Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Colin Campbell (1686-1757)


Co-founder of the Swedish East India Company. More information here.

Nadar (1820-1910)


More information here.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Mistinguett (1875-1956)


More information here.

Current Favourite Sentences

'Paralysis,' says Dr MacGillivray, elongating the second 'a' with what seems like ghoul's relish but is only broad Scots. 'Convulsions will shortly ensue, followed by death.'

It's Tabu!


Advert for Tabu face powder by Dana, 1946.

Friday, June 24, 2011

John Robert Cozens (1752-1797)


More information here.

Alexander Cozens (1717-1786)


More information here.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Terrifying Owls

For reasons best known to people who aren't me, and who therefore have a more sensible perspective on the matter, I googled the phrase 'terrifying owls'. This was what came up, and very amusing it is too.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Current Favourite Sentence

Conceding that the latest set back was a "very embarrassing day", Hodge said he felt "very sorry" for the "unfortunate people who were wrongly admitted to the site and believed, albeit for a short time, that they were beautiful".

The sentence is great, but the article makes me feel a little sick.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Sakharov (Jack Gold, 1984)


One of my Russian teachers when I was at school let us watch this as an end-of-term treat. Another one let us watch this (chosen after a democratic vote; the choice was between that and this or this). Both experiences taught me a lot about democracy, I suppose.

Posted in response to the news that Yelena Bonner, Andrei Sakharov's widow, has died aged 88.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

The Shadow Knows!

Friday, June 17, 2011

John Malkovich (1953- )


This is a clever man. Biography etcetera (and why does he make so many terrible movies?) here.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Happy Bloomsday!


From Nora (Pat Murphy, 2000). In other news, can anyone tell me how that "Ewan McGregor as serious actor" thing is working out?

Carlos Bordas León (1983- )


Carlos, one of my students, came to see me at the Book Fair. Not only did he buy two books, but he took this particularly flattering photo of me. At least I look more human than normal, which is, as we say in the business, a plus.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Current Favourite Sentence

Sin embargo, ¿por qué no decimos que un árbol es más tonto que otro árbol?

Air Travel of the Future


I would like to fly in a plane with a transparent cabin. More photos here.

John Plumbe (1809-1857)


View of the Capitol, Washington (1846).

One of Wales's finest. More information here.

A little bean...

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Андрей Аствацатуров, Люди в голом (2010)


Crazy name, great book. More information (in Russian, with some optional irrelevant English bits just a click away) here.

Thursday, June 09, 2011

Îles Maria, or Nororotu


More (basic) information here. A sort of ornithologist's paradise / Doctor No's hideaway.