Mr Favourite Books

I was asked the other day for some book recommendations to pass on for use as Christmas presents. Naturally this made me think of books I have read and enjoyed over the years. Now being the type of person that I am, I rather like lists so I thought I would compile a list of my 10 favourite books. Although this list will appear as a numbered list, it does not particularly reflect the ranking of the book within the list. As the title of the blog suggests, it's more of a stream of consciousness and the titles are noted down as they occur to me. So without further ado:

1. Casino Royale - Ian Fleming. Bond has been a life long passion for me. I love just about everything about it and this book was the starting point. Ian Fleming sat down to write the best spy story ever written and this is the result. Whether it is the best Bond book or not is a subject for discussion another day but as the start of something wonderful it deserves a place.

2. Looking for Trouble - General Sir Peter De La Billiere. I am a huge fan of the military autobiography genre and there are many books that have a good case to be on this list. I picked this particular for a couple of reasons. Firstly, because it is so incredible. The truth really does beat fiction in some cases and this is one. If some of the feats achieved in this book were shown in the cinema, audiences would scoff at how utterly impossible they were. Secondly, the narrative throughout the book is fantastic. Not only is the author an excellent storyteller, recounting events from his own life, he expertly puts them in a wider social and military context.

3. Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle. Again I love the genre of crime fiction and I had to be quite strict with my self to stop myself picking more than one "whodunit". Sherlock Holmes was picked because, in my opinion, he was one of the best and no doubt has subtle influences on contemporary crime fiction. Most lifeguards will secretly (or drunkenly) admit that Baywatch played a part in them becoming a lifeguard and likewise I'll bet most crime novelists will give Conan-Doyle some of the credit.

4. Chart Throb - Ben Elton. I think this is a fantastic comic novel (but from the man who wrote Blackadder do you expect much less?) For those of you who haven't read it, it's an amusing satire on Britain's got Talent/X-factor style programmes. Elton has written a lot of satirical novels in the past where current affairs of the day are only thinly disguised by the characters however I think this one is one of the best.

5. Schott's Whisky Miscellany. As you may have guessed I love lists, trivia and wondering off on interesting little tangents. This book provides all three in buckets and combines them with a vast amount of fascinating information about whisky... something about which I'm passionate. There is the perfect balance between basic knowledge, detailed technical stuff, funny asides and misty heather-strewn hillsides.

6. Whisky Kitchen. Continuing the whisky theme, this book is my favourite cook book. Even if the recipes didn't contain whisky, the food suggested is incredible, easy to prepare but still challenging if even one feels like pushing one's boundaries. Having learned a lot of basic techniques from this book I have gained confidence to start experimenting.

7. Vander's Human Physiology. My degree was in Human Biology and I still remain fascinated by the subject. This is one of the text books that I used throughout my degree and for that alone I view it with a great deal of fondness. But even stripping away the nostalgia I think it's a great book. It's clear, well laid out and explains most complex concepts now.

8. The Witches - Roald Dahl. When I was younger I absolutely adored pretty much anything which emerged from Dahl's pen. The Witches was one of my favourites (although trying to pick an out and out favourite from his work is like trying to pick the most adorable puppy in a litter). This one was chosen also because it was a personal milestone for me. When I was younger I had this as a talking book. My young self was terrified by the spooky theme music until one day I decided to face my fears and listen to the rest of the tape. Naturally I found out that the rest of the story was rather good and for a long time afterwards I felt rather proud of myself for daring to listen.

9. Five go to Billycock Hill - Enid Blyton. Enid Blyton was another favourite childhood author and contributed greatly to my love of books. She is probably also directly responsible for my love of crime fiction. This particular tome was chosen for no other reason that I can remember the title and vaguely remember the plot.

10. My 10th book I really struggled with; not because of my lack of inspiration but because there are so many I would love to put in this post. I will settly for Billy by Pamela Stephenson. A book about a comedian was always going to be funny but this is a book about a comedian by his wife who is also a comedian. As you can imagine, it's hilarious; even the bits that aren't meant to be. An example of this was when I was on the bus reading about the child abuse he suffered when he was younger... with tears of laughter running down my face. There are times when his wife puts on her psychiatrist's hat too giving one a fascinating insight into Billy's consciousness.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed my ramble through what I would consider as some great books. If you have read/are thinking of reading any of them, let me know what you think of them.

JR

Skyfall, an actual review...

Right, after my gushing post the other night here is a more sensible review. I stand by my gushing but let me go into a bit more detail as to why.

Firstly, there's the casting. All the actors are absolutely wonderful (sorry for sounding like a luvvie but it's true). Daniel Craig is spectacular as Bond; his portrayal really does ooze the "back to Flemming" approach he talked about. It's difficult to put into words but without doubt he nailed it with just the right combination of physicality, self-loathing and humour which makes up the character. The only trouble is the poor man seems to have developed an allergy to shirts: at any rate he took them off at every possible opportunity!

Dame Judi Dench was absolutely mesmerising as M. Unlike most of the previous films, her character was integral to the plot (and there was a plot this time thank god). She and Craig sparked off each other wonderfully creating a kind of chemistry which has never been present between M and Bond in the films before (it has been alluded to in the books with M asking Bond to complete a number of assignments that are not strictly official). She was also a vehicle for a detail which I rather liked and I hope was intentional. Without going into detail, the plot explores the an increasingly bureaucratic parliamentary management on MI6 who see the way things are done now as outmoded and useless. The message is largely, beware change for the sake of change and ignore the old ways at your peril. So that's the general idea backed up (I think) by M covering herself in a travelling rug on the journey up to Scotland. No big deal in itself but the tartan of the travelling rug was that of the Black Watch, a Scottish army regiment which was dismantled in a round of government "streamlining"(/cuts) despite it's history and it's proven record of efficiency and effectiveness. Maybe I'm over-thinking things but, to me, it was one of a number of real-world events explored in a fair bit of detail showing the franchise is not all about mindless escapism.

The villain, played by Javier Bardem, was superb. A portrait of unhinged evil. Unusually his motive wasn't world domination but in some ways that made him even better.

"New Q" also deserves a mention. I was dubious if anybody could fill the lab-coat of the late Desmond Llewelyn. John Cleese, much as I like the rest of his work, did nothing to dispel this. Ben Wishaw doesn't do so either but he certainly stands along-side. Previous gadgets issued by Q branch were name-checked (the exploding pen being one, the signature recognition PPK being two for the price of one) and new ones added but never in direct competition. In a way, it's a good example of the mood of the film in general; it acknowledges the past associated with the Bond films while taking ownership of the present and moving it forward. A risky strategy but one that was spot on here.

Before I look at other aspects of the film I can't progress without mentioning the undisputed star of the show. A silver Aston Martin DB5 registration BMT 216 A. When it appeared on screen, a cheer when up from the audience and quite right too. And it wasn't just there as window dressing. It featured heavily in the plot towards the end. Yes, we know that in real life there is as much chance of a spy driving an Aston Martin as there is of me winning Miss World but what's Bond without the suspension of disbelief and a good dollop of fantasy.

Since I have mentioned a brand already, now seems like a good time to mention product placement. Bond has always had a history with product placement. In the books Flemming mentioned items as a reference to luxury and only got rewarded afterwards. In the early films as well, certain things were used because they were commonly accepted as the best but the brands were still name checked. Latterly, as advertising kicked off, brands paid more and more to have their products featured in the films. All of this lead to a huge hubbub late last year when it was announced Heineken were going to contribute to the funding of the film. There was outcry about the idea of Bond drinking beer (despite the fact that he does so frequently in the books and films thus far) and worry that the label was going to take over the film. In the event, yes beers were drunk but they were never ostentatiously consumed and always in situations where the consumption was appropriate. This was the same of all the other brands featured (and who had undoubtedly paid to have done so) as I was in no doubt would be the case given both producers have been involved in the franchise for most of their lives. They know it's not going to be a one hit wonder and therefore have to keep an eye on the future and ensure Bond isn't just one long advert. The one exception to this, disapointingly in my view, was the watches. Everyone knows Omega has been linked to Bond since 1996 and everyone knows Bond wears high-end wristwear. The watch was going to become famous and feature heavily in the film however I thought, at times, it was a bit "in your face", almost as if the watch was wearing Daniel Craig rather than the other way round. It wasn't quite worn on top of the shirt cuff but at times it wasn't far off. I thought that was a bit of a shame really since Omega have established a link with the franchise that is up there with the most secure.

One final thing I will comment on before I bring this ramble to a close was the return of humour. The last couple of Bonds have been rather lacking in this department (probably as a response to the increasingly cartoonish nature of the Brosnan years). In Skyfall it is back and not before time too. Rather than go down the one-liner route, it usually takes the form of pithy verbal interaction between the characters. It stops short of all-out banter but at the same time is sharp and witty. There are some points which are laugh-out-loud funny but at no point do you get the feeling that the actors are playing for laughs. Like I say, spot on!

There are one or two other features of the film I can't discuss because it would give away some fairly major plot twists and i don't want to spoil it for anyone who has yet to go and see it. Suffice to say, Skyfall is set to become one of the all-time great Bonds. May there be many more like it.

Go and see it if you have not already done so. I can't urge you strongly enough.

JR

Skyfall at Last

So that was it. The culmination of three years of waiting. I have finally seen Skyfall. My mind is still reeling. I will write a fuller post on it when I've had time to absorb and process what I've seen (and maybe see it again) but in short, it is truly wonderful; easily the best Bond in the last 20 years. It could even be on a par with Goldfinger in my estimations. Potentially it could be regarded as genre-defining although only time will tell on that one.

I'm not going to discuss any of the details at the moment so I don't spoil it for those anticipating seeing it in the near future but let me say, go and see it as soon as possible. It delivers everything one would expect of a Bond film and so, so, so much more.

Earlier I described it as the Bond equivalent of eating at a Heston Blumenthal restaurant (where Goldfinger is more akin to eating at Gordon Ramsay). In short, Goldfinger is classic in it's style but at the absolute pinnacle with it. Skyfall is easily recognisable as a Bond film (as Heston's creations are recognisable as food) however the presentation and delivery on both counts is mind-blowing and takes you to places you didn't think possible.

I know I'm gushing like a schoolgirl here but I make no apologies for it. This is truly a masterpiece of the franchise combining innovation (not a concept I'm usually a fan of as you will know from previous posts) with lots of references to the past; some subtle, others more tongue in cheek. Not only that but there are references to events in the real world of intelligence (although I can't go into them without revealing a major plot twist). It's definitely one for the diehards like myself but still accessible to the uninitiated (as confirmed by the Missus - although I'm gradually filling the gaps in her education to date). Sir Roger Moore described Skyfall as one of the best Bond films ever when I saw him on Tuesday. I took this description with a large pinch of salt thinking there was an element of hyperbole in his claim. I retract those thoughts unreservedly.

There are many bits of trivia and observations I will note down in a few days time (once I can safely make observations without spoiling the surprises for too many people) but for now let me leave you with a fact and an observation.

The observation is that the best Bond girls all seem to be French for some reason. Carole Bouquet, Eva Green and the most recent offering (who's name escapes me) along with several others have all been French. My theory is - if you will forgive the generalisation - that this is because no other girls on the planet can smoulder like French girls. There are many that are equally as pretty if not more so but they lack the same sensual, sultry qualities. Whatever the reason this trend is carried on in Skyfall.

The trivia (which I love) is that the stunt driver for the film is Ben Collins. Some say he was unfairly dismissed by the BBC for writing about himself and that he has an unhealthy fetish for the colour white. What we know is that he was the Stig (the anonymous racing driver on Top Gear for anyone who has been living under a rock). This adds another twist of slightly chauvinistic Britishness to the mix. The choice of Collins for the stunt driver is made better still by the fact that he did serve with the SAS for a while adding another connection to the shadow world of our intelligence services and special forcer.

Go see it. See it at the earliest possible opportunity.

JR

In the Presence of Greatness

This week has been quite a week and there's more to come. It has been a time of landmark events and life's high points.

As you may have guessed, I am a bit of a fan of the James Bond franchise and this week has been rather heavy on Bond events.

Let's start with today and work backwards. Today Skyfall goes on general release; the 23rd Bond film is released on the anniversary of the release of Dr. No, the first one. My tickets for a screening tomorrow are nestled in my wallet and I can't wait. So far the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. My own will be going up soon.

But let's go back a few days. On Tuesday it was the Royal World Premier of Skyfall at the Albert Hall. The entire street in front of the front entrance was covered in 007 logos, themes from previous films were being pumped out and one of the most famous characters of all made a guest appearance; the Aston Martin DB5.

Daniel Craig arrived in a Range Rover of all things (unusual in that it is a car I both would and wouldn't associate with Bond) and was greeted by a roar from the crowds. I can't begin to imagine what he was feeling then but to be the recipient of such adoration must be incredible. More so because, at that moment, he knew he was the living embodiment of James Bond (even if his watch was a Rolex rather than an Omega - yes folks, I am that sad). Craig, in my opinion, is a truly magnificent Bond and richly deserves the reception. What impressed me more was the way he ignored the army of pretty PR girls trying to shepherd him up the red carpet and spent time interacting with fans and signing autographs. From interviews he has given, I get the strong impression that he genuinely respects the fans of his films generally and especially Bond fans given the nerdy love most of them have. He also gives the impression of being a genuine Bond fan which is always a good thing.

After Craig's arrival came the rest of the cast and crew in suitable red carpet style. Notable among the attendees were the Rolls Royce from Goldfinger. Another nice touch was the Rolls from View to a Kill being used. The car in the film belonged to the producer Cubby Broccoli and on Tuesday his daughter Barbara, the current producer, was the one to arrive in it. That's just cool!

So was I at this spectacular event? Was I screaming like a teenage girl at a boyband concert? Much as I would have loved to be there, I wasn't. I watched it on youtube. I was at the Albert Hall the next day but sadly for a far less auspicious event. The whole place was cloaked in anticlimax.

On Tuesday night I was in the ultra-glamorous location of Basingstoke. Was I disappointed to be there rather than in London? Apart from the natural disappointment of not being in London generally, not a bit of it. I had a wonderful evening at the one event on the planet that could equal the Royal World Premier of Skyfall. I was at 'An Evening with Roger Moore'.

Roger Moore is the actor with the most Bond films to his name. He has had seven outings ranging from Live and Let Die to View to a Kill and on Tuesday I spent a fabulous evening listening to him tell stories from his illustrious career (although surprisingly little about Bond). More men have walked on the moon than have played the main role in a Bond film and I got to spend the evening in the company of one of them.

Although occasionally showing his age, Sir Roger was on fine form. He was witty, charming, naturally suave and exuded a natural warmth. The evening was aided by a compère asking Sir Roger questions about his life and career. He clearly knew his stuff and never tried to take over the process. What really impressed me was that the whole evening was unscripted. As well as being naturally hilarious a lot of the anecdotes told were extremely risqué however he is one of those men that can say the most outrageous things and still not sound smutty. As well as talking about his film career, Sir Roger talked at great length and with obvious passion about his career as a UNICEF ambassador. It was genuinely touching to hear him talk with such passion and conviction about sharing the gifts that he had been bestowed upon him with others.

The event that sealed the night to perfection was of course when he quoted his line... "My name is Bond. James Bond." Wonderful.

So a bit of a Bond-themed week. I am now counting the hours until I take my seat in the cinema and see the film I have been eagerly anticipating for years.

JR

Faith in Humanity

My faith in humanity has been (partially) restored. Being a bit of a sad geek, I was looking at the stats on my blog. It turns out that my post on living like James Bond has been read as many times as one about Kate Middleton topless. It seems that, attractive as the prospect of Mrs Wales naked is, people aren't so obsessed with it as to ignore everything else. I am suitably reassured about human nature.

JR

The Month to Come

It's October already. That's come as more than  a bit of a surprise. Where has the year gone? More pertinently, why the hell have the shops got their Christmas stuff up already? Seriously. October!? Bah humbug.

But before I turn into J EbineezeR (see what I did there?) let's switch back to the positive. This month is shaping up to be quite a month. First off, this weekend I'm going up to Scotland (well this weekend and for quite a bit of next week). It is nicely coinciding with my mother's October holidays so, since I'm STILL not working I thought I might as well spend a few days up there. Not only will it be a nice change from staring at the walls here, it will allow me to spend some quality time in Scotland which, sadly, is something I don't often get to do. It is usually limited to rushed weekend trips.

As well as seeing parents and having some pre-emptive birthday celebrations for my mother (she has her birthday later in the month... note to self; send card) one of the main reasons for going up to Scotland this weekend is the ten year reunion of the people I was in Africa with. It is slightly scary to think that this was ten years ago. Since then a third to half of us are married/engaged, most have gone through Uni. (at least once) and have embarked on proper careers. This adventure was undertaken in our final year of school and it's slightly scary to think how much we have changed since then. Despite that, I am confident we will pick up like we saw each other yesterday. Friendships will be renewed and invigorated and hopefully it will provide stimulus to stay in touch for another ten years. It's still slightly scary to think that it happened all that time ago.

Also this month is my second anniversary with my girlfriend. Neither of us can quite remember/decide/agree on when we got together so we decided to set the date at Halloween: cue all sorts of jokes - go on, I've made them all already. Plans for celebration are still somewhat embryonic but I'm sure we'll think of something.

Finally there's an event which I've been waiting for for at least two years. Something that has loomed large in my consciousness and calender for a long time. The hype has been building for months now, aided by the fact that there's a significant anniversary of it's basic concept. Syfall, the new James Bond film, is being released at the end of the month on the 50th anniversary of the Bond film franchise. Bliss. I can't wait. So far what I've seen looks promising (although that wouldn't be hard after Quantum of Solace) now the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. Bring it on.

So that's what's in store for me for the next few weeks. Happy October.

JR

Living the James Bond Lifestyle

It's almost upon us. Skyfall is a mere weeks away from being released. The James Bond franchise has been with us for fifty years. All in all this is something of a momentous year in history. As you can probably guess, I'm rather excited by the whole thing.

Now to the point of the post; a quick guide to living the James Bond lifestyle. There have been several books written on this subject by terribly knowledgeable authors. They are all well worth a read. Each one offers a slightly different perspective and slightly different advice. None are what I would call definitive; but then again the following paragraphs won't be either. The main reason for this is that Bond himself was written to be a blank canvass. Someone to project yourself on to rather than the other way round and as such the interpretation of his lifestyle is almost endlessly variable. But let's have a go anyway.

It would be easy to say that in order to live the Bond lifestyle one simply has to go for the best of everything. This is true to a point but is also a bit of an over-simplification. To start with, these days it's not quite as easy to work out what the best is. Back when Bond existed only between the pages of book and his early forays into film Rolex made the best watches, Turnbull and Asser the best shirts, Gieves and Hawkes the best suits and Rolls Royce the best cars. It was, to an extent, that simple. Dapper gentlemen such as Bond would sport these items like a uniform. Of course deviation was possible but there was limited scope and even more limited desire.

Nowadays identifying the best is getting a lot more complicated. A very simplistic idea could be to go for the most expensive but that, I think, would go against the spirit of what is trying to be achieved. Bond was in the fortunate position of never really being short of money. That said, he was most certainly not what could be called wealthy. Therefore the most expensive option may well not have been the most sensible option for him. Not only that, but expensive these days can often mean ostentatious: something which both Bond and Fleming hated.

The films could always be used as a guide however I'm sure we are all wise to the concept of product placement. That's not to say that the products used aren't good ones - they usually are - but they often lack "Bondness" for want of a better term. For example, I find it rather hard to believe Bond would write with a Parker Jotter (although conversely I think the choice of a ball pen rather than a fountain pen was a good one). Equally his choice of a BMW Z3/Z8 in the late '90s was a bit far fetched even then. Before I sound like I am having a go at the Pierce Brosnan era, the safari suits and digital watches of the Roger Moor era stretched credibility a bit too. Even if product placement is excluded, recently items have been chosen for availability rather than because they're the best. The strongest example of this is the suits worn by Bond from Goldeneye onwards. Most come from the Italian firm Brioni. Now they undoubtedly make excellent suits but the main reason they were chosen was because they had the capacity to make sufficient numbers of garments for filming. The numbers vary for each film but essentially, Bond needs several copies of the same suit to withstand the rigours of filming.

Right, that's how not to do it. How does one create one's own Bond lifestyle then?

My first piece of advice is know yourself. Bond is a man who knows what he likes and isn't afraid to ask for it (while still being open to trying new things). Therefore, you need to get to develop your own preferences based on your tastes and budget. This applies to pretty much everything from how you take your coffee (and indeed which coffee you drink) to which watch you wear and everything you can think of in between. It doesn't have to be expensive, it doesn't even have to be the one Bond himself uses it needs to be your personal preference. An integral part of Bond's character is that he takes pleasure from detail and having things 'just so'. By developing this attribute in yourself, I think you are then well on the way to creating your Bond-esque existence.

All that sounds a bit wooly and nebulous? Let me try and boil down a few key points.

Clothing. Always opt for the smarter end of the dress code whatever the event. Don't be afraid of wearing a tie (you can always take it off and put it in your pocket). Go for classic style rather than fashion a) it has more Bondness and b) it allows you to invest slightly more knowing that items purchased will have a longer lifespan.  Develop your own style be that single/double breasted, cufflinks, tie pins or a host of other little flourishes. Trainers however can stay in the shop. If you're on an extremely tight budget, have a look in both charity shops and vintage shops. Often high-end items can be picked up for fractions of their original price; go for classic styles and the fact that they are older won't show.

Accessories. As a rule go for functional elegance. Bond's gunmetal cigarette case is a case and point. It's not going to be shiny or particularly pretty but it will get the job done and it won't look out of place either in a suit pocket or in less formal settings. The same is true of his watch. Throughout the books and the first few films he wears a Rolex Oyster initially on a military canvass strap then later on a metal strap (usually stainless steel). This again lacks ostentation but is still elegant. Avoid bling at all costs. however conversely, bear in mind that just because it is useful, doesn't mean it can't look good. Think about investing in good every day items such as wallet, pen and watch which will reflect your personality (and no doubt your elegant, suave self!).

Food and drink. This is where knowing what you like and dislike will really come into play. It is also where you have to be most open to trying new things. I think the main key to this is learning the basics. For example, learning the basics of flavour combinations will allow you to look at a menu and understand a bit about what the dish will be like. This will then allow you to order confidently and, if you know the company you're in or are a good judge of people, order on behalf of others too. Similarly, knowing the basics of wine will allow you to navigate a wine list with confidence. By this I mean have a rough understanding of different regions and different grape characteristics. Learning a few key words and their real world meanings will allow you to order wines to go with situations with aplomb. Do the same for other drinks and you can be confident that you will come across as knowledgeable and sophisticated. Being aware of which drinks are appropriate in which occasions will also help meaning you avoid any faux pas. When making choices, be prepared to justify them and explain them; this will mean you don't look like you're pulling things out of mid-air and hoping for the best. The other key element here is being prepared to try suggestions made by others. Even if you don't think you will like them, give it a go and see. You might be pleasantly surprised, you might not be but try it anyway.

Right, that covers a lot of major lifestyle areas and conveys the main points. To recap, you want to look elegant and sophisticated without appearing bawdy or ostentatious and you want to appear knowledgeable and sophisticated without being geeky or overbearing. Ultimately, you want to be able to either have a valid opinion to give or be confident enough in your own tastes to form one swiftly. These principals can be carried forward to almost all situations, the key is doing some research before hand so you can go into the situation with a bit of knowledge about you. When Bond was first created a great general knowledge would have been essential together with an ability to learn things quickly. Today we are lucky... we have Wikipedia!

Hope you enjoyed.

R... JR!