Pride and Prejudice

 

Pride and Prejudice

by Jane Austen

"When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited, while he struggles to remain indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy of manners that follows, Jane Austen shows the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes the friendships, gossip and snobberies of provincial middle-class life."

I confess that "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen started off annoying me and ended up enchanting me. Up until about page one hundred I found this book vexing, frivolous and down right tedious. I now count myself as a new convert to the Austen cult.

In this case I think the movie is better than the book and I really loved it. In fact, I really enjoy historical romance and I imagine myself sometimes living in that past time and wearing  those huge dresses.

For those interested, here is the movie trailer:

 

 

Phenix

The phenix, or phoenix, is a mythical sacred fire bird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Turks, Indians and others.

It is described as a bird with a colorful plumage and a tail of gold and scarlet (or purple, blue, and green according to some legends). It has a 500 to 1000 year life-cycle, near the end of which it builds itself a nest of twigs that then ignites; both nest and bird burn fiercely and are reduced to ashes, from which a new, young phenix or phenix egg arises, reborn a new to live again. The new phenix is destined to live as long as its old self. It is said that the bird's cry is that of a beautiful song. The Phenix's ability to be reborn from its own ashes implies that it is immortal, though in some stories the new Phenix is merely the offspring of the older one. In very few stories they are able to change into people.

I've always been fascinated with this mythical bird so here is one of my paintings. Hope you like it.

Fifty Shades of Grey

Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades #1)

by E.L. James

"When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.
Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.
This book is intended for mature audiences."

Recently, this book has attracted much attention on my country. I even saw one of my teachers on the news buying one and talking about it!
However the reviews I read were not conclusive. Some people love it and others hate it:

-"Wow. Wow, wow, wow. I still feel somewhat under the spell of this book. I'm so ... beguiled by it ;-) (book allusion). It was honestly an amazing read - and one which I meant to just skim a few sample pages of, but ended up buying and then staying up the entire night to finish."

-"This book was unbelievably horrible. I mean, really. I hated this book.This was a poorly written, utterly ridiculous, never ending mess as a fan fiction. The writing is insipid and juvenile. The characters are static, one dimensional, and unbelievably vacuous"

Probably I won't give this a try... 

 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium #1)

by Stieg Larsson

"Once you start The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, there's no turning back. This debut thriller--the first in a trilogy from the late Stieg Larsson--is a serious page-turner rivaling the best of Charlie Huston and Michael Connelly. Mikael Blomkvist, a once-respected financial journalist, watches his professional life rapidly crumble around him. Prospects appear bleak until an unexpected (and unsettling) offer to resurrect his name is extended by an old-school titan of Swedish industry. The catch--and there's always a catch--is that Blomkvist must first spend a year researching a mysterious disappearance that has remained unsolved for nearly four decades. With few other options, he accepts and enlists the help of investigator Lisbeth Salander, a misunderstood genius with a cache of authority issues. Little is as it seems in Larsson's novel, but there is at least one constant: you really don't want to mess with the girl with the dragon tattoo." -Dave Callanan

"The Industrialist
Henrik Vanger, head of the dynastic Vanger Corporation, is tormented by the loss of a child decades earlier and convinced that a member of his family has committed murder.

The Journalist
Mikael Blomkvist delves deep into the Vangers' past to uncover the truth behind the unsolved mystery. But someone else wants the past to remain a secret and will go to any lengths to keep it that way.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Lisbeth Salander, the enigmatic, delinquent and dangerous security specialist, assists in the investigation. A genius computer hacker, she tolerates no restrictions placed upon her by individuals, society or the law."

You may see the old or the recent movie. Here are the trailers:

 

Téir Abhaile Riú

Celtic Woman is an all-female musical ensemble  formed by Irish female musicians. They performe repertoire that ranged from traditional Celtic tunes to modern songs. 

I really like Celtic Woman and I would love to see their show. Here is one of my favourite songs: Téir Abhaile Riú.

Bonsai

This is my little Bonsai.

It is only in my hands since 2010, but it still seems healthy.