HIATUS

As of this Monday, I will be on a 12 day vacation to Kilbear Provincial Park. Instead of blogging, I'll be spending my time reading a few quality paperbacks on the beach, doing some boating, and indulging myself on junkfood and booze. (Responsibly, of course.) In my absence, you might do the following:

Listen to music: May I recommend the Pogues, a band that brilliantly integrated Irish folk music with post-punk attitude. The man behind the band, one scary-looking Mr. Shane MacGowan, when in his prime was arguably the greatest songwriter alive. For a good intro to their music check out "the very best of..."

Read a book: May I recommend Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. It's a fairly light story about a troubled working-class British family with the interesting catch that the narrator, a 15 year-old boy, is autistic. His perspective on what is going on in his life is refreshingly original but never forced or gimmicky. A delightful summer read.

Watch a movie: May I recommend City of God, a Brazilian movie about life in a slum of Rio de Janeiro. Kinetically directed by Alexandre Rodrigues, City of God  reveals a shocking tapestry of the life stories of people involved in violence and crime. Although their brutal actions cannot be excused, the viewer comes to realize that for these people crime equals survival. This is a powerful movie based on real lives, and it should not be overlooked by any lover of cinema.

'Til next time.