Movies, music and books for Christmas – and beyond…

December again. For some years, I've posted recommendations for recent BluRay/DVD releases, CDs and books that might be of use for anyone wondering what Christmas gifts to buy. (I find choosing presents very difficult, so am myself always open to ideas from friends.) So here we go once more. I hope some of the suggestions … Continue reading Movies, music and books for Christmas – and beyond…

Singing of Love and War: Alan Bennett’s The Choral

I’ve generally been more admiring of Alan Bennett’s books and his writing for television (particularly the superb Talking Heads monologues) than of the films either adapted from his plays or based, in the case of A Private Function, on an original screenplay. Still, I’ve counted myself a Bennett fan since first encountering him in the … Continue reading Singing of Love and War: Alan Bennett’s The Choral