http://www.writing.adancingstar.com a life's reading; musings on the meaning of life, love and good books. Wed, 28 May 2008 10:11:34 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I tried to explain to my buddy what had just happened, what we, in various states of anxiety and anticipation, had just witnessed: the magnitude of the event, its world-historical importance; the significance of their achievement, both for themselves as well as for the institution. It finally hit me. I knew ... http://www.writing.adancingstar.com/2008/how-big-is-big/ Jonathan Glancey writes passionately about Selexyz Dominicanen in The Guardian's very own ShopTalk section. The bookshop is integrated within the architectural frame of a 13th century Dominican Church, with its enormous bookcase a commanding presence and counter-point to its now secularised altar. Seldom have the twin pursuits - truthfulness and ... http://www.writing.adancingstar.com/2008/how-to-browse-bookshops-in-singapore-and-asia/ We've been friends since we met in University some twenty years ago. We keep in touch as best we can, which, given we live in opposite sides of the world, means we do the "weddings, births, wakes" circuit. In all this time, Simon has been very possessive and protective about ... http://www.writing.adancingstar.com/2008/evochi/ We were asked to each bring an object to class the following day. I brought a three-pin plug. This was placed with other objects on a table, from which we selected an item. I chose this. The lesson I learnt was that we could write about anything - if we tried! the ... http://www.writing.adancingstar.com/2008/writing-workshop-vi/ If reading is an exploration of uncharted lands, then books as gifts are beacons that illuminate and guide.ShareThis http://www.writing.adancingstar.com/2008/on-reading/ Quite a coincidence. I was flying out to Surabaya the other week and picked up a book by Eric A. Johnson & Karl-Heinz Reuband. Not the usual airport fare, I agree, but pickings were slim. Do compare the cover of their book with Richard J. Evans's The Third Reich in ... http://www.writing.adancingstar.com/2008/nazi-girl/ Those spans of Christian-time we call "weekends", stretching from short, shrift Fridays to long lazy Sundays, seldom warrants thinking about; somehow or rather, you savour it, it savours you. Which leaves the remaining four days. Thursdays are lubricated by a reverse spillage from the anticipated Friday. Best described as en-lulled ... http://www.writing.adancingstar.com/2008/football-vs-the-film/ I'm not sure what steered me initially away, and brought me to what I hope to be a more permanent return to the site. Things change, I suppose. I used to subscribe to the Times Literary Supplement; each new issue invariably arrived on a Tuesday, and it would be the focal ... http://www.writing.adancingstar.com/2008/a-return/ You know how it is sometimes. You see her; she catches your eye. Sometimes it's hard to keep your resolve. Soon enough, you've taken her home and do what comes naturally. Then you realise that you've done this before. Years ago. And it wasn't even that great the first time around. So ... http://www.writing.adancingstar.com/2007/returns/ So we're back from our honeymoon, and the lessons just keep coming and they keep getting better. Mexicana - Always Late. Air pollution is relative - Mexico City is the embodiment of Natural Beauty compared to Havana. You've heard of Eco-Tourism? Well, in Cuba they practice Socialist Tourism. It's something along the ... http://www.writing.adancingstar.com/2007/things-i-learnt-this-past-month/