Des photos à gogo

Si comme son nom l'indique, l'ouvrage Mes stars se concentrent sur les stars rencontrés par Willy Rizzo, ce dernier ne fut pas qu'un photographe de mode et de stars.

Le livre écrit par le photographe retrace sa carrière de Point de vue, Images du monde à Paris Match, en passant par Hollywood. Le récit est intéressant pour peu qu'on s'intéresse à ce métier, et les photos sont formidables. Aucune photo de paparazzi (métier encore méprisé à l'époque) et pourtant des photos intimes, car certaines stars sont devenus ses amis.

On regrettera le style, un peu trop simpliste à mon goût, mais après tout cet ouvrage n'est pas une ouevre littéraire mais une oeuvre photographique!

Passionate about vintage

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting Sarah De Haro, fellow blogger and more importantly, vintage enthusiast. I have been more or less following her blog, since my fortuitous discovery of it when one day, she announced on her blog that she was opening her doors for a private sale. While she probably has a magnificent collection, my goal in making an appointment with her was simply to get to know someone who has a similar passion for vintage.
She is personable, accommodating and very warm. I was immediately put at ease by her ready smile and willingness to talk about our favorite topic. It was a real pleasure to discuss with her. For Sarah her interest in vintage began about three years ago. Her blog followed a year later. She told me that she didn’t think that there would be such a big following of her blog, but she receives tons of hits on her blog and receives an equally great number of questions on her blog. Mostly she says the questions revolve around where to find different articles of clothing ranging from a 1920’s wedding dress, for someone who wanted to wear it for her own wedding, to questions on where to find swinging 60s outfits. For hard-core enthusiasts, the best place to find quality pieces is at the famous Puces de St. Ouen. Of course it goes without saying that these pieces are not necessarily what you would wear while traipsing around the streets or while traversing the caverns of the Metro. For vintage outfits that you want to wear in your daily life, there are a number of stores in Paris specializing in such.
From an appreciation of the quality of vintage clothes as well as an appreciation for the uniqueness of each piece it is obvious that her interest has evolved into a real passion. So much so that she is coming up with her first book on vintage stores in May. For lovers of all things vintage, this is welcome news.

Dans la veine du "Parrain"

"Il était une fois dans L'Ouest" est peut-être le film le plus connu de Sergio Leone (mais vu sa filmographie, il est dur de n'en choisir qu'un), et si Il était une fois en Amérique est tout aussi renommé, il était bien plus dur à trouver.

L'attente valait le coup. Dernier volet de la trilogie (composée par "Il était une fois à l'Ouest", "Il était une fois la révolution"), le film se suffit à lui-même.

Noodles, incarné par un Robert de Niro magistral, revient à New-York après trente ans d'absence, et se souvient de son ascension en tant que caïd.

On passe des années 20 à la fin des années 60 (sauf erreur de ma part) avec une facilité déconcertante. Et on y croit. On partage la nostalgie de Noodles pour ces années folles, la beauté des gens, la facilité de la vie (pour les truand). On (re)découvre les aspects plus noirs de cette époque: la prohibition, la violence, l'opium (remplacée aujourd'hui par l'héroïne), et pourtant une certaine dignité et savoir-vivre chez ces caïds. Aujourd'hui, un président de la république dit "casse-toi pauvre con" à ses citoyens, à l'époque, même les grands truands avaient de la classe, quelle déchéance. L'une des dernières scènes où Noodles rencontre son traître est d'une telle beauté qu'elle est à prendre en exemple pour l'humanité du personnage.

Le film dure trois heures, mais on redemande (heureusement le DVD collector comporte des bonus). Un must à voir et à revoir!

Imposture réelle ou psychologique?

J'avais adoré "Tout ce que j'aimais" de Siri Hustvedt, et en avait inondé tout mon entourage. En voyant qu'elle passait à Paris pour une séance de dédicace de son nouveau roman, j'ai foncé jusqu'à ma librairie anglo-saxonne préférée (The Rd Wheelbarrow Bookstore, cf. lien) afin d'avoir le temps de m'en imprégner afin de la rencontrer.

La lecture m'a cependant laissé un goût d'inachevé et de djà-vu. Peut-être est-ce dû au fait que je l'ai lu en anglais, alors que j'avais lu son premier roman en français; cela aurait cependant dû être un avantage, les traductions étant toujours moins bonnes que les versions originales, quel que soit le traducteur.

L'histoire de famille ne m'a pas paru particulièrement originale, et cela m'a fait pensé aux romans de Paul Auster (dont elle est la femme). Authentique ou psychologique, je ne saurais le dire, mais c'est un sentiment fort déplaisant. Une rumeur courrait comme quoi Paul Auster l'aurait aidé; j'en doute vraiment, mais si cela était vrai, cela ne serait pas plus invraisemblable que ça.

Enfin la fin est décevante. Certes l'énigme est résolue, mais elle n'était de toute façon que prétexte au récit de l'histoire de famille. On se sent laissé sur le pavé par l'auteur, qui semble-t-il ne savait pas comment faire évoluer ses personnages.

On ajoutera aussi que certains paragraphes auraient pu être évités. Est-ce dû à notre siècle de plus en plus porté sur le sexe? Je ne pense pas être particulièrement prude, et les scène de sexe ne me gênent pas quand elles apportent quelque chose et qu'elles se fondent à l'histoire. Ici, le narrateur cherche à séduire une femme qui le maintient à distance pendant tout le roman, donc je ne vois pas ce que cela apporte. Et ces quelques paragraphes assez crus tranchent avec l'écriture, toute en finesse et en délicatesse.

J'attends la rencontre avec l'auteur, peut-être n'ai-je rien compris à son propos!

Pour ceux qui veulent se joindre à nous:

http://www.villagevoicebookshop.com/author_events.html

Pour un long après-midi pluvieux...

... quoi de mieux qu'une bonne séance de cinéma, d'autant plus quand on sort d'un déjeuner dominical et pascal? Le bonheur de s'enfermer dans une salle de cinéma, lorsqu'il pleut dehors. Avec un film des années 1954, la déconnection avec le monde réel est assurée.

A Star is born présente l'ascension du personnage incarné par Judy Garland, découverte par un célèbre acteur, incarné par James Mason. Le pygmalion épousera sa muse. En parallèle au succès grandissant de sa femme, on assistera à la déchéance de l'acteur impuissant.

Film du mythique Georges Cukor, le film a cependant quelque peu vieilli, et nous ne sommes guère plus habitués à des films de trois heures. Le début est un peu long, et pour ceux qui n'aiment pas les comédies musicales, cela peut être particulièrement ennuyeux (et pour peu que vous soyez en train de digérer un repas pantagruélique, il est difficile d'échapper à l'assoupissement). Mais comme la tenacité paie, la deuxième moitié du film est bien plus intéressante humainement et psychologiquement.

George Cukor innove aussi techniquement en faisant parler ses personnages sur des images fixes. Procédé fort intéressant, mais l'intelligence m'a manqué pour savoir pourquoi cette scène là était choisie en particulier, et quel en était l'effet. Je savais que j'aurais dû faire des études de cinéma...

On admirera également les talents de danse de Judy Garland, et on sait désormais que Liza Minellien a hérité et les a mis à profit dans l'excellent Cabaret.

Un bon moment donc pour peu que vous ayez quelques heures devant vous à consacrer à votre culture cinématographique.

A place to find tranquility within

In this day and age, being fit is no longer simply the concern of celebrities and stars. Everyone has a sport or two to keep healthy. Given such a state of things, a variety of options has become available to everyone, even those who are sport averse like me. What I particularly enjoy doing is yoga. While yoga first came to attention as part of the new wave movement, I think it is now as well accepted and well regarded as the more traditional sports. New wave or not, it is a great way of finding an inner balance, increasing body strength and flexibility. As with all other sports, you leave the class feeling fit and energized.
Having started my yoga practice in the Philippines, it was one of the first things I wanted to re-establish in Paris. Given the previous language barrier, the initial challenge was finding a studio that had classes in English. Happily I found it with Rasa Yoga Rive Gauche studio. Located at rue St. Jacques in the fifth arrondissement and literally a walk away from the Notre Dame, Rasa is a tranquil and beautiful place to start a yoga practice. Behind the first unprepossessing doors, the Rasa studio is a wonderfully sky lit place with white washed walls and polished wooden floors. It has a spacious welcome area where one can peruse various yoga books and mats as well as separate dressing rooms for men and women. The actual practice area is wide enough to accommodate a good number of people and I love the sky lights above that open up so that we always have light and fresh air. In addition to being a yoga studio, they offer spa service and massage therapy. Recently they were included by the Travel and Leisure magazine in their list of the 25 best yoga studios in the world.
What is great about Rasa (aside from all other considerations) is the great variety of yoga styles present. Vinyasa is the main practice taught but there are classes as well on Iyengar , Kundalini, Anusara, Mysore and even children’s yoga. And there are at least two levels taught for each type of yoga. The teachers are wonderfully knowledgeable and always willing to guide and answer questions. Despite the obvious high level of competency of each yoga teacher, there is never any feeling of pressure that one must do all the poses perfectly. In fact they take pains to show a variety of poses that responds to each individual’s capacity. There is always a feeling of encouragement in every practice and one feels the need to take a brave step further in the practice. Whether you are a beginner or a veteran Rasa is the place to find like minded souls in the practice of yoga.

Skin Hunger

I’ve always loved fantasy and science fiction. Say what you will, there’s something about a well written one that takes you away from the humdrum and the mundane in a way that all the other kinds of fiction never do. That is why it is such a great pleasure to discover new authors. Kathleen Duey who wrote Skin Hunger was my lovely recent discovery.
Skin Hunger (A Resurrection of Magic) is the first of a planned trilogy. It tells the alternating story of two teenagers living generations apart but whose lives are somehow intertwined far more closely than they (or us for that matter ) think. Sadima lives at a time where magic is feared and reviled and practitioners are hated. However, she herself has an affinity for magic and when her father dies she comes to the big city to live with two magicians who are working to legitimize magic and to restore it to its noble purpose. The alternate chapters tell the storey of Hahp. He is the second born son of a wealthy man who sends him to the Magicians Academy where only one out of ten boys will live to become a magician. In Hahp’s time, magic is reserved only for the wealthy.
This is a deeply absorbing novel that grips you from the initial pages till the cliffhanger end. The characters are well drawn, with their flaws and their strengths and are worth rooting for. The story is never condescending and is intelligently told. You genuinely want to know what happens to Sadima and Hahp and how their lives will finally intersect. Even readers not particularly fond of the fantasy genre will appreciate the well told story of two people trying to make their way in a difficult world.

Making a discovery in a favorite place

The Place des Vosges is one of the prettiest squares in all of Paris. It is full of history and charm and as such is packed frequently with tourists and residents who want to spend a pleasant hour or two in the park. I’ve always liked it with its red and cream buildings and the little square of green in the middle. And I have found another reason to like it even more. Just off on one of the side streets of the Place is a little restaurant called Le Petit Marche which is a delightful little place to have lunch after walking around and shopping in the Marais. While not very big, it has a warm and cheerful ambiance. It seems to be a local place, with hardly any tourists around. And I noticed that there are tables around the terrasse which makes it a perfect place for lunch or dinner once warm weather finally arrives.
The menu features inventive cooking involving hints of Asian cooking. A bit of fusion, you might say. Oftentimes when the word fusion is used in conjunction with a menu, it just means confused, but in this case Petit Marche really does a good job of mixing asian influences with more traditional dishes. I was hard pressed to choose between their regular fish dishes like salmon or tuna. However, since I was a bit pressed for time, I opted for the daily menu which was quite a good deal. It was 14 euros for an entrée and plat, or plat and dessert if you prefer to indulge your sweet tooth. The day’s plat du jour when I arrived was a choice between caramelized porc with gratinee of potatoes or grilled mackerel served with greens. Opting for the seemingly healthier option, I went with the mackerel and absolutely didn’t regret my choice. I was served a hearty double portion of fish grilled just enough without losing the delicate hint of freshness. It was delicious with the side of greens. Of course, my sweet tooth had to be indulged and it was again the right choice. I was served a delicious confection of pain perdu (what we would otherwise call pudding) with a dollop of cream on the side. An altogether delicious combination which fortified me well enough to brave the cold outdoors once again.

There will be blood

Undoubtedly one of the most well received movies of the year is There will be blood based on Upton Sinclair’s book Oil. It was adapted for the screen and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. It is a searing and visceral movie about Daniel Plainview, an oilman, in his own words. It depicts his rise from miner to oil magnate. Much of the story takes place in a town called Little Boston with its newly discovered reserves of oil. Plainview, along with his son H.W. in tow swoops into town and buys up acres of land in order to be the sole owner of the oil. Plainview despite his claims to be a plain speaking man is deceitful, cunning and completely unafraid to do whatever it takes to get what he wants, even if this means committing the foulest of deeds. Perhaps the least of the number of faults that he has is his inability to keep his word. But for this he earns the enmity of Eli, the son of the original homesteader who is also the fire and brimstone preacher of the town. Plainview's unparalleled success is only matched by the depths of depravity that he is capable of.
This movie is dominated by the tour de force performance of Daniel Day Lewis who won the 2008 Oscar for best actor. His performance is all the more convincing for the absence of any superfluous theatrics or acting tics on his part. Instead he completely inhabits the role of Plainview. Perhaps because it was an awe inspiring performance, actor Paul Dano (who previously played in Little Miss Sunshine) in his role as the preacher gives a spirited performance that holds its own against that of Day Lewis. Together the two play against each other beautifully and to the audience’s great benefit. The film likewise benefits from a well written script and brilliant cinematography that captures the barrenness of the land and the harshness of a life dependent on oil. There are no joyful moments in this movie. What we get instead is a scary portrait of greed and evil. Nowhere is this more evident than in the scene where there is a fierce blaze of fire as the oil is wrenched from the land and by the light of such fire, we witness the triumphant glee on Plainview’s face as he beholds the instrument of his ascension.

Go girl!

J'avais commencé par découvrir Lauren Greenfield par le biais de Thin, son dernier ouvrage. Je suis donc remontée dans sa carrière avec Girl Culture, livre fascinant sur la vision de la femme et notamment de l'adolescente aux Etats-Unis.

Un lien ténu semble exister entre ces deux ouvrages: le mal-être. Si Thin se concentrait sur un microcosme (les désordres alimentaires), Girl Culture élargit le champ des possibilités. Fat camp girls, stripsteaseuses, mannequins, petites fills gâtées, tout l'univers féminin semble présent, et quelque soit leur condition, toutes dénoncent la pression qu'elles subissent sur leur physique. C'est tendre, et cruellement lucide pour l'âge qu'elles ont. Adolescentes et déjà plus aucune innocence ou lueur d'optimiste. La vie est dure et elles le savent.

On ne voudrait pas élever ses enfants dans ce monde là, et pourtant il est en train de nous rattraper. Certes, nous sommes heureusement encore en retard sur les Etats-Unis, et il nous reste donc encore quelques années devant nous, mais le mal-être a une propension à se développer à grande vitesse.

Chaque femme se retrouvera dans ses photos, et dans les témoignages.Et chaque homme devrait être tenu de le lire, afin de comprendre ce que nous subissons, et ce qui pourrait expliquer certains comportements féminins apparemment totalement irrationnels.

A dose of history

I have always been fascinated by ancient cultures. Some of the best trips I’ve ever had the chance to take have always been to places filled with traces of ancient races and cultures. I love visiting ruins and places which bear the remains of what once was. And ever opportunity to visit or learn more is something I cannot pass up. This is why for me, it was imperative to view the currently on going exhibition on the ancient Phoenicians at the Institut du Monde Arabe.
The Institute itself is a beautifully built modern museum which marries the traditional elements of Arabic art with modern architecture. And it is wonderfully located along the rive gauche facing the river Seine. It even has an impressive bookstore and souvenir shop where you can spend an extra hour after finishing the exhibition.
The exhibit on the Phoenicians is an attempt to enlarge our knowledge of these mysterious people who dominated the seas and the Mediterranean from 800 to 1200 BC. Their main cities were Tyre and Sidon in what is now present day Lebanon and Syria. At the height of their power, they cut a wide swath across the known world, their colonies extending from North Africa all the way to Spain. They were renowned for their sailing prowess, merchant skills and for creating the alphabet. Despite being such a dominant force however, very little actually remains from their civilization. What the exhibit does wonderfully is to present a great variety of extremely preserved artifacts and relics that demonstrate the deep level of civilization that the Phoenicians enjoyed. It is amazing to see how much influence they wielded on Egyptian, Greek and Arabic cultures and in turn how these cultures influenced their own art, writing and culture. Among the artifacts presented were some impressive stelae and sarcophagi for individuals whose names are long lost to us. There were also wonderful statues of some of the deities they worshiped. One of my favorite artifacts was the tridacne which is essentially a particularly large shell which they used as their make up pallet. One can still see a very faint trace of the colors they used.
Informative and interesting, the exhibit is a treat to bring a little of the ancient times back to us. Just before leaving, there is another thing worth doing to really finish the visit on a delicious note. Take the elevator up to the topmost level of the Institute and enjoy a wonderful view of the city while sipping a steaming cup of fragrant mint tea.

Une deuxième Gavalda... (et ce n'est pas un compliment)

Le livre dégouline de bons sentiments et de clichés: la soeur superbe mais froide qui a dominé toute sa vie sa soeur quelconque mais intelligente, se fait finalement prendre à son propre jeu; l'ado rebelle fait une superbe déclaration d'amour (télévisée s'il vous plait!) à sa mère qu'elle a toujours méprisé, l'intello mannequin aime la bonne grosse mère de famille qui s'est fait larguée par son faible mari et peine durement pour élever ses enfants (prévenez moi le jour où cela arrive parce que aucun mannequin intello ne s'est jamais intéressé à la bonne grosse que je suis quand je trimais à la B.U....), les riches contre les pauvres, l'argent ne fait pas le bonheur mais il y contribue, et j'en passe... Le mieux étant que la voisine de palier est en fait la fille illégitime de la Reine d'Angleterre... Si, si....

Et cela dure 600 pages... Les yeux jaunes du crocodile a eu quelque succès, et cela suit la vague des Levy, et Gavalda. Katherine Pancol a réussi tous les ingrédients d'un succès potentiel: du sexe (pas trop quand même, il ne faudrait pas choquer), de la misère (pour faire pleurer dans les chaumières), des paillettes (parce que le malheur ne fait pas rêver, et donc a fortiori pas vendre), des bons sentiments et de la morale. Sauf que la littérature, cela exige un peu plus que la maîtrise du langage parlé, et qu'une excellente histoire, c'est un peu plus qu'un condensé des clichés rencontrés quotidiennement.

Heureusement pour l'écrivain, que les week-ends pluvieux de mars existent, cela lui permet d'avoir un public (les jours fériés, les librairies et bibliothèques sont fermées!).

Dining out finds

In this city which is replete with restaurants, it becomes a bit of a challenge to know where to go. Often it is easier to just go to the familiar places where you know you can have a good meal. It is nice however to make discover new haunts. Here now are some new (at least to us) finds:

La Gazetta- located in quiet side street the 12th arrondissement not far from the Place D’Aligre serves an interesting and daily changing menu. The food is quite surprising and inventive. Because the menu changes daily, the selection is not very large. What is there however is very well done and very refined. It reflects the influences of Scandinavian chef Petter Nilsson who trained at Le Fumoir and the Gard. Lunch is a bargain with a menu of 14 Euros. There is likewise a dinner formule for 34 Euros. What I liked about the place was the warm ambiance present. Whether you are in a dinner en amoureux or with very good friends, one can have a lively time conversing and whiling away the time.

Aux Fine Gueules in the 1st arrondissement is a tiny place which is great to have a hearty dinner with good friends. Since it is rather small, one has to make reservations and there is a chance that you are seated very close to the other guests. The food however is really good, notably their meat dishes. Their speciality is the beef which is served rare, medium rare if the chef is feeling indulgent with his more squeamish guests. They likewise have a choice wine list. Given the quality of the food and wine, be prepared to spend a bit on dinner. One leaves the restaurant completely satiated however.

Dans mon coeur il y a… It was because of the name that I was persuaded to try this restaurant. Another thing going for it was its location in the 10th arrondissement. It is one neighborhood I hardly know so trying out the restaurant was a good way to visit. The restaurant is very atmospheric, designed for romantic dinners. It comes complete with the low lights and plush leather seats. The menu is in the form of an impressive booklet and there is quite a variety, including pasta dishes and salads. There is even a vegetarian selection. Quality wise, the food is pretty good and it is served in big portions.

An immigrant's story

Brick Lane by Monica Ali was first published in 2003 to great critical acclaim. Universally hailed by critics and readers alike, it was even shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize of 2003 and Ali was hailed as one of the year’s best new writers. I had heard of Brick Lane before, thanks to the raves of a friend who was completely enamored of the story. But as there are so many books and not nearly as much time as I would like to devote to them, it is only now that I have had the opportunity to turn my attentions to the book. And while it requires attention, it is well worth the effort.
It is a big sprawling hefty story covering over twenty years of the life of Nazneen, a young Bangladeshi woman. The book begins with Nazneen’s auspicious birth but the real story begins when she is betrothed at the age of 18 to Chanu who is twenty years older than she is and living in London’s Brick Lane. From there it charts their marriage and Nazneen’s life as she makes her way in an altogether foreign world. Her story is interspersed with that of her beloved sister Hasina, who is left behind in Bangladesh. As the book progresses we see the growth of Nazneen as a young woman who believes that she must only bow to destiny’s demands to a self-fulfilled woman, capable of taking things in her own capable hands. And the catalyst for such change is her incendiary affair with a young radical named Karim.
Though Brick Land is the writer’s first novel, there are no missteps that a novice writer may make. It is written with a sure and deft hand. The story never falters and Ali has succeeded in writing a rich and textured story. The main characters of Nazneen and Chanu are fully fleshed and sympathetic in all their flaws. As Nazneen comes to realize that she loves her husband, despite or perhaps because of all his loud posturing that hides a delicate sensibility, so too does the reader come to feel great affection for him. And ironically enough, it is the affair with Karim that makes Nazneen realize the great worth of her marriage. Perhaps the novel’s greatest achievement is the convincing portrayal of Nazneen’s transformation to a self determined and determining woman. It is all the more impressive given her beginnings and the conditioning she has always received.
The book succeeds on another level with its depiction of the immigrant life in Brick Lane. Though the main characters are Nazneen and Chanu, we also meet a host of other characters who have like Nazneen, fought to have a place in a soil not their own. The novel tackles the often thorny issue of trying to transport cultural values and traditions in a different place and the different ways by which people try to adjust. And as can be imagined, this is often fraught with conflict and difficulties. The inclusion of such an element in the book adds another layer of richness to the story.

A blog, a book (part 2)

De même que "there are two sides of a coin", il est toujours intéressant de confronter plusieurs opinions à propos d'un livre. Pink Princess avait déjà présenté "Petite anglaise", je ne vais donc pas le refaire.

J'avais commencé le livre avant de rencontrer l'auteur lors de la signature chez WH Smith le 20 mars. L'expérience est intéressante, je m'étais imaginé un caractère tout à fait différent de celui que je rencontrais "en live". L'image inventée s'efface (avec tristesse) pour faire place à l'image réelle.

Le livre est "gripping", une fois commencé, on n'a pas envie de le lâcher. Certes il y a du voyeurisme, puisque Catherine Sanderson y raconte sans vie, sans détours et sans rien dissimuler semble-t-il. Mais lire son expérience relève aussi de l'amour pour Paris, puisque la Ville Lumière est au coeur de l'histoire.




Une fois l'auteur rencontrée, j'ai eu envie de consulter son blog:

http://www.petiteanglaise.com/

Après avoir lu le livre (ou une bonne moitié), le blog semble pauvre en comparaison. On n'y retrouve pas vraiment l'atmosphère du livre, ou plutôt, on n'y rentre pas. On y lit un article par ci par là, mais finalement, j'ai eu l'impression de lire un extrait (sans importance) d'une personne que je ne connaissais pas, de regarder par le trou de la serrure. Lire le livre en revanche permet de découvrir l'expérience en entier, de ne pas avoir le sentiment d'être un voyeur et un intrus.

Peut-être que la démarche inverse, passer du blog au livre, aurait été différente.

En conclusion, on ne peut que se réjouir du fait que les blogs donnent naissance à des livres, et qui donc donnent naissance peut-être à de nouveaux lecteurs!

Poésie ou roman?

Première surprise en commençant ce livre dont je n'avais jamais entendu parler, et dont l'auteur m'était inconnu... Le roman est écrit sous forme de poésie en prose. Perturbant au premier abord, mais une fois passé l'obstacle, on oublie cette structure non conventionnelle et pourtant si belle. Et quand l'auteur réussit à obtenir et un contenu aussi beau que le contenant on ne peut qu'être subjugué. Le premier chapitre terminé, on ressent le coup de poing à l'estomac, signicatif de la qualité de l'oeuvre.

Deux frères irlandais décident de gravir "la montagne volante", située au fin fond du tibet, et dont la location géographique semble fluctuante. Challenge surhumain mais surtout quête de soi. Solidarité fraternelle mais aussi dissension, La Montagne Volante retranscrit les sentiments humains. Les pesonnages restent définitivement des hommes, et sont loin d'être dénués de défauts, mais on vient à les aimer pour cela. On en ressort magnifié par tant de tendresse pour l'être humain, mais aussi pour la nature.

Le traducteur a dû fournir un travail de titan tant l'oeuvre ne semble pas subir d'altération en passant de l'allemand au français.

Mon seul reproche: le livre ne fournit aucune indication sur l'auteur. A défaut d'en apprendre plus sur lui, il ne me reste que l'option (fort plaisante en vérité) de livre ses autres oeuvres.

Film noir pour averses de mars

Olivier Marshall nous livre après son premier film 36, Quai des Orfèvres, un deuxième film sur la police. Daniel Auteuil rempile pour notre plus gande joie.

Si le film précédent avait pour cadre le siège de la police, MR73 se concentre sur la branche de Marseille. Inspiré d'une histoire vraie, Daniel Auteuil y joue le rôle d'un policier alcoolique, atteint par la cruauté de la vie plus qu'il ne peut le supporter. On salue sa prestation. mais peut-être manque-t-il quelqu'un en face pour pouvoir supporter son talent. Gérard Depardieu tenait cette fonction à merveille dans 36 quai des Orfèvres.

Dans MR73, gravitent autour du personnage central plusieurs caractères, pas forcément inintéressants mais néanmoins un peu faibles.

36 quai des orfèvres m'avait transporté, MR73 m'a intéressé. La nuance se fait sentir.

La cruauté n'a pas d'âge...

Après un premier opus percutant (Thornytorinx), Camille de Peretti récidive et réinvente les Liaisons Dangereuse, version 21ième siècle (preuve que l'homme n'apprend rien de ses erreurs). L'auteur n'a donc rien inventé, et ceux qui ont lu l'oeuvre originale (ou à défaut vu le film Sexe Intentions -honte à moi pour cet aveu!-) ne seront donc pas surpris pas l'histoire.

Et pourtant on est entraîné et intrigué par cet échange épistolaire (d'ailleurs qui tient aujourd'hui une correspondance régulière de nos jours?). Nous sommes cruels ne fait que refleter l'ambiguité de la génération de jeunes adultes d'aujourd'hui. A la fois, perdue, perverse, et pourtant intelligente. Le lieu de l'action est certes un microcosme, mais miscrocosme que nous sommes pourtant amenés à fréquenter.

Son premier roman était d'inspiration autobiographique, et Camille de Peretti continue à semer le doute avec son deuxième roman. Elle garde son prénom (et son nom), et le second personnage principal existait déjà (de mémoire) dans son premier roman. Et son troisième roman Nous vieillirons ensemble (qui vient de paraître) reprend les personnages de son oeuvre précédente.

L'écriture est belle, l'histoire prenante même si déjà vue, mais il faudrait penser à recycler le genre. Car soit l'auteur écrit comme exutoire, ce qui est louable, soit elle n'a rien à dire en dehors du récit de sa propre vie, ce qui serait dommage car elle n'est pas dénue de talent. A elle de s'en servir.

Carpe Diem

At first blush, a movie about two men dying of cancer didn’t seem all that appealing to me. Critics however were all praises, and persuaded by such reviews, we went to see it. I have to say that the critics were right and then some! It stars Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as the aforementioned cancer patients who meet at the hospital room where they are both confined. Despite their different backgrounds and personalities, they strike an unlikely friendship and bond over the travails of cancer treatment and gin rummy. When they are given the news that they have at most a year left to live, they decide to make a bucket list. This is the list of all the things they want to do before dying. They travel around the world, indulge in adrenaline sports and along the way, help the other and witness something magnificent. In the end, they come away with the fullest appreciation of life and more importantly, the goodness in life.
Despite the movie’s underlying premise of death, this is a movie about living to the fullest. It is about two individuals who re-learn to laugh, love and make friends. It is all the more moving for its lack of sentimentality and preachiness. The message is delivered with the lightest hand and credit rightfully goes to Freeman and Nicholson who play their parts to perfection. Nicholson is the gruff scoundrel, with a barely hidden smirk hovering around his lips while Freeman is the wise and calm man with all the answers (literally, in his case). It must also be said that it is a very funny movie, with laugh out loud scenes and witty repartee among the leads. Funny and moving, Bucket List is a good way to be reminded that all of us need to seize the day.

Brunch at Drouant

One of the nicest things to do on a weekend is to have brunch with friends. Brunch is great because it allows us to sleep late during the weekend and still get up in time for a nice meal. And since it is properly both breakfast and lunch, one gets the best of both worlds. It is also the perfect opportunity to discover a new place.
Drouant located at the place Gaillon in the second arrondissement was the place we discovered this weekend. Since 1914, it has been the place where the members of the Goncourt meet to discuss and finally, to award the prix de Goncourt every November. It is a beautifully decorated restaurant with cheerful yellow walls and glass windows that look out into the street. Their linens are immaculate and the staff decorous but not stuffy. I am happy to say that the food was quite a delicious affair. The weekend brunch (currently called Le P’tit Trainard) is served all together in four properly proportioned plates. The first plate was a salad of fresh fruits of the season, the second a delicately boiled egg served with smoked ham and greens, the third lightly smoked salmon with fresh yogurt served on the side and finally a voluptuous pumpkin soup. Everything was delicious with complementary textures and flavors. Of course since it was a brunch menu, we had the basket of bread (both white and dark) and delicious melt in the mouth pastries along with a choice of either tea or coffee. A very pleasant surprise was the wine served. At the beginning of the meal, we were each presented with a beautiful rose wine followed by a sumptuous white. It was all very decadent and conducive to lingering as we savored everything. Delicious food, a wonderful ambiance and the company of great friends is everything that I can ask for a perfect brunch.

Réflexions sur la mort

Les trajets quotidiens du narrateur sur le boulevard périphérique lui permettent de se plonger dans ses pensées. S'y mêlent ainsi le présent -sa belle-fille se mourant d'un cancer à l'hôpital, d'où les trajets quotidiens- et le passé -la mort de son ami Stéphane, résistant, pendant la seconde guerre mondiale.

Les deux vies sont racontées en parallèle et se mélangent intrinséquement pour donner naissance à une réflexion, sur la mort et sur l'amour.

C'est bien écrit, c'est intéressant, c'est sentimental. Et pourtant... Le lecteur reste tenu à distance. On n'en ai pas moins fort triste pour le narrateur, mais on n'a aussi qu'une envie, c'est de revenir à ses propres réflexions et de savourer sa propre vie. Finalement cela rejoint le ppos du livre: la vie est si ténue qu'il faut savoir en profiter.

Of friendship and atonement

I think we are all in agreement that generally, movies based on books don’t do justice to the literary version. Of course, there are some rare exceptions but they are far and few in between. However, this is not to say that one can’t have a very good movie experience watching one that is based on a book. Such was the case for the Kite Runner.
Based on the best-selling book by Khaled Hosseini, the Kite Runner is the story of two boys growing up in pre-invasion Afghanistan. Amir is the well born son of an Afghani business man who loves him but is emotionally distant. His best friend is Hassan, the son of Ali, the family’s loyal servant. While Hassan loves Amir unreservedly, Amir is torn between his friendship for Hassan and his jealousy over his father’s affection for the latter. Life is simple and idyll with the high point being the annual Kite flying contest. But it is on this day that an act of evil taints the boy’s friendship forever. As Amir struggles with his guilt and Hassan and his father leave their home, Afghanistan is invaded by the Russians. Amir and his father are forced to flee till they end up in America to start afresh. It isn’t only until many many years later that Amir is able to lay to rest and atone for the guilt that’s beset him since that fateful day of the Kite contest.
The movie certainly does a good job of transforming the book into a visual one that is accessible to everyone, even those who haven’t read the book. And while it is inevitable that comparisons will be made, the movie can certainly hold its own as a well made and affecting one. Both the director Marc Foster and screenwriter David Beniof, tried their best to deliver the emotional force of the book and in this respect they are greatly aided by the performances of the child actors. Perhaps because they are non-professionals, the two boys who portray Amir and Hassan give genuinely touching performances. Unequivocally, the most moving parts of the film are those depicting their friendship and adventures. It is hard not to feel a lump in the throat when you see them seated under the branches of a tree, one reading to the quietly listening other. The movie is also interesting for its depiction of Kabul before the devastation of the invasion and the subsequent rule of the Taliban. Despite being mostly shot in China, it succeeds in giving a wholly convincing picture of Kabuli life as it was with picturesque scenes of the street markets and of course the kite flying which forms such an integral part of the story. And the movie's cinematography showing the stark natural beauty of the land makes the brutality suffered by the people even more horrific. The movie starts and ends with the reminder and call that “there is a way to do good” and finally, it is this message which resonates within long after we’ve left the theater.

Egarement littéraire

Ne me demandez pas comment ce livre a atterri dans ma liste de livres à lire, je serai incapable de vous le dire. J'ai beau cherché, je ne vois pas. Je devais avoir l'esprit particulièrement ouvert ce jour là, ou le critique littéraire de l'article que j'ai lu devait avoir touché un pot de vin particulièrement conséquent pour magnifier ce livre.

Sheila Levine est morte et vit à New-York n'est rien d'autre qu'un "remake" à l'américaine de l'excellent Bridget Jones (britannique). Et rien ne vaut mieux que l'original surtout quand il y a eu des floppées des remake.

Sheila est donc grosse, célibataire, et a un ami homosexuel. Bref sa seule différence avec Bridget Jones est qu'elle est juive. La perspective est donc légèrement différente, mais le propos est le même. Si les premiers chapitres sont parfaits pour se détendre après une journée de travail stressante, on en exige vite plus. Et cela ne vient jamais. Rien; le livre n'a pas de fin aboutie, peut-être est-ce une technique afin de laisser le lecteur imaginer lui-même ma suite. Sauf que le lecteur n'en a aucune envie, il veut juste passer à autre chose, et laisser Sheila Levine mourir....

Honneur aux femmes

Coïncidence ou plan marketing, Les femmes de l'ombre sortent la semaine de la journée de la femme (8 mars). Le film met en scène le destin de cinq résistantes (parfois de force) pendant la Deuxième guerre mondiale.

Certes c'est (encore) un film sur la résistance contre les nazis. Cependant peut-on avoir assez jamais de témoignages (fictifs ou réels) sur les horreurs de cette période? Probablement pas, ou en tout cas jamais assez pour comprendre.

Certes, l'objectif est de tuer le méchant officier nazi qui a compris avant les autres où aurait lieu le débarquement et qui risque de tout compromettre.

Certes on n'échappe pas aux nombreux clichés: le Français collabo puis résistant, selon le souffle du vent (ou le propriétaire du pistolet sur sa tempe), Londres...

Et pourtant, il n'en reste pas moins que le film touche profondément. On est loin d'un happy end, la réalité fut bien plus cruelle et tragique que ça. Si le personnage incarné par Sophie Marceau est au coeur de l'action, ls personnages gravitant autour d'elles (et la secondant dans leur mission) sont indispensables et rendent finalement le film bien plus humain. Parce que ces femmes n'ont pas choisi d'être résistante, qu'on leur a imposé (à cause d'un passé plus ou moins scabreux), leur action est d'autant plus significative. Certaines connaîtront l'échec, mais on ne peut que saluer leur courage. Personne ne peut prévoir quel aurait été son comportement dans ce contexte, et ces grâces à tous ces actes que la guerre fut gagnée.

Julie Depardieu est époustouflante et confirme ici ses talents de grande actrice.

Le film n'est pas empreint de défauts, mais on en ressort avec un profond malaise (qui est peut-être de la reconnaissance envers ces sacrifiés). Le monde actuel est loin de ressortir magnifié en regard de cette période, où certes le pire fut fait, mais aussi l'extraordinaire.

Family relationships are frequently fraught with emotional landmines that leave life long scars. With the Savages, the new film written and directed by Tamara Jenkins, we have a portrait of a long dysfunctional family. John and Wendy Savage have long been estranged from their abusive father Lenny Savage. One day however, they receive a phone call that their father’s girlfriend of long standing has just died and her family would no longer tolerate his living with them. To complicate matters, he is suffering from the beginnings of dementia. They have no choice but to find a place for him and to care for him. As the movie progresses, we gradually learn of the devastating effects of their father’s abuse. John is a professor struggling to write his first novel while Wendy takes part time jobs while she writes her play. Both are unable to sustain long relationships with other people. Despite all their personal troubles however, they take on the responsibility for their father. Not an easy thing since that Lenny remains an unlikeable character with the illness bringing out the worst in him.
This is by no means a feel good movie. Instead it is well crafted, brilliantly acted one filled with moments of bracing clarity and even, great humor. In this kind of movie which could easily become overly melodramatic and hysterical, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney who play John and Wendy, succeed in giving highly nuanced performances that make the audience root for them despite their faults. Through their portrayal, we see how they learn to deal with the issues that have long haunted them and to rediscover the other as an ally. There are also moments of great humor that can only come from real life. It is a true reflection of the saying that comedy and drama are but two sides of the same coin.

A blog, a book

These days, blogs are as ubiquitous as newspapers. They are the perfect forum for anyone with anything to say. Yours truly not exempted. For a lot of people with secret (or not so secret) dreams of being a writer, blogs are the perfect tool. It must be said however that the flipside of such liberty is the profusion of material floating around in the ether which need not necessarily be good material or worse, serves no purpose. All too often, the information we find is unverified, exaggerated or downright false. It leads one to wonder whether culture as we used to define it, can withstand the onslaught of every man’s thoughts and opinions, no matter how banal or trivial, laid bear for all the world to partake in, add to or even adopt. Further, it makes me wonder whether the line between private and public hasn’t already been breached, given that a number of blogs deal with highly personal issues. It amazes me no end, when people have no qualms about baring it all before joe public. To each his own I suppose. Having said all that, Petite Anglaise by Catherine Sanderson is a good example of a turning point in the blog phenomena. Created originally as a blog, it has now become an honest to goodness published book.
It is all about Catherine, a British thirty something living in Paris with her French partner, hidden under the pseudonym Mr. Frog and their two year old daughter Tadpole. Despite having dreamt most of her youth of living in Paris, Catherine is deeply unhappy with her domestic life and routine. To alleviate her boredom, she decides to create a blog about her life in Paris. Hence, Petite Anglaise is born on the web. Originally designed to be a light and funny blog with a fish out of water theme, it soon evolves into an online diary of sorts for Catherine, who uses it to vent, to explore and express all her bitterness and dissatisfaction in life. Needless to say, she attracts hordes of readers with her stories and it isn’t long before she becomes involved with a new man (no surprise that it is a reader of hers) who turns her life upside down.
Despite being a first time writer, the author writes with a light and witty tone. It is compulsively readable and the pages fly by. Its earlier incarnation as blog entries helps explain the easy tone of the book. It is also, what distinguishes it from a number of other expatriate themed books. It is a commendable effort on her part that the book’s tone never descends to high drama despite its coverage of a personally distressing time in her life. Through her prose, one gets a sense of a real person struggling to make sense of the upheavals that she has willingly brought upon herself.
What I particularly liked about the book is the almost palpable love of the author for Paris. More than being beautifully described, the author’s Paris is lovingly described with familiar streets and cafes made memorable by her experiences in each place. In fact it is safe to say that Paris is a major character in the book. It is also through these descriptions of the city and city life that readers are able to get a sense of an expatriate life. Her personal story aside, it is a recurring theme of the book that Catherine is always trying to find a place for herself in this city, which is not often easy. Certainly it is a theme that I can identify with. Fittingly enough the book ends on a hopeful note and for fans of Catherine who have been religiously following her life,a very welcome one.

P.S. For those interested in meeting Catherine in person, she will be reading excerpts of her book at the WH Smith on the 20th of March.

A celebratory meal

Birthdays being very special occasions, it provides the perfect opportunity to celebrate somewhere special. This month was the month to try the Salon de Helen Darroze which I have long been eyeing. Helene Darroze is one of the rare female chefs who have obtained the coveted Michelin star, in her case she obtained two stars for her eponymously named restaurant. Curiously enough according on my trusty old food guide, it was the Salon which obtained the higher food rating. And since the goal was to have a great meal, I went with the Salon. Fortunately, it was the right decision as our meal was certainly one of the best I’ve had in Paris.

The Salon (4 rue d'Assas 75004) is the tapas bar style restaurant located just below the actual restaurant. As such, the full menu comprises 9 “tapas” or platters. For those with just a little less appetite, one could have the 6 tapas set. Whether you choose 6 or 9 it is a veritable feast of tastes featuring a memorable marriage of the traditional with the innovative. For instance, there was a memorable foie gras platter made crème brulee style with green apples served in tall glasses. Yet another memorable platter was that of squid ink risotto served with an infusion of parmesan cheese. With this dish, the savory taste of the squid is delightfully set off by the parmesan. Another favorite was the grilled tandoor style langoustines served on a bed of pureed carrots mixed with agrumes. Instead of a traditional cheese platter, what was served was a small club sandwich style cheese dish, where the delicately smoky flavored cheese was drizzled with 12 year old balsamic vinegar. Yes, you read it right, the vinegar was 12 years old. Simply astounding. In fact it is an understatement to say that everything was delicious. Certainly with such a meal, you come away with a full appreciation of the kind of food created by Helene Darroze which merited those two Michelin stars.

An Arabian night out

There are times when one needs to step out of the normal routine and experience something completely new. Thanks to a friend’s invitation, we did exactly that last night and experienced Jet Set. And no, contrary to what you might think, its not the latest poison of choice. It is an Iranien restaurant located in the heart of the 8th arrondissement. There are two floors to Jet Set, the first being a normal, nice looking restaurant where the air is redolent with the many hookah pipes being passed around by the guests but it is in the basement floor where the real action lies.
The basement level is a huge room filled with tables, some long, some circular, all designed to house big groups out for a nice time. The tables curve around a dance floor, before which a live band plays. Guests are treated to plates of fresh fruit which I have to say is a refreshing change from the normal chips or nuts served at other places. The fun begins the minute the live band begins to play music. They play a wonderful variety of Arabic music from Algeria, Morocco and Lebanon with much gusto and it wasn’t too long before the guests were on their feet and dancing to the beat. Last night, the band was joined by a lovely singer (whose name I unfortunately didn’t get) who managed to get everyone going, including us. Off we went to the dance floor to shake our hips and do our version of belly dancing. It was enormous fun with the hypnotic music and everyone shimmying and shaking to the best of their abilities.
What makes Jet Set different from all the other Parisian cool places is its habitués. One step inside and you can see that it is particularly for people with ties to Arabic countries. In fact it’s safe to say that nearly everyone there was Arabian or of Arabic descent. Everyone seems to know each other and the singer was even on first name basis with several guests. Despite that however, there is no sense of being left out, thanks to the convivial atmosphere and the general good mood. As such, it was as much fun dancing as it was gazing at all the beautifully dressed people. The women were all dressed to the nines with kohl rimmed eyes and sensuous hips while the men were swarthy and beak nosed, and I am sure that I saw several who looked quite the part of an oil sheik. Within the space of a night we were transported to a different world altogether where it is possible to dream of dancing around camp fires under the desert sky.

L'ennui du dimanche...

Dans les "grands" films, j'avais déjà été confrontée au trash (Crash), au malsain (Les Nuits fauves), et à l'ennui mortel (Mort à Venise). Il semblerait que le film les Valseuses réussit à réunir les trois! Peut-être est-ce pour cela qu'il est considéré comme un chef d'oeuvre.

Deux petites frappes (interprétées par Gérard Depardieu et Patrick Dewaere) vaguent au gré du vent et emportent avec eux Miu-Miu. Pendant 103 minutes (qui en paraissent au moins le double), ils couchent avec tout ce qui passe à leur portée, volent, et tuent. Passionnant... Le peu de dialogue est grossier et sans intérêt, bref un bonheur.

La seule minute divertissante du film est l'apparition de Gérard Jugnot. Il est très déconcertant qu'un parterre d'acteurs connus soient réunis dans ce film: outre les trois protagonistes, on y retrouve Jeanne Moreau, Thierry Lhermitte (une apparition), Brigitte Fossey, et Isabelle Huppert. Je mettrais la participation de cette dernière sur le compte d'une erreur de jeunesse; pour le reste, je me dis que les temps étaient durs, et qu'ils avaient besoin de manger... J'ai au moins découvert Patrick Dewaere dont j'avais tant entendu parler; cela ne m'éclaire pas sur son talent cependant.

A part une certaine excitation sexuelle (et encore seulement pour ceux qui sont frustrés dans leur vie probablement), je ne vois pas ce que ce film apporte à qui que ce soit. Je suppose que le film fut connu parce qu'il choqua à l'époque. Quand je pense qu'il y a sûrement un certain nombres d'excellents films qui sont passés à la trappe à la même époque parce qu'ils n'étaient pas provoquants, cela me déprime. Cela tombe bien, nous sommes dimanche soir, n'est-ce pas un excellent timing pour ça?

Si Wesley Stace est de retour sur la scène littéraire avec un nouveau roman -Les Garçons-, je me suis penchée sur L'infortunée dont on m'avait chanté les louanges ( rendons à César ce qui est à César, voici donc l'article en question: http://alombreducerisier.over-blog.org/article-4613544.html). Le thème m'intéressait, mais le fait que l'auteur ait aussi été l'auteur de chansons de Joan Baez a tout de suite été très convaincant!

Le début du roman est en effet fascinant, et comme l'indique Laurent, la question de l'inné et de l'acquis s'impose. Si aujourd'hui on a du mal à comprendre comme une fille ne se rend pas compte qu'elle est un garçon, cela reste finalement fort plausible à l'époque. Les enfants des générations antérieures étaient probablement moins avancées en matière de sexe qu'à notre époque.

Rose, recueillie par un lord anglais sans descendance et passablement affectée par la mort de sa soeur dans son enfance, découvre très tardivement qu'elle n'est pas une fille mais un garçon. Les conséquences psychologiques sont plutôt lourdes comme vous pouvez l'imaginer.

Si la première partie se penche sur l'éducation de la petite (et la mise en lace du subterfuge), la deuxième partie se concentre sur sa réaction face à la situation. Et la troisième verra l'acceptation de la réalité.

La première partie est à mon avis la plus fascinante, les autres n'étant pour moi qu'un préambule à un happy end (deviné de toute façon au cours de l'histoire). L'auteur pose ainsi de véritables questions sur l'identité sexuelle, et l'identité en général. Quelle est la part de la société sur notre véritable moi?

Un roman donc qui vaut d'être lu davantage entre les lignes que pour l'histoire elle-même.

Un héros si commun

Dans la même veine que l'adversaire (cf Critique), le personnage principal d'un héros très discret s'est inventé sa vie. Par principe c'est très gênant, d'autant plus quand on choisit de devenir a postériori un héros de la Résistance. Le subterfuge marche, et le personnage interprété par Matthieu Kassovitz se transforme de rêveur de province à un colonel à hautes responsabilités envoyé en Allemagne après la victoire de la seconde guerre mondiale. Le jeu de l'acteur est notamment à saluer. Cet individu transparent se transforme sous nos yeux en un colonel capable d'ordonner l'exécution de quelques soldats.

Le mensonge aurait pu durer longtemps si Albert Dehousse ne s'était aperçu qu'il est entraîné dans une spirale qui l'emmène bien plus loin que ce qu'il ne voulait. L'homme ne voulait qu'impressionner sa femme et être à la hauteur de sa belle-famille. Il se retrouve meurtrier et se dénonce de lui-même, fatigué de ne plus être lui-même.

Si chacun est probablement amené à embellir sa propre vie pour son compte ou pour les autres, espérons que cela reste dans des limites raisonnables. Il est est à déplorer que la société ne permette à chacun de s'accepter pour ce qu'il est.

Résurgence des années 80

Etant trop jeune dans les années 80 pour le constater de moi-même, je ne connais de ces années là que des ouïes-dire: la coiffure de Farrah Fawcett, les tailleurs féminins aux épaules rembourrées, la musique, les yuppies.

Working Girl étant supposé être une référence de cette époque, je me suis enfin décidé à le regarder. Autant vous dire que l'histoire n'a aucun intérêt. Une histoire d'amour liée à l'ascension sociale d'une jeune femme qui en veut mais à qui on ne donne pas sa chance. Je ne comprends pas très bien comment ce film put être un succès, mais là n'est pas le sujet.

Le film vaut aujourd'hui par son témoignage de ces années là. La musique, les coiffures, les tenues, on savoure, et on rit d'avoir pu suivre la tendance. Cinématographiquement, je déconseille fortement, en revanche comme témoignage sociologique, je recommade chaudement!

Les moeurs humaines n'ont pas changé...

Petit retour en arrière, incursion au 18ième siècle. Moeurs si différentes et pourtant si semblables de celles d'aujourd'hui. Si à notre époque, les gens de la bonne société se retrouvent dans les soirées à laquelle il FAUT être afin d'exister, il en était de même à l'époque. Leurs soirées s'appelaient salons, mais le concept en était le même quoique probablement bien plus intéressant intellectuellement.

L'action de l'Antichambre prend donc place dans le célèbre salon de Madame du Deffand, qui a décidé d'introduire sa jeune lectrice dans cet univers. On n'assistera en vérité jamais au salon en lui-même, mais simplement aux converations entre le président Hénault, Madame du Deffand, et Julie de Lespinasse, la protégée.

Ce qui débuta comme une relation cordiale, finira dans une relation d'inimitié. Jalousie, rivalité, aigreur, toute la palette des sentiments féminins les plus abjects se dévoilent. Les générations actuelles n'ont rien inventé.

Le texte ne manque pas d'humour, et l'interprétation des acteurs rend le texte d'autant plus savoureux. Si Sarah Biasini contribue sûrement à la curiosité que la pièce peut provoquer, elle le mérite, sa prestation étant excellente.

Zhuang is a young woman sent by her parents from her small provincial town in China to London to study English. She decides to keep a diary of her experiences as well as all the words which strike her. She likewise carries around with her a handy dictionary as a reference to all the words she encounters as she makes her way. Her initial days are filled with her experiences with all things English often with very comical results. She wonders for example why English breakfast is so huge and why there is a constant preoccupation with the weather. Despite being occupied by her studies she is lonely and unused to being all by herself. Her solitude is broken when she meets a man, twice her age at a cinema. It doesn’t take much for Z to fall passionately in love with him and they are soon living together, she having comically misunderstood an invitation to visit him as an invitation to live with him. Before long however, the myriad differences between them manifest and Z realizes that, cliché or not, love is not enough.
The unique character of this book is its grammatical construction. It is constructed to reflect the level and progress that Z makes in learning English. As she progresses, the entries become more and more grammatically correct and assured. More importantly, the novel traces her growing maturity during the course of her relationship with her unnamed lover. Ms. Guo has written Z’s experiences with humor and a keen eye for detail. It is likewise filled with sharp reflections on the cultural differences that Z discovers and how her willingness to explore such differences may cause discomfort, even difficulty for others around her. One striking example is when she unabashedly reads her lover’s diaries without permission. There is genuine surprise on her part to learn that in the West, the concept of an individual self is a highly prized and zealously guarded one. It is only when she is chastised that she realizes that the highly individual sense of self demands a strong sense of privacy. At the same time however, it is this concept of individual self which permits her to explore without fear her own dormant sexuality. In writing about such experiences, the author has highlighted with poignancy the experience of being completely “other “. It is something all of us can understand and sympathize with. All of us have certainly been “other” at one point or another.