Don Keefer Appreciation- Newsroom (Monocle Wasp)

Ok, back in season 1 of Newroom I never thought I would be creating a Don Keefer appreciation post. But here we are in Season 2 and I believe that along with Sloan and Neal he is one of my favourite characters.

 What caused this miraculous change of heart? Weren't you all over Jim Harper like gum in hair?

Why yes, yes I was and as to what caused this change of heart, let me go through my...

Top 5 Don Keefer Moments From

Season 2

5. Reindeer

Yeah I just love the cry out of "Rudolf" from Don. Skip to 1:00 to get full reindeer appreciation!

 

4. Don breaks up with Maggie

This was brilliantly done by him, no overreacting, no hostility just a mature parting of ways with him taking the higher ground. Well. Bloody. Done.

3. Helping Sloan Out With Her Rage Phase

I can't seem to put the video in her properly so I will put a link instead. But Don is just brilliant because like the breakup scene with Maggie he doesn't act like an arrogant, dominating bastard, he just let's things happen as they should. Sloan gets to take care of her situation and he doesn't act like he knows best, he just makes sure that she is left alone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37nCcvToKCM

2. Don Being Brought In To Fix A Situation

Don gets brought in after several failed attempts to appease one of the people involved in Occupy Wall Street. Just the beginning with him talking about him being the only man for the job was brilliant.

1. Sloans Book

This is the whole lead up to when we find out who bid on Sloans book. It is not hard to figure out who at this point considering what countdown you're reading. All I can say is  YEAH DON AND SLOAN!

Anyway this is a list of my favourite Don moments this season and why he has changed from one of my least favourite to favourite characters in Newsroom.

My New Obsession (Monocle Wasp)

Ok readers I have to share my latest obsession

THE LIZZIE BENNET DIARIES YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Click the link below to start your newest obsession:

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries Playlist

So basically this web series is based on the very popular story of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and is a modern adaptation. It takes the form of a web diary maintained by Lizzie Bennet and her friend Charlotte Lu and follows the events that take place after the arrival of Bing Lee and Will Darcy into the neighbourhood. It also follows Lizzies two sisters Jane and Lydia who have cameo appearances on the webseries and strong influences throughout the storyline.

While some of you may be hesitant to give a modern adaptation of a much loved period drama a go I cannot express how enjoyable it is in its own right. Not to mention there is a lot of inside jokes for those who have watched and read the original Pride and Prejudice and it adds an extra level of enjoyment with it.

There are 100 episodes total and for those of you who want to know for the sake of it, we don't meet Darcy until episode 60 but it is worth working your way up to it for full enjoyment :)

With the perfect blend of comedy, drama and great writing it is easy to get caught up in the world of Lizzie and her family and friends.

Discovering Night Vale (Monocle Wasp)

Hey guys!

So one of the main aims of this little ol blog of ours is to discuss things we discover and love and this will be my first non-TV related discovery (shock! horror!). It is a podcast called Night Vale and it is certainly different to anything else I have encountered and the only podcast I have persevered with. 

Here is the link to the site that created and hosts it:

http://commonplacebooks.com/welcome-to-night-vale/

I don't want to spoil it so I won't detail it but it is a radio broadcast from a fictional (or not depending on how you feel about conspiracies) desert town called Night Vale and details all the occurrences that happen within the town and it's inhabitants.

Just to give a hint here are some of my favourite quotes:

• "Hello, radio audience. I come to you live from under my desk, where I have dragged my microphone and am currently in the fetal position."
•  "It has been several weeks since anyone in Night Vale has seen the “Apache Tracker”, that white guy who wears the inaccurate and horribly offensive Indian headdress everywhere."
• "And now, traffic. Crews from the Department of Public Safety will be repainting highway lane markers this week. The common white dashes and double yellow lane dividers will be replaced with colorful ceramic mosaics depicting disgruntled South American workers rising en masse against an abusive capitalist hegemony."
• "All hail the glow cloud"

The episodes are chock full of awesome quotes so that really is a TINY sampler of the genius that you are about to experience. Also I challenge you to listen and not have an irrational dislike for someone called Steve Carlsburg.

Favourite Episodes Part III (Monocle Wasp)

Since I am on a mini-roll with posting about my favourite episodes I might as well continue with the next one.

Show: Doctor Who

Episode: 3x10 Blink

Ranking: #2 Episode Of All Time So Far

How do I even begin to describe how absolutely brilliant this episode is?

Maybe first off with the cast which includes: David Tennant (goes without saying), Carey Mulligan (who is superb in anything she is in), Michael Obiora (amazing in Hotel Babylon) and Finlay Robertson (from Persusion- one of my favourite Austins).

This episode is also brilliant because you can watch it as a stand alone without needing to watch any other Doctor Who episodes (but you should watch it anyway because it is an amazing show). It contains also one of the greatest "monsters" that Doctor Who has ever shown known as the Weeping Angels who are so much more terrifying than the name probably suggests.

Essentially they appear to be normal angel statues but when you aren't looking or blink they come for you and if they get you they send you to a random period in time, which, isn't the worse fate but it's not ideal.

It also manages to mix in a little romance in with all the horror of the situation with a wonderfully cheeky  cameo from Michael Obiora.

"Because life is short and you are hot"

And we get this wonderful scene from The Doctor:

Just trust me, this is not an episode to miss. You will certainly thank me for it!

Favourite Episodes Part II (Monocle Wasp)

So it has been a while since I discussed one of my other favourite episodes of a show (Supernatural- Changing Channels) so I thought it was about time to cover another one.

Show: Luther

Episode: 1x06 

Ranking: #3 Of All Time So Far

So technically this episode is Part 2 in the season 1 finale of Luther. It was one of the most thrilling episodes of anything I have ever watched, I was literally holding my breathe and scrunching my hands into fists of anticipation.

Irdis Alba is beyond brilliant in his portrayal of a cop (John Luther) who is teetering on the border of justice and moral ambiguity. He doesn't play by the rules all the time but he gets results and in some ways reminds me of Dexter but Luther doesn't actually kill anyone himself.

This episode sees Luther on the run after being framed for a murder (I won't tell you who was killed and who did the framing as that would be major spoiler but you have to watch part 1). Between finding evidence to clear himself while avoiding the police (also his work colleagues) and deciding who to trust it is a race against time and manipulation by real killer. I defy anyone who says they watched this episode and did not hold their breathe during it!

And I LOVED Alice in this episode (played brilliantly by Ruth Wilson who some of you may have seen in the Jane Eyre miniseries). The dynamic of her relationship with Luther makes this series different and intriguing with the meeting of two intellects that find themselves having more in common than they probably imagined they ever would.

Best scene? Definitely the showdown at the end, I love a good standoff and this one was exceptional, the whole episode leads up to this adrenaline fueled meeting.

In conclusion, WATCH LUTHER it is a phenomenal show that was so much better than I had expected!

Unconventionally Attractive Men

This particular post was a good excuse to look up gorgeous men and post them here, i'm not going to justify it, i'm just saying appreciate the unconventional man candy that is before you!

There are sometimes when we'll watch a show or a movie and think "Damn that guys is attractive, not in a conventional way, but daaaaaaaaaamn". This post is dedicated to the men that makes us utter that statement.

Evan Peters

Evan Peters grabbed our attention in the fantastic show American Horror Story when he played Tate whose character, despite having many horrible moments, was so damn gorgeous and had so many sweet moments with the character Violet that you just overlooked them.

  John Simm

John Simm is brilliant in any role he tackles but his best roles have to be in Life On Mars and Doctor Who.
The two images included are from his role as the Master in Doctor Who, I mean seriously how sexy is his lip bite photo, it just gets better the more you look at it! Not to mention his ability to pull of bleached hair and guyliner as well.

Some of you may recognize him from one of our previous posts about Villains!Villains!Villains! with his dance and sing-a-long to I Can't Decide, also damn sexy!

Damian Lewis

Oh Damian Lewis, you gorgeous man you!

 

   I became a big fan of Damian Lewis in the 

series Life where he played a cop who was wrongfully imprisoned for about 12 years and then evidence comes to light that exonerates him. However to deal with being a cop in prison and the horrors that come with that he becomes very zen, sound weird but it is fantastic and Damian Lewis is damn sexy while portraying it! I also enjoyed him in what little I have seen of him in Homeland (something I will have to remedy!)

 

 

 Norman Reedus

Two words: Walking. Dead.

Norman Reedus has one of the most attractive redneck characters of ALL TIME. He plays Darryl in The Walking Dead and he is just the most sexy and sensible character in that show. A no nonsense approach with super sweet moments is an amazing combination. I honestly don't know if I would continue to watch the show if he wasn't in it.

If you haven't seen the show, change that!

Matt Smith

Matt Smith is amazing in any role he is in,

in my opinion (but lets be honest he really is).

I first saw him in the Sally Lockhart movies: The Ruby in the Smoke and The Shadow in the North where he played Jim Taylor (the best character in the show and books IMO).

He then got to show his immense gorgeousness as The Doctor in.... you guessed in Doctor Who.

I am a huge fan of his quirky, cute, nerdy,

charming take on this very complex and multifaceted character.

Andrew Lee Potts

Andrew Lee Potts is perhaps one of the most gorgeous men I have ever seen, he is just absolutely sexy as hell, ESPECIALLY as Hatter in the SyFy miniseries Alice (which was such an underrated series). I thought he was so gorgeous and amazing in it that I looked up what else he was in which included Primeval and I proceeded to buy the first season just to see more of him!

 

 Josh Homme

Josh Homme is the lead singer of Queens of the Stone Age (an awesome band which everyone should check out) and he is one of those men that initially isn't very attractive. Then you hear the voice, check out his attitude and see his Elvis Presley-esque snarl face and you have found yourself captivated by one damn sexy beast. 

  

 

Love Triangles (Monocle Wasp)

So I just wanted to vent on two of the most intriguing, conflicting and enjoyable to watch love triangles that I am watching at the moment. This is mostly spurred on by the latest episode of Haven and Vampire Diaries, so those are the two I'm focusing on. Safe to say that there will be spoilers a plenty so please don't read on if you don't want to be spoiled :)

Let's start off with:

Haven

The Love Triangle:

Audrey Parker, Nathan Wuornos & Duke Crocker

The two men from Haven couldn't be more different in many aspects, for the sake of boiling it down into it's most simple parts, Nathan is the good guy and Duke is the bad boy.

Nathan is a police officer who is partnered with Audrey who arrives in Haven from the FBI and after experiencing one of "The Troubled" decides to stay and help. Duke works at the local bar and is tentatively friends with Nathan, he helps Audrey out on his boat when she is unconscious. That is the basics from early on in the show but safe to say that it is far more complicated now after learning some big things about our three main characters.

Audrey & Nathan

 

By season 2 these two finally get together and you want them to, Nathan is the guy who can't feel anything (not pain, not temperature, not touch) until he meets Audrey who he can feel when she touches him. They have a great get together and it had been eagerly anticipated by me since early on.... and then late season 2/ season 3 happened. Nathan started to be anti-Duke after finding out that it is his family legacy to hunt down and kill "The Troubled" which technically Nathan is. Having said that Duke while being a thief and a general criminal is a small sense of the word has never been shown to be the type of person who would just start killing people. Not to mention that despite it being an operation to infiltrate the "Brotherhood" Nathan has just started getting hot and heavy with one of the members without telling Audrey about it. Bad Boyfriend!

Audrey & Duke

You can probably tell by my earlier rant that I am a huge fan of an Audrey and Duke pairing, he's the bad boy and as a result he brings great chemistry into the mix! While I was a fan of Audrey and Nathan getting together I was also rooting for Audrey and Duke to get together especially since he makes it crystal clear that he would do anything for her (reminds me so much of Damon Salvatore in that respect). I was so excited last episode because he and Audrey FINALLY kissed and not where he kissed her, she kissed him which made it all the better :D

So who do I want to be victorious in this love triangle?

 

 Duke Crocker. OF COURSE. Look at that man, he oozes sex and he cares about Audrey and she cares about him and they are DAMN good together. Nathan has become too removed from anything with sense. Also have you seen Duke, I mean he's got a whole unconventional sexy thing going on!

The Vampire Diaries

The Love Triangle:

Elena Gilbert, Stefan Salvatore and Damon Salvatore

 Ah yes the classic triangle of two ancient vampire brothers in love with the doppleganger or their lost love Katherine who was their sire, haven't we heard this story a thousand times. Like Haven you have your good guy (Stefan) and your bad boy (Damon).

There isn't much else to say in regards to the background of these pairings, the two brothers are both drawn to Elena, initially because she is the exact image of Katherine and then she gets their attention on her own merit.

 Elena & Stefan

So Elena and Stefan, they were the first to meet up in the show and he was the first to actively seek her out in a semi stalking way. They fell in love pretty quickly and have been a couple for the majority of the show, with only a brief hiatus. They are a good couple and unlike Haven where Nathan starts becoming a bit of a dick, Stefan remains a relatively great guy. He's a good boyfriend and he cares about Elena and her family and friends, he's not a human drinking vampire taking the animal blood route instead. He's even fantastic when he's being all bad and "Ripper" like (I know I know I have a thing for the bad boy image, but who can blame me!). That does however mean that when he is good, he is boring.

Elena & Damon

That brings us to sexy, sexy Damon, who is the constant bad boy. We find out later in the show that Damon was the one to first meet Elena (not Stefan) and then erased her memory of it. Which I liked because it showed that unlike Stefan who seemed a bit fixated on her likeness to Katherine and what that meant, Damon wasn't fazed by it and could tell that she was her own person (you go Damon!). I also love that Damon is so aware of how he is selfish for her and will continue to be selfish for her, no apologies just flat out "I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe". And yes it's a damn attractive quality, maybe not so much in real life but gosh darn it this is TV land and it works! Also they have some damn good chemistry, they share a kiss in an episode that is absolutely hot hot HOT! Love that the two actors are together in real life as well, no wonder they nail all the scenes they have together!

Who do I want to be victorious in this pairing?

Damon & Stefan in some glorious brotherly incest. I mean who wouldn't right!

But if I can't have my wish then I guess I'll have to settle for:

DAMON! Not that being with Damon would EVER be settling at all. I mean look at him! Not to mention that he makes some of the most sensible decisions in the show and as stated in one of the episodes, he challenges Elena and that's what you want to see on screen!


So that is my little love triangle rant on two of the shows I love watching, thanks for letting me ramble and rabble on :D

My 5 Favourite Films So Far (Monocle Wasp)

So here is a list of my top 5 films, not including miniseries. You have to appreciate how extremely difficult it is to choose just five, there are so many films I love anyway here is the list as it stands at the moment, they aren't in any particular order but I do rate A Single Man as my favourite film of all time (so far).

A Single Man

Synopsis: It follows the day of an English professor (George)after the the one year anniversary of his long time boyfriend (Jims) sudden death.

That may make it sound like a simple film and maybe it could be considered that on the surface but it has so many beautiful and rich undertones making it an amazing and in-depth viewing experience.

 There are so many things to love about this movie, it boasts an amazing cast with Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode and Nicholas Hoult to name a few and considering all of those cast members are in my opinion amazing actors and actresses it is a great start. Then there are fantastic cameos from Lee Pace (who was completely underused and if you don't know who Lee Pace is I implore you to watch the series Pushing Daisies or the movie The Fall) and one of the most gorgeous men I have ever seen Jon Kortajarena who is usually doing modelling but he is great in this also Ginnifer Goodwin who I love in Once Upon A Time and He's Just Not That Into You.

Now while the casting is amazing the filming of this is something to be absolutely adored and admired and should serve as an inspiration to all filmmakers. Tom Ford is the director and one of the writers of this masterpiece and I am hoping that he will do it again very soon. His use of colours and saturation is absolutely inspired and it is a marvelous way of showing emotion without stating it outright.

Subtle. Beautiful. Breathtaking. Emotional. Inspiring.
Please, watch it, you won't be sorry.

Notable Scene: For me it is when he is taking the phone call saying that Jim has died, Colin Firth
does some of his most superb acting in this scene. It isn't over the top but you can feel and
see the grief overcoming him.

The Mummy

Synopsis: A librarian (Evey), her caddish brother (Jon) and a man from the French Foreign Legion (Rick)are thrown together in an archeological dig that results in the unleashing of a vengeful mummy.

Sure this may sound like a terrible idea for a movie with a high probability for it to turn in a cheesy B-grade movie but it was far from it.

Again I have to mention casting because it is always an incredibly important factor for me. In this instance we have the wonderful Brendan Frasier (I could watch this man in anything but Blast from the Past is a great watch and the underrated Mrs Winterbourne) along with Rachel Weisz who I think is one of the most beautiful women in the world (if you want to see her in another great role I suggest The Constant Gardener) and John Hannah who is so damn lovable in everything he is in whether it is in a romantic role like Sliding Doors or as a hardened cop in Rebus. Again there is a wonderful support cast with Arnold Vosloo playing the "bad guy" and he is absolutely amazing in it and Oded Fehr who, apart from being gorgeous, makes a fantastic fit as an ancient guardian to the mummys tomb. Also special mention to Kevin J O'Connor who plays the money hungry and untrustworthy Beni with fantastic comedic delivery.

I just love this film and I imagine most of my adoration comes from the strong nostalgic feeling it invokes. It was the first film I would watch, rewind (back in VHS days) and replay all over again and this system would go on for days upon days until I could even recite the Egyptian parts. Sure it's not as meaningful and artistic as other films but it is fun and has high rewatchability.

Notable Scene: Evey haggling for Ricks life at the gallows. I also love all the interactions Rick and Beni have.

Ever After: A Cinderella Story

Synopsis: A retelling of Cinderella where Danielle loses his father shortly after he marries the Baroness Rodmilla and afterwards have to endure a life of hardship. Then she has an chance meeting with Prince Henry, after which they continue to challenge and inspire each other.

I just love this feel, it is the movie I go to whenever I need a cheer up or when I want a easy and happy story to watch. Drew Barrymore is perfect as the modern day Cinderella with a great mix of sweetness and kickassery! Also Angelica Huston is brilliantly cast as the evil stepmother, manipulative and selfish with moments of humanity breaking through in small doses. Dougray Scott was an unexpected delight as Prince Henry, the faces he makes and the delivery he gives some lines are perfection.

If you enjoy Disney or like happy endings that are well earned then this
is the film for you.

Notable Scene: Where Danielle finally sticks up for herself and the line:
"I would rather die a thousand deaths than see my mothers dress
on that spoiled, selfish cow"

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

Synopsis: Robin Hood returns from the Crusades to find his father murdered and corruption in his beloved homeland. Together with a group of downtrodden citizens they try and distribute the wealth back to the poor and suffering.

The casting in this is absolutely superb, I consider this Christian Slaters best role but then again I have always been partial to Will Scarlet, however I love his connection to Robin in this version, part of why it is my favourite take on the legendary tale. Kevin Costner makes a brilliant Robin (but no Monkey Fuss he is not as much of a star as Christian Slater haha <personal joke>), Morgan Freeman is incapable of doing a bad job of acting and then we come to Alan Rickman. Alan Rickman has to be one of the greatest actors our generation has had the pleasure to watch, he takes hold of every role he is in and he shines as the villain of this tale. Not to mention that his character (the Sheriff of Nottingham) has some of the best lines in the film including my favourite "Wait a minute. Robin Hood steals money from my pocket, forcing me to hurt the public, and they love him for it? That's it then. Cancel the kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans, no more merciful beheadings, and call off Christmas."

I can't even pinpoint all the brilliant things that this film brings, it is just the best telling of Robin Hood which says a lot because I love the Errol Flynn version and also the hilarious Robin Hood: Men in Tights. The filming was extraordinary, the cameo by Sean Connery was inspired and the use of Bryan Adams is nothing to shake a spoon at!

Notable Scene: The scene where Robin and Little John are fighting at the river

The Wedding Singer

 Synopsis: Robbie Hart a wedding singer loses his love of singing at weddings when is jilted at the altar, his heartbreak starts to disappear however when he helps Julia (a waitress) plan her own wedding.

Possibly my favourite comedy of all time, there are an endless list of brilliant lines, a brilliant 80's soundtrack to accompany it and a cast that gives it their all. Adam Sandler is almost unrecognizable in a role where he doesn't act like a child trapped in a grown mans body (don't get me wrong I love Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison) but this was a refreshing change of pace for him. Drew Barrymore excels as the "girl next door" type and continually manages to look sexy and cute at the same time (Teach me oh Barrymore!). Not to mention Steve Buschemi who is one of the greatest actors and is a complete scene stealer in the small parts he has.

It's a sweet storyline with a love story I adore and just some amazing comedy moments that can get me out of the deepest of depressing flunks. I just can't recommend it enough

Notable Scene: "The best man, the better man"- greatest best man speech of 

ALL TIME.

There are so many more that I want to mention but I will leave that for

a future post but these ones are, to me, perfection itself.

Jim Harper Appreciation Again

Why Jim Harper is Perfect

Reason #5

He Sings and Plays Guitar,

Like the Sex God He Is!

A great demonstration of this is his performance in American Idiot the Musical of 

Whatsername by Green Day (undoubtedly this is more a John Gallagher Jr trait but still!)

Top Five Books by Monkey Fuss

Gone by Michael Grant

I can't just choose one book from this series so I am choosing to review the series as a whole ( it is all one story right?!). Gone by Michael Grant is one of those book series that you just never want to end. Sarah and I both fell into a book slump after reading the latest installment - Fear. We FEARed (ha- puns) that no book would live up to the incredibly high standards we had set after reading this series. I am also undecided as to whether I am keen for the last book to come out. I am so excited to read what happens but I am afraid that I will spiral into a severe depression when I realise that the series has ended *cries*. Gone centres around a small town where suddenly everyone over the age of 15 disappears. As the kids try and find the adults they soon realise that their town is encapsulated in a giant dome like bubble (or bubble like dome if you will). Needless to say -chaos ensues. This series has been likened to Lord of the Flies - and in many ways that is an accurate comparison - it certainly makes you feel all kinds of hatred towards the way in which some of the kids handle the situation. As the book continues - shit goes down. Kids start getting powers, weird creatures pop up, strange stuff starts happening to the dome - all of which leads to the division and breakdown of their little society. This book series should definitely become a movie/tv series - mostly I just want to see who they cast as Edilio. Here are a few of our choice predictions/hopes:

Luke Pasqualino

Ok so basically he is the only hope/prediction at this time...and he is too old to play Edilio but hey - a girl can dream right?

Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer

This is my all time favourite book. It is beautiful. I read this after seeing the movie which is usually the kiss of death as far as I am concerned. If I see the movie first I pretty much always prefer the movie and vice versa. This is one of those times when the book and the movie can be taken as completely separate entities. I liked the movie but it didn't even touch on the depth and beauty of the book, which is probably a good thing because it would have been difficult to achieve the same result in film.

The cinematography in the film is incredible

 This is the story of a young Jewish man, Jonathan, going to find a woman who may have helped save his grandfather during world war 2. He enlists the help of a guide and 'translator' (I use the term translator loosely) called Alex and they go off on a road trip with Alex's grandfather and their stinky dog. I relate to Jonathan's plight during the road trip as he finds it difficult to both find vegetarian food and deal with having a dog sit next to him in a car haha! Seriously though, this book travels through different settings and times to deliver a story that is truly touching in the way it deals with family, heritage and our shared experiences. Jonathan Safran Foer is excellent at writing stories that have the perfect combination of humor and sentimentality and this is my favourite.

Rhubarb by Craig Silvey

Craig Silvey has written two of my favourite books and it was so hard to choose between Rhubarb and Jasper Jones. In the end I went with Rhubarb because I found it so incredible to read a story that is set in a part of my city that I am so familiar with. I could see all of the places the main character Eleanor went to, even if she couldn't (Eleanor is blind). It must not seem like such a novelty to people who live in large cities in America or England but for someone who has never read a novel based in their hometown this is so surreal!

Eleanor drinks coffee at Gino's - a place I know-hooray!

 I occasionally find it difficult to stomach Australian characters both on screen and in books. I think it is because I do not particularly identify as quintessentially Australian myself. The characters in Silvey's novels are very well rounded and while they still display that rough as guts Australian style, they are also intelligent, sensitive and occasionally withdrawn, like the two main characters in Rhubarb. So many parts of both Rhubarb and Jasper Jones remind me of my own upbringing (family barbeques, games of cricket on the local oval etc). Rhubarb focuses on the lives of Eleanor and Ewan, two characters who lead solitary lives for different reasons. Eleanor is drawn to Ewan's house by the music of his cello and the progression of their relationship raises questions about the need for social interaction in human life and the role of both compromise and the senses in those interactions.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Wow I like a lot of world war 2 based books. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a definite page turner. It is interesting in the way that is is written (it is narrated by death) and it is a very sad read. It is one of those books that is is difficult to write about because the plot is fairly straight forward but it is the detail of the book and the sentiment that really draw you in. This is a must read book. I'm fairly sure this book is also being made into a film. Someone even put Tom Hardy on their dream cast list. I say hell yes to that!

Tom Hardy...because I can

The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy

I know I said that it was rare for me to like a book more than a film if I have seen the film first but technically The Forsyte Saga was a mini series - so different rules apply haha. I probably enjoy both equally and I particularly like Damien Lewis' portrayal of Soames (even if he did creep the hell out of me as a kid). 

Being a pompous arse...with Soames

The Forsyte saga spans a few generations of the Forsyte family and the people connected to them. It shows the changes in attitude through the turn of the century (19th into 20th) and how modern ideals and lifestyles affect the stuffy British traditionalism which is the Forsyte trademark. Full of affairs, illegitimate children and bohemian black sheep the Forsyte Saga is a very long and very subtly written masterpiece which I particularly enjoy for its forays into the realms of ethics, equality and individualism especially in relation to one's family life.

In conclusion reading is awesome- get into it.