Ben

Silver Linings Playbook. Been meaning to watch for a while, and personally thought it was excellent. Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper were great. Was impressed.

Oh by all means I'm not naive about United's ability to royally mess up in a game we'll be expected to win, but I fancy our chances nonetheless.

Good old Oldham, can never complain about seeing Liverpool beaten if I'm honest, and it was a great game. Love me some FA Cup football, always brings the drama and this weekend has been no different. Tottenham out, Liverpool out, Norwich out to Luton, Arsenal struggled, as did Chelsea.. comfortable 4-1 for us so no complaints there (and Reading in the next round shouldn't cause too many problems).

Was actually really disappointed in Andy, wasn't really at the races. I know people are saying it might have been a different story if he'd have taken the second too, but Novak was in sensational form. What an achievement to win it three times in a row, but I'm looking forward to a cracking rivalry between them two over the course of 2013. Not to mention the return of Nadal soon. Will likely take him time to get back into things, but it'll be interesting to have him thrown in the mix..

Torres saving the day, true fairytale material.

Lucky they're still in the competition, never mind thinking about further rounds.

Haha nice! Thanks for that chaliepud.

Making a start on Toni Morrison's Beloved. Synopsis: It is the mid-1800s. At Sweet Home in Kentucky, an era is ending as slavery comes under attack from the abolitionists. The worlds of Halle and Paul D. are to be destroyed in a cataclysm of torment and agony. The world of Sethe, however, is to turn from one of love to one of violence and death - the death of Sethe's baby daughter Beloved, whose name is the single word on the tombstone, who died at her mother's hands, and who will return to claim retribution. Sounds interesting from the synopsis, hoping it's a good un'.

So I finished Crick Crack, Monkey by Merle Hodge, and I was a bit disappointed. I mean, it was good, and I can understand how it's a good portrayal of life in Trinidad, and an exploration of a young girl's struggle for identity in two different, conflicting worlds. Yet there was just something about it that didn't have me hooked. I think it was the lack of plot more than anything; nothing much obviously happens, even though I understand it's all about the subtitles of the descriptions; the exploration of different classes, different families. Overall it was a decent read, but I think I'll get more out of it when it comes to discussing it in class, and I learn about the context. In comparison to the other books I've read from this module so far, and it's probably my least favourite behind Ngugi wa Thiong'o's The River Between and Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart respectively. I'm definitely enjoying reading these different types of books that I wouldn't usually though, and I think it'll be interesting to explore the different cultures more thoroughly. 3/5.

You do indeed. Glad you liked the review, and I hope you love the book if you eventually get around to picking it up. Thanks! It's definitely had mixed reviews but I certainly enjoyed it. Look forward to hearing your thoughts when you get around to it.

Starting Crick Crack, Monkey by Merle Hodge, another book on my African diaspora module. Synopsis: When Tee wins a scholarship she has to say goodbye to her hilarious aunt Tantie. She must leave her home with all its warmth and spontaneity for the pretentious middle-class society of Aunt Beatrice. Alone and alienated, Tee struggles to understand the world she now inhabits. Her acceptance of Aunt Beatrice's values would mean rejection of the people that she knows and loves. At only a hundred or so pages this will be a quick read, but will be interesting to see how it compares to Achebe's Things Fall Apart and Ngugi wa Thiong'o's The River Between.

Your wish is my command. Thoughts: A Distant Shore is a cleverly written novel which tells the story of two people who, in all fairness, couldn't be any more different, but who finally find something in each other, after the awful trials and tribulations they have suffered throughout their lives. The author writes with deceptive simplicity; the prose is far from ornate, but its matter-of-fact manner is effective, and strikes a chord with the reader. The novel is structured in a somewhat different fashion, beginning with what perhaps could be described as the dénouement, before taking the reader back through the characters' histories in a series of flash-backs. The narrative is sprawling, jumping from one perspective to the next as we see that their is much more to Solomon; the quiet, well-mannered man who takes care of his car with unfaltering resolve. Caryl Phillips writes of a small English village, out of the way, which seems peaceful and quaint. Yet as the narrative progresses, it becomes clear that even out here village politics, affairs and prejudices are rife. Slowly, Phillips reveals to us the events surrounding Solomon's and Dorothy's arrivals in Stoneleigh, the new housing development on the hill; the place in which those have come to escape their demons. A Distant Shore is a tale of death, obsession, and deception. The author explores prejudice, discrimination; a man's impossible fight to rid himself of the past, and woman's steady frustration as people begin to misunderstand her motives. Phillips cleverly weaves together the lives of our two main characters, creating a beautiful exploration of human emotion; which, if all the pieces of the puzzle weren't slotted into place perfectly, would definitely have left me wanting more. 4/5.

Next up: Caryl Philip's novel A Distant Shore - the last of my 'contemporary British literature' module. Synopsis: The English village is a place where people come to lick their wounds. Dorothy has walked away from a bad thirty-year marriage, an affair gone sour and a dangerous obsession. Between her visits to the doctor and the music lessons she gives to bored teenagers, she is trying to rebuild a life. It's not immediately clear why her neighbour, Solomon, is living in the village, but his African origin suggests a complex history that is at odds with his dull routine of washing the car and making short trips to the supermarket. Though all he has in common with the English is a shared language, it soon becomes clear that Solomon hopes that his new country will provide him with a safe haven. Gradually they establish a form of comfort in each other's presence that alleviates the isolation they both feel. Haven't heard of this one before, but seems fascinating from what I've read so far..

Thanks, Claire. I was looking at On Beauty actually, as I would be interested in reading more of her books. Interesting that it's inspired by the Forster novel; I've still only read A Room With a View of his works - and I really enjoyed that. I'll be reading A Passage to India soon, as it happens.

Oh, this thread is already starting to look a little neglected compared to my fast first couple of weeks of the reading year - but it is intended. In the past week or so, I have taken a little hiatus from reading; I went away, stayed with some friends, and did some other things (went to see The Hobbit, went to a lovely Indian restaurant, watched DVDs, the snooker, relaxed, etc.) I have to say it was a much needed break. I don't normally need time off from reading but I think I'd become immersed a little too much in my reading list for university, and thus needed to put it aside. I am now rearing to go, and will attack it with gusto in the coming couple of weeks before I start another semester. In any case, yesterday I finished White Teeth by Zadie Smith which I found very enjoyable. It's an entertaining story of three closely interconnected families, and their everyday lives, that are anything but ordinary. The author weaves the narrative cleverly through history, and explores how even in the same family people can have radically different beliefs. A tale about belonging, about journeys, and with a neat twist at its conclusion, Smith's début novel is certainly well worth a read. 4/5.

I've been thoroughly reading my T.S Eliot Selected Poems in the past day or two, and I must say I really do love his writing. I confess; for the most part his referencing is so obscure that 90% goes right over my head, but as I'm going to be actually studying the poems in detail and university, I've been doing some research as I go along (hence making me understand them and appreciate them a lot more). His poems are, in essence, right up my street: often dark and melancholy; reminiscent of years past, rather than filled with optimism of the present and the future. You may have noticed that I myself frequently write dark, negative poetry, rather than happy positive ones. For this reason then, something in Eliot's poetry certainly strikes a cord with me. The Waste Land in particular; although littered with references which can at times disrupt the flow, the language is beautiful in its darkness. The more I read and re-read these in the coming months, and I start to understand more clearly the layered meanings and metaphors, I'm sure my appreciation of T.S. Eliot's works will grow even more. For now, though, I would certainly recommend to anyone wanting to discover some marvellous verse. Just one request: if you're going to read these, you will only do them true justice, by reading aloud. 4/5.

When I got back to uni this year me and one of my house-mates rattled through four seasons in barely any time at all. It was bliss, but then the reality of actually having to study hit us and we didn't get any further with them than that. She was a fan though, so I feel like I've at least brought the series to one person's life.

Indeed I think it was 2012. For some reason it seemed like I've been putting off the one for ages, but in reality you're right - it hasn't been that long. Thanks, I'm sure I will. I think they could have had a few more seasons, it's great.

That's promising, I'm going next week.

Haven't at the moment but like I said I wouldn't mind doing so. I'm doing the Rory challenge and the 1001 is on a document somewhere so although I'm not actually doing it I'm ticking one's off now and again (even if I'm not focusing on it as such). The Buddha sounds like a perfect place to start, shall add it to my wishlist. Incredibly, no, I still have Season 7 to watch. I ended up putting it off for one thing and another and then eventually never watching. Shall definitely do so soon, though (although it might have to wait until I'm back at uni as I've not got my DVDs with me at the moment).

Well, that makes sense, guess it's just one of those you'll hopefully eventually get around to reading. If you start it before I read any more of his books, I'd be interested to know what you thought of it. Or if your friend recommends anything in particular that Kureishi has written, just let me know. Wouldn't have a clue which one to read next.

It is indeed, that's promising, I'd definitely be interested in checking out some more of his work. Have you read any of his books?

Ah Kylie your ex sounds like a right old *grumbles several not-so-nice words under his breath*. I do hope that you find a nice copy in future. In other news, last night I finished Ford Madox Ford's The Good Soldier which was an interesting one. I mean, at first I found the non-linear narrative structure and language frustrating, and at times confusing, but in some ways the narrator's rambling style endeared his character to me - after all, he is telling a story that must be hard to reflect upon. I also found that the gradual revealing of different parts of the characters' personalities, and their actions, kept me intrigued and turning the pages (whereas if it was boring I may have lost interest altogether). May not review this one properly (although I still might) so for now I'll leave my thoughts at that, and give it a 3/5.