A Good Book

I've read quite a few good books this year. Over the summer holidays I read "Snow" by Orhan Pamuk, "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini, Haruki Murakami’s "What I Think About When I Think About Running" and two novels by J.M.Coetzee ("Disgrace" and "Slow Man"). Since then I haven't had that much time to read but I managed to work my way through "The Time traveller's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger, the epic "Underworld" by Don Delilio, a couple of novels by Kurt Vonnegut (The Sirens of Titan" and "Bluebeard"), "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson and "The Travelling Hornplayer" by Barbara Trapido.

Nevertheless, none of them compare with the book I'm currently reading: "The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet" by David Mitchell. I'm about 2/5ths through and I'm loving every minute. I read whenever I can, even if it's for a couple of minutes. On the Underground, on the toilet, at work, between classes, first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Mitchell is my favourite living author and this is his 5th novel. I've been a huge fan of his since I read his first novel "Ghostwritten" 6 or 7 years ago. He's a young writer (younger than me!) but he has already been nominated for a number of awards. His second book "Number 9 Dream" is a crazy, daydream of a book that is like a manga without the pictures. His 3rd novel "Cloud Atlas" starts in the past (1800's) goes to the future and then goes all the way back. "Black Swan Green" is about a schoolboy with a stutter in the 1970s. It doesn't sound that interesting but Mitchell creates an incredible tension that makes reading the story a joy. His latest novel, the one I'm reading now, is about Dutch traders in Japan 300 years ago. It's fab!

Write about a book you've read recently.
Say:
What it was called and who it was by,
Why you choose to read this book,
Whether or not you enjoyed it,
Where you like to read,
Whether or not you think reading is a good hobby.

Write at least 250 words. Leave a comment on your teacher's blog and on at least 3 of your classmates' blogs.

An Exhibition, Concert or Sporting Event

One of the most memorable gigs (concerts) I ever went to was the first time I saw David Bowie live. It was 1978 and I was 17 years old. I'd been a Bowie fan since I was 12 so seeing him live was one of the highlights of my teenage years.
The concert was in an old farm type complex near Birmingham (UK). I went with my girlfriend (Pauline), my sister (Moe)and her boyfriend (Ollie). The concert was at 8pm but we arrived at midday and there was already a big queue of hardcore fans.
The doors opened at 4pm and we got a great place right at the front of the building. The concert was all standing which was why I wanted to arrive so early.

When Bowie came on stage the crowd when beserk. It was an amazing feeling to actually see my hero in person. The whole concert was amazing from start to finish. Most of the material came from Heroes & Low, Bowie's most recent albums, but he also played songs from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and Station to Station.

The first 2 songs were quiet electronic songs but the 3 one was faster. At the point the place exploded with energy and I danced myself from the second row to about 8 rows back. The crowd was like a sea of bodies and you just had to flow with the current. Everything about the show was brilliant. The sound quality, the light show, the musicians and most of all Bowie's voice.

Obviously, I really enjoyed this event and even though I've seen Bowie in concert 5 or 6 times since then nothing can beat the sensation of that first concert. I think I spent the rest of the year with a smile on my face just thinking about it.



Write about an Exhibition, Concert or Sporting Event that you went to.

Say:

What, when & where it was,
Whether you enjoyed or not & why,
Why you decided to go to this event.

Mention anything else you think is important.

Write at least 250 words then leave a message on your teacher's blog and at least 3 of your classmates' blogs.