In recent semesters the ICLC has recommended reading particular books to students before they arrive. The books tend not to be too taxing, as we realize that you have classes and exams and jobs. We just aim to point you in the direction of something that will start setting the London scene for you. For the spring 2011 semester we have been having difficulty picking one book that we all agree on, and the thought of sending out a reading list so that we can all have our input seems a little more intense than what we are striving for when we recommend something to read. Instead we are each having our own separate say for this coming term. Take from it what you want.
Claire:
Recently I have been into murder mysteries. I discovered the author Ian Rankin when my mother gave me two of his novels a few years ago. He writes gritty crime novels set in Edinburgh. This is particularly pertinent as Edinburgh is a destination that we try to organize a trip to each semester. The main character of these books is Inspector Rebus who drinks at the Oxford Bar in New Town in Edinburgh. Last weekend, when we had our group trip to Edinburgh, Bill and I found the Oxford Bar and went there for a drink. I would like to say that we then proceeded to solve mysteries and enforce the law, but, if I'm honest, my feet were cold and wet and I was happy to get back to the hostel and warm up. If crimes were stopped that Saturday night they weren't stopped by Bill and me. It's possible that Bill may have done some crime fighting on his own once we parted ways, though.
Nope, no crimes being committed here. |
On a related note, when I was getting ready to move here six years ago I had a regimen of films that I watched on repeat. If I remember correctly they were Pride and Prejudice (the BBC miniseries where Colin Firth wins the wet t-shirt contest), Love Actually, Bend it Like Beckham and Four Weddings and a Funeral. After arriving I also discovered the TV shows The Vicar of Dibley, Little Britain and Doctor Who. Everything listed here remains a favorite in my library. Have a look at them if you have a chance.
Bill:
Sir Bill of Harrington Gardens confers the honour of £10 on Dame Alyssa of Figueroa |
The USA doesn't have this system of nomenclature & cultural identification. Nor do they confer knighthoods, peerages, damehoods. We have actors - Sir Derek Jacobi, Dame Diana Rigg, Lord Olivier, Dame Judy Dench - sports people - Lord Coe, Sir Steve Redgrave [soon it will be Sir David Beckham] - musicians - Sir Mick Jagger, Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney [unfortunately, Ringo hasn't been knighted yet] - academics, businessmen, politicians, even foreign nationals, receive royal honours. Imagine if Brett Favre was Lord Favre of Baton Rouge, the Yankee short stop was Sir Derek Jeter, all past presidents were 'lords', etc. And opening comedy week at Madison Square Gardens next month is The Honourable Christopher Julius Rock, CBE. Even humble people who work as lunch staff at schools or 'lollipop' persons (crossing guards) in schools get honoured.
My 2nd choice would be the American Anglophile Bill Bryson's short biography of Shakespeare; 3rd would be Mohsin Hamid's terrfic little novel, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, for anyone interested in the post 9/11 world in which we live.
Your trivia question for today.Where in the UK is Elizabeth II technically not Elizabeth II?
-Claire and Bill
Scotland? Elizabeth I wasn't Queen of Scotland--the union between the two countries didn't come until after her death.
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