JDMcDsblog

HutchieInternational

Originally uploaded by jmmcdgll

Uisng the Christmas hols to catch up on some reading time and to get to grips with piano practice. Got some interesting books, including Michael Palin’s latest volume, this time on Eastern Europe. Having inter railed from Vienna to Istanbul in 1984, I will be keen to see what he makes of this area 20 + years on. It may be the closest to home of all his voyages (”Around the World in 80 days is nearly 20 years old and is currently being shown on BBC 2)but there has been a tidal wave of change since then-the fall of communism, the Balkan War and attendant massacres and ethnic cleansing, the expansion of the EU and most recently, the stresses within Tukish society. Palin writes as he speaks, providing a kind of extended postcard commentary on the people and places he comes by. I am delighted to see that he has a website devoted to travel. In similar style I would put Ewen McGegor and Charley Boorman’s “The Long Way Down”, which does for longitude what “The Long Way Round”did for latitude. I watched the BBC series and found the two guys to be very engaging and human-I’s sure the book will convey a sense of comradeship and honesty about the highs and lows of their journey from John O Groats to Cape Town.I will look forward to reading the admirable John Simpson’s analsyis of the world’s trouble spots-”Not Quite the World’s End”-he takes the long view and attempts to put recent conflcicts and global problems in a broader context. I am also trying to get to grips with learning the basics of musical harmony and have the Associated Board’s manual by Annie Butterworth-”Harmony in Practice”. It has beautifully crisp pages and typeset, with instructions and examples very clearly set out-I have started on identifying triads- I think augmented and diminshed chords will catch me out, at least to begin with. Never mind, it’s good to put the brain to a completley different use from normal school mode. What better way to while away the no man’s land of days that lies between Christmas and New Year than reading some good books over coffee and mince pies and sharing food and company with friends and family!