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Welcome to my Blog! Anybody, providing he knows how to be amusing, has the right to
talk about himself. -
Charles Baudelaire In 2013 I started a series of photo albums on Blurb.com, named '36Exp' (a subject adressed in 36 exposures, a reference to the exposures on most common rolls of 35 mm film: 12, 24 & 36.). The books can be ordered directly from the Blurb.com website. |
IK LIEG DE WAARHEID, DE BESTE KRONKELS by SIMON CARMIGGELT | BOOKS ![]()
The subjects he wrote about, his observations, could not be common enough for Carmiggelt, but his writing turned it into something exceptional and amusing - if you appreciate his dry, wry wit and notice the serious undertone. [.....2014]
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WILLIAM EGGLESTONE'S GUIDE | PHOTOGRAPHY ![]() He is widely credited with increasing recognition for color photography as a legitimate artistic medium to display in art galleries. Eggleston was born in Memphis, Tennessee and raised in Sumner, Mississippi. As a boy, he was introverted; from an early age, he was drawn to visual media, and reportedly enjoyed buying postcards and cutting out pictures from magazines. Eggleston's early photographic efforts were inspired by the work of Swiss-born photographer Robert Frank, and by French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson's book, The Decisive Moment. First photographing in black-and-white, Eggleston began experimenting with color in 1965 and 1966 after being introduced to the medium by William Christenberry. Color transparency film became his dominant medium in the later 1960s. In an interview, John Szarkowski of New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) describes his first, 1969 encounter with the young Eggleston as being "absolutely out of the blue". After reviewing Eggleston's work (which he recalled as a suitcase full of "drugstore" color prints) Szarkowski prevailed upon the Photography Committee of MoMA to buy one of Eggleston's photographs. Eggleston taught at Harvard in 1973 and 1974, and it was during these years that he discovered dye-transfer printing. At Harvard, Eggleston prepared his first portfolio, entitled 14 Pictures (1974). Eggleston's work was exhibited at MoMA in 1976. Eggleston's published books and portfolios, include Los Alamos (actually completed in 1974, before the publication of the Guide) the massive Election Eve (1976; a portfolio of photographs taken around Plains, Georgia before that year's presidential election); The Morals of Vision (1978); and Flowers (1978); Wedgwood Blue (1979); Seven (1979); Troubled Waters (1980); The Louisiana Project (1980). William Eggleston's Graceland (1984) is a series of commissioned photographs of Elvis Presley’s Graceland, depicting the singer’s home as an airless, windowless tomb in custom-made bad taste. Other series include The Democratic Forest (1989), Faulkner's Mississippi (1990), and Ancient and Modern (1992). Wikipedia, more.. 'The Guide' contains 48 images, edited down from 375 shot between 1969 and 1971. They are displayed in a deceptively casual look at the surrounding world. Here are people, landscapes, and odd little moments in and around Eggleston's hometown of Memphis,TN. Must admit I much prefer the 'Mr Slater' book discussed below. [06MAR2014]
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THE ABSENCE OF MR SLATER - WIM TE BRAKE & PETER DE KAN | PHOTOGRAPHY ![]() This book is a photo document that manages to capture the essence of the USA without photos of the usual landmarks. After the very first images that feeling welled up inside me and I am pretty sure that anyone who has looked beyond the Disney parks or a condo in Florida, will be captivated by this photo document. [01MAR2014]
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SNOECKS 2014 ![]() Ever since the late 1980s I have been buying faithfully the yearly editions of Snoecks. Long may this tradition continue! www.snoecks.be [20FEB2014]
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MY PHOTOGRAPHY IN '36 EXPOSURES'
http://nl.blurb.com/user/store/ruudleeuw [15FEB2014]
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BROADCHURCH | BRITISH TV CRIME DRAMA ![]() Broadchurch is a British television crime drama broadcast on ITV, involving the death of a young boy and the search for his killer, starring David Tennant and Olivia Colman, both performing very well. The series is set on the Dorset coast. It premiered on 04Mar2013 on ITV. The first series achieved high ratings for ITV, winning critical acclaim, and generating a large amount of publicity around the 'whodunnit' mystery. I enjoyed this recently on our telly, broadcasted by RTL4: not the obvious source to enjoy good crime series as they usually pass on the flaccid, predictable American crap. After the first series ended, ITV announced that Broadchurch would return for a second series. Trust the Yanks to aim for a remake, Gracepoint the intended title. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadchurch [30JAN2014]
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WITCH HUNT by IAN RANKIN | BOOKS (CRIME FICTION) ![]()
In Witch Hunt a terrorist is at large, a woman who can be hired by the highest bidder but who uses her price money for 'personal projects'. Which makes her targets unpredictable. [30JAN2014]
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THE BRIDGE 2 | SCANDINAVIAN CRIME DRAMA (DVD) ![]() The Bridge (Danish: Broen; Swedish: Bron) is a Scandinavian crime drama television series, co-produced by Sveriges Television and Danmarks Radio as well as ZDF, 2 series of which have so far been completed. The first series started with a police investigation following the discovery of a dead body on the bridge connecting Sweden and Denmark. It was first broadcast on SVT1 and DR1 during the autumn of 2011. The Bridge was the first joint creative and financed production between Sweden and Denmark. It was created and written by Hans Rosenfeldt.
The 2nd series aired in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland over 10 weeks from 09Sep2013 to 24Nov2013.
The second series starts 13 months after the end of the 1st series.
Martin's life had been getting back in order since the death of his son August, even working out the trauma by visiting his son's killer Jens Hansen in prison. But Martin's wife Mette then announces that their marriage is over.
There is drama and suspense until the very last minute of the 10 sixty minutes episodes. It doesn't get better than this. [18JAN2014]
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BLACK SKIES by ARNALDUR INDRIDASON | BOOKS (CRIME FICTON) ![]() Black Skies is set in the same period as Indridason's book reviewed below, Outrage, but Police Detective Sigurdir Óli is the main character this time. While the story develops, references are made to his collegue Elínborg working on the case in Outrage. And Erlendur, the main character in Indridason's most previous novels remains absent for an undetermined quest in eastern parts of Iceland.
Sigurdir Óli sees no harm to answer to a plea for help from a friend, Patrekur, to pay a visit to a couple suspected of blackmailing friends of Patrekur. But he walks into a crime scene where the victim dies.
Sigurdir Óli is one for the comforts of life, in awe for all things American, and so his surprised by his own fascination for Andres, who is very much a loser in his book. He suspects there is great human tragedy involved though he has no idea about the crime committed in this context. The original title of this book, the 8th of Arnaldur Indridason's Reykjavík novels translated to English, is Svörtuloft, 'the Black Fort'. This is both "what people call the Central Bank" and the name of a West Iceland promontory, where a desolate lava field falls down in sheer cliffs to the sea.
The story is set in 2009, before the collapse of Iceland's three major commercial banks. Óli's friend Patrekur voices his doubts over the expanding economy and borrowing, but we see others following the bubble, finance middle management and many others joining the dream of luxury.
Another gripping tale by Arnaldur Indridason. [18JAN2014]
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DEATH IN PARADISE | TV CRIME SERIES ![]() Death in Paradise is a British crime comedy-drama created by Robert Thorogood and starring Ben Miller and Sara Martins. The programme is a joint UK and French production filmed on the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe. After consistently high ratings during the 2nd series, on 12 February 2013, Death in Paradise was commissioned for a third series by Ben Stephenson. The BBC announced on 9 April 2013 that Ben Miller (DI Richard Poole) would exit Death in Paradise in series three while a new detective, DI Humphrey Goodman (played by Kris Marshall - very much liked his role as DS Luke Stone in the police drama series Murder City), would be taking over. The 3rd series is set to begin airing on 14 January 2014, i.o.w. TODAY!!! en.wikipedia.org - Death_in_Paradise_(TV_series) [14JAN2014]
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PETER SEKAER | PHOTOGRAPHY ![]()
This book, 'The Signs of Life: Photographs by Peter Sekaer', includes an essay by his daughter Christina Sekaer (who found her father dead or dying when she was five years old) 'On Finding My father In His Photographs'. There is a lot to be learned about the person Peter Sekaer here, like that he probably had more empathy than his father he ran away from but was equally strong willed in finding his way. [12JAN2014]
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POLITICAL SATIRE by JOEP BERTRAM
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nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joep_Bertrams [11JAN2014]
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UNIT ONE (REJSEHOLDET), TV SERIES | SCANIDNAVIAN CRIME DRAMA (DVD)
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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rejseholdet [11JAN2014] |
THE MUSEUM OF INNOCENCE by ORHAN PAMUK | BOOKS ![]() I came across this book (Dutch title 'De Onschuld van Voorwerpen') and picked it up because it was so beautifully produced. This book is connected to the novel 'The Museum of Innocence' by Orhan Pamuk, Nobel-laureate Turkish novelist, published on 29Aug2008. The book is an account of love between a wealthy businessman Kemal and a poorer distant relation Füsun during the period 1975 to 1984 in Istanbul.
Pamuk has established an actual 'Museum of Innocence', based on the museum described in the novel. It is housed in a building in the Çukurcuma neighbourhood of Beyoğlu, Istanbul, and displays a collection evocative of everyday life and culture of Istanbul during the period in which the novel is set.
This book is about the museum, the text however deals also about the love story between Kemal and Füsun, as if Kemal and Orhan Pamuk worked together in establishing this museum in memory of Füsun - savouring the atmosphere of the novel. Wikipedia.org - The_Museum_of_Innocence [09JAN14]
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MY FAVORITE PICTURE OF YOU by GUY CLARK | MUSIC (FOLK, AMERICANA)
![]() Guy Charles Clark (b. 06Nov1941) is an American Texas country and folk singer, musician, songwriter, recording artist, and performer. He has released more than 20 albums. Clark was born in Monahans,TX and eventually settled in Nashville, where he helped create the progressive country and outlaw country genres. Clark has been a mentor to such other singers as Steve Earle and Rodney Crowell. He organized Steve Earle's first job as a writer in Nashville. In 2006 Clark released 'Workbench Songs'. The album was nominated for 'Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album' at the Grammy Awards. He also toured with Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely, and John Hiatt in 2004, 2005 and 2007. Perhaps he came to Europe then too, it may have been the event I saw him play at the Blue Highways festival. In 2013 Clark was nominated for his 7th Grammy Award for his album 'My Favorite Picture of You' in the 'Best Folk Album' category. The title song is a love song dedicated to his wife, who passed away in 2012. The cover of the CD shows a 1970s polaroid of a woman staring confidently, challenging even, into the camera. The woman is Susanna Clark, who'd been pictured after she'd found her husband drunk at home again with his drinking buddy Townes van Zandt. Not pleased at all. In 'My Favorite Picture Of You' he looks back on this, without sentiment, spiced with some dry humor, but sensitive to what she must have felt and full of love: 'A stand up angel, who won't back down. Nobody's fool, nobody's clown.' You see him sitting, staring at that photo, treasuring the memories. Sung without false sentiment. Absolutely the best. And I treasure the fact that the lyrics have been included in this nicely produced CD. [09JAN2014]
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BOOK BINDING ![]() A little 2013 project almost done: I had my Propliner Magazine, complete from edition no.1 (1979), binded in a nice series. Two last editions will be done when 2013 is complete. Finding a good book binder is a quest these days, the old trade is hard to find. Loogman's Boekbinderij in Amsterdam did a wonderful job. Aviation magazines apparently did them a good trade (Vliegende Hollander, World Airline Fleets, etc). www.amsterdamboekbinder.nl/bookbindery.html [09JAN2014]
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NEWSPAPERS - PRINTED ISSUES REMAIN IN DECLINE | NEWS ![]() Copied from De Volkskrant, date 08Jan2014 [08JAN14]
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OUTRAGE by ARNALDUR INDRIDASON | BOOKS (CRIME FICTION) ![]() In almost all other crime novels by Arnaldur Indriðason we see Detective Erlendur dealing with the murder mystery. In Outrage he's away from Reykjavik and a disturbing case is handled by his female sidekick, Elinborg. The female perspective creates a different kind of novel from Erlendur, who is withdrawn and an isolated loner, while Elinborg is multi-tasking: dealing with family issues and showing sensitivity to the victims of a serial rapist. Elinborg has a teenage son in 'a difficult age', but her husband doesn't seem to be too bothered. While I could have done without Elinborg´s love for cooking, her smell is a key feature to solving the case. [08JAN2014]
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WILIAM KLEIN | PHOTOGRAPHY ![]() Today went to the William Klein Photography exhibition @FOAM (Amsterdam, NL). More photos on my Flickr account ![]() [06JAN2014]
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