50books: catching up

Well, I've been crap at journaling this year, and even more so at journaling my book reading. But here's a feeble attempt to catch up. I think there have been others, but since I'm not positive, I will leave those out. ( Read more... )

consulting the reenactors

Peter, Scott, what are your opinions of (a) Bernard Cornwell's HYW books and (b) the movie The Reckoning (made from Barry Unsworth's 'The Morality Play')?

The former, of which I've read one now, seem moderately well researched, but are still at his usual mediocre level of writing (limited characterisation, lack of complexity, gratuitous--and yet somehow colourless--ultraviolence, hackneyed dialogue, cardboard cut-put Good and Evil characters).

The latter, which I watched recently, seemed rather well done all in all, and a pretty decent reflection of what I can recall from the book (read it when it came out, some time ago). Some of the attitudes are maybe a little modern (and Willem Defoe's attempt to sound English is awful!), but the material culture looked better than the Hollywood usual.

(no subject)

There's a barred owl (or a couple) out in the darkness, calling.

It's a lovely sound. :-)