When I was little I used to love reading poetry, and I've just realised how little I now read. So I decided that this month I am going to read a new poem every day.
The problem is, where do I start?! There is so much poetry out there and yet it's such a personal and difficult genre to really get to grips with. Of course I know of all the "greats", the ones you learnt at school, such as Walt Whitman, John Keats, Lord Byron, Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sasson etc. But I wanted something completely new. Not necessarily modern. Just new.
So I popped over to Waterstones during a lunch break (the massive one in Piccadilly) and was overwhelmed by the number of poetry books and underwhelmed by the lack of advice of where a poetry novice should start. Therefore, thanks to a trusty bit of Googling, I discovered some classic, yet to me, unknown, poets. One of whom was Conrad Aiken and his collection, Selected Poems, and I have fallen in love. His poems are immensely musical and are about identity and psychoanalysis, subjects I have always been interested in myself - it's a common subject in my photography.
So for today's poem I give you All Lovely Things by Conrad Aiken. Although slightly morbid, I hope you enjoy it's beautiful lyricism as much as I do.
All lovely things will have an ending,
All lovely things will fade and die,
And youth, that's now so bravely spending,
Will beg a penny by and by.
Fine ladies soon are all forgotten,
And goldenrod is dust when dead,
The sweetest flesh and flowers are rotten
And cobwebs tent the brightest head.
Come back, true love! Sweet youth, return!--
But time goes on, and will, unheeding,
Though hands will reach, and eyes will yearn,
And the wild days set true hearts bleeding.
Come back, true love! Sweet youth, remain!--
But goldenrod and daisies wither,
And over them blows autumn rain,
They pass, they pass, and know not whither.
P.S. I'll keep you all updated on my poetry quest, but in the meantime any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Wednesday 6 November 2013
Wednesday 16 October 2013
My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki
On a quest to meet a generally interesting man, my sister and I decided to join a few book clubs (to be honest The Girly Book Club was probably not the best place to start, even though I highly recommend it!) Whilst the man front is still a pipe dream, I absolutely love the fact these book clubs have introduced me to books I would never normally have chosen. One such one being thanks to The Islington Book Club (this one comes with men), whose choice this month is My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki, an author who I have to admit I'd never heard of.
Two extraordinary women. One all-American TV cooking show. An unforgettable novel of love, friendship, culture and food.My Year of Meats is told in two voices, Jane Tagaki-Little, half American half Japanese, living in America, and Akiko who is Japanese and living in Japan. In a single eye-opening year, two women, worlds apart, experience parallel awakenings. In New York, Jane Takagi-Little has landed a job producing Japanese docu-soap My American Wife! But as she researches the consumption of meat in the American home, she begins to realize that her ruthless search for a story is deeply compromising her morals. Meanwhile, in Tokyo, housewife Akiko Ueno diligently prepares the recipes from Jane's programme. Struggling to please her husband, she increasingly doubts her commitment to the life she has fallen into. As Jane and Akiko both battle to assert their individuality on opposite sides of the globe, they are drawn together in a startling story of strength, courage, love. It is a truly fascinating story with some rather shocking facts about the meat industry in America thrown in. Ozeki takes advantage of the differences between Japanese and American culture in order to artfully comment on both.
When I first read the books description I really did not expect to enjoy it at all, but I fell in love with Ozeki's intelligent, witty and passionate prose. I will definitely be delving into her over titles.
So, whilst I remain unsuccessful on the man front (sorry Mum!), at least I have been introduced to some thoroughly fantastic books!
P.S. Anyone read this year's Man Booker Prize winner The Luminaries, thoughts?
Two extraordinary women. One all-American TV cooking show. An unforgettable novel of love, friendship, culture and food.My Year of Meats is told in two voices, Jane Tagaki-Little, half American half Japanese, living in America, and Akiko who is Japanese and living in Japan. In a single eye-opening year, two women, worlds apart, experience parallel awakenings. In New York, Jane Takagi-Little has landed a job producing Japanese docu-soap My American Wife! But as she researches the consumption of meat in the American home, she begins to realize that her ruthless search for a story is deeply compromising her morals. Meanwhile, in Tokyo, housewife Akiko Ueno diligently prepares the recipes from Jane's programme. Struggling to please her husband, she increasingly doubts her commitment to the life she has fallen into. As Jane and Akiko both battle to assert their individuality on opposite sides of the globe, they are drawn together in a startling story of strength, courage, love. It is a truly fascinating story with some rather shocking facts about the meat industry in America thrown in. Ozeki takes advantage of the differences between Japanese and American culture in order to artfully comment on both.
When I first read the books description I really did not expect to enjoy it at all, but I fell in love with Ozeki's intelligent, witty and passionate prose. I will definitely be delving into her over titles.
So, whilst I remain unsuccessful on the man front (sorry Mum!), at least I have been introduced to some thoroughly fantastic books!
P.S. Anyone read this year's Man Booker Prize winner The Luminaries, thoughts?
Sunday 13 October 2013
I Heart Tilda Swinton
I just had to post about this stunning shoot of an incredible woman in AnOther Magazine this month. Shot by Craig McDean and wearing designs by some of this seasons hottest designers including Craig Lawrence, Mary Katrantzou, Mark Fast, Louise Goldin and Peter Pilotto, I thought the images were just exquisite.
Tilda Swinton is one of my favourite actresses and a generally elegant and beautiful woman. Perfect model for some of these amazing designs!
Tilda Swinton is one of my favourite actresses and a generally elegant and beautiful woman. Perfect model for some of these amazing designs!
Wednesday 9 October 2013
Written and Directed by Woody Allen
As a massive Woody Allen fan I couldn't wait to go see his new film, Blue Jasmine, that has been called his "best film in decades". To me, this was a tall claim as I absolutely love Midnight in Paris, it's definitely one of my top ten films, so I was especially excited for this new release. I was not disappointed. Now you couldn't compare it to Midnight in Paris in any shape or form, Midnight in Paris is light, fun, something I put on whenever I need to smile film, this can definitely not be said about Blue Jasmine, which is a propulsive drama set in New York and San Francisco about a woman’s self-destruction as a result of her inability to look truthfully at her own life. It’s a serious warning, brutal even, whilst still manages to capture Woody Allen's style and dry wit in parts.
Cate Blanchett, as the starring role, was simply superb. Apparently there is Oscar buzz around her performance and I am not surprised, she captured the role perfectly. Her emotion and changing persona were insanely convincing. I don't want to give anything away so let me just say this GO SEE IT NOW! You will be pleasantly surprised, suitably horrified and most importantly, you will remember to keep in mind that age old saying, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
*Nerdy Fan Alert* (Just in case you hadn't already realised)
Sunday 8 September 2013
Laura Knight Portraits
On Friday I treated myself to an evening of art at the National Portrait Gallery where I was delighted to see artist I new very little about, Laura Knight.
Dame Laura Knight was one of the most popular and successful British artists of the 20th century. Her achievements were recognised in 1936 when she became the first woman to be elected to the Royal Academy since its foundation. Knight used portraiture to capture life and culture, and her paintings are remarkable for their diverse range of subjects and settings. Her artistic career took her from Cornwall to Baltimore, and from the circus to the Nuremberg Trials. She painted dancers at the Ballet Russes and Gypsies at Epsom races, and was acclaimed for her work as an official war artist.
Knight managed to really capture all her models and the detail that went into her work was incredible. I am definitely excited for her biography Laura Knight: A Life by Barbara C. Morden to come out this October to read more about such an inspirational artist. I urge you to go see this stunning exhibition for yourselves, you have until the 13th October so there's no excuse not to, but for now, here's a few of my favourtie Laura Knight portraits.
Gypsy Splendor, 1939
Self Portrait, 1913. This self portrait was a defining work in Knight's career. The female nude was a historically male subject, and when Knight was a student, women art students were denied access to nude models, working instead from statues and plaster casts.
Joan Rhodes, 1955
Ethel Bartlett, 1926
Ruby loftus Screwing a Breech Ring, 1943
The Gypsy, 1939
Dame Laura Knight was one of the most popular and successful British artists of the 20th century. Her achievements were recognised in 1936 when she became the first woman to be elected to the Royal Academy since its foundation. Knight used portraiture to capture life and culture, and her paintings are remarkable for their diverse range of subjects and settings. Her artistic career took her from Cornwall to Baltimore, and from the circus to the Nuremberg Trials. She painted dancers at the Ballet Russes and Gypsies at Epsom races, and was acclaimed for her work as an official war artist.
Knight managed to really capture all her models and the detail that went into her work was incredible. I am definitely excited for her biography Laura Knight: A Life by Barbara C. Morden to come out this October to read more about such an inspirational artist. I urge you to go see this stunning exhibition for yourselves, you have until the 13th October so there's no excuse not to, but for now, here's a few of my favourtie Laura Knight portraits.
Gypsy Splendor, 1939
Self Portrait, 1913. This self portrait was a defining work in Knight's career. The female nude was a historically male subject, and when Knight was a student, women art students were denied access to nude models, working instead from statues and plaster casts.
Joan Rhodes, 1955
Ethel Bartlett, 1926
Ruby loftus Screwing a Breech Ring, 1943
The Gypsy, 1939
Friday 30 August 2013
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
I was very fortunate enough to attend the book launch of Hannah Kent's debut novel Burial Rites on Tuesday, a book that is absolutely fantastic. I literally cannot sing it's praises enough, I was hooked from the very first page.
"In northern Iceland, 1829, Agnes Magnúsdóttir is condemned to death for her part in the brutal murder of her lover. Agnes is sent to wait out her final months on the farm of district officer Jón Jónsson, his wife and their two daughters. Horrified to have a convicted murderer in their midst, the family avoid contact with Agnes. Only Tóti, the young assistant priest appointed Agnes’s spiritual guardian, is compelled to try to understand her. As the year progresses and the hardships of rural life force the household to work side by side, Agnes’s story begins to emerge and with it the family’s terrible realization that all is not as they had assumed."
Based on actual events, Burial Rites is an astonishing and moving novel about the truths we claim to know and the ways in which we interpret what we’re told. In beautiful, cut-glass prose, Hannah Kent portrays Iceland’s formidable landscape, in which every day is a battle for survival, and asks, how can one woman hope to endure when her life depends upon the stories told by others?
Not only is Burial Rites a compelling read, heartbreaking and haunting, but it is one of those rare gems of a book that the publisher has spent a bit of money designing. The hardback is small enough to throw in your bag, but delicate enough for you not want to. The minimalist front cover, with simple font and a stunning black edge to the pages is just the right touch, intriguing one to pick up the book and open it and once opened, you won't want to close it! A perfect example of a book people will spend more on just to have the physical copy instead of the kindle version. Well done Picador!
So just in case you weren't sure, I really do recommend you go out and buy Burial Rites. It'll take your breath away.
"In northern Iceland, 1829, Agnes Magnúsdóttir is condemned to death for her part in the brutal murder of her lover. Agnes is sent to wait out her final months on the farm of district officer Jón Jónsson, his wife and their two daughters. Horrified to have a convicted murderer in their midst, the family avoid contact with Agnes. Only Tóti, the young assistant priest appointed Agnes’s spiritual guardian, is compelled to try to understand her. As the year progresses and the hardships of rural life force the household to work side by side, Agnes’s story begins to emerge and with it the family’s terrible realization that all is not as they had assumed."
Based on actual events, Burial Rites is an astonishing and moving novel about the truths we claim to know and the ways in which we interpret what we’re told. In beautiful, cut-glass prose, Hannah Kent portrays Iceland’s formidable landscape, in which every day is a battle for survival, and asks, how can one woman hope to endure when her life depends upon the stories told by others?
Not only is Burial Rites a compelling read, heartbreaking and haunting, but it is one of those rare gems of a book that the publisher has spent a bit of money designing. The hardback is small enough to throw in your bag, but delicate enough for you not want to. The minimalist front cover, with simple font and a stunning black edge to the pages is just the right touch, intriguing one to pick up the book and open it and once opened, you won't want to close it! A perfect example of a book people will spend more on just to have the physical copy instead of the kindle version. Well done Picador!
So just in case you weren't sure, I really do recommend you go out and buy Burial Rites. It'll take your breath away.
Thursday 29 August 2013
Monday 27 May 2013
The Circus, 1870-1950
I came home to find a large box on my front door step today (is there anything better than finding a large package (pun intended) on your doorstep?!) and couldn't contain my glee. I knew exactly what was in this large, heavy box from the good people at Amazon, my eagerly anticipated The Circus, 1870-1950 from Taschen and let me tell you, it was definitely worth the wait!
The book is enormous, not one for the bath, and is beautifully designed, a lot of time and thought has clearly gone into it. Stuffed full of photographs, posters and information, The Circus really manages to capture the glitz and grime of the American Circus in it's heyday. My favourtie being the incredible vintage circus photos from the 40s and 50s, many of them rare colour pictures of the circus' showgirls. I also loved the posters advertising a huge variety of world famous circus acts. The only downside to the book is that in true Taschen format, it has been published in three different languages which is a bit of a hassle as you have to flick through to find the English translation, however the stunning imagery more than makes up for a few extra pages! It is a brilliant history of the classic American circus, detailing every aspect of it, not just the nice parts!
I have chosen a VERY small selection of my favourite images to wet your appetites but if, like myself, you love looking through vintage images of a fantastic tradition that unfortunately no longer exists, then I really can't recommend this book enough!
Just what I needed, another book that shows me I was born in the wrong era!!
I have chosen a VERY small selection of my favourite images to wet your appetites but if, like myself, you love looking through vintage images of a fantastic tradition that unfortunately no longer exists, then I really can't recommend this book enough!
Just what I needed, another book that shows me I was born in the wrong era!!
Friday 12 April 2013
Picture of the week
I managed to book grab Gustav Klimt Drawings & Watercolours from my work at Thames and Hudson publishers today and it reminded me of all the great works of art Gustave Klimt is responsible for. Therefore on this wet and windy Friday my picture of the week is his Life and Death painting. I love the colours and the detail of Klimt's work and this is one of my favourites. Especially as, and those who know me know, I am a sucker for an artsy skull!
Wednesday 3 April 2013
Another Must Read
Bone River by Megan Chance
I just finished this stunning novel by author Megan Chance. I have never read any of her work before, but after finishing this gripping and haunting tale of passion and identity I will definitely be reading her others. I couldn't put the book down and whilst I was expecting a historical romance, I couldn't have been more wrong and (this being something I never admit) happy to have been so. Instead I was surprised by a complex, meaty plot; a tightly woven mystery based around secrets and lies, both past and present. Chance's ability to mix the inner turmoil of her characters with the battering winds, intense dark and rain adds much to the atmosphere, and brings the stunning but treacherous landscape to life. Whilst her confidence in writing about this period in history, adds a sense of reality that's not easy to accomplish.
I could not recommend this novel enough, there's enough history, mystery, romance, hardship and heartache in this novel to suit almost anyone who enjoys beautiful prose, believable characters and an intelligent, imaginative story. So don't thank me now, instead get reading immediately, I insist!
I just finished this stunning novel by author Megan Chance. I have never read any of her work before, but after finishing this gripping and haunting tale of passion and identity I will definitely be reading her others. I couldn't put the book down and whilst I was expecting a historical romance, I couldn't have been more wrong and (this being something I never admit) happy to have been so. Instead I was surprised by a complex, meaty plot; a tightly woven mystery based around secrets and lies, both past and present. Chance's ability to mix the inner turmoil of her characters with the battering winds, intense dark and rain adds much to the atmosphere, and brings the stunning but treacherous landscape to life. Whilst her confidence in writing about this period in history, adds a sense of reality that's not easy to accomplish.
I could not recommend this novel enough, there's enough history, mystery, romance, hardship and heartache in this novel to suit almost anyone who enjoys beautiful prose, believable characters and an intelligent, imaginative story. So don't thank me now, instead get reading immediately, I insist!
Saturday 23 March 2013
At Home in the Mountains
As promised here is a selection of the many photos I took on my holiday to St Anton. I absolutely loved Austria, it was incredibly beautiful. I sat for a whole morning outside on the slopes over looking the vast landscape and really felt in awe of the world we live in.
So I hope you enjoy the photographs, all taken on my Yashica film camera, depicting sun, snow, slopes and of course, a hell of a lot of apres ski.
So I hope you enjoy the photographs, all taken on my Yashica film camera, depicting sun, snow, slopes and of course, a hell of a lot of apres ski.
Thursday 21 March 2013
Wednesday 6 March 2013
St Anton
My sentiments exactly...
I took a couple of films of my ski trip to St Anton on my Yashica camera. Waiting for the black and white one to be developed, so expect a new post soon. x
Tuesday 12 February 2013
Monday 21 January 2013
Thought of the week
As a massive F.Scott Fitzgerald fan I have just started to read Dear Scott, Dearest Zelda - The Love Letters of F.Scott Fitzgerald & Zelda Fitzgerald. It chronicles one of the 20th century's most passionate and iconic romances in such a way that the reader, for the first time, gets to compare both of the relationship between F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda Fitzgerald. It also got me thinking, what ever happened to writing letters?! In the days where we can connect to one and another instantly no one (and I include myself) seems to write letters anymore and after reading this book I have decided, if anyone wooed me with letters like Fitzgerald, it would totally work!
To all you Fitzgerald fans out there, it really is a must read as it is an amazing insight into such a devoted relationship that helped encourage him to write such incredible novels but was in the end, due to his alcoholism and her mental illness, a troubled and turbulent marriage.
Therefore, instead of a picture to inspire you this week, I have chosen a book for you to read, so curl up out of the snow, in front of the fire and enjoy. Although much has been be said about them as a couple, the best and most accurate road to gaining a real insight regarding them individually and their marriage, is to read what they themselves said to and about each other.
But of course the real reason... is that I love her and that's the beginning and end of everything - F. Scott Fitzgerald
To all you Fitzgerald fans out there, it really is a must read as it is an amazing insight into such a devoted relationship that helped encourage him to write such incredible novels but was in the end, due to his alcoholism and her mental illness, a troubled and turbulent marriage.
Therefore, instead of a picture to inspire you this week, I have chosen a book for you to read, so curl up out of the snow, in front of the fire and enjoy. Although much has been be said about them as a couple, the best and most accurate road to gaining a real insight regarding them individually and their marriage, is to read what they themselves said to and about each other.
But of course the real reason... is that I love her and that's the beginning and end of everything - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Monday 14 January 2013
Sunday 13 January 2013
Readers Updated
As friends and family know, I am an avid reader who loves nothing more than curling up with a good cup of tea and a great book I can loose myself in.
As our ever increasingly hectic schedules leave us with very little time to sit and relax I aim to document the ways in which we manage to fit in a few moments of peace and quiet with a good book. Whether on our everyday commute, at a restaurant or coffee shop or just curled up on the sofa the solitary act of reading is enjoyed by all. As technology expands reading is still very much present, which the invention of kindles, smartphones and increasingly smaller laptops has reading become even more popular? This is something I am exploring everyday with my photography, as some of you may know from earlier blogs.
It has been a while since I updated you all on the project, so here are a few of my most recent photographs. To see the whole project visit my website
Happy Reading!
As our ever increasingly hectic schedules leave us with very little time to sit and relax I aim to document the ways in which we manage to fit in a few moments of peace and quiet with a good book. Whether on our everyday commute, at a restaurant or coffee shop or just curled up on the sofa the solitary act of reading is enjoyed by all. As technology expands reading is still very much present, which the invention of kindles, smartphones and increasingly smaller laptops has reading become even more popular? This is something I am exploring everyday with my photography, as some of you may know from earlier blogs.
It has been a while since I updated you all on the project, so here are a few of my most recent photographs. To see the whole project visit my website
Happy Reading!
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