Here in Britain, much of our mainstream media is biased. It's hard not to be, and I should think that the majority of our populace are intelligent enough to take the content produced by those mediums with a rather large quantity of salt. However, although the less-than-virtuous nature of those outlets is quite well-known; there is still an attempt made by them to keep it secret. It's only courteous.
Now, correct me if I am wrong, but can we really say this about our buddies in America?
Almost every US news show I have seen is blatantly biased. Even if you were trying to avoid the obvious cult-like worship of certain media outlets in the country; you couldn't. It's just too obvious.
However, there is some redemption to be had against this massive media partisanship that plagues the States. It's people like Jon Stewart. I hadn't heard of this guy before today, but he quickly earned my respect after the spectacular ass-kicking that he gave Crossfire. And he's funny too. The show went off the air a while after - and a lot of people suspect it was because of this.
Here's the video:
Saturday 15 September 2012
Thursday 13 September 2012
Book Review #1 - Blood Hunt
Introduction:
I am going to review a book I have recently read titled "Blood Hunt" by Neil M. Gunn. Gunn was a classic Scottish writer who achieved much acclaim in the country and is even described, on Wikipedia, as "one of the leading lights of the Scottish Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s". Pretty impressive.
Although "Blood Hunt" is not as well-known as some of Gunn's other titles, it is a very enjoyable and touching read. He lives up to his reputation as a fantastic writer and the flaws with this book, if any, are quite insignificant.
Plot:
A little on the plot; I will try to avoid spoilers as best I can. This novel is set in the Highlands of Scotland, around the time of the major technological advances that set the foundations of the digital age in place. It centers on "Old Sandy", a retired seaman spending the last days of his life in a croft with his (very cute!) dog Queenie. His life, on the surface, is peaceful; filled mainly with sweet routine, his pet and deep ruminations on the nature of existence.
However, one day it all changes. A close friend of Sandy's, Allan Innes, commits a crime of passion and a tense chase ensues in the crossfire of which the old farmer is caught. A policeman with a very personal tie to the case is out for revenge. The blood hunt is on, and Sandy must make a very difficult decision that may change the nature of his own existence irrevocably.
My Thoughts on the Book:
I enjoyed this book immensely. The writing flows beautifully, and has the rare ability to hold you entranced in the way that only the written word can. The description in the novel is immaculate; it remains at a steady level that requires little effort to visualize, yet still pulls the reader deep into the rolling hills and wild beauty of the highland environment.
The character of Sandy is fleshed out well - the information on him is not spewed out all at once, but rather produced naturally and consistently throughout the story. He is a troubled character and it is impressed upon the reader that he has doubts about his own purpose and choices, which are only amplified when he is drawn into the murder investigation by a very angry and determined policeman, Nicol Menzies, who is the brother of Robert Menzies, the man killed by Allan. The reader is suddenly introduced to a more complicated Sandy; a very multilayered and interesting character who retains many virtues and faults that we can all relate to. But he has the ability to make the reader laugh, also, with his strange actions and witty thoughts. Summarily, he is a sweet, loving, humorous and conflicted man who is a joy to read about.
I believe the main themes of this story are love, friendship and hatred which are, admittedly, quite common. Although this book was written in 1957, when, perhaps, these concepts were not overused, it does not change the fact that people have seen them many, many times before. That being as it is, this story did not bore me as so many of these other similarly-themed novels have. It seems that its subscription to these common concepts does not hinder its ability to hook the reader. On the contrary, it amplifies that ability. The struggle within Sandy; whether he should support his friend, even after he committed a crime, or whether he should turn him in, is represented masterfully through the thoughts and actions of our protagonist. The policeman's hatred towards Allan is mostly reflected eerily through his long silences, cold stares and dark dialogue; rather than through shouting or violence, which, almost paradoxically, makes it much more effective.
Final Thoughts:
All things considered, I would recommend this book very highly. Not only is it a good read, but it offers a valuable insight into the past and poses many important philosophical and moral questions. It shows how the strength of love can actually weaken our human morality, and that the human species retains a wild and conflicting nature. Lumping these interesting themes together with the strong protagonist and masterful writing, this book offers something that is not easy to find; a simple, but effective story dealing with difficult, but nonetheless valid truths.
9/10
I am going to review a book I have recently read titled "Blood Hunt" by Neil M. Gunn. Gunn was a classic Scottish writer who achieved much acclaim in the country and is even described, on Wikipedia, as "one of the leading lights of the Scottish Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s". Pretty impressive.
Although "Blood Hunt" is not as well-known as some of Gunn's other titles, it is a very enjoyable and touching read. He lives up to his reputation as a fantastic writer and the flaws with this book, if any, are quite insignificant.
Plot:
A little on the plot; I will try to avoid spoilers as best I can. This novel is set in the Highlands of Scotland, around the time of the major technological advances that set the foundations of the digital age in place. It centers on "Old Sandy", a retired seaman spending the last days of his life in a croft with his (very cute!) dog Queenie. His life, on the surface, is peaceful; filled mainly with sweet routine, his pet and deep ruminations on the nature of existence.
However, one day it all changes. A close friend of Sandy's, Allan Innes, commits a crime of passion and a tense chase ensues in the crossfire of which the old farmer is caught. A policeman with a very personal tie to the case is out for revenge. The blood hunt is on, and Sandy must make a very difficult decision that may change the nature of his own existence irrevocably.
My Thoughts on the Book:
I enjoyed this book immensely. The writing flows beautifully, and has the rare ability to hold you entranced in the way that only the written word can. The description in the novel is immaculate; it remains at a steady level that requires little effort to visualize, yet still pulls the reader deep into the rolling hills and wild beauty of the highland environment.
The character of Sandy is fleshed out well - the information on him is not spewed out all at once, but rather produced naturally and consistently throughout the story. He is a troubled character and it is impressed upon the reader that he has doubts about his own purpose and choices, which are only amplified when he is drawn into the murder investigation by a very angry and determined policeman, Nicol Menzies, who is the brother of Robert Menzies, the man killed by Allan. The reader is suddenly introduced to a more complicated Sandy; a very multilayered and interesting character who retains many virtues and faults that we can all relate to. But he has the ability to make the reader laugh, also, with his strange actions and witty thoughts. Summarily, he is a sweet, loving, humorous and conflicted man who is a joy to read about.
I believe the main themes of this story are love, friendship and hatred which are, admittedly, quite common. Although this book was written in 1957, when, perhaps, these concepts were not overused, it does not change the fact that people have seen them many, many times before. That being as it is, this story did not bore me as so many of these other similarly-themed novels have. It seems that its subscription to these common concepts does not hinder its ability to hook the reader. On the contrary, it amplifies that ability. The struggle within Sandy; whether he should support his friend, even after he committed a crime, or whether he should turn him in, is represented masterfully through the thoughts and actions of our protagonist. The policeman's hatred towards Allan is mostly reflected eerily through his long silences, cold stares and dark dialogue; rather than through shouting or violence, which, almost paradoxically, makes it much more effective.
Final Thoughts:
All things considered, I would recommend this book very highly. Not only is it a good read, but it offers a valuable insight into the past and poses many important philosophical and moral questions. It shows how the strength of love can actually weaken our human morality, and that the human species retains a wild and conflicting nature. Lumping these interesting themes together with the strong protagonist and masterful writing, this book offers something that is not easy to find; a simple, but effective story dealing with difficult, but nonetheless valid truths.
9/10
Introduction
Hey
there!
Just a short introduction to the page:
The 'about me' section in the right sidebar should give you a basic insight into who I am, so this introduction will bypass that and instead highlight the main focuses of the blog.
I hope for the content pool to be constantly expanding; new topics and interests dealt with as and when they become relevant. However, there are a few core subjects that I intend to mention regularly: offering personal commentary on international news stories; book reviews; and possibly submitting some of my own writing.
If this sounds like something you would be interested in, please check back later on. I will hopefully have produced the first post by tomorrow morning. I am just starting out but I am determined to learn and grow quickly.
Thank you for reading!
Just a short introduction to the page:
The 'about me' section in the right sidebar should give you a basic insight into who I am, so this introduction will bypass that and instead highlight the main focuses of the blog.
I hope for the content pool to be constantly expanding; new topics and interests dealt with as and when they become relevant. However, there are a few core subjects that I intend to mention regularly: offering personal commentary on international news stories; book reviews; and possibly submitting some of my own writing.
If this sounds like something you would be interested in, please check back later on. I will hopefully have produced the first post by tomorrow morning. I am just starting out but I am determined to learn and grow quickly.
Thank you for reading!
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