14 posts tagged “beer”
Oscar Wilde brings his enormous gifts for astute social observation and sparkling prose to The Picture of Dorian Gray, his dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. This dandy, who remains forever unchanged—petulant, hedonistic, vain, and amoral—while a painting of him ages and grows increasingly hideous with the years, has been an enchanting read for many years for myself, this story just doesn't grow old or become even the slightest bit dull with time.
Taking the reader in and out of London drawing rooms, to the heights of aestheticism, and to the depths of decadence, The Picture of Dorian Gray is not only a melodrama about moral corruption. Laced with bon mots and vivid depictions of upper-class refinement, it is also a fascinating look at the milieu of Wilde’s fin-de-siècle world and a manifesto of the creed “Art for Art’s Sake.”
The ever-quotable Wilde, who once delighted London with his scintillating plays, scandalized readers with this, his only novel. Upon publication, Dorian was condemned as dangerous, poisonous, stupid, vulgar, and immoral, and Wilde as a “driveling pedant.” The novel, in fact, was used against Wilde at his much-publicized trials for “gross indecency,” which led to his imprisonment and exile on the European continent. Even so, The Picture of Dorian Gray firmly established Wilde as one of the great voices of the Aesthetic movement, and endures as a classic that is as timeless as its hero.
Hi Everyone,Descriptions du produit
Byatt, one of the most distinguished contemporary British fiction writers, lends a definite knowledge of the field to her gathering of outstanding short stories from her native land, all written at some point between the mid-nineteenth century and the present. She includes necessary masters--Rudyard Kipling, Saki, D. H. Lawrence, and V. S. Pritchett, to name a few. But, bless her good taste and reading experience, she draws into the fold the work of several extremely talented writers of which few readers on this side of the Atlantic will have heard. Falling into this category are such writers as Malachi Whitaker, H. E. Bates, Sylvia Townsend Warner, and Charlotte Mew. The difference between a Charles Dickens story and one by the very contemporary Ian McEwan is no difference at all in terms of talent with the form. Fans of the short story will be delighted by what they discover here. Brad Hooper
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8 internautes sur 8 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
 Attention, chronophage en vadrouille., 8 février 2008 |
Maria Ledoux
Next chat is planned for Friday 20th February 2008.
A Picture of Dorian Gray. I'm sure everone will have plenty to say about this book.
To be updated shortly ( need to go shopping)
How could one sum up Roald Dahl's book Kiss Kiss using just a couple of words, maybe macabre and brilliant would fit the bill quite perfectly, what do you think?
In each story there's a quiet zaniness that runs through them, all are crisp, surprising and smoothly written at every turn. There's a common theme in most of these stories, one of the baddies getting their comeuppance in the end using great literary and psychological foreplay at the same time.
Which of his stories will leave the most lasting memories?
Perhaps William and Mary, this is one of perversity being turned on its head. Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat was enjoyed by all, poor old Mrs Bixby, should we feel sorry for her, or not?
On another note, we didn't get the peanuts, however we did welcome two new members, Shirley and Gilberte to our group which was wonderful, thank you for joining us!
Summer's over for most of us, now is time to get back to our old routines, including our monthly chat around a book and a beer. The next date is listed below, and shortly I will be able to give you the dates for the whole year that will coincide (nearly) with the dates for our brand new film club. What am I talking about?
The film club was initially Anne's idea ( or was it Jacques...), anyway, the idea is that five or six times during the year, an English language film ( classic or modern, British, American et cetera...) would be shown here in the Mediathèque in Sanary, followed by a debate (in English) about the film.
The films would always be shown on a Saturday afternoon and we already have a list of films which we're allowed to show. Further information will be posted here, watch this space!
Our Literature club would always be on a Friday and the following day the film club (a part from one exception), this keeps things nice and simple.
Now down to the nitty gritty, as we're so organized this year, wouldn't it be great to choose our five books for the season 2008/2009? For our first meeting, I know we're all going to talk about our summer reads and that should be that should be fun, but lets put our thinking caps with regards to the other books that we might all enjoy. Maybe everyone could choose a couple of books, email to me and I'll print the titles out and we'll just do a lucky dip and the first five drawn would be the ones we'd read.
NEXT CHAT: Friday 26th September 2008
Place: L'Hotel des Bains, Sanary
Time: 19hrs
Let me know which one of these two books you would like to read for our last chat in June, before the long summer holidays.
To begin with, I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to all for coming and giving up a part of your weekend to discuss Shutter Island and sundries.
Erlinda is our newest member, she came notwithstanding her broken knee!
I hope our group lived up to her expectations.
Maybe Erlinda would be so kind to write up a synopsis on the evening and the book in question in the near future, when she has time, naturally.
Speaking in public, even in a small group like ours, can be a daunting experience, this can be made worst when one speaks in a language which isn't their own, however when one becomes more confident and more at ease in the company of others that they beginning to get to know, barriers tumble down, and one begins to converse, and little by little, what seemed impossible is now feasible and even enjoyable.
The threshold language barrier has been well and truly leapt over by one and all, there's no stopping you now, you can chit chat to your heart's content*.
Language evolves in sudden leaps, we all have our own particular style, and there's always room for improvement.
The book for April is A Thousand Splendid Suns
The date and the venue are still to be confirmed, updates will appear on the blog or via email.
UPDATE
Next chat will take place the 25th April, at 19.00, Hotel des Bains
The book for May has been proposed by Erlinda.
Gilead
By Marilynne Robinson
I am very fond of American literature, however I am embrassed to say that this novelist is completely new to me.
If The Washington Post is anything to go by, we are all in for a real treat.
They wrote "so serenely beautiful, and written in a prose so gravely measured and thoughtful, that one feels touched with grace just to read it."
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* Heart's content meaning:- as much as you want - one's complete inner satisfaction - until one's heart is content.
Origin (found here http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/hearts-content.html)
This phrase is first put into print in Shakespeare's plays and there's every reason to believe that he coined it. He used it in at least two plays:
Henry VI, 1593 - Her grace in Speech, Makes me from Wondring, fall to Weeping ioyes, Such is the Fulnesse of my hearts content.
The Merchant of Venice, 1596 - I wish your Ladiship all hearts content.
It is also found in a letter Shakespeare sent to the Earl of Southampton, as the dedication of the poem Venus and Adonis:
Right Honourable, - I know not how I shall offend in dedicating my unpolished lines to your Lordship, nor how the world will censure me for choosing so strong a prop to support so weak a burthen: only, if your Honour seem but pleased, I account myself highly praised, and vow to take advantage of all idle hours, till I have honoured you with some graver labour. But, if the first heir of my invention prove deformed, I shall be sorry it had so noble a godfather, and never after ear so barren a land, for fear it yield me still so bad a harvest. I leave it to your honourable survey, and your Honour to your heart's content; which I wish may always answer your own wish, and the world's hopeful expectation,
Anne has been busy finding us a cosy corner for out next chat. I don't know how she found the time, but she's managed to find a super venue, thanks Anne.
Next Chat
Hotel des Bains, Sanary
Time
Six o'clock sharp (lol)
When
Saturday 29th March
Hope you all can make it.
Before I had chance to get around to updating our blog since our get-together, Friday, Dearest Jacques posted a summary of our evening in messages, I thought his thoughts deserved to be posted directly on the blog(unedited of course).
Thanks Jacques everything, you are quite a guy....don't forget the chocolate pizza one day..lol
By the way Jacques wins the prize for posting first.
Update: Nicole is in second place with her input. Thanks Nicole....Do I have a second prize...lol
What did she say, find out after reading Jacques review.
What about Harold pinter ?
Maria Ledoux's feelings about the first book
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is somewhat entrancing. For example the main character herself, is very human in her uncertainties and doubts and has a background and skills quite unlike any other fictional detective.
The author's lively prose and his understated but effective humour draws you into the story, however one is left with a feeling of disappointment, wanting more depth. He tends to leave things unfinished, leading one to feel exasperated.
On a positive note, the descriptions of Africa gives us a real insight into what Africa is real like geographically and in day to day life, from villages to witchcraft and crocodiles et cetera , and the rhythms of ordinary Botswanan life.
On a whole the book is a light read, to be enjoyed at any particular moment, but for me at least, I don't feel spurred on to read another one of the series.
I give this book 5/10
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