Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
I’ll Be Waiting in Abeyance
I read this book ages ago (really ages ago) and I then thought it very special. Thing is, I have been trying to get hold of it ever since, but to no avail. I obviously do not remember the name of neither book nor author, as it then would not have been a problem finding it. I hardly even know the story anymore, as it goes. Anyway, in writing this entry I was hoping someone might be able to recognise the little I know of the book, and so help me find it ...
I think the story of the book starts of somewhere in Western Europe, to end up on this Greek island. A young man befriends an older man, and is invited to come to Greece with him to stay at the latter’s villa. The whole story evolves around the older man playing pranks on the younger man. Not just little pranks, but seriously orchestrated pranks; where he creates settings to suddenly, repeatedly and viciously crush them. It all ends up with the younger man becoming more and more paranoid, as he never knows whom to trust. There are other people involved in the pranks too, and they often make the younger man think they are on his side to later deceive him. The story’s current setting is always so believable, and often desirable as well for that matter, that the younger man always falls for it, There seems no way he can resist, as every new setting seems like a solution to solve each predicament he finds himself in. The thing is I remember myself as a reader being fooled throughout the book in the same way as the young man; thinking at every new setting: this is real, now everything is ok.
I have a slight memory of the book having been filmatised, and then with either David Niven or Alec Guiness as the older man. I have not, even through vigorous research, managed to find the book through these two actors though
I also seem to remember there was this other book by the same author, a book consisting of two parts. The first part describing the love and worship this certain man has for a young woman living across the road from him; a real love story. Now, the second part of the book presents a very different setting as it is told from the young woman’s point of view, where she lives in total fear of this same man and his obsession with her. As in the first book I mentioned, also here a trick is paid on the reader as one finds oneself taking someone’s part, to then be disillusioned.
In both books obsession, trust/mistrust and paranoia are central.
Now then! Anyone recognise either of those books? I’ll be waiting and hoping ...
I think the story of the book starts of somewhere in Western Europe, to end up on this Greek island. A young man befriends an older man, and is invited to come to Greece with him to stay at the latter’s villa. The whole story evolves around the older man playing pranks on the younger man. Not just little pranks, but seriously orchestrated pranks; where he creates settings to suddenly, repeatedly and viciously crush them. It all ends up with the younger man becoming more and more paranoid, as he never knows whom to trust. There are other people involved in the pranks too, and they often make the younger man think they are on his side to later deceive him. The story’s current setting is always so believable, and often desirable as well for that matter, that the younger man always falls for it, There seems no way he can resist, as every new setting seems like a solution to solve each predicament he finds himself in. The thing is I remember myself as a reader being fooled throughout the book in the same way as the young man; thinking at every new setting: this is real, now everything is ok.
I have a slight memory of the book having been filmatised, and then with either David Niven or Alec Guiness as the older man. I have not, even through vigorous research, managed to find the book through these two actors though
I also seem to remember there was this other book by the same author, a book consisting of two parts. The first part describing the love and worship this certain man has for a young woman living across the road from him; a real love story. Now, the second part of the book presents a very different setting as it is told from the young woman’s point of view, where she lives in total fear of this same man and his obsession with her. As in the first book I mentioned, also here a trick is paid on the reader as one finds oneself taking someone’s part, to then be disillusioned.
In both books obsession, trust/mistrust and paranoia are central.
Now then! Anyone recognise either of those books? I’ll be waiting and hoping ...
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Love Will Tear us Apart in Many and Different Ways
I have just had a fabulous time listening to a load of cover versions of the greatest of songs namely Joy Division’s ”Love Will Tear Us Apart”.
This is what I’ve heard:
Paul Young - Typical Paul Young-sound i.e. very predictable and in this case very boring.
The Cure - He’s never done it for me Robert Smith he hasn’t; and now neither. I do not really get the idea of why The Cure should do a version of the song in the first place; I mean, they've got plenty of their own.
Nouvelle Vague - Joy Division bossa nova style. Refreshinglu mad! And of course very original...
Fall Out Boy - Terrible! Almost blasphemous!
Joze Gonzalez - Nice in it’s simplicity
Nick Cave - Perfect voice for this tune he has. Lovely musical arrangements
Unbroken - YAY!! Love it!! They have made the song their own, and one easily forgets it's a cover.
The King - Irish postman turned Elvis impersonator! Now, this guy is really interesting. He does Elvis impersonations on the pretext of "what songs would Elvis perform today?” On his album Gravelands he does covers solely of songs by dead people. His version of No Woman No Cry is not to be missed btw.
Swans - Michael Gira has the perfect baritone voice for this.
Squarepusher - Hmmm ... as nice as electronic jazz ca get I suppose...
Eläkeläisethttp - This is crazy but not very enjoyable. The tune is arranged as a humppa (trad. finnish polka-like dance). Apparently these guys are always intoxicated while playing and performing. Don’t blame them...
Kaycee - Well, there is always the trance/techno version isn’t there...
I think am beginning to be able to live with the idea that I will never be able to hear Johnny Cash do his version of the song...
This is what I’ve heard:
Paul Young - Typical Paul Young-sound i.e. very predictable and in this case very boring.
The Cure - He’s never done it for me Robert Smith he hasn’t; and now neither. I do not really get the idea of why The Cure should do a version of the song in the first place; I mean, they've got plenty of their own.
Nouvelle Vague - Joy Division bossa nova style. Refreshinglu mad! And of course very original...
Fall Out Boy - Terrible! Almost blasphemous!
Joze Gonzalez - Nice in it’s simplicity
Nick Cave - Perfect voice for this tune he has. Lovely musical arrangements
Unbroken - YAY!! Love it!! They have made the song their own, and one easily forgets it's a cover.
The King - Irish postman turned Elvis impersonator! Now, this guy is really interesting. He does Elvis impersonations on the pretext of "what songs would Elvis perform today?” On his album Gravelands he does covers solely of songs by dead people. His version of No Woman No Cry is not to be missed btw.
Swans - Michael Gira has the perfect baritone voice for this.
Squarepusher - Hmmm ... as nice as electronic jazz ca get I suppose...
Eläkeläisethttp - This is crazy but not very enjoyable. The tune is arranged as a humppa (trad. finnish polka-like dance). Apparently these guys are always intoxicated while playing and performing. Don’t blame them...
Kaycee - Well, there is always the trance/techno version isn’t there...
I think am beginning to be able to live with the idea that I will never be able to hear Johnny Cash do his version of the song...
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)