Film 57, Books Ninety to Ninety Two
Oct. 20th, 2010 03:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
spooky_missMy rant for today – the IT helpdesk. Yesterday I was on the phone to them for 20 minutes without them picking up (I went from position 3, to position 1, then it told me they were sorry they couldn’t answer my call and to call back later! And now today I’ve been from position 3 to 1 and then said they couldn’t answer it, that was another 20 minutes wasted on the phone. I’m currently in position 4 in the queue….but if they ever pick up the phone I will probably have forgotten what I was ringing them about! The stupid thing is that every time you call them about a problem, they then later on send you a “feedback” form, about how their service is. Every time I’ve filled one of them in, I’ve emphasised that its unacceptable to be hanging on for 20 minutes each time you ring them, but they just don’t seem to listen! Its so frustrating! Gah!
But at least I can type whilst waiting!
Film 57 – Che, Part One
This is a film about Che Guevara, who is played by Benico Del Toro. Its in Spanish, with a little bit of English. It shows how Che became involved in the guerrilla movement and how he came to be the leader of the revolutionaries who wanted to overthrow the government. This film goes through all their training, how they managed to make small gains and eventually took over key positions. This is part one of two, so I assume the next film will describe what happened after they overthrew the government. I have enjoyed the film so far, as this is something which I know nothing about – like many people, I know Che Guevara’s face far better than I know what he did or what he stood for. The style is good, apart from I don’t particularly like how they’ve put the English bits in – its supposed to be an interview with Che where his opinions of certain things and what happened on certain occasions is described, which is interesting information, but I think having it in English (with his words spoken by a translator) sort of distracts you from the film a bit, I think it would have been better all in Spanish. I’m not going to rate this until I’ve seen the second part, but it is good so far!
Book Ninety – The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
I read this book as part of the Facebook Book Group. I have read it before, but I found it a lot better this time. It talks about a boy who is a shepherd, but after speaking to an old man sells all his sheep to go to the pyramids to seek “treasure”. On his journey he works in a shop selling crystal glasses, and joins with an Englishman on a camel train through the desert, who is looking for The Alchemist to help him to turn metal into gold. Throughout the boy’s journey he finds these “omens” which help him to understand why things are happening to him and how these things will help him on his way. When he goes through the desert he talks to the Englishman, and this also helps him to realise more thing about his life. The book does go a little bit wishy washy towards the end, but it has some passages which really make you think about your life. It seems to talk about God quite a lot, which I don’t mind, although I know it might put some people off, but I think its not the Christian God necessarily, it can also just be considered a “higher power”. I recommend this books if you like things which makes you think! 8 / 10
Book Ninety One – This Time of Dying by Reina James
I admit I didn’t think this book would be as good as it is, mainly because I bought it from Poundland for £1, and the books they sell in there aren’t the best normally! But I was pleasantly surprised. It is about the flu of 1918, in the last few months of the First World War. It is about Henry Speake, an undertaker, and Allen (a woman), who is a school teacher who has a friendship with Henry. Henry finds a letter on a body of a Dr Wey, who died in the street on his way to post the letter, saying how he (Dr Wey) feels that this disease is a “plague” and that to limit its spread ports should be closed, and soldiers should not be returning home. This is obviously a controversial view, although the papers are beginning to see the flu as something more serious than what has been dealt with before, so Henry doesn’t know what to do about it. He speaks to Allen about it, but she has many other worries so does not consider what Henry is saying is of the most importance. Henry also writes to the government about it, but they just consider him an annoyance and don’t take him seriously. Henry and his company become overwhelmed by the amount of bodies that are needed to be buried, and Allen’s school closes due to the deaths and illnesses of so many of the pupils and teachers. One of the notable aspects of the illness is that although all parts of society get it, it is the young who are more likely to die. Allen also has the worry of her sister, who is convinced that Germans are in the house and are coming to attack them, to the point where she believes that their servant is a German and asks Allen to get rid of her. She will not eat until Ada (the servant) is got rid of. Allen has to deal with this, her friendship with Henry which is causing people to gossip about them, and the illness and death of her close friend after they had been out visiting homes where the children from their school are sick. Henry has to deal with the shortage of coffins, coffin bearers, gravediggers and places to store the dead bodies, as well as his sisters who don’t agree with his friendship with Allen and feel that it’s causing problems with the business.
I really enjoyed this book, as I enjoy reading both fiction and non-fiction about disease and how they treated and dealt with it years ago. You really got pulled into the story and I was really worried about what was going to happen and how people were going to come out of this tragedy. I think maybe it was because I could imagine what it would be like if it occurred now, and in the book the effect on the community, for example all the shops being closed as the owners had died, was really well described and kept you interested in it. I really didn’t expect it to be this good, especially as it is the author’s first book. Although I don’t think its deep and meaningful enough to win any prizes or anything, but the writing is still very good and you really feel you can see the places and feel how they are feeling. Definitely recommended, and I hope this author has written some more books! 9 / 10
Book Ninety Two – Goodnight Lady by Martina Cole
This is a typical Martina Cole book – i.e. it’s a big family saga involving drugs, prostitution, and crime in the East End of London! But as always it was quite enjoyable. It follows the story of the Cavanaugh family, starting with the five children of Molly – Eileen, Briony, Rosalee, Bernadette and Kerry. When she’s a child Eileen is sold to a man, Henry Dumas, and then when she gets too old for him (!!) Briony starts to live with him. She becomes pregnant and gives birth to a child at age 13. In return for her giving the child to Henry’s wife, who does not enjoy a, shall we say “full relationship” with her husband, Briony gets their house and a few thousand pounds. This is the beginning of her setting up “houses” where men and come and see prostitutes, and then moving on to clubs, where Kerry sings, and pubs and other ventures. She has her scrapes with other criminal gangs, gets through problems such as her sister Kerry having a child with a black man, and takes care of her sister Eileen’s children when she dies after having them. These children turn out to be serious criminals, who kill several people and end up in prison. This is a bit of a quick summary and I’ve missed quite a lot out, but basically its an enjoyable family saga about a family involved in crime and prostitution! Not sure how that could be considered enjoyable – but I think I like it as its totally removed from anything I have ever or will possibly ever experience, so its interesting to see how these kind of people live…obviously its fictional, but there must be some truth in it, haha. Recommended if like crime and family sagas! 8 / 10
…and that’s it ! All up to date! Woo! Still need to go back and work out where I’ve got the numbers wrong though…I think I just can’t count, and I don’t think I’ve missed any more reviews out…I hope not anyway, as I don’t think I’ll be able to remember the books anyway! I'm currently reading "Room" by Emma Donoghue....the most amazing book I've read for a long time!! So far anyway. I even had to have a slightly-longer-than-I'm-allowed lunch break as I just couldn't put it down!
But at least I can type whilst waiting!
Film 57 – Che, Part One
This is a film about Che Guevara, who is played by Benico Del Toro. Its in Spanish, with a little bit of English. It shows how Che became involved in the guerrilla movement and how he came to be the leader of the revolutionaries who wanted to overthrow the government. This film goes through all their training, how they managed to make small gains and eventually took over key positions. This is part one of two, so I assume the next film will describe what happened after they overthrew the government. I have enjoyed the film so far, as this is something which I know nothing about – like many people, I know Che Guevara’s face far better than I know what he did or what he stood for. The style is good, apart from I don’t particularly like how they’ve put the English bits in – its supposed to be an interview with Che where his opinions of certain things and what happened on certain occasions is described, which is interesting information, but I think having it in English (with his words spoken by a translator) sort of distracts you from the film a bit, I think it would have been better all in Spanish. I’m not going to rate this until I’ve seen the second part, but it is good so far!
Book Ninety – The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
I read this book as part of the Facebook Book Group. I have read it before, but I found it a lot better this time. It talks about a boy who is a shepherd, but after speaking to an old man sells all his sheep to go to the pyramids to seek “treasure”. On his journey he works in a shop selling crystal glasses, and joins with an Englishman on a camel train through the desert, who is looking for The Alchemist to help him to turn metal into gold. Throughout the boy’s journey he finds these “omens” which help him to understand why things are happening to him and how these things will help him on his way. When he goes through the desert he talks to the Englishman, and this also helps him to realise more thing about his life. The book does go a little bit wishy washy towards the end, but it has some passages which really make you think about your life. It seems to talk about God quite a lot, which I don’t mind, although I know it might put some people off, but I think its not the Christian God necessarily, it can also just be considered a “higher power”. I recommend this books if you like things which makes you think! 8 / 10
Book Ninety One – This Time of Dying by Reina James
I admit I didn’t think this book would be as good as it is, mainly because I bought it from Poundland for £1, and the books they sell in there aren’t the best normally! But I was pleasantly surprised. It is about the flu of 1918, in the last few months of the First World War. It is about Henry Speake, an undertaker, and Allen (a woman), who is a school teacher who has a friendship with Henry. Henry finds a letter on a body of a Dr Wey, who died in the street on his way to post the letter, saying how he (Dr Wey) feels that this disease is a “plague” and that to limit its spread ports should be closed, and soldiers should not be returning home. This is obviously a controversial view, although the papers are beginning to see the flu as something more serious than what has been dealt with before, so Henry doesn’t know what to do about it. He speaks to Allen about it, but she has many other worries so does not consider what Henry is saying is of the most importance. Henry also writes to the government about it, but they just consider him an annoyance and don’t take him seriously. Henry and his company become overwhelmed by the amount of bodies that are needed to be buried, and Allen’s school closes due to the deaths and illnesses of so many of the pupils and teachers. One of the notable aspects of the illness is that although all parts of society get it, it is the young who are more likely to die. Allen also has the worry of her sister, who is convinced that Germans are in the house and are coming to attack them, to the point where she believes that their servant is a German and asks Allen to get rid of her. She will not eat until Ada (the servant) is got rid of. Allen has to deal with this, her friendship with Henry which is causing people to gossip about them, and the illness and death of her close friend after they had been out visiting homes where the children from their school are sick. Henry has to deal with the shortage of coffins, coffin bearers, gravediggers and places to store the dead bodies, as well as his sisters who don’t agree with his friendship with Allen and feel that it’s causing problems with the business.
I really enjoyed this book, as I enjoy reading both fiction and non-fiction about disease and how they treated and dealt with it years ago. You really got pulled into the story and I was really worried about what was going to happen and how people were going to come out of this tragedy. I think maybe it was because I could imagine what it would be like if it occurred now, and in the book the effect on the community, for example all the shops being closed as the owners had died, was really well described and kept you interested in it. I really didn’t expect it to be this good, especially as it is the author’s first book. Although I don’t think its deep and meaningful enough to win any prizes or anything, but the writing is still very good and you really feel you can see the places and feel how they are feeling. Definitely recommended, and I hope this author has written some more books! 9 / 10
Book Ninety Two – Goodnight Lady by Martina Cole
This is a typical Martina Cole book – i.e. it’s a big family saga involving drugs, prostitution, and crime in the East End of London! But as always it was quite enjoyable. It follows the story of the Cavanaugh family, starting with the five children of Molly – Eileen, Briony, Rosalee, Bernadette and Kerry. When she’s a child Eileen is sold to a man, Henry Dumas, and then when she gets too old for him (!!) Briony starts to live with him. She becomes pregnant and gives birth to a child at age 13. In return for her giving the child to Henry’s wife, who does not enjoy a, shall we say “full relationship” with her husband, Briony gets their house and a few thousand pounds. This is the beginning of her setting up “houses” where men and come and see prostitutes, and then moving on to clubs, where Kerry sings, and pubs and other ventures. She has her scrapes with other criminal gangs, gets through problems such as her sister Kerry having a child with a black man, and takes care of her sister Eileen’s children when she dies after having them. These children turn out to be serious criminals, who kill several people and end up in prison. This is a bit of a quick summary and I’ve missed quite a lot out, but basically its an enjoyable family saga about a family involved in crime and prostitution! Not sure how that could be considered enjoyable – but I think I like it as its totally removed from anything I have ever or will possibly ever experience, so its interesting to see how these kind of people live…obviously its fictional, but there must be some truth in it, haha. Recommended if like crime and family sagas! 8 / 10
…and that’s it ! All up to date! Woo! Still need to go back and work out where I’ve got the numbers wrong though…I think I just can’t count, and I don’t think I’ve missed any more reviews out…I hope not anyway, as I don’t think I’ll be able to remember the books anyway! I'm currently reading "Room" by Emma Donoghue....the most amazing book I've read for a long time!! So far anyway. I even had to have a slightly-longer-than-I'm-allowed lunch break as I just couldn't put it down!
