I am so excited about this site. It is basically a swop shop for books online. Such a neat, beautiful idea and a pure example of social entrepreneurship.
You upload books you have on your shelves and want to shift. Each book equals a number of points. The site contacts anyone who has added your book to their Wishlist and they then contact you if they want it. You then pop it in the post to them...
And what do you get in return? A library of wonderful books to browse and bid for. You create your wishlist and once your desired book is uploaded you are contacted and can get 'mooched', i.e. get it sent to you. You can browse by book, by region (London Central, US, UK etc.) or by people. It could be a great way to track people with similar tastes methinks.
I've uploaded four books and seem to not have enough points yet to 'mooch' a book...I would say that the lack of info on how many points one needs is a slight deterrent. I love the concept though and look forward to playing with it more.
Anyway this is just my early musings on this so I will definitely update as I discover more about it. I recommend you give it a look though. The more users, the more everybody benefits.
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Moonlight by Harold Pinter at the Donmar Warehouse
Following on from our taste of the Donmar from the King Lear viewing earlier this year, we were so excited to get some much-coveted tickets to this amazing theatre. As a birthday gift to one of the gang, we all benefitted last week by going to Harold Pinter's Moonlight.
This was not your typical festive-cheer lark but rather a poignant exploration of family, madness and death. Our enthusiasm to experience the theatre was not to be swayed- a trip to this tiny space is enjoyment enough.
The play itself proved to be angst-ridden glimpse of a family in despair. You couldn't help but wonder throughout how the parents and their three children came to this point in their lives, and in their relationships. The past weighs heavily in their interactions but at every stage we were kept in the dark.
As a member of the audience you were searching to understand the root of tragedy that is left so consciously unexplained. This uncertainty combined with the intense emotion was heightened by the intimacy of the space (sitting in the front row, our knees were inches away from the actors at one point).
Just at the moment when you felt clarity would dawn and perhaps there would be some release, the play comes to an end. After a brief hour and a half you were left in a limbo trying to figure out the fate of the family. On reflection, this was a masterstroke on the part of the playwright as it mirrors the turmoil each of the characters feel.
So wow, not a lighthearted way to spend 90 minutes but nonetheless enjoyable. I would say don't stray toward Pinter if you're feeling anything in the way of melancholy... but rather in the mood for a good post-show dissection over a drink having been release while its still daylight!
The Donmar is a gem in the West End...I look forward to the no-doubt six month wait 'til I can finally get a seat in there again.
This was not your typical festive-cheer lark but rather a poignant exploration of family, madness and death. Our enthusiasm to experience the theatre was not to be swayed- a trip to this tiny space is enjoyment enough.
The play itself proved to be angst-ridden glimpse of a family in despair. You couldn't help but wonder throughout how the parents and their three children came to this point in their lives, and in their relationships. The past weighs heavily in their interactions but at every stage we were kept in the dark.
As a member of the audience you were searching to understand the root of tragedy that is left so consciously unexplained. This uncertainty combined with the intense emotion was heightened by the intimacy of the space (sitting in the front row, our knees were inches away from the actors at one point).
Just at the moment when you felt clarity would dawn and perhaps there would be some release, the play comes to an end. After a brief hour and a half you were left in a limbo trying to figure out the fate of the family. On reflection, this was a masterstroke on the part of the playwright as it mirrors the turmoil each of the characters feel.
So wow, not a lighthearted way to spend 90 minutes but nonetheless enjoyable. I would say don't stray toward Pinter if you're feeling anything in the way of melancholy... but rather in the mood for a good post-show dissection over a drink having been release while its still daylight!
The Donmar is a gem in the West End...I look forward to the no-doubt six month wait 'til I can finally get a seat in there again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)