Henry James and Others

I have been reading a fictional account of the life of Henry James written by Colm Toibin (Irish novelist and very good too). It is a powerful piece - controlled, insightful and full of vignettes which reveal more about the psychology of Henry James (ironically, his brother William James is one the founders of psychology at Harvard). I recommend this book.

In fact, I am having a good year for reading - Small Island, Biography of Graham Greene and now this. (I have read some trash too, some of which has been fun but still trash!) and the mystery novels of Henning Mankell (plus the DVD of White Lioness, which put some flesh on key characters from these novels).

Also listening again to the complete works of Karl Jenkins (which I have now on my iPod - what a gift this little gizzmo is!). His use of instruments and female voices with his Adiemus language is very effective - a classical pop kind of stuff, but I think he comes into his own with Imagined Oceans - a symophonic like piece based on the oceans of the moon.

Ah well, must be my day for culture..