Today I was lucky. At around 5 this afternoon, while looking out the window, I could see not one but TWO beautiful rainbows. I tried to capture them, all I had in hand was my cellphone, here, the results:
         

I've had no luck with the little animals I have found lately. Early this year, while on a stroll with Frida, we stumbled upon a little bird and decided to bring him home. It was very cold and windy, not really the time of the year for little birds to be born, the best thing seemed to be to bring him home. We thought he was doing alright during the first two days, he ate and even flew around the apartment. Then, one morning, he appeared to be sleeping in the shoe box that we adapted as a nest, but he was actually dead. This was such a heartbreak, as he seemed ready for his release in the wild! I really don't know what went wrong, but I can't stop wondering if there was anything else I could have done to help him. Rest in peace, Cachacuaz.

Last Friday I decided to go to the movies. I wanted to watch Alatriste (Agustín Díaz Yanez) but the show was sold out. This certainly caught me off guard,  though I should have considered Viggo Mortensen's effect on the female hearts and the box office. I ended up watching Man cheng jin dai huang jin jia (The Curse of the Golden Flower).  This movie had called my attention since last year (with its Oscar nomination and all) but it hadn't opened here in Mexico. I was rather enthusiastic since the director, Yimou Zhan, had also been responsible for such wonderful movies as Shi mian mai fu (House of the Flying Daggers).

It takes place in the Forbidden City, during the Chinese Tang dynasty. The movie is certainly grandiose in its visual impact, the decoration of the sets is remarkable, saturated with rich colors, designs, carpets, flowers, you name it. The costume design is also quite fantastic, though they might not be totally accurate. Everything is absolutely gorgeous, not to mention the two leading characters: Yun-Fat Chow (Anna and the King) plays Emperor Ping and Li Gong (Memoirs of a Geisha) is Empress Phoenix.

Nevertheless, the plot did not leave me completely satisfied: at some points it seemed I was watching a Mexican soap opera, with the exaggerated dialogs and tragedies. Even though I was captivated right up to the end, the resolution left me feeling disappointed.  I felt it was missing something.

In spite of this, the film, I would say is worth watching, particularly if you respond positively to beauty, this movie's greatest asset. 

 

 

 

If you are looking for something which is both fun and thought-provoking, look no further. Barbara Kingsolver's book is that and more. It is set in the Congo's fight for independence from Belgium, where an evangelical Baptist takes his four young daughters and his wife to "save needy souls". Needless to say, his actions will develop in tragic ways within the very different and very complex Congo. The Poisonwood Bible is a parable of epic proportions that follows the disintegration of a family and a nation.

I think there are many notable things in the book, but one that I think is a key player creating the impact on the reader is the choice of narration, which turns it into something palpable, completely believable. There is something for everyone, and thus, we all have the chance to get a better understanding of what is going on.

The book can make you laugh at times and it can also make you want to cry. It gives you the chance to reflect on many controversial subjects such as religion, politics, race, sin... Kingsolver says she waited for "nearly thirty years" in order to get "the wisdom and maturity to write this book" exploring, what she calls, "the difference between righteousness and what is right". Herein lies the core of the book, its greatest contribution, in my own particular view.

I recently read this book and was totally blown away by it. I was surprised by this since my favorite genre is fiction. I have, of course, enjoyed some non-fiction writing, but never an 800-page historical account. Nevertheless, Martin Gilbert's work was captivating, enlightening and very VERY enjoyable. Reading it was like watching a very exciting movie. Many emotions are evoked as you move through the chapters, and when you finish one, you simply want to move on to the next. 

The London Times writes about this book: "A Bayeux tapestry in its day-to-day presentation of events, but a 'Guernica' in its impact." I think this is exactly what I enjoyed most about it, while noting down all the important events, Gilbert personalizes the conflict, no longer in abstract numbers but in individuals and their suffering. A remarkable accomplishment, erudite and human, that helps the reader understand not only what happens, but the reasons behind the events. 

I now am looking for something similar covering the modern history of the Middle East. My interest has been sparked by several books I've read recently which have made me notice how ignorant I am about those countries and would like to start learning. Does anyone have a suggestion?

 

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is, in many ways, an amazing book. Set in Afghanistan, the story is unveiled by a young boy who is part of the last generation of Afghan children who did not know the sound of falling bombs and guns. This was the early 1970's, before the Soviet Invasion and the myriad tragedies that were to befall that country. In spite of the powerful plot, complex and endearing characters and thought-provoking themes, what delighted me the most was the window it  opened for me, a foreigner in every sense of the word, into that country which I had only known from the disturbing images in the news. Afghanistan was transformed in my eyes, no longer inert and distant, but alive, flawed and wonderful, as most societies are.  

I would certainly recommend this book, and I believe I am not alone. Even though it was published only a couple of years ago, a movie based on the novel is set to open in the US on November this year. It is directed by Marc Foster (Finding Neverland). It will be very interesting to see the adaptation, and how the powerful images the book created in my mind come to life. 

 

 

 

 

Chavela passed away late at night last Saturday, September 9.  It seems it was pneumonia. She will be greatly missed.

One of my favorite things in life is a good short story. The kind that resonates and you never forget. Today, on my way home from work, I reread an excellent example: the haunting "Half a Day" by Naguib Mahfouz. In my opinion, it is the allegorical quality of the charaters, actions and setting the principal element of its success. There is not much room for mistakes in a short story, in this one Mahfouz has managed to create an enticing narrative that completely surprises you in the end. 

The central allegorical implications of this tale are a commentary on the human condition; an entire life span is experienced as only "half a day" in the school of life. The story also alludes to the cycle of life, whereby the narrator passes through childhood, middle age and old age in the course of one day. Critic Rasheed El-Enany, in Naguib Mahfouz, has called "Half a Day" a "technical tour de force. " El-Enany explains that "brief as it is, the story must count as the author's most powerful rendering of the dilemma of the gulf between observable time and mnemonic time."

Naguib Mahfouz was born around 1911 in the Gamaliyya quarter of Cairo, Egypts, which later became a favorite setting for many of his works. he is referred to as "Al-Sabir" or "the patient one" by his friends, because he labored in obscurity for many years.

Mahfouz had many interests as a teenager. He liked to read Egyptian detective novels, go to the movies, play soccer, listen to music and visit friends. He has said, "To be able to do all that, I had to divide my time very carefully... I wanted to be brilliant so I had to work hard."

Mahfouz attendd the University of Cairo. He worked in the Ministry of Religious Affairs for fifteen years until he transferreed to a post in the Arts Administration. During these years he continued to write fiction and successful screenplays. The breakthrough in his career came in 1956 with the publication of Between the Two Palaces, which  is now the most famous novel in the Arabic language. Since his retirement in 1972, Mahfouz has written prolifically, producing fourteen novels and five short-story collections. Arabian Nights and Days, a  collection of seventeen interonnected tales first published in Arabic in 1979, has recently been translated into English. Mahfouz received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988. Mahfouz died in Cairo on August 30, 2006.

It was reported today that Australian naturalist and television personality Steve Irwin was killed by a stingray during a diving expedition off the Australian coast. I was deeply saddened to learn this, I really liked his unconventional personality and most of all his views on conservation: he was implacably opposed to the hunting, not just of crocodiles, but of any animal. 

He lived surrounded by wildlife since the day he was born: his parents founded the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park which specialized in rehabilitating ill or injured baby kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and koalas. Thanks to the success and hard work of Mr. Irwin the park grew into what is now Australia Zoo. In their website they posted a note informing the public of the tragic events and noted that Mr. Irwin died doing what he loved most and in complete peace of mind.

May he rest in peace, all the best to his wife and young kids. He was a great man, we will truly miss him. 

 

  

 

 

The strangest thing happened a week ago. Frida and I were coming back from a nice walk on a cool and humid evening when I noticed something on the floor. Did so just in time, I was about to step on a Red Ear Slider (Chrysemys scripta elegans)! They are popular pets here in Mexico, but are not found in the wild. Where she came from and how are still a mystery. She (he?) seemed so lonely and scared we just had to bring her indoors. And yes, Frida seems to like her. We are terribly worried, though. We got her settled that same night in a nice turtle home, but she did not move for a whole day. I guessed she was in shock and needed some time to relax. Nevertheless, she is still quite sedentary and has not eaten anything. Though many websites say that these turtles can go without food for a considerable amount of time, we would truly welcome any word of advice on the matter. If things stay the same during this week, we will have to go to the vet.