Last books I have read

American Short Story Masterpieces
The title says it all ! Among the 36 or so authors are : Arthur Miller, Philip Roth, Joyce Carol Oates, Flannery O'Connor...

The Return Journey by Maeve Binchy
Short stories too. They are all nice and positive with likeable characters.

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
An Indian family saga in the States. Or how the children of a 2d generation of immigrants cope with their origin. The 1st part is quite good but then it's quite flat. Most events are highly predictable.

Barbe Bleue

Bluebeard by Catherine Breillat. French film telling the Perrault's fairy tale through the eyes of 2 young girls. The story is transposed in the 16th c. Funny & witty.
For more info see : www.screenlit.co.uk

New piano teacher...

...within the same household : my teacher's husband T. He is a trainee teacher and is taking over some of his wife's students. It's nice to have a new approach from time to time.

New student

I started last Saturday with a new French student. R. is from Bulgaria. She's been living in U.K. for 10 years and speaks very well English. And as a beginner learner she's picking up very fast.

St Georges Celebration in Nottingham (2)

St Georges Celebration in Nottingham (1)

More info on Robin Hood in Montpellier

See : http://www.robinhoodpub.eu/

Château de Rivau (3)

Château de Rivau (2)

Château de Rivau (1)

My last trip in France

I had a rather busy week. I first went to Montpellier where I saw my friends, had a piano lesson and went to le Bookshop for the language exchange. Then I went to Paris, spent an evening there with my friend D. and the following day made an early start. I met up with my parents and their friends A. & P. in Chinon. We had a look round this lovely town and after lunch visited the private château of Rivau. We went back to Orléans and the next day I railed down to Montpellier again. I hosted D's birthday party. We were 23 people from 7 different nationalities in my flat. And finally I came back to Nottingham.
I have some tenants in my Montpellier flat from the 1st May for 3 months. I will then rent it as a "gîte" to help me out to pay for the rent in Nottingham.

Chinon (4)

Chinon (3)

Chinon (2)

Chinon (1)

Robin Hood in Montpellier !!

Leaving the World by Douglas Kennedy

As usual with a D. Kennedy's book, once you've started it you can't put it down... Mr K. is such a good story teller ! And more to the point he's one of the author daring to deal with the unspeakable, the taboos. "Leaving the World" is, among other things about grieving over the loss of a young child. The characters are larger than life and this story is haunting you for quite a while.
By the way did you know I actually met Douglas Kennedy ? A few years back I went in Sète with W. where he had a talk on his book "The woman of the Fifth". Mr K. speaks very well French and is very good at P.R. We had a short chat as he signed a book for my Mum.

Walk in Sneinton

The other day when I was with C. from L. at Nottingham Contemporary I found in their book shop a guide book : Nottingham by Elain Harwood. It has got walks within the City pointed you out the historic or any relevant touristic interests.
Yesterday I set off on the Walk in Sneinton. William Booth, the 1st General of the Salvation Army was born in this neighborhood. The walk ends at Green's Windmill. It's working and host a science museum. Unfortunately I arrived to late to visit it as it closed at 4:00 p.m. For more info see : http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1033

Sneinton : Green's Windmill

Sneinton : St Stephen

Sneinton : Albion Congregational Chapel

Sneinton : Victoria Park

Sneinton : St Mary's Rest Garden

Sneinton : William Booth Memorial

I am Love

Io Sono l'Amore. Italian film by Luca Guadignino. To keep it short it's about how Love is above everything. Set in the upper industrialist class in Milano. And by the way there are very nice pictures of the countryside near San Remo. What is remarkable is how it's done, the tension building up between the different characters. Overwhelming.

The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt

Very clever done book. It's very involved : History (set at the end of the 19th c. until the end of World War II in England and Germany), stories within the main plot and families saga. No doubt there will be a lot to discuss about at the next Britsnîmes Book Club.

Dear deers at Wollaton Park

Wollaton Hall