I was excited . . .

Then I read the article properly :

“Hugh Grant has signed up to star alongside Halle Berry and Tom Hanks in the big-screen adaptation of Cloud Atlas.

The film, out next year, is based on British author David Mitchell’s best-selling 2004 novel, which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

The unconventionally-structured novel of interlinking narratives charts the story of one soul across the centuries.

Oscar-winners Halle and Tom have already been announced as stars of the film, which also features British actors Jim Broadbent, Jim Sturgess and The Hour’s Ben Whishaw.

The movie is being directed by the Wachowski brothers, who directed and wrote the Matrix trilogy, and Tom Tykwer, who directed Perfume.

Filming begins this month and is expected to take place in Glasgow – the recent location for Brad Pitt movie World War Z – Spain and Germany. It has not been announced which role Hugh, who last appeared in the comedy Did You Hear About The Morgans? with Sarah Jessica Parker, will be playing.” [The Press Association]

Tom Tykwer made an awful rendition of Perfume, a fabulous book, which had me in tears of frustration and disappointment.

Bias in the Book?

I was listening to a Radio National Late Night Live podcast as I came to this morning.  In Woman of the Wall (listen here) Philip Adams speaks to Israeli activist Anat Hoffman.  Ms Hoffman tells of the increasing power of ultra othodox Jews in Israel that is leading to segregation. In Israel women must ride at the back of the bus, if all the women’s seats are taken they have to wait for another bus. Women are only allowed to pray at a certain part of the Wailing Wall.  And in a country where the political and the spiritual are supposed to be separated, these rules are being enforced by the police.

Geraldine Brooks did not talk about this in her book, perhaps because the subtitle is The Hidden World of Islamic Women, but was she also showing, in the guise of trying to understand, a bias against Islam???

Either way the podcast makes interesting listening.

Heidi

September Meeting

Apologies : Catherine, Margaret, Katie, Mary

Attendees : Gabrielle, Vic, Sharon, Heather, Heidi, Trish

Meeting : No new business.  Next meeting will be on7th October at Catherine’s where we will be discussing When Colts Ran by Roger McDonald.

Discussion : This book provided plenty of discussion about what is percieved by the West as the plight of women in Islam. While trying to approach the book with an open mind, the many stories of women in high and low positions brought us much closer to understanding why they accept a curtailed life. The book was rated quite highly with a final score of 3.8.