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<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation: Links, Likes & Loves > Top Ten |
Well not quite top-10's but some indication of what hits the spot. The actual order doesn't mean anything.
1.A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
A strange book but maybe so as the central character is far from 'normal'. Getting to the end of this book was an emotional challenge (okay, I cried) as all the previous portents and omens told you what would happen to Owen, just not how it would happen. When your down to the final six pages its all rather fraught.
2.Don't Make Me Think - Steve Krugg
Not so much a manual on web design as a manual on how you should think about and approach any product design. Based heavily on the Amazon web site during the decade in which it was probably the best and most functional website going. Shame that Amazon need to read this book again these days but still a classic in its thinking.
3.Between Silk and Cyanide - Leo Marks
The most startling thing about this book is that it is true. Leo Marks was the chief code maker and code breaker for the SOE (Secret Operation Executive) during World War II. Heartbreaking are the number of times he would brief an agent on their codes prior to being flown into Europe, only to find out that agent was captured or dead just days later.
4.The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
This is really two books. A gut wrenching story of a family being torn apart by the sweeping changes to a nation, with each chapter sandwiched between poetic evocations of the American natural and human landscape.
5.A Fire Upon the Deep - Vernor Vinge
Just gosh darn good science fiction. And not part of a trilogy or a series - instead a whole story from end to finish in one big book which is nicely against the normal sci-fi trend.
6.Perido Station - China Miéville
Possibly the best British fantasy writer at the moment. This has magic and politics and monsters and just plain extraordinariness.
7.Absolution Gap - Alastair Reynolds
Possibly the best British science fiction writer if you want space opera. I could have put all of his books in this list.
8.Otherness - David Brin
The best collection of short stories. Wonderful themes and invention.
9.The Uplift Wars - David Brin
Well the whole series actually. Such an underrated classic. If we could tear people away from the world of Star Wars this is the series that should be made into films.
10.Richard's Book of Bicycle Maintenance - Richard Ballantine
A classic. I haven't looked at it for decades but this book gave me the confidence to fiddle with bikes and so opened up a great world of fun.
Runners-Up: Any Science Fiction, some crime (Rankin, Hill, Dexter).
1.Secrets and Lies
If you asked me what my type of film was it would not be this. Yet I think its one of the most powerful films I've ever seen. Real people trying to be happy but failing because they can't even be honest with themselves - until it all comes flooding out.
2.Blood Simple
Towards the middle of this film, everyone suspects everyone else of killing Ray except poor Ray (who is not quite dead yet and has to be killed again, and again). It is plain nasty and utterly believable. Started my whole love for most things Coen.
3.Blade Runner
All versions. Actually I like the monologue from the original - it linked it so strongly with the 'Maltese Falcon' style private eye films.
4.Renaissance Man
It won't ever win any awards but for some reason I've watched it so many times. It really is a really good feeling movie.
5.Diva
My French is weak but it doesn't matter. This film takes all the elements that make French films great and mixes it with brilliant music. I've had the soundtrack for years and finally last year got hold of the film on DVD. I wasn't disappointed by my memories of a film I hadn't seen for 20 years, a great film.
6.About a Boy
This is another film that comes into the category of being inexplicably watchable. Total and utter nonsense with a main character who has few redeeming factors other than politeness and yet I watch it every time it appears in the TV schedule.
7.Hot Fuzz
Shaun of the Dead was good, Paul made me smile but this is just 'laugh at every turn' fabulous - absolutely top British comedy with no Hollywood pretensions except to parody the cop buddy movies.
Runners-Up: Ealing comedies, any Coen film, sci-fi, frightening amounts of Bruce Willis.
1.Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
It was the album that yanked me out of the seventies. Magical realism in music.
2.Billy Bragg - Must I Tell You a Story
Why oh why did I not discover Billy Bragg until 30 years too late.
3.Gregson & Collister - Home & Away
I have this on cassette tape (remember that), brought from the hand of Clive Gregson himself from the back of his car at a folk festival in Wales. It is probably the most played album I have and thank the lord its finally been re-released on CD as the tape was beginning to die.
4.Vaughn Williams - Lark Ascending, Tallis Fantasia, Fantasia on Greensleeves
The guys at work haven't worked out that when this is on it means I'm on the point of exploding and need this to keep me on the safe side of homicidal rage. Note however that putting on any Vaughn Williams choral work would guarantee rage.
5.Ian Carr - Old Heartland
The best piece of modern British classical music.
6.Hovaness - Mount St.Helens Symphony
A wonderful atmospheric rendering of a volcano.
7.Kraftwerk - Tour de France
After years of thinking that good electronic music had been and gone (I was a Tangerine Dream fan), these guys proved it was alive and fresh.
8.Goldfrapp - Supernature
And even better electro pop with energy and beat and weirdness and go for it.
9.John Coltrane - Blue Train
Jazz is a coverall term for a million music sins that should never be aired or repeated. This is one of the few crystal clear gems, right from the purity of the first few notes.
10.The The - Infected
Just the greatest lyrics; "Too much energy to switch off my mind, but not enough to get organised". I saw the video and just had to buy the album (suppose that's what it is for).
Runners-Up: Christine Collister, electronic, Paul Weller, Michelle Shocked (the early years).