets – you get the general idea! As ever with Osman’s books, it’s incredibly ‘readable’… with brilliant characters, lots of humour and very clever storylines (actually a bit too clever for my liking at times, but…). Very enjoyable (predictably!).    
The Employees (Olga Ravn): This is our next Storysmith bookgroup selection (theme: epistolary novels). This short, strange, beautiful and moving novel (just 130-odd pages) was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. It’s set in a workplace – a spaceship (‘Six-Thousand Ship’) sometime in the 22^nd century. The crew is made up of both humans and humanoids. The spaceship never sees light of day. A number of strange objects from a newly-discovered planet have been introduced and these have a produced a feeling of yearning from the crew (both humans+humanoids). The Board of Directors is keen to learn more and so instructs a commission to interview each of the employees. The book comprises page after page of their numbered ‘Statements’, compiled over a period of 18 months. A whole mix of things (all occurring in the context of work): nature+loss of humanity; identity; social relations; passage of time to suggest just a few. It took me some time to ‘get into’ the book (and, even now, after a second reading of it, I’m still trying to come to terms with this weirdly wonderful, haunting novel)… but I’ve enjoyed the journey.
The Place Of Tides (James Rebanks): This is a beautiful, extraordinary book. Rebanks is a Cumbrian sheep farmer (and an excellent writer - I’d previously read a couple of his books) but, years ago, he’d visited remote Norwegian island, where he’d met a woman, Anna, who made a living caring for wild Eider ducks and gathering their down. Some 10 years later(?), he wrote to ask if he could visit her again. She told him to come quickly as she was in failing health (she was now in her 70s… and it was to be her last winter on the island). The book tells the story of this second encounter with this remarkable woman… about how they (and an old female friend of Anna’s) work together – under Anna’s strict orders – clearing storm damage, making repairs and building nests for the ducks’ annual Springtime reappearance… and about their conversations and reflections. It’s a wonderful, moving story about a wise, indomitable woman and her legacy (‘seeing the world through her eyes’)… but it also serves as an opportunity for Rebanks to ponder, re-charge and re-assess his own life and hopes.

may-june 2026 books

High Wages (Dorothy Whipple): Another Persephone book (first published in 1930). The novel begins in 1912 and tells the story of Jane Carter who gets a badly-paid job in a draper’s shop in Lancashire. She’s a determined, hard-working young woman whose ideas for improving the shop are rejected by her uncompromising employer and, eventually, thanks to the help from a friend (the wonderful Mrs Briggs), opens her own dress-shop. It’s a shop-girl-made-good story about the values of hard work and stubbornness; about class and discrimination; about the growing importance of fashion and the shifting nature of shopping; about the status of women; about WW1… and about love. It’s a fascinating story about social issues and changing times. I really enjoyed it.
Peace Talks (Andrew Motion): Another poetry book from my read-out-loud-to-myself early morning musings… This is a book of meditations on combat and the people caught up in it (particularly relevant in the light of Trump’s decision to launch air strikes on Iran in February… and which is currently ‘ongoing’). It’s a powerful, moving depiction about the futility of war and its consequences.
Salt Water (Andrew Motion): Yet another early morning read-out-loud-to-myself poetry book (sorry!). Actually, it’s only the first part of the book that contains the poetry (a mixture of musings evoked by recollections about family and friends – with the occasional historical figure thrown in) I was particularly drawn to ‘Fresh Water’ – an elegy written for a friend who drowned on the Marchioness. In the second section, Motion retraces (in a sailing boat with a broken engine) the voyage that John Keats made by sea from London to Naples in the autumn of 1820 (he died at the end of the journey) – including the perils of the Bay of Biscay. Another beautiful book.
Another World: The Oxford Years (Melvyn Bragg): I’m a great lover of Bragg’s writing and was particularly drawn to this memoir (published in 2026) because it focussed on his ‘Oxford Years’. Yes, I absolutely appreciate that his and my lives are/have been very, very different (he’s intellectually brilliant, for a start!), but we do share certain aspects of life: both from working-class backgrounds; both the first of our respective generations to go to university; and both studying at Oxford (ok, the School of Architecture is a far cry from Wadham College… and he was starting his Oxford studies 9 years before me, but…). I really rather loved this memoir – a reminder of that sense of ‘finding oneself’; taking the next steps into adulthood; making new friends; being besotted by all the beautiful, imposing buildings; making naïve errors and misjudgements; revelling in the new challenges…). The book is full of insights on class and culture, but also thoughtful, open and generous in celebrating his contemporaries’ talents (while forgiving their foibles!)… together with poignant reflections about his family, his love life and, of course, Oxford.
Despised And Rejected (Rose Allatini): A quite remarkable, brave novel, first published in 1918, which tells the story of war, conscientious objectors… and being gay (ie. almost 50 years before homosexuality was partially decriminalized in England and Wales). Indeed, in September 1918, the publisher was on trial accused of being ‘likely to prejudice the recruiting of persons to serve in His Majesty’s Forces, and their training and discipline’… and was convicted, fined, and the remaining 230 copies of the original run seized. The two main characters are Dennis (a hugely-talented composer - with a dominant father and socially ambitious mother – and who doesn’t fit in with his smugly conventional family)(…and he’s a conscientious objector and is love with a young mining engineer named Alan) and Antoinette (who comes to terms with her own sexuality, realizing her attractions lie with women rather than men, whilst also experiencing unrequited feelings for Dennis – for whom, throughout the war, she acts as a loyal and supportive friend). As you might imagine, it’s complicated(!)… but a powerful story and beautifully-written that I really enjoyed.

may 2026 books…

Muscovy (Matthew Francis): Another book of poetry (from our local £5 bookshop). I’d never come across Francis before, so it was something of a random/cheap purchase. He writes well – lots of wonderfully vivid descriptions, frequently coupled with a sense of irony – but I can’t say I was absolutely captivated by this collection of his work. Hey ho!
The New House (Lettice Cooper): Another Persephone book (first published in 1936). The author was Jilly Cooper’s husband’s aunt (JC writes the preface in this edition). The story relates to the events of one long day in the lives of a (somewhat privileged) family, when some of them move house (from an imposing family house in extensive grounds to a small one overlooking a housing estate). There’s the ageing, somewhat selfish, mother (still recovering after her husband’s death); her son (in a somewhat struggling marriage, with a young daughter and living relatively close by); a daughter (confident, ambitious, engaged and living+working in London); and a second (older) daughter (living at home under the spell of her mother – will she ever leave?). It’s written in such a way that you feel that you ‘know’ each of the characters; you might not necessarily agree with some of them, but I found myself really caring for them in their respective circumstances. There’s an awful lot crammed into a single day, but I was completely hooked by it in the end (and by the author’s talents).
Notes From An Island (Tove Jannson+Tuulikki Pietila): I’d previously read ‘Tove’ Jannson’s ‘The Summer Book’ and ‘A Winter Book’ (she was the creator of the Moomin stories, but they’re definitely NOT my ‘cup of tea’!), but had never come across this one (first published in 1996 – although her essay ‘The Island’ was written in 1961)(which I enjoyed very much). For 26 summers (they eventually had to stop in their mid-70s), she and her graphic artist+life partner, ‘Tooti’ Pietila, lived on a small, rocky island of Klovharum in the Gulf of Finland. With initial help from “maverick builder-fisherman (Brunstrom), they built a cabin. They retreated here to live, paint and write “energised by the solitude and shifting seascapes”. This small book of notes/observations/photographs is something between a diary and a memoir (plus Pietila’s rather beautiful etchings) and I found it rather beautiful (and frequently quite funny). The never-ending battle with the elements; the constant fishing for food; the wildlife (Tooti frequently had to do her art under an umbrella to avoid bombardment from seabirds!); the routines they developed (and their list-making!); and the solitude. I really enjoyed it.
Animal Farm (George Orwell): This is our next Storysmith bookclub’s book (theme; ‘animals in literature’). I first read this book (first published in 1945) more than 30 years’ ago and then re-read it three years ago… so, I’m quite ‘familiar’ with this ‘biting satire upon dictatorship’ (as my book’s cover puts it). You’re probably well aware of the story: a farm is taken over by its overworked, mistreated animals. With fierce idealism and stirring slogans, they set out to create a paradise of progress, justice, and equality. This wonderful, satirical book records the evolution from revolution against tyranny and, in turn, the devastating converse. The book includes the famous words: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”. Times might have changed, but the message is still powerfully (+frighteningly) fresh – and, somehow, even more relevant with the likes of Trump ‘in charge’). Scarily brilliant.
In Secret (David Harsent): Another book of Harsent poetry. This one somewhat different to the books of his I’d previously read – based on some of the poems of the (unknown to me) Greek poet Yannis Ritsos (1909-90) he much admired (who wrote “in the face of ill health, personal tragedy and systematic persecution by successive hard-line right-wing regimes that lead to many years in prison or in island detention camps”). These feel like very compressed narratives… and yet, despite their fragmentation, they make for powerful reading.

the christophers…

Moira and I went along to the Watershed this morning (yes, morning… AND at the weekend too!) to see Steven Soderbergh’s film 'The Christophers', starring Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel.  

In the 1960s, Julian Sklar (McKellen) was a fixture of the London art scene, but he now lives in cluttered, self-imposed seclusion – something of a forgotten man (he’d been reduced from an illustrious household name to a man who sells spiteful video messages on ‘OnlyFans’!). Meanwhile, Julian’s estranged children (concerned that their inheritance was being depleted by Julian’s extravagant tastes and lack of output over the decades) have discovered an unfinished series of portraits in their father’s attic from Julian’s most prolific and successful period – inspired by his relationship with a man he called Christopher. They would like Lori (Coel), an ‘art restorer’ and an old art school acquaintance, to restore the canvases… and by ‘restore’ they mean forge them. I think I’d better leave it at that (* no spoilers)…

In fact, although the storyline had some merit, I thought the film’s main value related to the excellence of the acting and the chemistry between them. McKellen was predictably brilliant in a role that brought out the wealth of his acting talents – self-obsession/self-pity, charm, acidly witty observations and casual cruelty. I’d never previously come across Coel, but I thought she was perfect in her calm, ‘art restorer’/potential faker role. All played out by the two of them in a lovely, gentle, entertaining way.
The other aspect of the film that I found absolutely enchanting was Julian’s chaotic bohemian townhouse… someone must have really enjoyed themselves creating a film set of such convincing (and fascinating) clutter!
All in all, a very entertaining, enjoyable and rather lovely film.
PS: Perhaps my only gripe (and Moira agreed with me) was to do with the clarity of the dialogue at times (a regular issue with films for me these days)(American movies are the worse offenders!). I know my hearing isn’t 100%, but there were times when I did yearn for sub-titles (I know!).

cricket at taunton…

I went along to Taunton yesterday to watch the first day of the County Championship game between Somerset and Sussex. After a reasonable start to the season, Somerset had (somewhat embarrassingly) lost their previous two matches – after being in good positions after first innings in both of them… so, no pressure then!
Somerset won the toss and elected to bat and they went on to enjoy a pretty successful day – ending on 335-5 at the close. Tom Abell continued his excellent form, finishing on 74 not out at stumps, and James Rew celebrated his England Test squad call-up with an impressive 86 (including 3 sixes). Tom Lammonby also batted well for his 73. Sussex’s Ollie Robinson (also in England’s Test squad) bowled beautifully – especially in the morning session.
A really enjoyable day’s cricket and well worth my train journey!
I always enjoy watching cricket Taunton, but did find yesterday a little frustrating from a weather/spectator perspective. Somerset don’t make all their stands accessible (even for members), so there were two large areas of seating completely closed off (which, for the morning session, were both out of the wind and out of the sunshine). For me, as a non-member (I can’t access ‘membership stands’), my seating options – especially for the morning session, when there was only a smattering of sunshine and strong, cold winds blowing (ok, so I just had my jumper, no fleece or whatever!) – my options were somewhat limited. I could either sit in the face of the strong, cold wind; or in bleak shadow; or in the single, quite crowded stand. In the end, I just gritted my teeth and put up with the wind(!)… so it was good that the cricket was pretty decent. In the afternoon, when the sun was more prominent, I sat in a ‘perfect’ location… but the only problem was that it was a ‘no alcohol’ stand! So, I swallowed my pride (not beer!) and enjoyed the sunshine and the cricket. In the end, I only had a single pint of beer all day (which I consumed at lunchtime while poring over a treasure trove of old cricket books – fortunately, my satchel didn’t have any spare capacity!).
It was lovely to be back at Taunton… everything feels ‘just a little better’ than the quality of the cricket and/or the facilities you get at Bristol these days (despite the convenience, for me, of easy and speedy access). First Division cricket for £20, compared with Second Division cricket at Bristol for £17.
I hope to be back again soon.
PS: Somewhat ironically, Gloucestershire and Somerset were BOTH playing at home… so, when I heard that Glos had been 19-4 against Northants (they ended up 154 all out), I was glad I’d plumped for Taunton! Having said that, Northants struggled in their innings too and were 37-3 at the close (and rain had also stopped play)!
Photo: James Rew and Tom Lammonby leaving the field at lunchtime after a successful morning. 

club cricket in the sun…

Rather than watching Gloucestershire play Kent yesterday (or urban sketching in Bath), I decided to drop round to watch some club cricket at Bedminster CC, near Ashton Court. I love the whole business of club cricket… it feels very ‘real’ and down-to-earth compared with today’s ‘professional’ game which essentially seems to rely on player recruitment from public schools.
Having said that, yesterday’s main match was very different to the game of my youth! Bedminster 1^st XI were playing in a 50-over ‘white ball’ (what?) game against Burbage+Easton Royal; the teams were dressed in ‘coloured kit’ (what?) and, on top of it all, the umpires’s outfits meant they were indistinguishable from the opposition (what?)… the scoreboard was electronic, of course (no young lads updating numbers at the end of each over)(what?)… oh, and the wicket-keeper tucked his pads into his trousers (what?).
Yes, I know, I’m just a boring old codger these days!
But, hey, what a lovely way to spend outside in the sunshine…
Sitting close enough to the players to hear all their shouting and (mainly!) encouraging comments.
An awareness that many of the people watching were former players (and perhaps their sons were in the team?).
These are family occasions – with quite a few children in attendance by mid-afternoon.
The bar was open, the beer flowed and the cheese rolls were purchased.
And, of course, entry is free (which somehow justifies paying for the odd beer)!
Old men (mainly men) in small groups talking about ‘days gone by’.
The groundsman and the bar steward were clearly former players.
The idyllic backdrop (set against the suspension bridge).
Football was being played on the telly in the pavilion (this was later replaced by rugby!)(what?)
Impressive batting (from both sides – opening stands of 70 and 100+ respectively).
Outstanding wicket-keeping (with both keepers ‘standing up’ to quick bowlers).
Aged committee men pointing out ongoing issues.
The less successful batsmen trudging their way back to the pavilion and avoiding eye contact.
The hugely impressive standard of fielding – fast, athletic and accurate (very different from ‘my day’).
Bedminster’s opponents won the day by 5 wickets (one of the Burbage players scored a century; another scored 58 and took 5 wickets)(one of the Bedminster scored 57 and another 84 not out).
A lovely way to spend a summer afternoon.
Footnote: Meanwhile, on the club’s other pitch, Bedminster’s 4^th XI(!) were playing…
All the players wore traditional white and the ball was a traditional ‘red’.
The players were made up of a mix of youngsters and a few blokes ‘past their prime’.
I found the antics of one of the batsmen (a gentleman from ‘yesteryear’!) fascinating and somewhat annoying… he was rather arrogant in his manner and, of course, he was wearing his cricket cap; he was certainly not going to take any ‘quick singles’; and he clearly intended to show these ‘young whippersnappers’ a thing or two about the way the game should be played. I was glad when they got him out (quite cheaply)!
Bedminster also have a couple of women’s teams, but it was interesting to see that one of the 4^th XI’s players was female (perhaps aged 16/17?)… and she was a pretty impressive bowler too.
Photo: From the 4^th XI game (with the suspension bridge in the background and the impressive young woman bowler in action).

rose of nevada…

I went along to the Watershed yesterday afternoon to see Mark Jenkins’ film about a ghost ship. It’s a mysterious drama steeped in loss, memory and the uncertainties of coastal life. The film begins with a local fisherman, in a depressed fishing town, who is astonished to find a vanished trawler, lost 30 years before in a storm, bobbing innocuously in the harbour. The boat has returned from the dead… but how on earth has this happened? The man seeks out the widow of one of the drowned fishermen (a woman with two grown-up daughters) and tells her the boat has returned…
Its reappearance is embraced as an auspicious sign, with the local citizens convinced the luck of their economically devastated community may turn, if only the ship sails again. And so it’s decided that the boat should be put to work… and an old captain (Francis Magee) is recruited, along with two young crew members, Nick and Liam (George MacKay and Callum Turner)(I particularly loved MacKay’s performance). Liam ('boozy, drifter') flirts with the lost fisher’s daughter in a pub; she gives him a present of her late dad’s old red cap, which he wears on board.
In due course, they return from their fishing trip with their boat bulging with fish… but everything has changed… the town seems busier, people are smoking in the pub and everything's more lively than before. The awful truth is that they have gone back in time to 1993, three years before Nick’s birth, and everyone in town thinks that Nick and Liam are the two men who vanished. How come? It’s all very disturbing… what about Nick’s partner and child? But Liam has simply accepted the situation - an agreeable new reality of living with the widow – that is, the mother of the woman he had been flirting with – as a husband and father.
Reality? A happier future than the one that actually happened or a premonition of disaster and gloom from 30 years ago?
It’s an impressive, eerie, elusive, complex and haunting film (cleverly put together, where appropriate, to give the impression of times past/time slip) – exploring the realities (and unrealities!) of life in a fishing village, with its constant presence of death and the pressures of making a living for families and communities.
Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘Gone Fishing’!

april-may 2026 books…

Loss (David Harsent): Again, Harsent has been part of my daily, early morning reading routine. Of all the Harsent books I’ve read, I found this the most difficult. It features a man sitting at a window through the dead hours of the night… he’s afflicted by personal loss, but also struggling with an awareness that he lives in a very troubled world. It’s enthralling, complex, intense and haunting.
She Who Remains (Rene Karabash): Our next Storysmith bookgroup selection (theme: books from obscure/under-represented countries – this one is from Bulgaria) and has been shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2026. High in the Albabian Mountains, in a village ruled by the ancient laws of the Kanun, 17-year-old Bekija escapes an arranged marriage by becoming a sworn virgin, renouncing her womanhood to live as a man. Her decision sets off a brutal chain of events, destroying her family (by tradition, it triggers a blood feud between the families - one of Bekija’s family has to die. Bekija chooses her brother, Sále – but he runs away and so her father is killed instead). Crucially, it also separates her from her one true love (a woman named Dhana). 16 years later, as Bekija – now Matija – tells their story to a visiting journalist, long-buried truths come to light, along with the realisation of all that might have been. So much I could add (*no spoilers*)! The story is mainly told through the voice of Bekija (who is illiterate) and the narrative mostly lacks punctuation or conventional paragraphs. There were times when I found it quite confusing: it’s often difficult to distinguish things when a stream of words or individual words are simply divided by commas: Is that an observation, description or spoken word?… and who was saying or thinking that? But it’s a very beautiful, dark and haunting book (just 155 pages) – almost dreamlike in style.
Murder At The Beach (ed. Cecily Gayford): Billed, according to the book’s cover, as “Classic Mysteries for Summer”! This book comprised 10 short stories by such distinguished authors as Margery Allingham, Ellis Peters and Michael Innes and was very much as one might have anticipated – except that the tales didn’t always involve murders or necessarily have any direct connection with beaches… but hey! Enjoyable, straightforward, escapist reading matter.
In The Blood (Andrew Motion): Another re-read – I previously read this 15 years ago (first published 2006). I’m a great admirer of Motion’s writing but, in re-reading this engaging memoir, found myself frequently resenting (although not in an envious way) his middle-class upbringing and I particularly found the hunting, horse-riding and prep/public school stuff hard to take. Motion is 2-3 years younger than me and I couldn’t help contrasting our respective life styles (he didn’t go on his first bus until he was 10, poor chap!) and his detailed recollections compared with my own rather vague memories of childhood (fortunately my lovely brother is able to fill in many of the details!). Motion writes beautifully and, despite it being annoying at times (to me, at least, in my anti-establishment way!), I thought it was an amusing, honest, poignant and powerful book.
Hop, Step And Jump (Winifred Watson): Another Persephone book (first published in 1939). On the face of it, this isn’t ‘my kind of novel’. For a start, it’s a romance… but where this is perhaps a little different is that it’s about a woman having a second chance, moving on and changing creatively (apparently something of a common theme in some of Watson’s other novels). Jenny is a working-class young woman in 1930s England who abandons her husband… (probably best if I leave it at that: *no spoilers*!). It’s a book in which the author explores sexual, family and class tensions in ways that might flout convention, but which focus on a woman’s ability and determination to survive and flourish. An enjoyable and intriguing read.

hejira: a celebration of joni mitchell at st george’s…

One of my regrets in life is never to have seen Joni Mitchell perform ‘live’ and, clearly, it’s now very unlikely that this will change (after her brain aneurysm rupture in 2015, she no longer tours – just the occasional public performances). So, I content myself with playing and enjoying her music at home on a very frequent basis. As you might imagine, it reminds me of my early college days when I first ‘discovered’ her music… she’s been my musical idol ever since.
So, last night I went along to St George’s for a concert entitled ‘Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell’. Actually, some 18 months ago, I was at a similar concert at St George’s (‘The Songs of Joni Mitchell’) and, for that, I was joined by our Bristol-based daughters, Ru+Hannah, plus Moira (they’re lovely like that! xx). Last night was purely a personal, self-indulgent time to myself.
My favourite ‘Joni songs’ tend to be late 1960s/early 70s (Song to a Seagull, Clouds, Ladies of the Canyon, Blue etc); last night’s concert focussed mostly on songs from the late 70s - which was fine by me (although they did finish with an encore of ‘Both Sides Now’).
As I expected, it proved to be a really enjoyable evening, featuring: Hattie Whitehead (vocals+guitar); Ollie Weston (tenor+soprano saxophones); Chris Eldred (keyboards); Pete Oxley (guitar); Dave Jones (bass); Rick Finlay (drums); and Marc Cecil (percussion).
As usual, I sat upstairs in my favoured Gallery position – close to the stage. In some ways, this is a bit of a mixed blessing – a perfect view of the musicians/performers but, from a sound perspective, some of the quality clearly suffers. I thought that was the particularly the case last night. Vocalist Hattie Whitehead has a wonderful voice but, from my position, she was often somewhat drowned out, to some extent, by what seemed to be an over-enthusiastic drummer(!) – particularly in some of the songs before the interval. In some ways, I think the same comment could be applied to the other musicians. Don’t get me wrong, all of the musicians were clearly incredibly gifted artists in their own right, but I just had the feeling that, at times, some of them were trying too hard to impress! It’s probably all down to my seating location, but I just wanted to ‘turn down’ the drums, bass and guitar and to ‘turn up’ the singer!
Nevertheless, an evening of stunning music and wonderful memories.
Photo: From last night’s concert.
PS: Just in case you didn’t know, ‘Hejira’ is the name of Mitchell’s studio album, released in 1976 (fifty years ago!).
PPS: I also thought some of Pete Oxley’s ‘between-the-songs-chat’ went on far too long!

lincoln college, oxford: bear lane – 50 years on…

I was in Oxford yesterday (having lunch with three special ‘old’ friends) and, as I often do, I made sure I took the opportunity to stroll round this favourite city of my youth… including Christchurch Meadow, the Covered Market, the High and the like.
I also often take the opportunity to wander down Bear Lane – an area particularly close to my heart, because it was here that I was involved in a Graduate Housing scheme for Lincoln College (I was the project architect) while working for The Oxford Architects Partnership. That was back in 1976 – FIFTY years ago!
As you might imagine, access into this courtyard development in the heart of the city is strictly controlled and the last time I’d actually been inside was well over 30 years ago. By a stroke of luck, as I walking past the entrance on Bear Lane, one of the graduate students was entering. When I explained that I’d been the architect for the scheme and that it was 50 years old this year, he was only too pleased to allow me to step inside.
It conjured up lots of memories of when I was designing the scheme (including design meetings with the Bursar and where extravagant cakes were an essential ingredient!) and I had a real sense that the design had stood the test of time – certainly from an exterior perspective. It was also gratifying to see that it had been very well maintained and that the courtyards were clearly well-used.

A very special time.
Photos: some snaps taken on my brief walkabout.
PS: No doubt, 50 years on, today’s design brief would be somewhat different – provision for double beds and en-suite bathrooms would no doubt be high on the list of ‘essentials’! 

cricket in the april sunshine(!)…

I’ve vowed to watch more cricket this season… and so ended up at my second County Championship game of the season today in Bristol (Day 3: Gloucestershire v Lancashire). In part, I was keen to have an opportunity of watching James Anderson bowling for perhaps for the last time - well, for me at least (at the age of 43, how many more seasons does he have left in him?).
Gloucestershire have (again) had a struggling start to the season – they had lost their first two games by an innings. In this match, once again, their performance for the first two days had been depressingly poor: Glos 136 all out in the first innings (Lancs scored 240 in reply) and then finished the day 58-3 in their second innings (still 46 runs behind). Ridiculously, 17 wickets fell on the second day!
So the scene was set for the third day’s play (my brother reckoned I might be back home by 2pm!).
It all turned out very different… Glos’s overnight batsmen survived until just after lunch (Bracey ended on 114 and Hammond 82) and the home side were eventually bowled out for 305 – leaving Lancashire needing 202 runs to win. Lancashire ended the day 75-3 – still needing 127 runs to win.
Tomorrow promises to be a very close finish!
Photo: Anderson’s first ball of the day.
PS: Anyway, the sun DID shine and I thoroughly enjoyed my day.
PPS: James Anderson (sorry, Sir James Anderson!), at the age of 43, was the player I had really wanted to see in action. The last time I’d done so was in the Aussies Test at Edgbaston in 2019 – but, sadly, he only lasted 4 overs before going off with an injured calf. At Bristol, he looked to be head and shoulders above the other players (he ended up taking 3 wickets in Glos’s first innings and 4 in their second; almost got a hat-trick; and took a remarkable catch!).  

april 2026 books…

Inside The Wave (Helen Dunmore): I’ve read this book countless times – poems written at the end of Dunmore’s life (many from her hospital bed). Full of life’s reflections and memories. Another one of my early morning poetry ponderings. Beautiful and moving (as always).
Sincerity (Carol Ann Duffy): Another early morning re-read. Duffy is an acknowledged ‘top poet’, but I’ve never really particularly enjoyed her writing (despite having read four books of her poetry). This one “gazes out from the autumn of life” (in the words of the book’s cover) on scenes from her childhood, adolescence and adulthood… and “taking stock of a world in turmoil”. Sadly, for me, while I acknowledge her sincerity and sentiments, I once again found that her words didn’t really resonate for me.
The Places In Between (Rory Stewart): This fascinating book (first published in 2004) tells of Stewart’s remarkable journey at the beginning of 2002 on foot across Afghanistan, from Herat to Kabul – immediately following the defeat of the Taliban. Ridiculously (to the likes of me!), he chose to do so through the ice and snow of winter and, if that wasn’t hard enough, took the harshest, most inaccessible mountainous route (following the Mogul Emperor Babur)(Stewart had spent the previous 16 months walking through Iran, Pakistan and Nepal!). The journey took him 36 days (covering in excess of 25km each day!) and he endeavoured to record events in his diary at the end of each day (as well as sketching some of the people he stayed with along the way). The dangers and difficulties of the undertaking proved quite as intimidating as one would expect – unexploded mines, mountainous terrain, extreme weather, bandits/hostile factions (and further complicated by Stewart's acquisition of a large, elderly, toothless and semi-wild dog!). Stewart’s ability to speak and understand various languages was obviously crucial but, despite the difficulties, his survival was ultimately dependent on the kindness and hospitality of strangers in the villages they passed, who were mostly desperately poor. A rather wonderful book.
Greengates (RC Sherriff): Another Persephone book. I decided to read this book (first published in 1936) after previously having read and enjoyed Sherriff’s ‘The Fortnight In September’. The novel starts in the early 1920s, on the day Tom Baldwin retires (aged 58) from his job as Chief Cashier of an insurance company in London. Tom+Edith Baldwin live what appear to be pretty boring lives and the prospect of retirement seems somewhat depressing to them both. They have no family, no real friends, and very few interests. Edith finds the prospect of having Tom at home all day particularly challenging. But then, out of the blue, while re-tracing a walk they used to take in the early years of their marriage, they find that a new small housing estate is being planned close by… and they end up deciding to take the bold decision to sell up and move into one of these new houses… and the move transforms and revitalises their lives (new friends, new interests et al). It’s a ridiculously gentle, comfortable, feel-good tale of the ‘olden days’ – somewhat over-romanticised and idyllic - but, nevertheless, a welcome relief from some of today’s current horrors.  
And When Did You Last See Your Father? (Blake Morrison): I’d previously read this book twice before (first published 1993 – I first read it in 1994), but the last time was 15 years ago. It felt somewhat strange to be reading it again. Although Morrison’s father and my dad were very different characters (middle-class doctor/working-class printer), there were odd aspects of their stories that overlapped. Morrison’s father died in 1991, my dad died in 1992 (although my dad was a little older than Morrison); and Blake Morrison is a couple of years younger than me. It’s an incredibly honest, unflinching book. Morrison’s father was something of a charismatic, yet complicated man (“a loving father, a boastful ‘sexual charmer’, a skilled doctor, and a difficult man with a penchant for reckless driving and saving money”)… but, despite the obvious differences, the book triggered all sorts of memories of my own father and, at times, our own somewhat difficult relationship (and all those things I failed to ask him about!). What it also did was to remind me of my father’s final days – a time when I wanted to ask him about his life and his memories – but a time when my dad seemed in denial about his life coming to an end. A rather special book – and a compelling memoir.

first game of the cricket season at bristol…

I turned up at Bristol’s Seat Unique Stadium yesterday for Gloucestershire’s first home game of the cricket season. After Gloucestershire’s ‘very disappointing’ innings defeat by Middlesex earlier in the week, the signs weren’t good!
Anyway, a fresh start (I thought!). A chance to make amends(!?).
It didn’t start well.
Glos won the toss and put Durham in to bat (really?!).
The Durham openers made a nonsense of that decision by batting away untroubled in beautiful sunshine… and, at lunch, were 143-0 in 30 overs (at just a little under 5 runs/over!). By 2pm (170-0), Durham’s 21-year-old opener, McKinney, had scored his century. Just after 3pm (257-0), Durham’s other opener Lees had also become a centurion. Lees was eventually the first wicket to fall (305-1 in the 59^th over) – just after the floodlights had been switched on at 3.30pm!
It didn’t end well either (for Glos)!
The weather deteriorated somewhat (cold, blustery winds) and rain stopped play for a brief time. Play later resumed, but the day ended early when the players departed due to bad light – by which time, Durham’s score had advanced to 456-2 (with McKinney on 214 not out).
A really poor day for Gloucestershire (but a not altogether surprising one?)… and another defeat already beckons. I’m afraid they look like a very ‘ordinary’ team. The captain used eight (EIGHT!) bowlers yesterday and, frankly, none of them looked at all impressive or threatening. Last season, their batting was unreliable (to put it mildly) and I suspect it’ll be the same old story this season… and so the team will probably languish in the bottom half (or worse!) of the County Championship’s Division 2.
Frankly, I only go along to watch Gloucestershire because they’re my ‘local’ team and because I love watching ‘old fashioned’ cricket. Watching Somerset at Taunton (in Division one) would be a much better prospect – but involves a 30 minute+ train journey. Instead, I jump on no.75/76 bus and can be in the ground within 20 minutes.
So, I’ll no doubt continue to ‘enjoy’ watching my cricket in Bristol… sitting among tiny ‘crowds’ of under 100 people (and all of us old codgers)… and everyone talking about the ‘good old days’ and mis-remembering the cricketing days of their youth!!
Photo: This is McKinney hitting his second ‘six’ of the day – and the game is still only 55 minutes old!
Note: Sadly, yesterday, even though it’s the school holidays, I counted only half a dozen children in attendance.

march-april 2026 books…

A Bird’s Idea Of Flight (David Harsent): Another book of Harsent’s poetry. This one, at times, I found quite hard to grasp. It describes a circular journey which focusses on (in the words of the book’s cover) the “deeply curious business of his own death… during which the figure of death, as companion, mentor and guide, appears along the way in various guises”. Sometimes obscure, sometimes extraordinary – but his way with words is always intriguing.
Essex Clay (Andrew Motion): This is a beautiful prose-poem description of three events that have haunted Motion throughout his writing life, namely: the story of his mother’s death in a riding accident, long unconsciousness and slow death; recalling the end of his father’s life; and an unexpected meeting with an old love after 40 years. I read the book out loud to myself as part of my daily early morning time of reflection. Profound, haunting and really rather wonderful.
A Year In Provence (Peter Mayle): Strangely, but in a very comforting way, this book (first published in 1989 – 37 years ago!) came to mind as I reflected on all the awful things happening in the world at the present time… The thought felt like a reassuring, calming reminder of the beauty of nature and all those people and places that make our lives special (a tenuous link perhaps, but hey!). I think this is the third time I’ve read the book but, sadly, I’d given my copy away and so ended up buying another copy… BUT (wait for it!), on finishing reading it this time and in the process of tidying it away on our shelves, I came across our original copy (I know!) – all appropriately arranged in alphabetical author order and, of course, alongside all the other ‘white spine’ books!! Once again, the book ticked all those ‘comforting’ boxes. He writes beautifully, evocatively and amusingly… although I do have some reservations about the sense of privileged arrogance that the book represents? Hey ho… I still very much enjoyed it.
Wilderness Taunts (Ian Adams): I think this is the fifth time I’ve used my great friend Ian Adams’s book as part of my Lenten reflections. Each time, I find his words incredibly challenging, thought-provoking and helpful… and I have absolutely no doubt that I’ll continue to use this rather wonderful book for many years to come. For me, it’s a very special book.
Treasures New+Old (Rupert Martin): This is a book of biblical-based images and essays by my good friend Rupert. The photographs provide an A-Z of images from the Bible. From the outset (and you won’t be surprised by this), I have to admit that I didn’t purchase the book because of its biblical texts (very well researched - with perhaps up to a dozen biblical references for each key word)… no, I did so knowing that it would contain lots of Rupert’s rather wonderful photographs compiled from his extensive travels over the past four decades (and I was duly impressed!).

orwell 2+2=5…

I went along to the Watershed again this morning (11am showing – for old retirees like me!)(surprisingly, there must have been an audience of some 80-100) to see Raoul Peck’s film about the Nineteen Eighty-Four novelist.
Obviously, one appreciates that going to watch a documentary film about George Orwell isn’t going to be a bundle of laughs(!) – particularly when we have a madman like Trump ‘in charge’ of a significant portion of the western world - and so it proved. Listening to Orwell’s prose (read by Damian Lewis) from his published works, letters and diaries is a sobering experience (albeit strangely invigorating). I don’t think I’d been fully aware that he’d written his ‘1984’ masterpiece when he was so close to his death (the book was published in 1949, he died the following year).  
It’s a very impressive film.
Obviously, with all footage available of past+present totalitarian/scary regimes, the documentary was spoilt for choice as far as illustrative examples were concerned. Orwell actually predicted the rise of AI and, of course, we now have the internet when it comes ‘information’ availability (and, with it, ‘fake news’ and propaganda). The documentary also includes present-day videos involving the likes of Trump, Orban, Modi, Netanyahu and Putin. No doubt, Orwell would have just nodded and said “I told you so”!
Overall, while I thought the documentary film was excellent, there are lots of gaps when it comes to some of the somewhat controversial aspects of Orwell’s life (eg. his anti-Semitic views in his younger days) and so there were times when I almost felt I was being ‘manipulated’ and that perhaps I wasn’t being given a more balanced view of things (but, hey, don’t get me wrong – I’m on Orwell’s side!).
It was a very powerful film and yet, somewhat predictably, also a pretty depressing one. It left me feeling very sad about how things might pan out in the coming years – not my future, of course, but my children’s children’s futures.
Oh for a simple, beautiful world of decency, integrity, honesty, respect and love.