The Best of 2007

This hasn't been a very busy cultural year for me - but for the record here's the best of the year - For those on the cutting edge of the cultural zeitgeist this may feel like a bit of a time warp as lots most of this stuff is old -it's just what I enjoyed the most this year.

Movies
Parfum - a macabre story - but so beautifully shot that it just enticed me all the way through.
Beyond Borders - fantastic plot, great acting and yes Angelina's lovely but she was just the icing on the cake.

Concerts
The Stones in Nijmegen. It was never a life time anbition to see them - but I'm glad I did. (see blogs passim)

Books
Louis de Bernieres- Birds without wings. This stands head and shoulders above anything else I read this year. I've been reading his work for more than ten years and seen his writing style mature. He just draws you into the plots and the characters by using a range of narrative styles. From the very first page you care about the characters and what is going to happen to them. A hugely evocative account of the demise of the Ottoman Empire and the personal tragedies involved. Haruki Murakami's- Blind willow, sleeping woman- which includes short stories from throughout his writing career has some excellent short stories in it - paticularly the four recent stories that make up the Tokyo series.

Music
I've hardly picked up on anything new this year. My favourite DJ had some emotionally turbulent times this year and was given leave by the BBC to get things back on an even keel. Let's hope that's very soon. We miss your passion for music and sense of humour.

Blogs
A new category. This year I have greatly enjoyed reading stuff by Connor, Emma (Mommy's got a headache) and Nick - all listed on the right scroll bar. Some blogs are all about the oustide world with the bloggers showing nothing of themselves - others are the reverse. The ones I enjoy the most are those that intermesh the two -giving personal takes on what is happening in the world but also paying attention to what is going on inside, which is a balance I have probably not been very succesfully in achieving this year.