I understand the ending of a book to be similar to the ending of an opera or a good musical. These should send you out of the theatre whistling or humming a pleasant tune. And, of course, that is what they are designed to do. So it is with a... Read more →
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December 2017
12/06/2017
12/04/2017
The reluctant celebrities
Perhaps, the problem with fame is that those who have it are unable to control it. Celebrity can objectify the individual so that s/he loses a sense of self. Apparently, Florence Nightingale was afraid of fame and John Steinbeck apparently said, "I was recognised in San Francisco the other day... Read more →
12/03/2017
Reactions to celebrity - who do you choose to write about?
On November 16, a plane crashed in Belgium. Seven passengers were killed. They were on their way to a wedding in London when the accident happened. Most of the passengers were of the same family. Husband George and wife Cecilie, their two boys, aged four and six, and George's grandmother.... Read more →
12/02/2017
James Newton Howard and the endless possibilities of life
Who, you might ask, is James Newton Howard? Until yesterday evening I might have asked the same question. What happened yesterday evening? Well, I went to a concert in Frankfurt with the film composer, James Newton Howard, conducting the Czech National Symphony Orchestra and playing excerpts from his film scores,... Read more →
12/01/2017
Celebrity and human nature - inspiration from selective memory
Why is it that some stars remain in the collective memory and others don't - despite the fact that they were famous in their lifetimes? Look at the woman below. You probably won't recognise her but in her day she was a superstar. You could not invent her story even... Read more →
