
Van Gogh's Ear: The True Story
Book
On a dark night in Provence in December 1888 Vincent van Gogh cut off his ear. It is an act that has...

A Snow Garden and Other Stories
Book
As read on Radio 4, seven linked stories set in the Christmas holidays - all as funny, joyous,...

The Forgotten Room
Book
Jeremy Logan (The Third Gate, Deep Storm) is an 'enigmalogist' - an investigator who specializes in...
This is Memorial Device: An Hallucinated Oral History of the Post-Punk Music Scene in Airdrie, Coatbridge and Environs 1978-1986
Book
ROUGH TRADE BOOK OF THE MONTH LRB BOOK OF THE WEEK CAUGHT BY THE RIVER BOOK OF THE MONTH....

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest: a Novel
Book
Pitching an extraordinary battle between cruel authority and a rebellious free spirit, Ken Kesey's...

Suggs recommended Back to Black by Amy Winehouse in Music (curated)

Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness in TV
Apr 8, 2021
It focuses on rivalries that existed between exotic animal parks that seem to take pride in mistreating tigers and other wild animals that have no place being there at all. The “fun” of it is watching “crazy” people, mostly Joe rolling around as if they were tiny kittens, and holding your breathe waiting for the inevitable moment they rip him to shreds. As it turns out, there is so much filler and false promise in this show that I would have to put it at the bottom of the list. It may not even have got on there at all if it wasn’t for the fact Lockdown viewing made it a shared experience that became ubiquitous. Otherwise, it is a poor circus freak show, badly presented and entirely cheap.

Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated BZRK (BZRK, #1) in Books
Jun 24, 2019
Sadie McLure, daughter of billionaire Grey McLure, is horrified when she witnesses the death of her father and brother. This was no mere accident, and Sadie is determined to discover the truth behind their deaths.
And Noah Cotton is desperate to find out the cause of his brother's madness. He was an army recruit, Alex. But then something happened, something that drove him so insane that he was sent to live out his days in an asylum, screaming about Bug Man and repeating the word "nano". It has to mean something, doesn't it?
These two teens are joined in extraordinary circumstances, and thrown into the deep end of a major battle. A battle that is too small to be seen by the human eye. A battle between biots and nanobots. A battle that leads to multiple deaths, and could alter humanity entirely.
I loved the concept of this book. I've never read anything like it, about tiny bug-like robotic creatures and people who are linked to that are linked to their biots in such a way that they risk their sanity with every mission. But personally, I found it all somewhat... overwhelming. I wanted to enjoy it but I just got lost and, frankly, kind of bored. It improved again further on but I'm only going to give BZRK 3 stars.

Andy K (10823 KP) rated Climax (2018) in Movies
Jun 28, 2019
The story is simple. Dancers rehearse and choreograph an elaborate dance number routine at a remote location only to discover someone has poisoned their celebration punch with LSD.
Accusations start flying as to the perpetrator, but slowly things deteriorate. The various dance ensemble members start exhibiting the effects in many ways including violence, euphoria and sexual desire. The members are left to fend for themselves when hallucinatory madness grips the entire gang.
The use of color along with long uncut camera movements and takes draw you into this film immediately. The nonstop pumping dance score keeps you shaking in your seats even when you are witnessing the craziness displayed on screen.
Recent breakout star Sofia Boutella shins brightest as the camera follows her throughout the 2nd half of the film specifically detailing her interactions with others and her slow descent into mental anguish.
If you are open to a new type of film experience, try it and let me know what you think.