books and movies

"To A God Unknown", the latest in my Steinbeck cycle, is another strong book. A little like the Korean films I saw this weekend, it doesn't have a very strong story, but the writing is beautiful, and he really loves the characters, and he really loves the land, and that's enough. So, while it isn't in the same class as The Grapes of Wrath, or Of Mice And Men, its still very, very good reading.

Interestingly, a quick glance at my sidebar reveals 23 films for the year, and 30 books (The Making of the Atomic bomb was last year, and the dictionary doesn't count). The former is perhaps slightly down on recent years (in turn well down from the mad years of Hollywood slavery), but the latter is way, way, way out of proportion with even my prolific early teens. Films are probably still in the majority, though, when I consider the DVDs I've seen (recently wrapped up a tour of the local Kubrick collection).