The Power of Words - The Great Gatsby

I've never read The Great Gatsby, but the praise and hype around it, especially with the new movie starring Di Caprio has certainly made me curious. Many great novels stand the test of time and it reminds me of the power of words. Reading is an intimate experience that the reader shares with the author. We believe what we read in the newspapers, provided it sounds reasonably credible, we often don't question motivations, manipulations and other such disingenuous possibilities.

Classic books will have a place in our lives, no matter all the new technology and Hollywood glitz. The truth is that a great story is still a great story. We can remake movies again and again, but we cannot truly remake great books.

I always hope that with each Hollywood movie, a few more people remember to read a book rather than watch another reality tv show or surf the internet for meaningless moments that our work-weary brain desires.

Not that I don't appreciate the simple wit in Ironman 3 or the flashy cars in the Fast and the Furious. I've even accidentaly watched an episode or two of the Kardashians - I know that is incredibly shameful. What I do proudly admit is that I have finally started reading Pride and Prejudice, a book that has long been on my wishlist.There is a reason Austen has managed to stay in our consciousness for centuries.

Baz does produce some interesting work and his efforts to differentiate himself are not without some merit. I do doubt that it will be in the league of masterpieces that will be celebrated 50 years from now. Perhaps it is my bias against Leonardo. He is a decent actor but I simply am not drawn to movies simply by virtue of his presence. Add Tarantino's or Lurhman's touch, then I do consider it worth investing a few hours to visit the cinema. In any case, the new Great Gatsby movie will continue to fund the movie industry and hopefully mean that more quality movies can be made.  

Easter Reading

Easter is just around the corner and it has made me think about how I want to spend it. Reading is a luxury we seem to no longer have the time or inclination to indulge, but whenever I do take the time to read a book, I am glad that I did. It helps me grow, to understand myself, the people around me, life and the world we live in.

I appreciate now that authors have to meet deadlines and make sales, bookstores and publishers act out of self interest and modern media is all about marketing and trying to sell us on ideals or images or spending money. The media foster our desire to look good, to own more and to focus on our short term needs.

Recently I have started to read biographies. A friend made the comment that the older we become, the more we grow to appreciate them. I always found them dry. Now I realise that they encompass life experiences and there is some value to reading them and they can help us guide our way along the different paths that lie before us.

I do enjoy the occasional trashy book, I like reading classics and revisiting books that I hold fond memories of. The kindle has made it easier to read more poetry and other types of books, such as poetry, that I would not normally spend money on.

So what am I reading this Easter then? Perhaps it will be Pride and Prejudice, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Les Miserables Frankenstein or William Boyd's Any Human Heart. With the weather as cold and miserable as it is both in London and on my little European getaway, I suspect that it will be a most pleasant way to spend my time. Happy Easter and happy reading.