Weekend open thread
Normally Clairwil or someone else would post some funny Japanese/1970s quasi-porn video, but as they are not around, here instead is a master class in how to perform synchronized dancing on buses, and on trains.
Recently a few people have floated the idea of a Pickled Politics book club. For a trial period, perhaps the best way to do this would be for people who had read a book that they liked to write a review of it, whether it be a few lines or five hundred words, then send it to me at rumbold@pickledpolitics.com. Then we would publish the reviews in bunches of half a dozen or so, in one post.
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Prabhu Deva videos always welcome.
But dude don’t you know buses and trains are so YESTERDAY. (warning: some nasty scenes) The music to the clip is all about ghost-riding, which I just found out about today.
Coincidentally, countless people have been killed imitating Shah Rukh on trains and now several have been killed ghost riding as well.
Nice idea Rumbers.
I’ve just read Cloud Atlas. A few years old so I will not pitch for a full on review. Suffice to say it was marvellous — a brilliant take on society’s ills through the ages, both historic and futuristic, and an imaginative progressive manifesto. I loved it. Loved it.
Cannot recommend it enough. I think Picklers will love it too, if they can tear themselves away from straight political analyses.
Before that I read What is the What. A harrowing epic biograpy set during the Sudanese civil war. Fucking makes you think. Recommend it too. My 10 year-old son just read, which is some effort. But then he’s a very good boy.
I just finished an absolute gem by Antal Szerb called Journey by Moonlight. It’s a Hungarian story about a man who is having problems facing up to the fact he is now an adult and married. I don’t think I’ve read a book that so well captures the strange, unique spirit of youth, nostalgia and adolescence…Highly Recommended!
I’ve also just started ‘A Fine Balance’ by Rohinton Mistry, which is currently transporting me to the cobbled backstreets of the Indian slum-dwellers, it’s really terrific so far…It’s a cliche statement, but the book really does ‘give a voice to the voiceless’
It tells us the stories of the poor masses in India, so often ignored or painted with the same, simple brush.
FYI…
There is yet another Indian American running for elected office, as a Congressman specifically. True to form he is a rabidly right-wing, very anti-muslim, and very anti-migrant (ironic isn’t it), and of course republican…
http://www.kumarforcongress.com/Issues/
http://frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=53EDA97A-4626-4866-80A2-6694936F101B
There was some talk on last weekend’s thread about Portobello Road. Being from another side of town, maybe someone here could resolve a dispute.
I have a Spanish bred’rin who, much to my amusement, speaks of Portobello Road as if it were the mythological epicentre of Spanish London. A Spic Brixton or Southall, as it were. I know it used to be, but these days it is more Portuguese right? A bit like Harringay now being Kurdish rather than Greek Cypriot and Brick Lane being Bengali rather than Jewish. That’s the nature of this great dynamic ever-changing city.
Juan insisted we watched the Spain Euro2008 games in Portobello Road, but I had a vison of me and him hanging outside some deli with our Spain shirts on and no telly, like two gimps. So we went to a new Spanish place we knew in King’s Cross instead, nearer home.
So how Spanish, if at all, is Portobello Road these days?
I loved A Very Fine Balance…!
even short book reviews are good! And maybe we could also incorp film reviews…
I read A Fine Balance a few years ago, it is still one of my favourite books. I am reading Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer at the moment, it’s a bit old but thoroughly enjoyable would definetly recommend it, great plot.
I’ve always assumed Portobello Rd to be a Portuguese enclave, not Spaniard. Talking about Euro2008, I did watch the final with Portuguese friends of mine, and they were all rooting for Spain. I was somewhat surprised.
two cool videos of two great tunes
Chibo Mato – Sugar Water
So What – Miles Davis & John Coltrane
Beyond Black, by Hilary Mantel surprised me. I wasn’t familiar with her name, but hell of a good book. About a medium who connects with an after-life banal, squalid and vindictive.
I’m sightly embarrassed at how tall my ‘to-read’ pile is getting. A friend in Cornwall sent me The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I’ve got Short History of Tractors in Ukranian, Trout Fishing in Yemen, The Last Mughal, Book of Dave (got half way through that), Infidel, currently reading A Short History of Nearly Everything (which is excellent.) So, miles behind the rest of the world.
I prefer the Metallica cover So What…:D
Again, I missed the weekend thread because I was too busy being in the agonising maelstrom of parental dispute. Maybe next time.
This is not a new book but I read The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks – not for the sqeamish but riveting. Plot: a boy whose father is conducting (unknown to the boy) a social experiment on him and the effects on the boy. The father has not registered the boy with the authorities so he does not officialy exist and he has carte blanche on his (unusual) upbringing…
I LOVED “A Fine Balance”, it is the namesake of my blog. I also loved Mistry’s other book, Family Matters. He is such a sharp writer who is able to capture the social, historical, caste, and gender without actually spelling out these themes (in contrast to the other writers). Mistry is my role model.
I just finished a book on the reach of the American military complex by Nick Turse; currently reading David Sedaris’ new book, a humourist whom I love.
Last week, I finished reading Kiran Desai’s Inheritance of Loss. I’ll totally write a review on this book, as it speaks of Nepalis, the Gorkha movement in Darjeeling, and the hill folks….
Rumbold, can I write a review on a book that I DIDN’T like?
Also, Picklers, I am sad to announce that my visa issues forced me to leave Nepal and return to the US. So I am back in So Cal…
Hey— can we do a collection of critical reviews of Bollywood movies? I know that it sounds superficial, but I always watch them for the messages they transmit, and trust me, they transmit A LOT of messages that shouldn’t be discounted since large swathes of the globe tune into them.
I offer myself for this noble venture…
People can write positive or negative book reviews. But no films.
I would love to read what Desi has to say about Bollywood movies…
Check it out, I interview Rev Spook on my blog:
http://anask.wordpress.com/2008/07/14/boddhisattva-pimp/
Hi Ravi
Here you go, try this link:
http://italiandesi.wordpress.com/2008/06/29/desi-movies-galore/#more-499
Rumbold:
“People can write positive or negative book reviews.”
Great. By when can we turn these things in?
“But no films.”
No yaar, I don’t mean films and book reviews all together. I mean posting a collection of movie reviews like how you are for book reviews. But as I mentioned, this would be a critical take on the movies. It’ll be fun.
Movies that are just begging to be dissected have the following themes:
1. India and Pakistan
2. “inter-cultural/religious/ethnic” unions
3. Marriage (which basically means all Bollywood movies, but you know, look at how the institution is portrayed, gender roles, familial roles, money, class and socio-economic status)
4. Kashmir (ie ‘Mission Kashmir’)
and so on…
“Talking about Euro2008, I did watch the final with Portuguese friends of mine, and they were all rooting for Spain.”
Historical Portuguese/Spaniard contentions, so yes, surprising, but then again, who the hell was rooting for Germany? No one except the Germans.
I was rooting for the Germans.
Actually, I was rooting for the Turks, but they got knocked out.
Send in book reviews whenever you want.
The Reluctant Fundamentalist M Hamid, very good book, short so good for a train journey. Interesting the way the author takes you through his life from Pakistan to America and back whilst having a chat with a stranger through an evening. The way he sees things is thought provoking. Read it and let’s discuss it.
Don – Short History of Tractors in Ukranian saw it in 2nd hand bookshop on Tuesday – I thought – that title looks familiar – reading it now.
- I’d recommend this book – “Staziland” by Anna Funder – For those who want to get a feel of police state, or for GB’s advisors and left wing think tanks who might be trawling this site for ideas.
Desi – visa issues? – are the Nepalese now incorruptable. Glad they are making progress
Rumbold – I too was rooting for the Germans, but from the beginning – always a good bet.
justforfun