James Spada on Bette Davis - Just finished reading . . .

'Bette Davis: More than a woman' by James Spada (1993)

5 out of 10


I don't often read non-fiction, unless for academic / work reasons, so here is an exception. If I had to name my favourite actor, I would have to say Bette Davis. So I asked for, and got, her biography for Christmas.
But really I don't want to be immersed in all the tittle-tattle of celebrity life. What I love is escapism. I loved 'Jezebel', 'All about Eve', 'Dark Victory' and 'Whatever happened to Baby Jane'; I'm not sure that I really wanted to know about how the actress behaved during the making of these films, or in her marriages and family life. So, I shouldn't have read this book, because I think it has tarnished the bright, shiny image of my favourite actress, who I really want to think of in mink coats (ethical objections notwithstanding) and evening dresses, laughing exotically.
I like books to be escapist and about a 'what if' life. But, of course, who is to say whether this biography is largely fiction?
I think I should have asked for her autobiography, then at least it would have been her version of the truth.
If you have never seen Jezebel, it is time you did. Forget Vivien Leigh in 'Gone with the Wind' - Bette's 'Miss Julie' is unforgettable.

My secret diary 1972 June (ii)

June 12 (Mon)
Boy have I got exam fever. I'm absolutely terrified of the Russian exam - I really am. Why don't I break a leg or something and get out of it? Don't be stupid Jackie. I'm frightened of maths too. Didn't do much revision tonight. What's wrong with me?? Order of exams - Maths + Russ (Wed) Physics (Thurs) Chem + Geog (Fri) Biol (Mon) English (Tue)
June 12
Revising all day and all night, it's 10.45 now, I'm really tired out. Why am I more worried this time than last time or the year before? What's wrong with me? Feel like crying but no tears come. I haven't done as much revision as I could have. I haven't prepared my Russian oral yet - I hope it's not for tomorrow - Jesus I'm frightened.
June 14 (Wed)
Exams! Really worried - my hands were shaking before the maths exam. However the paper wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I left one question out. Russian was terrible. Also had Russian Aural - I think I've failed it. Got down to physics revision tonight - also Russian oral prep - I still don't know it.
June 15 (Thurs)
Another day of exams gone and I feel exhausted. Physics was awful. I must have left about three questions out, I'm sure. I wish I could come top in physics (I won't, SP will). Also had Russian oral, thank goodness it's over with - not too bad (I've only failed!!) I still haven't done Geog and Chemistry properly.
June 16 (Fri)
Well, I've never seen so many people so worried about an exam before. SG was crying, and even IP looked a bit worried. Carol hardly said a word before the exam. Luckily it wasn't so bad. When that was over I got in a fluster about the chemistry exam. I've hardly read through it, never mind learnt it. However not too bad, only missed about 3 questions.
June 17 (Sat)
Feels great to relax and do no studying (still got biol, Eng and maths to do though). Mum and dad went to Fleetwood to stay overnight so J came and we fended for ourselves for a bit. It was great fun. J has saved a dress for herself at C&A's - pretty nice. Got some of J's birthday present (bits and pieces) - tissues, stamps, bubble bath, seeds. What a beautiful day!!
June 18 (Sun)
It was a little bit frightening last night. We went to bed about 10pm. Poor Lady was missing mum and dad. I felt sure we were going to have burglars. However, we didn't. Been cramming myself with biology today (and J too). Been in not-too-good a mood. Never am when I've been revising too much though. I'm dreading 'O' levels next year. Done well with biology revision.

Commentary
I'm a bit embarrassed by the above angst - I usually performed reasonably well in exams, but I suppose I had to go through this whole stress performance to drive me through them. How right was it that young people were subject to these levels of stress? (albeit of their own making, to some extent) No-one talked to us about controlling our stress levels, as I recall. I don't recall ever being taught how to revise either.

Anne Douglas - Just finished reading . . .

Starlight by Anne Douglas (audio-book)

5/10


This is my usual car-journey fodder! I gave it 5/10 because, although it is not great fiction, it served the purpose that I borrowed it for - to keep me distracted and amused on my commutes.

Jess gets much desired job in gorgeous cinema in pre-war Edinburgh. She is only a mere box-office clerk, but everyone predicts she will go far, and she does. The film they are showing when she starts work is 'Jezebel' with Bette Davies, which is one of my all time favourite films.
She loves handsome Ben the projectionist, but he loves and marries her beautiful sister. As second prize she marries Rusty, the assistant projectionist, who she learns to love.
The war comes, and everything changes, Luckily our heroes come back alive, but Rusty has turned to drink. When handsome Ben is divorced by the good-for-nothing sister (who might sleep around but the book is too polite to mention it) he tempts Jess away from Rusty. At the last minute however, she knows who she really loves, and is relieved to find that Rusty is getting help for alcoholism.
During all this, the cinema is sold to be demolished, and that is VERY SAD INDEED.

Dear reader, you will note that I did not attempt to summarise the story of Wolf Hall.

Hilary Mantel - Just finished reading . . .

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (audio-book)

More than 10/10

As I have mentioned before I listen to stories / audio-books continually when I am on long car journeys and my commute to work. My normal approach to this is to get something simple and compulsive, but not too challenging, from the library shelf. Those of my readers who pay attention will know that I had a system once where the books I chose had to be from a given letter of the alphabet, working upwards from A. I abandoned that system when my beloved partner chose a book for me once, and it was out of sequence, and then I forgot where I was up to. I love systems, but I am open to chaos, too.
Anyway, Wolf Hall is challenging, and it is not simple, so it doesn't fit in with my normal preferred car-listening experience ('poor girl makes good by marrying a rich handsome stranger who she thought was bad but turned out to be good'). However, I have read this book in its paper form, and I was so pleased to be able to hear it read by a professional actor.
It was 22 CDs in all!!! That is over 22 hours listening. It's a big book, in every sense of the word, and I think it may be one of the best modern books I have ever read. Hilary Mantel takes you inside the head of Thomas Cromwell, as he works his way up to be Henry VIII's right hand man. I may have been a little in love with Thomas, as I read / heard this book.
BUT what I really want to say is - what incredible skill an actor must have to read all the characters in a book like this, making each one distinct and instantly recognisable. I've taken the audio-book back to the library, so I can't give credit to the actor (shame on me). He was marvellous.

If you like history, and audio-books, and have the time to listen, then please listen to Wolf Hall.

P.S. It helps if you know little of the Tudor history, or at least a little about the splitting off of the Church of England from Rome.

Ian McEwan - Just finished reading . . .

Solar by Ian McEwan (2010)

6/10

We bought Solar new. We had been waiting for Ian McEwan's new book, because we have so much appreciated his others, especially 'Saturday', 'Enduring Love' and 'Chesil Beach' (whenever I think of Chesil Beach, I get a song popping into my head from the 1980s about a something beach - I can remember the tune, but not the title).
Back to the point.
Oooooh, it took me ages to work, work, work my way through this book. It should have been easy; it was readable, no pages of dense prose - okay the physics was a little challenging - but I wasn't going to be tested on it.
2 main reactions to the book
1) I wish that Ian Mc hadn't tried his hand at a comedy based around an academic / serial womaniser - too much like those Kingsley Amis-type novels, and Porterhouse Blue type things. I didn't really laugh much. But then I haven't really laughed at a novel since 'A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'
2) I think Ian McEwan is a very, very clever contemporary writer who is capable of catching key issues and the feel of the moment. He did it in 'Saturday', capturing some of the post 9/11 feelings and concerns. In this book he was reflecting various societal attitudes to global warming, and also some of the tensions between sociological and 'hard science' research positions. And other things that I can't recall at the moment.

So, actually, I got a lot out of the book, but I had to force my way through it - even though, actually, it sped its way towards a climactic ending (Have I just made that phrase up?)
I'm still not sure what the last paragraph of the book was saying, but it was clever.

I think that people reading this book in 100 years time will get a real feel for this decade.

I've just remembered - the song was 'Echo Beach', which Google tells me was sung by Martha and the Muffins in 1979. The year I got married, first time round.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmWxUGStTj4

My secret diary 1972 June (i)

1st June (Thurs)
Well, we set off on our hike. Had fun, it wasn't very far to the first Youth Hostel, Marsden. But my god - when we got there it was a right dump! Rats, draughts, no proper loo. Stupid fella called Jim wanted us to play cricket. (I did show myself up!) Heard that we were going to have 'male company' so we all dolled ourselves up - what a laugh when they turned out to be 5 old men!!
2nd June (Fri)
2nd day of hike. Made our way to Crowden Youth Hostel. The walk was beautiful in some places - waterfalls, lots of sheep. lambs and water coming from springs that you could actually drink!! I was thrilled about that. Last part of walk was awful though. We were soaked and it was cold and windy on top of that great hill and the road went on and on for ever. Crowden YH is beautiful. Lots of nice German people there, including some nice-looking lads who we were going to play cards with but they had to go to bed.
3rd June
Oh that lad that sat next to me was gorgeous. Why aren't English lads so nice looking and wear such nice clothes? Beautiful pants. Oh, he looked like Sammy McIlroy. Sigh! Finally arrived home. Norma home for a week. Cousins Susan, Christine and Michelle* came.
4th June
Typical Sunday - boring. Back to rotten school tomorrow. Oh - exams on the 14th June.I nearly lost my temper with Norma, but didn't. Oh, Don McLean's such a beautiful singer - sings 'Vincent' (about Van Gogh). Oh that German lad. I wish I'd got off with him in a way (naughty) Haven't done Russian homework for tomorrow.
5th June (Mon)
Found out that E has told P (who thinks she's the greatest) that we went out with boys while at Crowden (German lads of course). Mine's called Jugen (sounds very nice doesn't it?) J's is called Dieter. Don't know about the others. Done a bit of revision - come on buck up Jackie!! Exams are too soon....
6th June
Trying to get down to a lot of revision now. But there seems so much. Went to dentist's (Mr Aron) and he's taken my brace off. I'll have to have some more teeth out though. UGH! E and us and about 8 others were going to go youth hostelling again on July 1st. But me and J have decided not to - can;t afford it. Go August.
7th June
Gosh I seem to be trying so hard at revision but there's still lots to do. Exams start next Wednesday. We've got to prepare a 5 minute topic on 'My Holiday' for Russian exam. Jesus, I'll never live through it. Blimey I'm not half tired. I'm sick of Norma and mum arguing all the time - mum causes them usually. Norma lost one of her lenses at Ian's.
8th June
Done quite a bit of Russian revision tonight. So tired - as usual. 'Tom Chapin' A beautiful fella in a children's programme 'Make a Wish' Also 'Elizabeth R' began - Brilliant. Nice day really. Dropped some big hints to S about Jugen and Dieter (2 German lads we invented). It's fun, but deceitful really. Never mind.
9th June (Fri)
Oh dear - I've been going so well, I don't think I've sulked for 3 or 4 months and them what happens?!! Oh well. J and E were getting on my nerves quite a bit. I don;t like it. Thunder storms yesterday - pretty bad. I guess I'm overdoing the revision a bit - I should have started it earlier.
10th June
Not much to say really - all I've done today is revise Russian!! Done about 2 more rows of Sandra's dress. Started work at about 11.30am (had shower) so I didn't have many breaks and dad keeps saying 'have a rest now' He doesn't realise I've got so much work to do. God, it's so depressing. I now I'll come low down in the Russ exam.
11th June
Did quite a bit of revision - although not as much as I wanted to do. There's so much to do - God! Well, I guess I can only try my best!! Not really very much to say. Oh! Norma phoned vet about Lady making milk and he says we've got to cut her diet by a half. Poor Lady (No more tit-bits for a while)

*Commentary
3rd June - in real time (2011), I went to these (second) cousins' father's funeral last week.