30. An Autobiography: My Experiments with Truth – M K Ghandi

This book has been a long time in the reading, but I finally finished it just the other day.

It’s written in very complex language, so obviously requires time be taken over it, but the chapters are relatively short (having been written as such for a newspaper if I remember rightly), which makes it seem to go quicker. All in all, I’ll be honest though, it’s taken me at least 2 months or more to finish this.

It gives a whole new light to Ghandi, and not one I wholly agree with. There are some points I feel that he is actually unkind and ignorant – although this is not obviously so given the majority of the rest of his education and accomplishments. It’s just little things, although I’m amazed that he wrote these things even though they do not show him in a positive light – often an autobiography is simply a chance for a person to blow their own horn.

This book is certainly an eye-opener, and I’m glad I persisted until the end.

29. South Of The Border, West Of The Sun – Haruki Murakami

This is one author that I keep coming back to; I finish one of his novels and feel drained, slightly afraid and totally in awe. I usually feel that that’ll be the last of his I’ll read, but I just keep reading more and more. This was the latest, one of my birthday presents.

The story involved a beautiful love and the regret of not following it, a story which most people including myself can relate to. Although in size it is relatively short compared to the others, it required so much attention that it took longer than it could taken had I rushed it. At most points in the story, I just wanted to sit and cry – it’s heartbreaking and honest.

The ending is not what I expected, but seemed so logical after a few days of reflection.

I quite simply loved this book, and want to re-read all of his others right now!

Sigur Rós and Hamlet

Yes you read right, this was my Friday and Saturday night entertainment.

Friday night I felt disgusting (with this cold that’s going around, and an empty packet of Sudafed) and tired to boot, but I donned some appropriate clothing and left into the cold night. The venue, Festival Hall, already held good memories of Atreyu, Avenged Sevenfold and Bullet for my Valentine, but this was just as good. I caught the end of the support band but spent most of the time trying to get comfortable on the plank of wood I was given called a seat. Thankfully I was on an end, and at the front row of the section, so I could come and go as I please. And I did, as I was in the licenced section.

As Sigur Rós came on, there was a general losing of shit and much excitement. And rightfully so – the show that followed was mind-blowingly good. The lighting was stunning, mostly backlit, and the giant weather-balloon type things were lit in time to the music. The brass band that came on for most of the show fit in well and were probably the icing on the cake. Before the encores, the shooting of paper confetti into the audience was hypnotising. The last time I saw that was at B*Witched in 1999. I can’t believe I just admitted that! Anyway, a fantastic night but I was definitely glad to see my warm bed when I got home.

So my Saturday wasn’t quite up to those standards, but was still enjoyable. Trav had booked tickets to see Hamlet last week without checking with Kat or me, so we gave him a lot for that, but I was actually looking forward to it. I haven’t read or seen it before, but I secretly like Shakespeare, so this was going to be good. Unfortunately we missed the first act because of the late trams, but we were let in for the rest of it, and it wasn’t hard to understand what we had missed. Brendan Cowell was an amazing Hamlet, although with some undertones of Rick’s character from the Young Ones! The performance was quite simply amazing, and with Brendan Cowell returning 3 times to bow to us, there was no lack of humour!

Following this, we went to dinner at Southgate. The Entertainment book has provided vouchers for quite a few meals so far, but unfortunately PJ O’Briens had stopped serving by the time we arrived. We went to another place, I believe La Camera is it’s name, and had some tasty cocktails and food. I’m almost positive that this is also in the Entertainment book, but as I had only brought one voucher, we paid full price. It was worth it. I’d be more than happy enough to go back there, the food was delicious.

28. He Died with a Felafel in His Hand – John Birmingham

This book was given to me by a friend with strong recommendations as we are currently having problems with a housemate. John Birmingham writes the book in quite a serious way, emphasising things that should never be done in a sharehouse, and the dire consequences, but the reader finds great entertainment in his and the others’ misery.

The key items of a sharehouse are not far wrong, ‘that couch’ especially. We’re actually looking forward to getting rid of it – we have real couches now!

The other stories from other people in sharehouses are just as entertaining and in most cases, quite bizarre. It makes me value the relative normality of my own home, and dreading the fact that we’re currently searching for someone else to move in. This book makes you realise just the kind of people that are out there and wanting a place to live.