Member: 1redflower

Interesting that you say you were in a band that supposedly sounded like Fairport Convention -- in the 70s I was also in an electric folk band which had affinities with Fairport, Steeleye Span and a band called Mr Fox (the name inspired by the English version of the Bluebeard tale -- but you must know this, as I see you've added a book of the same name to your library!) but which also dipped its toes into folk theatre, creating shows based on Mummers Plays, Punch & Judy and travelling medicine shows, all linked with songs. We were called Elecampane, after the sunflower-like plant that brought the dead to life in Mummers Plays, and recorded a couple of LPs before it all fell apart in the late 70s. Our gigs barely covered our expenses, so I don't think we were ever going to make it big!

My interests now that I'm a retired schoolteacher are back to my degree specialism in classical music, and I now teach piano, accompany, play in an occasional piano trio and adjudicate for local music competitions. So, I suppose at the moment I'm into chamber music; living in a relatively unpopulated part of Wales, most of the classical music venues I go to cater for chamber music, so that suits me fine! I also sing tenor in a couple of choirs (along with my wife, who also sings tenor!), which I enjoy as it's nice to be able to be part of collective music-making.

I was fascinated to learn about your course and how it's making you re-evaluate Malaysian writing in English. I've been very poor at getting to grips with writing from other cultures in English (other than the occasional American novel); apart from the odd Salman Rushdie or Yann Martel, for instance, most of my experience of non-British fiction has been in translation. Are there any Malaysian books in English that you've been particularly impressed by? And have you been inspired by your studies to consider writing your own fiction, perhaps when you've completed your Masters?

You might get an idea of what I've been reading from my recent reviews, though I've fallen a bit behind with my plan to review every book I've recently completed ('The Talented Mr Ripley', 'The Pendragon Legend', 'Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said', among others). I'm also trying to put selected reviews in a review blog (www.calmgrove.wordpress.com), but that's becoming a little hit and miss. Not to mention that I've not got many followers so far!

My problem with libraries is not quite the same as yours, though I also find that the libraries here don't have the range of fiction that might include titles I'm attracted to. No, I just build up fines for late returns, and I'd rather spend the money in a charity shop buying books I might consider keeping!

I've seen The Newsroom mentioned in TV papers, but I suspect it's on Sky, and I try to avoid Sky because of its links with the Murdoch empire and its attempt to corner the market in media ownership. I've also heard that the series is good, so perhaps I might see it if I get round to accessing it as DVD sets in the future!

posted by ed.pendragon at 7:54 am (EST) on Aug 20, 2012

Good to hear your news, and what you're currently reading, pretty much all of which is new to me (though I have heard of Edward Said). What qualification does your course lead to? It's strange, isn't it, reading literature for academic reasons rather than for pure pleasure; it certainly shakes up your expectations and appreciation!

At the moment I'm seesawing between YA fantasy (easy-to-read stuff), Jan Morris' study Hong Kong from the late 1980s, and Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities, depending on my mood. I'm also a musician, so am spending a lot of time piano practising--I'm accompanying a clarinettist on Sunday and the programme is fiendish in places, followed by a wedding a week later where I get to play arrangements of Stevie Wonder and Motown classics (!), and then later in the month I'm accompanying a soprano, but I haven't yet been told what she's singing. It's pretty much designed to keep my on my toes!

I'm also dipping in and out of the Olympics on TV, even though I'm not particularly sporty. It's really good to see both sporting achievement and the respect given by and to other teams from different countries, so refreshing these days when there's so much conflict in the world.

posted by ed.pendragon at 4:01 pm (EST) on Aug 6, 2012

Hi Daphne, good to hear you are still around and, look at that! nearly 2000 books! Finally took the plunge to up my cataloguing on LT, but still committed to reviewing as many as possible. I hadn't realised the DWJ book had finally been published, though I know it was on the cards, so thanks for pointing it out. Must get a copy, and soon... I see you've rated it 4 stars, so presumably you've had a good dip into it!

Just seen you've added 'In the Night Kitchen' by the late Maurice Sendak. I was really taken by a marvellous short animation of the book which, unlike recent Hollywood adaptations of Dr Seuss books, was very sympathetic, using his original words and illustrations as a template.

Anyway, good luck with the cataloguing, and welcome back!

posted by ed.pendragon at 11:02 am (EST) on Jul 19, 2012