Signs and Dust

BOOK CHALLENGE 39/1000 (45)

I found a little time to slip a few books in this week. The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle is nice and short and was cleared easily in a couple of lunch breaks. It's a typical Holmes story so you either love them or loathe them. I picked this one up because I have just recently watched the tv adaptation Sherlock which I loved and raved about to all that would listen.

BOOK CHALLENGE 40/1000 (48)

I have no method to the order I am reading these books in. I switch between genres and authors choosing whichever book lands in my path first. Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials became my next target. Once again, the book list cheats a little because this is actually a trilogy (Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass) but it only counts as one! I bought these books years ago after hearing them mentioned on some tv show. At the time I was reading a lot of Dave Duncan (my favourite author) and, being fantasy novels, I was interested in reading them. They have become one of my favourite series and are the only fantasy novels I have ever convinced Clint to read. My copies are getting a little tatty, I might have to invest in a nice new set!

Well that's 40 down, 960 to go! If you've only just joined me in Blogdom, I made myself a challenge at the beginning of the year to read all 1000 books on the 2009 Daily Mail 1000 Novels You Must Read list. It's going to take me a while so bear with me!

Tap Dogs

The four of us went up town to see Tap Dogs last night. This is only the second time the kids have been to the theatre (pantomines don't count in my book). The first time was to see Footloose, also at the Novello. They loved it even though they had never seen the original film. I remember Ella stood on her seat at the end and wouldn't stop clapping.

For this one, I had to do some serious plotting to get Clint and the kids interested in a show they had never heard of. A sneaky purchase from Ebay of the film Bootmen, a couple of carefully chosen video posts on Facebook and I finally had my way. What really sold it was the fact it was Kid's week in the West End and so we only had to pay for the adult tickets!

For those that aren't familiar with Tap Dogs, I'll give a little background. This Australian show has been running in one format or another for 15 years in over 250 cities worldwide. As you might have guessed from the name, it is a Tap show. But wait - there isn't a top hat or a silver capped cane in sight. Think hobnail boots, steel girders, grinders, drums and sweat, lots and lots of sweat. 42nd Street this ain't! This is manly tap dancing. There is nothing camp at all about this show. If you loved Stomp, you'll love Tap Dogs. For the ladies, of course, it helps that Adam Garcia has been appearing in the latest run in London!

I'll admit that Adam Garcia may have been the main reason I wanted to go originally but it was the video clips on the Tap Dogs website that convinced me to actually buy the tickets. On the night, it was actually young Jesse Rasmussen that stood out. We all loved Rat.

There is so much more I could say but I won't because Clint will be reading this at some point!

Tap Dogs is appearing at the Novello Theatre until 5th Sept. It then moves on to Sydney, Australia.

Farms and Hotels

BOOK CHALLENGE 37/1000 (43)

It's been a slow couple of months on the reading front and I'm only just getting back into it. Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons is now completed. As usual I didn't read any blurb about the book before I started and maybe, on this occasion, I should have. I was happily half way through the book before I realised it wasn't the period piece I thought it was! It was only when there was mention of telephones and televisions that I began to wonder when exactly this story was supposed to be set. It confused the hell out of me. I enjoyed it anyway. Although this is in the "comedy" section of the book list I wouldn't describe it as a funny book. It is pleasant enough but not hilarious.

BOOK CHALLENGE 38/1000 (44)

In complete contrast Stephen King's The Shining became book number 38. It is a book I've read before although not for over 20 years! I remember enjoying the first time round but this time I found it really hard to get through. My tastes have changed over the years more than I thought. I thought it dragged on way too long.

I am so far behind now that there is little chance of clearing the 100 books I wanted to by the end of the year. At this rate I'll be lucky to clear fifty!

More Tales

BOOK CHALLENGE 35/1000 (41)

Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin is one of my all time favourite books. I was very pleased to see this on the list as I was long overdue to read this again. Set in 1970's San Francisco amid the vibrant Gay scene, it centres around the characters living in an apartment complex owned by an eccentric landlady. I love all the characters in this series even the nasty ones. They are struggling to find their way, juggling who they are with the person they want to be. I can identify with that.

BOOK CHALLENGE 36/1000 (42)

The Human Stain by Philip Roth is a first time read for me. Another book I had never heard of but am very glad to have met. There is a quirky rhythm to this book. The author makes a short statement and then goes on the explain it in great detail. It has kind of a one step forward, two steps back kind of pace. I liked it though. It was different. I'm looking forward the reading the other book on the list by this author.

Coincidentally both these books had characters who had achieved success by pretending to be a different colour. In Tales of the City a struggling model uses drugs and achieves success as a black model whilst in Human Stain the main character is a pale skinned black man who passes as a white man for years in a racist society. Neither character was happy with their deception and I suppose there is a moral there somewhere that achieving your dream through lies is not a good thing.

The reading task has not been going too well recently. I have been focusing on other things. There has been housework to do and films to watch. I spent a lot of my spare time working on my script which is now finished. It's now time to get back to the printed page and lose myself in the fiction.

Things Look Better in the Dark

Everything has been put on hold the last few weeks while I have been obsessed with finishing my screenplay. I have done little else and I have neglected everything. I think Clint is relieved I've finished it too because I now have time to do some housework. I am really pleased with how it turned out. I was so impressed with the end result and for actually finishing it that I gave a copy to a friend at work who has passed it on to a producer friend of hers. It's been in her hands for a little over a week and I am now terrified of hearing what she has to say. I am seriously regretting letting her see it.

I keep telling myself that I don't really care what she thinks because the intention was only to get this little idea out of my head and down on paper. But the truth is, it does matter. I have worked long and hard on this project. It is my baby. I know that she will give her honest opinion based on her professional experience but I'm not sure I am quite ready for that level of honesty. I'm not sure the truth is what I need right now.