Monday 6 August 2018

Static. Inspirations and Imagination. Film and Book Reviews.

Another very different post this time. With several months of hot dry weather recently over late spring and summer and various other factors kicking in, including a persistent dodgy ankle, instead of being inspired to get outdoors and charge up hills or explore new cities  I went in the opposite direction instead as it was no longer any challenge to wrestle one good blue sky day from a week of rain or indifferent weather. Somehow, somewhere along the process, I lost my mojo. Sardine like... people jammed.. several unpleasant and hot busy bus journeys might have had something to do with it, or hills covered in biting clegs, midges, ticks, and swarming with additional visitors... car parks mostly crowded by mid morning with a growing number of beauty spots charging to park there and just a general growing scunner about the whole enterprise of having to go out...just because the weather was fine- yet again!!!...no weather forecasting skills necessary... meant I switched off to it all fairly early and turned inwards instead. And surprisingly... I found I liked it that way. Along with the strange notion I didn't always have to punish my body severely to have fun.
Grey squirrel zapped out with the afternoon heat in my garden. So much so I could walk over and touch it with a finger and it barely moved- same as me.
I became static instead and rediscovered the pure joy of staying still for the first time in decades. Exotic fruit mix in a bowl here- pineapple, mango, papaya etc before a dollop of ice cream went in.  A deck chair, a good book, and a bottle of limeade or irn bru completed my perfect outing as I settled down in semi shade beside my surrounding flowers, and the pleasant sound of hard working bees overhead.' Occasionally, one would plop into my lap but soon fly off again...
'I used to be one of them,' I thought to myself. ' A busy bee.' And a little smile would appear. Static.
Not for me, busy roads, traffic jams and teaming people everywhere as I soon found out I got more pleasure from staying in one spot- just because this was my new novelty- and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The few places I did go during the warm months I found myself wishing it was quieter- the beaches more empty, less people around. I suspect now- like many parts of Scotland this year- I was suffering badly from over-tourism.
So I just stayed put a lot of the time and got through some wonderful novels instead.
Here's my magnificent seven. Each one of these is a gem I enjoyed finding.
Book One. FLIGHTSEND: A Journey of Discovery by Linda Newbery.  I picked this book up mainly for its cover art showing a teenage girl lying in a flower meadow filled with butterflies, watching a small plane flying overhead and was not disappointed by the contents inside. The majority of books in the library seem to be detective or crime novels these days- nothing wrong with that if they are exciting and well written but I also like unusual subjects. Nobody gets killed and no traumatic events happen in Flightsend just one girl's coming of age journey over a summer, as she moves house, explores her new surroundings, and tries to make sense of her new environment. No teen angst either just delightfully written and the overall feeling when finishing it was one of 'That was a really nice book'- and a privilege to dip inside someone else's life, situations and thoughts. It reminded me of my own teenage years, moving house to a new strange area, suburban/ country living in the UK and being young again in another time. A good book.
Book reading is thirsty, tiring work however so I had to keep myself fortified during it :o) I soon decided I was in it for the long haul. Being static is very addictive.

Book Two. Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel.  In this one the world has collapsed into a post apocalyptic setting but although it's a familiar theme these days this book comes at it from a very different angle. Less violence more an examination of what would happen day to day. Petrol and vehicle fuel has a short shelf life apparently- once it disappears the world is suddenly vast again- and dangerous- journeys undertaken on horseback once more or pulling carts with supplies and even simple things like matches,  paper, and everyday objects impossible to replicate without the complexity of tools, skills and knowledge we take for granted today. A journey of hundreds of miles around the USA's Great Lakes  unfolds as people revert to a simpler life of smaller self sustaining communities away from the derelict and disease prone crime ridden cities. Trust is only maintained in small family groups- any strangers a threat. Unusual and vivid- deliberately fragmented at first into several  different strands but like a jigsaw puzzle it all comes together into one unit by the end. A New York Times bestseller.
More squirrels, more deck chair sunshine, and onto ...

Book Three. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. Set in 1920s Alaska an elderly couple long for a child in a barren wilderness then get one from an unexpected source. A modern fairy tale that in less skilled hands could easily fall apart but doesn't.  A Sunday Times bestseller and very different. Excellent, well crafted, and clever. A book that will stay with you for life in memory terms.

Book Four. The Hidden Kingdom by Ian Beck. Another book picked up for its artwork cover. I soon discovered I knew Ian Beck already as he was also the illustrator that produced Elton John's Yellow Brick Road LP cover artwork. A young adult novel about castles, princes, hidden warriors and quests but don't let that put you off. A well written adventure story both slightly familiar yet also exotic with blended European and Medieval Japanese themes. I enjoyed it. A good read.
More fortification, another furry visitor to my garden, and on we go.
Book Five. Mother of Eden by Chris Beckett. A future book from a time when humanity has split apart into different small tribes. Part si- fi/ part fantasy but also strongly rooted in past primitive behaviour and cultures; crossing oceans in small boats to other island groups and continents... this is an epic adventure tale along the lines of Dune or the Lord of the Rings. A grand epic of a richly imagined world, vividly described with its own laws, landscapes and values. And a page turner from start to finish. Exotically different yet also with numerous echoes from half remembered ancient creation stories around the planet. A companion novel to Dark Eden apparently but a complete story in its own right. Some books you might feel  slightly cheated when you discover, halfway in, its part of a set- but this is not one of them as it stands alone as a story.

Book Six. Amazonia by James Rollins. A one armed government agent disappears into this vast jungle interior then miraculously stumbles out again, both arms attached. What follows is a gripping boy's own adventure/ mystery thriller in dark steamy places I really enjoyed. A very different environment to a Scottish summer garden but one brilliantly described at a galloping pace.
Book Seven. Still Life With Crows by Preston and Child.
When I picked this one up I didn't realise I had read one of their previous books- a novel called Reliquary which had certain (real life factual) scenes in it so extraordinary and well described I still remember them vividly 20 years later. This book is similar. A well written adventure/ murder mystery novel I couldn't put down from beginning to end, especially given my lifelong love of tunnels, cave systems and assorted dark places. Great characters, great landscapes, great book.... should be turned into a film.

Speaking of which I've seen some fine new ones recently.
Sicario- FBI agent Emily Blunt playing catch up with the Mexican drug cartels, aided/ hampered/ outfoxed by a wily Josh Brolin and shadowy friends. Unusual and compelling.
Their Finest. Bill Nighy, Gemma Arterton. An enjoyable film set during World War Two about British studios turning out propaganda movies. Much better than it sounds. A fun film, good story line, well acted.
Fury. Brad Pitt war film. Tanks. Germans. Like Zombies a subject that's been done to death so I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy this tale of one lone American tank and its inhabitants as they battle for survival against the odds. Brutal and memorable throughout.
 Nightcrawler. Jake Gyllenhaal. A relentless depiction of the American dream gone sour as J.G's. unforgettable character prowls L.A's  dark underbelly at night getting ahead in cut throat breaking news journalism/society at large, that apparently rewards hard graft and amoral methods as long as it produces results while consigning anyone perceived as 'slackers' to scavenging in dustbins... where they belong. Brings to life the uncomfortable fact that psychopaths can do very well in the world of business. Like hand in glove. A thought provoking film.
Sing Street. 1980s Dublin and a teenager starts a band, mainly to impress a pretty local girl then finds he has a talent for it. Good acting, good songs and an unforced joy of a film that came with zero hype but exceeded my expectations in every way. Worth watching if its on again. An underrated home grown classic like Dear Frankie.











12 comments:

Kay G. said...

My friend, please do not touch a squirrel! Don't you know they are devils in grey fur? Love your photo of the plate of food that has the potatoes,tomatoes,and is that salad cream? I am envious! Stay cool!

Rosemary said...

I too have been spending my days in similar fashion - I open the patio doors first thing in the morning, choose a book, find a shady corner, along with a mug of coffee and maybe some nibbles - what could be better. However, it is having a detrimental effect on the house - reluctantly I will have to do something soon and get the hoover out, but I keep tell myself there are all the winter months in which to deal with that.

Mike@Bit About Britain said...

Sounds idyllic - except for the tomatoes and Irn Bru. I need to delve into some different books, so I'll note your suggestions here; they all sound good. I've seen 'Their Finest' - v enjoyable - and 'Fury'- an experience and very well-made with Brad Pitt doing a superb impression of Brad Pitt. Part of it was shot at the Tank Museum in Bovington - http://bitaboutbritain.com/tank/
Happy summer! :-)

blueskyscotland said...

Hi Kay,
Yep, it is salad cream, buttered new potatoes and cracked black pepper. I prefer red squirrels but only grey ones come into my garden. Little pests for digging holes and burying nuts in my plant pots, leaving any seedlings/flowers scattered on the ground. I have to ring fence everything with sticks to keep them out.

blueskyscotland said...

Hi Rosemary,
As it's something I don't normally do it is relaxing just sitting in the garden reading. I think you might like the Snow Child book if you can find it. Very different.
"Men are lucky. They never seem to notice dust at all." An opinion expressed frequently by a duster wielding friend of mine.
Must be true as I was once walking on a beautiful sunny morning into work along the canal to meet up with a female co- worker.
"Lovely Morning." says I.
"I hate sunny mornings." She replied. "you just see all the dust floating in the house in every room."
We do come from very different planets. I do notice dust. I just doesn't bother me the same way :o)

blueskyscotland said...

Hi Mike,
Being into history you might also like The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George- a thousand pages long but never dull- stuffed with detailed information about life at that time, both Roman and Egyptian, yet delivered in a page turning style that really brings her to life like nothing else I've read.
Sicario is worth catching. It's been on Film Four a few times recently.

Rosemary said...

I will see if I can find a secondhand copy of it on Amazon - thanks Bob.

Carol said...

I suppose that's all I'll be doing for quite a while after the hip op! :-(

Love limeade - never see it nowadays - except perhaps in the fish and chip shops. I was always my favourite pop. Are you sure the squirrel didn't have heatstroke?

New petrol definitely has a very short shelf life - it basically turns to gummy goo and jams up your fuel system - ask my poor, underexercised motorbike :-( Was fine when they had leaded petrol though...

Station 11 sounds a good book with a good perspective. I hate most post-apocalyptic stuff - dire and depressing. I've often thought about those lines though about what we wouldn't have any more and how we'd manage.

blueskyscotland said...

Hi Carol,
You can still buy limeade in Morrisons and Sainsbury last time I looked. I like Old Jamaica Ginger Beer as well for a change... and Fanta and coke occasionally...and Robertsons diluting orange.
Station Eleven is an interesting book. For sheer fast paced edge of the seat entertainment though Amazonia and Still Life With Crows are the best.
Or 'A Place Called Freedom' by Ken Follett. An adventure which starts down the mines of Fife in the 1700's where children toiled underground from a young age until they were carried out dead around the mid 30s/40s age. Also a cracking book.

Carol said...

I was more sorry for the pit ponies - was never a children fan!

I'm not too fussed for fast-paced - I'm just looking at buying one about a couple who ran an elephant reserve in Africa - I read an excerpt of it in the Daily Mail a couple of weeks back and it looked fascinating. Such interesting creatures (although I'd hate to meet one!)

Mark said...

Great - plenty of books and films to look out for. Sometimes you just have to take it easy.

blueskyscotland said...

I like them for long bus journeys.. and years ago on holiday in the evenings or rest days after backpacking.