“This world nis but a Thurghfare ful of wo And we ben Pilgrimes passinge to and fro.” So says Chaucer’s Knight, towards the end of his tale as recounted by Geoffrey Chaucer, the author of The Canterbury Tales. Gloomy those words may be, but they totally belie the racy, colourful and much-loved tales told byContinue reading “A Pilgrimage By Steam to The Shrine of a Martyr in Canterbury Cathedral”
Category Archives: musings
Youth, Time and Soul – Old Photographs & Memories: Coloured Rags or Treasures?
Birthdays and old photographs. How they arouse our emotions! So many words have been written about time, and our attitude to it. Memory is a crazy woman that hoards colored rags and throws away food said Austin O’Malley. How much is concentrated in this deceptively simple remark: far more than a comment on human fallibility, Continue reading “Youth, Time and Soul – Old Photographs & Memories: Coloured Rags or Treasures?”
Shakespeare’s Wronged Women: A Reflection In The Light Of International Women’s Day
The other day I went to a see a production given by Playbox Theatre, held at their local headquarters, Dream Factory, Warwick. There we saw members of the Shakespeare Young Company present to us “Shakespeare’s Wronged Women”. In the words of Stewart McGill & Mary King, the Artistic Directors of this company, “Having explored withContinue reading “Shakespeare’s Wronged Women: A Reflection In The Light Of International Women’s Day”
Jennifer Lawrence, Young Success, and The Gift of The Present Moment
Picture this. A 22-year old actress who has won an Oscar, is asked at her press conference: “You’re awfully young to have so much success so far. Do you feel it’s a good thing? You’re not worried about peaking too soon?” What can she do, but smile, give a baffled grimace and say, “Well, nowContinue reading “Jennifer Lawrence, Young Success, and The Gift of The Present Moment”
The Lovely Bones Film – New Insight Onto a Terrifying Subject
What could be worse than losing someone you love through untimely death? And what could be even worse than that? Losing them through murder. And then worse than that? Just imagine – the person you love, who is murdered, is a child, with all life and hope ahead of them. This is the nightmare scenarioContinue reading “The Lovely Bones Film – New Insight Onto a Terrifying Subject”
Why Les Miserables Is So Popular
How is it that the story of Les Miserables has tapped into the emotions of so many? I first read Victor Hugo’s novel in my late teens/early twenties, and a central idea stayed with me over the years (though not necessarily in the exact words Victor Hugo used): You have been taken away from evil,Continue reading “Why Les Miserables Is So Popular”
Men Into Monsters – Spidermen, Octopuses, Lizards and Aliens – Why Do We Love Them in Books, TV Dramas and Movies?
Who’s the most compelling character in a Spiderman movie? For me, it’s Dr Otto Octavius (Doc Ock) and Dr Curt Connors. As I watched “The Amazing Spiderman” DVD again the other day, it was Rhys Ifans in the role of Dr Curt Connors, that my eyes were on. Rhys Ifans is an actor I loveContinue reading “Men Into Monsters – Spidermen, Octopuses, Lizards and Aliens – Why Do We Love Them in Books, TV Dramas and Movies?”
People of Inspiration Part 6 – Gareth Malone, The Love of Singing and the Rediscovery of the Power of Sound
What or who would inspire you to start singing? Gareth Malone, self-described as an “animateur, presenter and populariser of choral singing” (Wikipedia) Even if you’ve spent years of your life thinking you “can’t sing”? And there are many people with this gift – I’ve met quite a few in my own life of singing –Continue reading “People of Inspiration Part 6 – Gareth Malone, The Love of Singing and the Rediscovery of the Power of Sound”
The Core of a Successful Novel: The Ring of Truth
Q – What is the core of a successful novel? A – You can in some way identify with it; you recognise it as relating to your own life experience. And this doesn’t mean you need to have experienced exactly the same events that the novel describes: simply that you recognise the truth in theContinue reading “The Core of a Successful Novel: The Ring of Truth”
People of Inspiration Part 5 – Frankie Howerd, My All-Time Favourite Comedian
A recent TV programme on Channel 4 inspired me: “Frankie Howerd: The Lost Tapes.” Frankie Howerd is my all-time favourite comedian. In my recent “Next Big Thing” blog I noted that, as an author, I owe part of my inspiration to characters I’ve loved on TV and movies. Frankie Howerd is up there with theContinue reading “People of Inspiration Part 5 – Frankie Howerd, My All-Time Favourite Comedian”
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