A composition of poignant essays by Jean-Dominique Bauby, who was editor of the French Elle before he suffered a massive stroke at the age of 43. Bauby’s stroke made him a prisoner in his own body: a victim of locked-in syndrome. Unable to move, talk or even bathe himself, Bauby’s only means of communication was blinking … Continue reading »
The last time I read this classic was in Year Nine, back in the good ol’ days of Presbyterian Ladies’ College. I didn’t like it very much. Maybe it was because we had to study it. More likely, I suspect, my brain was not very well developed for my age and I lacked the higher … Continue reading »
I first read The Alchemist a few years ago, when everyone was still buzzing about this International Bestselling Phenomenon. I bought it, read it, lent it to my dad, and he read it too. We were both a little underwhelmed. I reread it today to find out if my opinions had changed. They had not. … Continue reading »
While I’ve got the ball rolling…let’s do another quick movie review! Chronicle is a superhero movie with a twist. It asks: what would really happen if ordinary people got superpowers? Would they instantly transform into the next Spider-Man? Would their traumatic early life events truly spur them on to a personal quest to set right … Continue reading »
Last Sunday afternoon, after a jam-packed weekend, I curled up in my lounge room with a cup of tea and a packet of Grain Waves, and popped a DVD on. If you didn’t guess from the name, Melancholia isn’t a very cheery movie. Try not to feature it during a first date, a slumber party or family … Continue reading »
I am probably responsible for the odd fact that people don’t seem to name their daughters Lolita any more. I have heard of young female poodles being given that name since 1956, but of no human beings.” — Vladimir Nabokov, 1963. Goal #5: Read and review at least one book per month (1/32). Unfortunately I read … Continue reading »
Years ago, a friend suggested that I watch Amelie. I think it’s the sort of movie you’d like, he said. I gave a halfhearted reply. The girl on the poster looks freaky, I quipped intelligently. When I finally watched this movie a few weeks ago, I still remembered what my friend had said (even though, … Continue reading »
Never Let Me Go has been waiting on my bookshelf for several weeks now, tempting me with its peachy covers and smooth interior. So as soon as I finished my second out of three exams yesterday, I picked it up with glee and buried my nose in it on the long train journey back from … Continue reading »
