大象传媒

Okay, here鈥檚 an admission: Yet another recent Nobel laureate whom I鈥檝e never even heard of, and this confession coming from one who has considered himself very well-read and pretty well versed in literature. This is not to diminish Ms. Muller鈥檚 achievement, and I congratulate her. I just wonder if, as an American and English-speaker only, I鈥檓 somehow missing out on a lot of erstwhile magnificent literature because it isn鈥檛 translated into my mother tongue, and if this is so, why? Are we so overwhelmed by the Dan Browns and Stephanie Meyers and Oprah鈥檚 choices that a world of great literature is being eclipsed here by the shadow of towering blockbusters?

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"The glitter of Strictly will have been tarnished.."

Do me a favour, it will not !!

I am Dearg Doom.

Interesting post Razia. As always much appreciated.

I make a point of never reading anything by a writer who has won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

The omission of giants like Joyce and Graham Greene from the list of prize winners is unfortunate, but everyone knows their worth. Awards also serve to highlight the neglected or oppressed or just not very well known. Not 'very well known' or 'totally unknown' are tags too easily achieved amongst writers whose first language is not English. An example, recently brought to my attention, is Dario Fo. He had even slipped from the minds of many Italians, having disappeared from the popular media because of his non-conformist views. His Nobel has served well.

I hope that prize givers will continue to find the lesser known greats to enrich them and all of us.

"I make a point of never reading anything by a writer who has won the Nobel Prize for Literature."

I was just going to say that, easterngreen!

The Euro-centric focus of the award often misses the literature from many other countries. In other categories multiple winners are awarded and maybe that should be a consideration for literature. This is often like painting and in the eye of the beholder. Cultural references, historical information and the language itself become barriers to great books and authors. A grand but unfair award for anyone to carry alone.

I have to say that I am very much drawn to a book with a title like The Land Of Green Plums Razia. A bit like writing a song with a wonderful title and then wondering how on earth no one has thought of that one before!

By the way I'm sure that you are fed up with me banging on about Lincoln City, but have a look at their myspace /lincolncityband and the new video of the inaugural gigs in Edinburgh last week.

But,perhaps, leave it for a day or so, to see the posting of band front man Ali Campbell's unplugged set. It is approaching the iconic and the tunes such as Don't Turn Your Back On Me This Way and Safe In Your Arms destined, I feel sure, to be right up there with the all time greats

Only 1 article a month for Sept & Oct

Razia, are you too busy or is there really so little happening in the arts to post on?

Hi Razia, just wondered when you would be back? Shame you didn't get the big job, as it would undoubtedly have been a very good appointment. I thought you might like to know that the Lincoln City preview gigs went really well. The first one can be seen on Myspace. The usual address then /lincolncityband

I wonder how many people actuallywent out and bought Herta's book? I've got it on order from the library.

Razia you perform well in front of the camera - your a charismatic women who is elegant and womanly. Irrespective of what ever has happened, if your able I might suggest you show those qualities on screen.

Modest Mussorgsky. Modest is his first name? How apt.
Pictures at an exhibition. Tate. Turner and the Masters. If someone like Mussorgsky was to set my experience today to music 鈥� heavy metal or punk might be more suitable. There must be a better way I thought. Why it was almost like a whole several roomfuls of those 鈥渇lash mobs鈥� around every painting. Scrums and dodgems came to mind. I sighed a lot as I had just had a tiff with the missus who was not with me. Turner was her idea too and whilst I suspect it was a Christmas gift 鈥� I felt like I had been put 鈥渋n play鈥�. Nowadays 鈥� I suspect that is all that is needed 鈥� as I watched real life examples David Hockney鈥檚 Today item about the plucky cigarette smokers of Britain standing in the rain. I stopped counting smokers seen at 15. I had no time to check the real colour of the pavements I marched on however.
I wondered if some "viewers" at said Tate exhibition had more than Turner鈥檚 attempts to 鈥渂ecome a master鈥� in mind. I must ask the general's director later.
Subject: to smuggle drugs
Anagram: DG rugs must ogle
Wigs? Hmm. Back to art. Turner and the Masters. Lake Maggiore of blessed memory - my first holiday abroad in Italy - the first painting viewed by JMM Turner and A N Other. There was an Angel In The Sun later on too. A foxtrot or Genesis type music 鈥� for a modern viewing of pictures at an exhibition perhap? Nah!
I enjoyed it - the whole thing when i could but if I had opted for one of those audio guides the nightmare would have been complete. I had no where I could stand that some fellow viewer didn't endeavour to block my view. Being over 6 foot tall didn't help at all.
Crash Bang Wallop - what a Picture.

Da Vinci's Cartoon. It was actually pure chance. To get over the Bachman-Turner Overdrive I went to the National Gallery via way of a warming bowl of Noodles (Once Upon A Time I liked America you know?) and sat in front of the real Da Vinci. No Code rubbish. It was the first place I wanted to be but chanced on it first turn. And a decent John Constable seen later. From me being sort of profane to the Sacred. It is like a bath of sense when one is left practically alone with Art. Outside distractions are necessary but one knows when they are forced. And my teeth now are sensitive to something to. Cold - hot I dunno. But as I sat in from of that Da Vinci work I asked myself one question. What has all this got to do with the price of fish?
Subject: petrol to soar in days
Anagram: A parody lioness tort

Good afternoon Razia, I would really appreciate if you could provide me with any information (documents, book references, links, contacts) concerning the tradition of art patronage by banks you speak about in your radio program "Open the vaults" and related to Deutsche Bank's art acquisition history and policy. I am doing some research for my thesis (Deutsche Bank Collection) but can't find podcasts of your program anymore. I look forward hearing from you. MJ

As Patr100 pointed out - only one post a month may well be quality not quantity but whatever happened to November - March?