Ten books to change the way you think

In no particular order, the top ten books to change the way you think about life and everyone in it. This is just my personal opinion as opposed to being based on any votes.These stories are share a special brilliance and the unique insight into human nature that only the best authors can offer.


Dune Series by Frank Herbert
Don't be put off by it's place in the science fiction pantheon, though why you ever would is a mystery to me, these books are an exceptional series of tales examining the future of humanity in a brutal existence. Forcing the reader to examine the price that must be paid for having a future at all, so relevant in a world full of concerns about global warming, oil prices, food shortages and war. Follow the tale of House Atredies as they struggle to save humanity at the price of their own.


War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Set on the backdrop of Russia's war with the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte Tolstoy's much acclaimed epic more than lives up to its reputation. Delve into the people behind the masks as the lives of the Russian nobility unravel around them and there nation is brought to its knees. Tolstoy's narrative is superb and the book is worth reading simply because its such a classic.


The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay
Its an exhilarating epic adventure of fierce passions, divided loyalties and religion. A magnificent, deeply moving book, Kay provides insightful glimpses into the goals and motives of all his characters as they struggle to do the right thing in a world full of horrors done in the name of religion. A brutally forward, no nonsense approach to the problems that religion can inspire and the nobler causes that are overrun by fanaticism and ignorance. 




Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence
Especially remarkable because its true, Seven Pillars of Wisdom is the story of Lawrence of Arabia as told by the great man himself.It describes the revolt in Arabia against the Turkish Empire, as it appeared to the Englishman who was so crucial to it's origins. This strange yet oddly pleasing mix of military chronicle, descriptions, philosophies, emotions, adventures and dreams. Winston Churchill described it as a "narrative of war and adventure it is unsurpassable." No literary experience would be complete without this book. It remains much like Lawrence himself brilliant yet controversial.


Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
A work of ruthless psychological realism, "Watchmen" follows the stories of  would-be superheroes with staggeringly complex and realistic characters. Examining morality and portraying hard truths all beautifully illustrated through a normally very 2D medium, superheroes. If you want an eye opener on how complex every individual is combined with a compelling story, look no further.


The Outsider by Albert Camus
Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, "The Outsider" examines the way in which society condemns those who will not conform. After his mothers the main character, Mersault, shows no sadness and when he commits a random act of violence soon after society is baffled. Where is his emotion? Mersault refusal to satisfy the feelings of others leads to his being tried for being an outsider- not because of what he has done. The book makes you think about the ways in which society makes us conform and we don't even realise it.




Cold Blood by Truman Capote
A captivating tale of amorality, quoted as being the "American dream turning into the American nightmare", Cold Blood is both controversial and compelling. It follows the circumstances surrounding the killings and subsequent investigation of a Kansas farming family, at the centre of which is the lives of young killers Perry Smith and Dick Hickock. This books impact comes from the frighteningly human nature of two murderers, as conveyed by Capote's powerfully evocative narrative.


The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
Follow the story of the White Tiger as he rises as from a poverty stricken sweetmaker in a remote Indian village to a successfully business, being sold into virtual slavery and committing murder along the way. Brilliant by virtue of the story alone its unique insight into modern India only makes it all the more invaluable. If you want to know about the real India via a fun medium this is the way to do it.


Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
While actually a play, its more than readable as a book. Watch the scenes unfold on the stage of your mind as you follow the tragic tale of Blanche Dubois as her fantasy world collapses and her hopes of creating a new life are dashed as her past catches up with her. Feel the tension build, scene by scene, as Blanche's doom comes steadily closer.


Wuthering Heights
You have probably seen this book butchered on screen  but I assure you that as always the book far outdoes the film. While admittedly the first two thirds is far superior superior to the books ending this doesn't detract overly from the emotionally gripping tale. Revel in the suppressed sexual tension of Cathy and Heathcliff as they struggle against victorian society's conventions and there own selfish impulses.


I hope you found this list informative and I would urge you to read any or all of them. They are truly superb peices of literature. If you have any recommendations of your own please feel free to comment.

Doing what's right: Obama, Capitalism and Poppys

Only one week and November has already been pretty interesting. We had Halloween to warm up us for it at the end of October of course and now Bonfire Night has "banged" and gone. Craziness. Perhaps not as crazy as the Christmas songs on the radio!?! I'm a big fan of Christmas the food, the presents and the family, what's not to love? But seriously, Greggs had Christmas deals with Halloween treats still on sale! That's just taking it too far.


Hopefully you all the know the US midterms have just happened and its not good for Obama loving people everywhere. Nor for the man himself of course. There is tonnes of information online about the midterms so I'm not going to rehash it for you here. Essentially this is a Republican victory reflecting a selfish and fear based reaction to having to pay extra in taxes for Healthcare and dealing with the economy. Truth is entirely dependant on belief not fact. The Tea Party's rhetoric has helped this along, the Americans want to both deny reality and their fellow man. Have you ever been to the US? The millions of homeless people and the slums make it clear that the 'land of free' is not all it's cracked up to be. 

I'd recommend you read this http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10263956 if you want more info on the Midterm results. Remember the picture to the right? It all seemed so hopeful back then.

But hope is not lost merely tarnished by the ignorant masses. Despite this setback politically Obama continues to try and make the world a better place. After successfully completing trade deals with India, Obama said that "If Pakistan is stable and prosperous that is best for India" and talked about many sensitive issues between the two nuclear powers. He also, disproving the Tea Partys rhetoric once more, urged Islamabad to make greater efforts against extremism saying progress had been made but that the "cancer" must be removed quicker.

Here in the UK things are also a pace politically with the usual scandal and ridiculous policy decisions. The Goverment has plans to introduce forced labour to deal with the unemployed. Wow. Just when you think the Tories couldn't get any worse. I think there's another word for forced labour....

Regrettably this will doubtless appeal to many Torie voters who would say the "scroungers" are getting what they deserve. The short sightedness of such views is unsurprising, indeed the Americans suffer from worse delusions regarding the unemployed and poor in general. The reality is we live in a capitalist world. It's the system that works best and the one we use but there are consequences. Inevitably in a capitalist system there will be poor people. In Europe we have learned to care for those rendered less well off by the majority's lifestyle, we compensate the inevitable poor, which is the right thing to do. In the end the money goes back into the economy anyway ensuring the cash flow continues, so it is right economically and morally. This a lesson the Americans would do well to learn and one we should remember.



On a final note, Remembrance Sunday is coming up and I hope you have or will soon possess a poppy. I don't want to go all nationalistic but it is important to remember those who made a sacrifice on our behalf, who died far away from home many with no hope of even their body being returned. It's not much for us to do in comparison. For those of you who have 'forgotten' Remembrance Sunday is a week from today, with Remembrance Day itself being on the 11th of November.


I suppose if this blog post had any overall theme it would be: doing what's right, no matter what people think. Obama did the right thing with economy, with healthcare, with political situations abroad even though he knew the American people would hammer him for it. He's too good for them, its shame there the only ones who don't know it. Caring for those unable to take care of themselves, helping the poor, buying a poppy, these things are right. So while the abandonment of duty seems tempting, in a society were increasingly the rights of the individual supersede the rights of the many, it is important to remember some-things DO matter and should be treated thusly.

What ignorance can cost us

People go on all the time student apathy, which isn’t to say apathy isn’t a problem, it is, political apathy is increasing with only 12% saying they are ‘politically active.’ But it is ignorance which is the real problem. For instance you’ve doubtless heard a lot of rhetoric about the Browne review how bad it is and how evil Nick Clegg is. But do you know anything about it really? One person I talked to recently hadn’t even heard of the Browne review, so I suppose knowing about is something but not much. And while I’m not a fan of increased tuition fees, there are actually good things about it.

Only 16% of 18-24 age group claim to know ‘a fair amount' or 'a great deal' about politics. Wow. Aren’t you embarrassed? I am. Were meant to be the future but we don’t even know what’s going on right now. Now, no one needs you to riot in the street (we are British for crying out loud) but being uninformed can lead to real disasters. Like the present government. Seriously though, it is a problem. And not a small one, 75% don’t know the powers that government can currently exercise without Parliament's approval and 58% don’t know how political parties are funded. Democracy requires us to be in the know at the very least, if it’s going to work. Otherwise it’s all just an elaborate pretence of freedom.

Being aware of what’s happening in the wider world is equally important. I can't count the number of times in history classes I’ve heard the words “How could they let that happen” or “weren’t they paying attention” but those same people would have no idea what was going on in the present. If I asked most people about Iran for instance they would tell me something vague about nuclear weapons but not really know any more. They wouldn’t know Iran is a theocracy (were religion is the government in case you’re wondering) or anything about its recent history. Does it seem crazy to know so little about the worlds up and coming nuclear power?

So, what has happened in the world recently? If you don't actually know I'd like to offer a little help. I could list or try to summarise recent events of significance but there simply isn’t room here. My advice is to check out Google News, simply click news on the Google homepage and check out the headlines to get to grips with what’s happening. Or read political blogs both by individuals, like my own “Royal Thinking” or by newspapers such as the Guardian.

Ignorance is dangerous. It leads to uninformed decision making or no action at all, which can have disastrous results. Historians constantly debate the rise of Hitler, how many documentaries do the BBC need to make you wonder, but at the heart of his rise to power was the ignorance of the people who elected him. They were scared and uninformed so were taken in by simple rhetoric and slogans. Remember that surge in popularity the BNP enjoyed a while back? All it took was some economic turmoil and a disturbing percentage of people were ready to vote for openly racist man who denies the holocaust. I’m not saying you would ever be that stupid. But not knowing what is going on has consequences. So get up to date and stay there.  

From Eminem to International Arms Deals

Mix of politics, media and stuff today.


In the world of music Cee Lo Green is still at number one with Forget You, Cee Lo is one half of Gnarls Barkley if somehow you didn't know that. Overall the current top ten here in the UK is questionable but ok as it goes. Eminem and Lil Waynes (relatively) new song: No Love is definitely worth a listen, I'd like to thank the wonderful Jazz for introducing me to that.


Controversy in the news world or rather extra confirmation that being racist isn't something you can get away with. Mel Gibson's professional resurrection suffered another setback after the troubled actor's mooted cameo in the sequel to "The Hangover" was cancelled following apparent protests from the some of the film's cast and crew. So to paraphrase Peep Show "stop chomping on your racist carrot" Gibson.


Rooney has had a massive U-turn and will in fact not be leaving Man U, Ferguson has been busy patronising him in the newspapers. Poor spud boy. (That's it for sport)

The French have been brought to a halt by strikes with Sarkosy (the miserable little facist) appealing to utility workers to stop holding the country "hostage". France is now importing electricity.So for those who complain that the British aren't politically active enough think it through.Were just more realistic, we know how things are and aren't going to go crazy because times are hard or things change.


The evil (I'm not joking here) Rupert Murdoch is trying to defend his complete takeover of BSkyB by saying rival media coporations are "small minded". Personally I'd rather not have our own version of Fox new.


Perhaps even more seriously the USA continues to arm its allies in the Muslim World. Recently they agreed a $60 billion dollar deal with the Saudi's, selling them F-15's, Apache Helicopter and a whole other host of weapons. Today a desire to give a $2 billion dollar military "aid" package to Pakistan was also announced. Israel has remained quiet on  all these deals despite the protests usually given against increased military aid for Muslim countries. These are indications of how seriously Iran is being taken. Also of note is the sudden back track by our own government regarding military spending, this is apparently not seen as the time to be downsizing the military. Don't read too much into all of this, there's not going to be a war against Iran or anything like that any time soon but is worth keeping an eye on.


Well I hope that proved informative, please feel free to give an opinion or just tell me you liked the post. Join the FB group if you haven't already for updates on blog posts etc. Have a very very good weekend.


Be casual. Be happy.

"I think we're going to have to be secretly in love"- The Royal Tenenbaums

Naturally when I write about movies on this blog its not to in any way criticise them. I'm not a critic. I love these films unconditionally and if there's things wrong with them, and there are things wrong with them, well lets say I am perfectly happy to ignore these little faults.

The Royal Tenenbaums is a 2001 American dramedy (comedey/drama) film directed by Wes Anderson about three gifted siblings who experience great success in youth, and even greater disappointment and failure after their eccentric father leaves them in their adolescent years. With such notable talent as Gweneth Paltrow as the infamously secretive adopted playwright Marogt, Ben Stiller as the widowed business genius Chas and Luke Wilson as the washed up tennis pro Richie. The rest of the cast includes Bill Murray, Gene Hackman, Owen Wilson (yes Luke Wilson's older brother), Danny Glover and Anjelica Huston.

The film tells the tale of a cynical and uncaring fathers attempt to win back his family's love after his previous failure has left them inherently distrustful of him. Each character is made complete and lovable by their weaknesses, from Margot's instinctive secrecy that means her family is unaware she has been smoking since age 12 too Chas' nervous breakdown over his wife's death.The film is comedic while remaining heartfelt and beautifully examples the inner workings of the family unit: unconditional acceptance and reliance.

Sometimes staying happy requires work. So as Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) learns if he wants his family to work and to love him he will have to try very hard and have to mean it.

So today's lesson is: if it really matters make sure you keep it no matter what it takes.

Simple Before and After comparison of Browne Review

Before and after comparison of the Browne Review

	Previously	Now
Cost of Living	You currently receive different amounts entirely dependent on your parents household income. e.g Up to £25,00 you receive full grant of £2,906. Over £50,020 you receive nothing.	“The loan system for the costs of living will be simplified to create one flat rate entitlement of £3,750” Extra loan for those from low income household on top of the standard loan is £3,250.
Cost of Tuition	Currently the cap on fees is set at £3,290. This is covered by the current loan scheme.	The cap on university fees will be lifted.  “The Government will pay the upfront costs of education” up to £6000, universities will be discouraged from charging more since the money will go back to the govt. Universities charging more than £6,000 would be charged an increasing levy on each further £1,000 (45% on the first, 50% on the second, 55% on the third etc), covering the Treasury's cost of lending the money to students
Finance	You can currently apply online or via paper individually for different loans some of which are dependant of your parents household income. This system is seen as confusing and “Many people assume wrongly that fees have to be paid upfront or that student loans are a mortgage style debt.”	You will now get a loan through the SFP. Which is a simplified four stage system. All upfront education costs will be paid  by the government and everyone will receive a basic living grant.
Repayments	Current subsidised interest rate is 1.5%. The repayment threshold is £15,000. You pay 9% interest on your income per month. Currently debt wiped after 25 years.	Interest rate will be 2.2% plus inflation. The repayment threshold will be £21,000 . Loans are now paid back through the SFP. If you come from a high income household and for example your university charges £6,100 you will pay the whole loan back via SFP. A student from a poorer background will pay around 35% or £2,100. Debt will be wiped after 30 years. Graduates would pay back 9% of their income each month - £30 a month on a salary of £25,000, £143 on £40,000 and £293 on £60,000.

What is the SFP?

The SFP is split into four sections:

·                     SF Learning: Government paying the costs of education on behalf of students

·                     SF Living: Providing students with money for living costs

·                     SF Paying: Paying the money back via the tax system.

·                     SF Giving: Easy way for post-grads to make voluntary tax-deductible donations to charity

What happened to us

In Bruge hearts remain entwined...

What happened to us? The eternal question of a good friend or other lost. You know what I mean, you were the inseparable, trust was implicit and no one else mattered as long you stayed together. But then that thing happened which one of you just couldn't ignore. Maybe you tried to have a relationship or they did that annoying thing one too many times and you snapped or vice versa. But for one of you the happiness didn't balance the hurt.


Whatever it was you can't really get past it, oh it might get a little better. You say hi when you see each other or exchange pleasantries when you run into each other but in the end things will never be the same even if both of you wanted them to be. It's like William Blake said "its easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend".

Naturally life goes on, doesn't it always? But don't ever forget them. They're a part of you, forever.