2020 Q1 | 2020 Q3 | 2020 Q4 | 2021 Q1 | 2021 Q2 | 2021 Q3 | 2021 Q4 | 2022 Q1 | 2022 Q2 | 2022 Q3 | 2022 Q4 | 2019 Q4 | 2019 Q3 | 2019 Q2 | 2019 Q1 | 2018 Q4 | 2018 Q3 | 2018 Q2 | 2018 Q1 | 2017 Q4 | 2017 Q3 | 2017 Q2 | 2017 Q1 | 2016 Q4 | 2016 Q3 | 2016 Q2 | 2016 Q1 | 2015 Q4 | 2015 Q3 | 2015 Q2 | 2015 Q1 | 2014 Q4 | 2014 Q3 | 2014 Q2 | 2014 Q1 | 2013 Q4 | 2013 Q3 | 2013 Q2 | 2013 Q1 | 2012 Q4 | 2012 Q3 | 2012 Q2 | 2012 Q1 | 2011 Q4 | 2011 Q3 | 2011 Q2 | 2011 Q1 | 2010 Q4 | 2010 Q3 | 2010 Q2 | 2010 Q1 | 2009 Q4 | |
Welcome to my Blog! Anybody, providing he knows how to be amusing, has the right to
talk about himself. -
Charles Baudelaire Not even I understand everything I am ¬Aurelius Augustinus of Hippo 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.). |
WORLD PRESS PHOTO EXHIBITION 2020 | PHOTOJOURNALISM WORLD Visited the World Press Photo Exhibition 2020 in De Nieuwe Kerk, @Amsterdam today. www.worldpressphoto.org [21JUN2020]
|
BROKENWOOD MYSTERIES | CRIME FICTION TV-SERIES ![]() The Brokenwood Mysteries is a New Zealand detective, drama tv-series that premiered in 2014. The programme is set in the fictitious New Zealand town of Brokenwood and was filmed in the greater Auckland region. Detective Inspector Mike Shepherd (a role by Neill Rea) is sent from Auckland to Brokenwood to investigate a local police officer. en.wikipedia.org:_The_Brokenwood_Mysteries [19JUN2020]
|
FATAL REMEDIES by DONNA LEON | BOOKS CRIME FICTION ITALY ![]() Donna Leon (b.1942- in Montclair, New Jersey) is the American author of a series of crime novels set in Venice and featuring the fictional hero Commissario Guido Brunetti. In the early hours of the morning Commissario Guido Brunetti is called to his own police station where his wife is being held after deliberately breaking the window of a travel agency. Paedophilia plays only a peripheral part in the story. It is rather more about greed, corruption and infidelity. Brunetti is a rather conservative Italian male with strong family principles. It never ceases to amaze me that he goes home for lunch and how Paola has the time (she teaches English literature -like Donna Leon did- on a University) for waiting on him hand and foot. Other titles by Donna Leon are discussed on (a.o.) MyBlog 2015Q1, 2018Q2, 2019Q1, 2019q2. en.wikipedia.org:_Donna_Leon [18JUN2020]
|
MR. KAOR YAMAMAMOTO by LEX BOON | NOVEL BOOKS ![]() An arty hotel in Volendam (The Netherlands) has been receiving handwritten letters for decades. Sometimes as many as four arrive in a week. They all contain the same text, including an inquiry as to the weather. Occasionally, without further explanation, a sample of a Japanese shampoo or cream is included. The letters have been unopened in the trash for years: they are always the same. Signed, with black pen in a scratchy handwriting, is the sender: Yours sincerely, Mr. Kaor Yamamoto. This little mystery arrives on the desk of a journalist, Lex Boon, for the possibility of an article in a newspaper, Het Parool. Slowly the mystery begins to grow on him. Who is Mr Yamamoto, why does he write these letters and why is the text always exactly the same? The team for unraveling this mystery grows to the hotel's general manager, a woman in Amsterdam with the same name and able to translate plus an artist living with her. After considerable effort Mr Kaor Yamamoto is contacted by phone, but they become none the wiser about Mr Yamamoto's motivation. A trip to Japan seems inevitable. www.meulenhoffboekerij.nl/author/lex-boon www.meulenhoff.nl/producten/mr-kaor-yamamoto-9789402314472 (NL) [10JUN2020]
|
THIRTEEN HOURS by DEON MEYER | BOOKS CRIME FICTION ![]() Deon Godfrey Meyer is a South African thriller novelist, writing in Afrikaans. His books have been translated into more than 20 languages. He has also written numerous scripts for television and film. Recently I have read 'Fever' by him, this book 'Thirteen Hours' (NL: 13 Uur) is my first Bennie Griessel novel by Deon Meyer and what a pleasure it was! 13 Uur is both the Afrikaans as well as the Dutch title, first published in 2008 (English title: Thirteen Hours - published in 2010). I can't remember when I have read such a high paced novel! Set in Cape Town, post Apartheid, there is a lot of political and social fact in the book as well as a great fictional story. Bennie, the protagonist, is a detective of police, a former alcoholic and struggling with an upcoming divorce and empty bank account. He is dealing with his problems amidst two murder inquiries and trying to outrun the bad guys in locating a young American woman who knows too much. Griessel (pronounced 'Krie-zil') has a constant storm in his head, not the quiet analytical type, and he is under considerable pressure for he is coaching both police detectives handling the inquiries, understaffed as the police forces are in South Africa. Nothing short of a pageturner, I must make it my business to read that first Bennie Griesser novel Devil's Peak! And then there are all the other books by Deon Meyer to consider, including another 5 Bennie Griessel novels at least! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deon_Meyer [10JUN2020]
|
LA TREVE (THE BREAK) | TV-SERIES CRIME FICTION DRAMA ![]() The Break (French: La Trêve, 'The Truce') is a French-language Belgian crime drama tv-series. When a patient with a troubled past is accused of killing a baroness, psychiatrist Jasmina Orban turns to Yoann Peeters for help. But he's reluctant to get involved, he's changed his career to teaching in a police academy and fears he may fall back in his psychotic trauma. Karim and Marjo, policing the town of Musso from a container in the woods, receive orders from HQ in Bastogne (Bastenaken) to double check certain aspects of the investigation with only Dany as a suspect. Karim has ambitions but not the required qualities. Yoann breaks in at Tilleul's home and finds photos of Astrid involved in a group that could be Magma. Yoann has regular conversations with an apperance named Sebastian Drummer, a deceased from the first series. Drummer seems an inner voice but then the bar Yoann frequents for a lonesome drink has a singer on some nights, Coralie, and he has a conversation with her. One time he and drops her off at the woods where she says she lives. Only to find later that the bar never had a singer and when Yoann investigates the woods he finds the gravestone of Coralie... When Karim is found to have tampered with evidence, his partner Marjorie (Marjo) takes side with a re-energized Yoann. Some plotlines appear but soon vanish into thin air such as dinner with Yoann's neighbours which proves unsettling for Yoann and Camille; there is now follow up. The same for the artistic group Magma, only mentioned but never thoroughly investigated. www.imdb.com [06JUN2020]
|
LINE OF DUTY | TV-SERIES CRIME FICTION DRAMA ![]() The first series of Line of Duty, consisting of 5 episodes, began broadcasting on 26Jun12 on BBC Two. While I have come across episodes of the 6 series sofar broadcasted I have avoided recording them as I intended with starting with the first series. Now that is done I expect to follow up on the other series as I quite liked what I saw. [03JUN2020]
|
FOUR SEASONS IN HAVANA | DVD CRIME DRAMA SERIES ![]() We follow lieutenant Conde (Jorge Perugorría) as he solves crime, beds beautiful women and navigates the corruption and politics of his Havana police department. Another narrative has, amidst the scalding summer of Havana, the body of a gay young man and son of a diplomat found, leading Conde to a world of sexual possibilities as well as a political minefield. Cuatro estaciones en La Habana is an 8 episodes (4 narratives) Spanish-language tv-series released in 2016 . I found it quite entertaining though the fact that Conde (in his heart of hearts a writer rather than a policeman) found a love interest (all stunningly beautiful) in every investigation became quite predictable and a bit of a nuisance. The gathering of friends show an insight in the state of affairs in Cuba. They all become staggeringly drunk on rum while Conde plays the few (one?) LP's of Creedence Clearwater Revival. The closest I have come sofar to Cuba though I was close to visiting Cuba once for vacation. www.imdb.com [01JUN2020]
|
SMALL WORLD by MARTIN PARR | PHOTOBOOKS 'Small World' was first published by Dewi Lewis Publishing in 2007, but was in fact an updated version of the 1995 publication, containing 30 new images. My edition was published in 2018, again by Dewi Lewis Publishing. It has an introduction by Geoff Dyer. 'Small World' is a biting and very funny satire in which Martin Parr observes global tourism and the tourist’s search for authentic cultures that are themselves destroyed in that search. There is certainly food for thought here. Martin Parr (b.23May1952) is a British documentary photographer, photojournalist and photobook collector. He is well-known for his photographic projects that take an intimate, satirical and anthropological look at aspects of modern life, in particular documenting the social classes of England and more broadly the wealth of the Western world. Parr's unmistakable eye for the quirks of ordinary life has made him a distinctive voice in visual culture for more than 30 years. Known for his use of garish colours and esoteric composition, he has studied cultural peculiarities around the world from Japan to America, Europe, and his home country of Britain. The book both fascinates from a photography point of view as well as entertains for its sense of humor, often only to be discovered by taking a closer look. So pleased with this book! www.magnumphotos.com/photographer/martin-parr/ [24MAY2020]
|
TOKYO COMPRESSION - FINAL CUT by MICHAEL WOLF | PHOTOBOOKS Michael Wolf (b.30Jul1954 – d.24Apr2019) was a German artist and photographer whose work focused on daily life in big cities. He was born in Munich, Germany, and was raised in the United States, Europe, and Canada. In the 2010 book 'Tokyo Compression', Wolf presented portraits of Japanese people inside crowded Tokyo subway trains who had been pressed against a window. The books contains an essay by Christian Schüle, 'Tokyo Subway Dreams - Underground Meditations'. Ever since I have seen Michael Wolf's work on exhibitions I have wanted to add his work to my photobook collection. I hope to collect more. en.wikipedia.org:_Michael_Wolf_(photographer) [22MAY2020]
|
JAPAN IN 100 KLEINE STUKJES door PAULIEN CORNELISSE | BOOKS CULTURE WORLD ![]()
www.tellerreport.com/life/2020-05-18-paulien-cornelisse [22MAY2020]
|
MACBETH by JO NESBO | BOOKS CRIME FICTION ![]()
Rarely do I give up on books, only a handful over the past 40+ years or so, but after 20o pages I still felt uninspired by Nesbo's writing. [22MAY2020]
|
JACK IRISH, SERIES 2 | TV-SERIES CRIME FICTION DRAMA HUMOR Little has changed in terms of setting from the first series: Jack (Guy Pearce) works on a minor land dispute and regularly visits his local pub while he also is too nice to say no to biddings by Harry Strang (Roy Billing) who is getting back in horse racing and betting. Former love interest and journalist Linda Hillier (Marta Dusseldorp) of Jack is with Orton (Jacek Koman) living in Manilla and trying to adopt the young girl she helped saving in the first series. Cam (Aaron Pedersen) is still Harry's 'enforcer' and occasionally provides back up for Jack in dodgy situations. Sometimes Bernard provides back up for Jack but he isn't too reliable. Against her good sense Simone (Kate Atkinson) provides IT services for Jack. Jack likes to keep his life simple and he isn't quite a heroic action man so he gets occasionally beaten up, thrown in the boot of a car, left in the middle of nowhere. Then again he becomes romantically involved with a very attractive psychiatrist. The plot is good again, having to do with pharmaceutical research and students from India. Linda gets involved for an article and there is good banter and much irony with all involved including Stan the pub's landlord, the old geezers Eric and Wilbur in the pub (down to two) and police D.I. Barry (Shane Jacobson). Gus (Tiarnie Coupland), a teenager and granddaughter of Charlie Taub (who passed away), seeks and withdraws from Jack's guidance, adding a new dimension in this series. Plenty of fun and a good crime story, again adapted from the detective novels by author Peter Temple to which the second series was dedicated, as he died in March 2018. Could we possibly hope for a 3rd series, for this comes close to the ideal crime series for me with a twist of dry humor! en.wikipedia.org:_Jack_Irish www.imdb.com Myblog 2020Q1 for Jack Irish - serie 1 [18MAY2020]
|
KILLING EVE - SERIES 1 | TV-SERIES CRIME FICTION DRAMA ![]() Killing Eve is a British spy thriller tv-series, produced in the United Kingdom by Sid Gentle Films for The show has been highly successful in both the United States and the United Kingdom, receiving critical acclaim for both the first and second series, particularly for its writing and the lead actresses' performances. [12MAY2020]
|
TRACES | TV-SERIES CRIME DRAMA ![]()
[07MAY2020]
|
MRS WILSON | TV-SERIES DRAMA ![]() Mrs. Wilson (formerly known as 'The Wilsons') is a 2018 British historical drama tv miniseries starring Ruth Wilson (of 'Luther'-series fame). Based on a true account, the actress plays her real-life grandmother, a widow who uncovers a mysterious and secret life following the death of her husband. It first aired on BBC One in the United Kingdom on 27Nov2018. After the sudden death of novelist and ex-Secret Intelligence Service man Alexander Wilson, his wife Alison is forced to investigate when mysteries from her husband's past come knocking. We see how they met in WWII, both working for military intelligence and both sworn to secrecy. Two boys are born out of this marriage and she is devoted to her husband and her children. But Alexander is assigned to undercover work and to facilitate this he gets a dishounorable discharge for an assignment in Egypt, shortly before the big battle at El Alamein. Their life is one of poverty and for another undercover assignment Alexander is sentenced to jail. But each time he resurfaces with money in the pocket and his books seem to sell really well. There is switching between past and present. Alison is preparing the burial of Alexander who died of a heart attack. But the deceased is claimed by another Mrs Wilson... And there is an adult son of this marriage. Alison learns that Alexander spent time there, never missed a birthday but never stayed for the night. A church service is done according according Alison's preparations, but the deceased is buried in the cemetery of his first wife. Alison keeps the details hidden from her sons. Then Alison hears about another wife, one Dorothy whom Alexander married in India, shortly before the war and supposedly as part of his undercover work there! Alexander's handler in the wartime intelligence service and MI6, Coleman, insists on Alison to stop digging and darkly suggests that, if she persists, she may jeopardise her sons' futures. Faced with conflicting explanations of her husband's past and a startling revelation about his work, Alison finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew. Fascinating drama, esspecially because of the role by Ruth Wilson and the connection with her real-life grandmother! www.imdb.com en.wikipedia.org:_Mrs._Wilson_(tv miniseries) [07MAY2020]
|
VIENNA BLOOD | TV-SERIES FICTION CRIME DRAMA ![]() Vienna Blood is a 2019 British-Austrian psychological thriller tv-series set in Vienna, Austria in the 1900s. Based on the Liebermann novels by Frank Tallis. Max Liebermann (Matthew Beard), a student of Sigmund Freud, helps Detective Oskar Rheinhardt (Jürgen Maurer ) in the investigation of a series of disturbing murders around the grand cafes and opera houses of 1900s Vienna. Max is a stoic, somewhat nerdy person, often distrusted for his psychological approach (a novelty) to the murder mysteries. He is betrothed to Clara and Max parents are well pleased with their relation. But Max becomes fascinated by forensic expert Amelia Lydgate: British and not Jewish. A continuing sub-theme is the growing anti-Semitism against the Liebermann family. Very entertaining historic crime drama, with three murder mysteries in 6 episodes. www.imdb.com en.wikipedia.org:_Vienna_Blood_(TV_series) [07MAY2020]
|
BLACK CHERRY BLUES by JAMES LEE BURKE | CRIME FICTION ![]() Case #3 for alcoholic Cajun ex-cop Dave Robicheaux (The Neon Rain, Heaven's Prisoners) sends him and his adoptive daughter Alafair to Montana on a quest for the usual justice and revenge. Robicheaux is never exactly likable. While he's still troubled by dreams about his murdered wife Annie, his disreputed but old friend Dixie Lee Pugh turns up in New Iberia with a tale about two men killed in Montana over an oil lease. On Dixie's request Robichaux makes some inquiries, although he really does not want to get involved. And he promptly stirs up a hornest nest. He gets a visit by Dalton Vidrine and Harry Mapes and receives threats to his household. Then Robicheaux does a typical thing thing for him: he goes after Vidrine and Mapes with a tire chain-and next morning he finds himself arrested for Vidrine's murder... Mortgaging his house and bait-shop to post bail, Dave takes off for Montana, looking for evidence that will get him off the hook. His adopted daughter Alifair travels with him so he can keep her close by and safe. Dave's investigative technique is confrontational and uncouth, he's frustrated with lack of perspective, refuses helping hands by old friends who are probably involved in illegal dealings, alieniates others. I have enjoyed a few other titles by James Lee Burke, the prose is bold and macho. There is too much florid detail to my taste in how he perceives his Louisiana livelyhood and about his murdered wife. In the past I could devour such descriptive storytelling about the American Life, but I have grown very tired of the US (Trump & GOP: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() www.kirkusreviews.com/.../james-lee-burke/black-cherry-blues/ [07MAY2020]
|
DE PEST by ALBERT CAMUS | BOOKS HISTORIC NOVEL ![]() La Peste | The Plague
[07MAY2020]
|
SPIRAL a.k.a. ENGRENAGES - SERIES 7 | TV-SERIES CRIME FICTION ![]()
Joséphine leaves Edelman's law firm, with Solignac as a client. Solignac offers her an office and money that will enable her to defend Lola, her fellow jailbird. An amazing feat to maintain the high level of suspense and drama in this 7th series! www.imdb.com [28APR2020]
|
AGENT HAMILTON | TV-SERIES CRIME DRAMA FICTION ![]() I remember watching 2 films with Mikael Åke Persbrandt in the role of Agent Hamilton, enjoyed them very much! Equally so liked this series, with Jakob Oftebro in the role of Carl Gustav Hamilton. Hamilton walks through the streets of Stockholm, on the lookout for one or several persons in a gathering crowd for a political event. A series of explosions detonates in what seems like a terrorist attack. Hamilton has arrived in Sweden only days before this incident and is on a mission of the CIA where he completed a training. The CIA allowes him to be drafted by the Military Intelligence (OP-5) as the interests could converge. Hamilton's CIA mission is to locate a terrorist named Abdullah. Carl's CIA contact is Farrin Haig (Rowena King ). Secretly she also commands another CIA agent, Mykhailo 'Mike' Tyraschenko who has become a friend of Carl during training. It is obvious that Carl is kept in the dark about scenario's beyond 'Abdullah'. Kristin gets into trouble privately when her marriage (with a young daughter) comes apart. Lovely roles by all! Krister Henriksson and Nina Zanjani I remember from (a.o.) the Swedish Wallander series (much batter i.m.o. than the British series). Annika Hallin played roles in Beck and Wallander (a.o.). The Carl Hamilton novels are a series of novels by Swedish author Jan Guillou centered on the fictional spy Carl Hamilton. [24APR2020]
|
COLD COMFORT by QUENTIN BATES | BOOKS CRIME FICTION
![]()
Police Sergeant Gunnhildur 'Gunna' Gísladóttir has been seconded from running her village police station to Reykjavík's Serious Crime Unit on a "permanent temporary basis", taking on the responsiblity but not pay grade of her superior, who is on extended leave due to health reason. We have a murder victim. Svana Geirs seemed to be living well beyond her means. Years ago hers was one of the most recognizable faces on television and in magazines and newspapers, but her career went downhill. Cold Comfort sees the investigation progressing in small steps, with insights in Gunna's personal life and rather meagre facilties of the police department, served in a wry and somewhat cynical but amusing style. Quentin Bates is a journalist and author, but also translates Icelandic novels into English. I will certainly seek other work by him! graskeggur.com/books
[24APR2020]
|
WHITE HOUSE FARM | TV-SERIES CRIME DRAMA TRUE STORY
A gripping narrative over 6 episodes. [14APR2020]
|
ENDEAVOUR MORSE - SERIES 7 | TV-SERIES CRIME DRAMA ![]()
Only 3 extended episodes and the Endeavour Morse series continue to accomplish a high level of drama and entertainment, one can only hope an 8th series will be in the making.
[14APR2020]
|
BLUE SKIES OVER BEIJING by MATTHEW E. KAHN & SIQI ZHENG
Since the 1980s, energy consumption in China has soared as a result of rapid economic growth and urbanization. Most of this energy is supplied by fossil fuels, primarily coal (66 percent in 2012) and oil (20 percent). In Blue Skies over Beijing: Economic Growth and the Environment in China, Matthew E. Kahn and This book consists of 10 chapters, two brief appendices, an extensive end notes section and the index. Chapter 1 introduces readers to China's environmental challenges and provides an overview of the book. Readers learn about some of the advantages and disadvantages of life in Beijing from Zheng and two informants. The authors note that the Chinese government has eased restrictions on the internal passport system (hukou), allowing citizens more freedom in choosing where to live. They also introduce the environmental Kuznets curve, which "posits that as poor cities grow wealthier, such economic growth causes environmental degradation, but that as middle-income cities grow wealthier, such economic growth contributes to economic improvements". muse.jhu.edu/article/678675/pdf [06APR2020]
|
SLOW DOWN... LOOK AGAIN by LOUIS J BOTHA | PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOBOOK
All the photographs were captured by Louis over the last four to five years (since 2015). He used a 1975 Hasselblad 6 x 6 medium format film camera.
[05APR2020]
|
CHEAT | TV CRIME DRAMA SERIES
![]()
[04APR2020]
|
DEEP WATER | TV CRIME DRAMA SERIES
![]() Three women living in Windermere dealing with jobs, relations and life in general.More drama than crime but I soon caught on. www.imdb.com [04APR2020]
|