Books
Cervantes, Fielding's "Joseph Andrews", Bohumil Hrabal, Milan
Kundera, Ian McEwan's "The Cement Garden", Italo Calvino, Gabriel
Garcia Marquez, Ivo Andric, Lars Iyer ('W.' examined my thesis
which will no doubt evoke pity. LOL). I do seem to read rather a
lot in translation - wish my languages extended beyond going to the
market - and tend to avoid all the novels that get talked about in
the 'cultural pages' of British newspapers.
I'll read anything in the old black Penguin's World Classics
series, there are some incredible books (one of my favorites is
'The Epic of Gilgamesh' which almost nobody ever seems to have
heard about but dates from hundreds of years before Homer). I much
prefer listening to poetry than reading it for some reason, maybe
the lack of an immediate and inate sense of rhythm. In philosophy
Hegel, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Levinas, Blanchot and Derrida
particularly interest me.
Films
All sorts of strange things from Brief Encounter via the Wicker Man
to Otasanek. Thinking more generally I guess I like something with
a surreal edge that's not consistently realistic. The Enigma of
Casper Hauser, Aguirre Wrath of God and Remains of the Day are all
favourites as is Lars von Trier's 'The Idiots'. I thought it was a
general parable about the human condition. But then I went to
Denmark and realised it was a desperate cry for help. There are
downsides to the "perfect" Scandinavian societies.
I also like The Big Lebowski and most other things by the Coen
brothers. Withnail & I is amusing in the same way. The
aesthetics of failure, I guess. Superbad is the last film I can
remember laughing aloud at. I like a film for being well made
rather than what it is about or who is in it.
Music
God Speed You Black Emperor, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Stone Roses,
Glasvegas, The Zombies, Ramones. Veronica Falls is a band I have
recently discovered. Very annoyed to miss their recent Brussels
concert.
I listen to BBC Radio 3 for classical music and BBC Radio 6 for
alternative and new stuff. I miss my LP collection which always
seems to be in a different part of Europe to me. I guess there is a
reason they invented mp3 although I just love the look and feel of
vinyl.
Shows
Don't have a TV. I do read the TV reviews in the papers though in
order to know what people are talking about. Occasionally I have a
look at something highly recommended on DVD. Usually I find most
television programmes take a good idea and kill it by spinning it
out too long. The first few episodes of The League of Gentlemen
were amusing in a surreal way but nothing near as good as Blue Jam
on BBC Radio 1.
Food
I love to cook. I'm vegetarian for many years now. My first great
discovery was with cooking curries but I don't cook them as often
now as in the past.I mostly like all kinds of mediterranean and
Balkan cooking as they tend to not be meat orientated and use lots
of fresh ingredients. My major indulgence is cheese.
