New Books!

 I live for second-hand book shopping. Whenever I feel the slightest bit down I head straight for the charity shops. Oxfam are particularly good for old and interesting books, including this lovely hardback copy of Brideshead Revisited (which is also beautifully illustrated). To be honest, getting first pick of the donated books is one of the perks of volunteering there;) I’ve also picked up Lark Rise to Candleford, a Penguin book on Victorian Literature and a volume of Jane Austen’s letters! Thoroughly satisfying:)

Studio Ghibli and Grave of the Fireflies.

Just lately I have been enjoying Film 4's Studio Ghibli season immensely. They come around fairly regularly and I always try to tune in, but this one has been excellent and I've managed to catch some more obscure films. However, there is one which has haunted me since I watched it last Friday night: Grave of the Fireflies. 
For those who haven't watched I shan't reveal any spoilers, but I do implore you to seek it out! It is a devastating story set at the end of the Second World War in Japan. Ghibli fans will not be disappointed as the animation is beautiful as always, but lent added poignancy because of the subject matter. Being somewhat of a history fan, the context of the film was alone enough to entice me to watch. Aside from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I know very little about Japan during and immediately after the Second World War. The harsh realities of civilian life are unflinchingly represented, and for the last twenty or so minutes I was sobbing. It has been a very long time since a film has made me weep to such a degree, but watching it has inspired me to rectify my ignorance of the history surrounding modern Japan. 

Review: Up in the Air by Walter Kirn

I must admit, this was one of the rare occasions when I watched the film before reading the book. I needn't have worried because the adaptation is almost unrecognisable from the original. Still, it is an excellent film in its own right though (Clooney and Kendrick: the dream team). I found the novel to be incredibly readable on the whole. Admittedly, some of the business jargon and Airworld terminology went over my head and slowed the narrative down a bit. And Ryan Bingham isn't the most likeable or relatable character I've ever come across. However, Ryan's life choice to try and live commitment free in Airworld made for a refreshing read. And, if you want to go that deep, it threw up some interesting perspectives on the modern interpretation of the 'American Dream'