Kazuo Ishiguro

Many of you would have seen, read or heard about the books and films by Kazuo Ishiguro. Do 'The Remains of the Day' or 'Never Let Me Go' ring any bells?

I hadn't actually read any of his books or seen either film until last week. I decided to read 'The Remains of the Day' for a local book club meeting organised by the Oxfam book shop on our nearby high street. I'm glad I decided to read it, as it is beautifully written, in a poetic sort of way, and it depicts the English countryside wonderfully. Although the book is essentially about the Second World War, it is rich in tis story and the plot unfolds in a way that keeps the reader intrigued.

For more information on Ishiguro, here is a good site:

www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth52

For more information on Oxfam, see their national site:

www.oxfam.org.uk/

Gabriel Orozco at Tate Modern

The current exhibition at the Tate Modern by Gabriel Orozco is an interesting compilation of pieces of art made with daily objects. Newspaper headlines, toilet rolls, a human skull and car tires are just some of the objects that features in this thought-provoking exhibition. Orozco makes one reflect on our daily surroundings and to see art all around us. A must see exhibition if you are in London!

www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/gabrielorozco/default.shtm

Cecelia Ahern's books - must reads!

I was given a book by my sister called 'The Book of Tomorrow' by Cecelia Ahern. Initially I though that the book will just hold another typical romantic story. Once I started reading the book, however, I was pleasantly surprised the humanity of the book - rather than being a trash novel, the book deals with issues that are close to our hearts as human-beings. I could really identify with the characters in the book and what they were going through.

Cecelia Ahern is a very talented writer. Her writing style makes the reader want to read on and on. It is definitely worth checking out some of her novels:

http://cecelia-ahern.com/

Black Swan

one of the most talked about films of 2010 and 2011 is 'Black Swan'. I had wanted to see it for many weeks and finally had a chance a couple of days ago. I had not read any reviews of it, only heard some passing comments about the story line and the acting.

Feeling a tiny bit apprehensive about watching a Hollywood blockbuster film, I felt pleasantly surprised after watching it. The plot and special effects keep one focused on the film and take the viewer away into a slightly disturbing psychoelic world of an obsessed ballet dancer.

I don't want to give too much of the film away to those who haven't see it, but I would definitely recommend it.

The last thing for me to say about the film is that I started having some of the same problems that the main character of the film has - namely, I developed a rash on my arm similar to the one she has on her back... This really made me think if I identified with the film and the character too strongly - perhaps time for soul-searching?

www.imdb.com/title/tt0947798/