There's been a lot of hype about this book, currently being made into a film with Anne Hathaway (odd choice considering it's set in the UK and there are plenty of British actresses capable of carrying a film, but that's a rant for another day.)
Several friends have raved about it as well, and I quite liked his previous book, Starter for 10.
If I'm being completely honest, this struck me as a rather typical novel, where boy meets girl, they have sex, drift in and out of each others lives, it all goes a bit When Harry Met Sally, then eventually they get together. The twist near the end I didn't expect or see coming, so I suppose that sets it apart from other novels similar to it (such as those by Nick Hornby). The characters themselves were well written, Dexter isn't very nice to start with, and I can see that readers are meant to gradually warm to him, while Emma is much more likable straight away.
I wasn't completely won over by it, but it was a nice read, considering I read it to give my brain a rest from more academic reading.
Saturday, 9 October 2010
Monday, 4 October 2010
Poetry Corner
This coming Thursday (7/10) is National Poetry Day here in the UK. Last year the BBC had an entire season devoted to poetry, but it seems a bit quieter this year. The theme is Home.
So I was wondering, what poems make me think of home.
My favourite poem is one of G.K Chesterton's. However it doesn't make me think of home, it's quite atmospheric and weird.
I can't really think of a poem all about home, although I know there are plenty, usually written by writers far from home (in fact this is something that came up last week at uni!). Daljit Nagra's collection Look We Have Coming to Dover! and Grace Nichols' The Fat Black Woman's Poems both contain poems about moving from one place to another and reminiscing about home.
I walked across Westminster Bridge the other day, and Wordsworth's Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, popped into my head, I suppose that's a poem about home, or at least about my home. Wordsworth wrote it while visiting London from his home in the Lake District.
A poem that refers directly to my home town, is John Betjeman's Harrow-on-the-Hill. But it doesn't make me think of home. I suppose I'll have to keep looking for poems that sound like home.
What poems make you think of home? and do you have a favourite poet/poem?
So I was wondering, what poems make me think of home.
My favourite poem is one of G.K Chesterton's. However it doesn't make me think of home, it's quite atmospheric and weird.
I can't really think of a poem all about home, although I know there are plenty, usually written by writers far from home (in fact this is something that came up last week at uni!). Daljit Nagra's collection Look We Have Coming to Dover! and Grace Nichols' The Fat Black Woman's Poems both contain poems about moving from one place to another and reminiscing about home.
I walked across Westminster Bridge the other day, and Wordsworth's Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, popped into my head, I suppose that's a poem about home, or at least about my home. Wordsworth wrote it while visiting London from his home in the Lake District.
A poem that refers directly to my home town, is John Betjeman's Harrow-on-the-Hill. But it doesn't make me think of home. I suppose I'll have to keep looking for poems that sound like home.
What poems make you think of home? and do you have a favourite poet/poem?
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