Well, it's that time of year to try and find/make the most terrifying outfit to wear on October 31st. For two years now, I have felt robbed. You see, my favourite get-up for any Halloween do was to squeeze into my tattered, two sizes too small 'onesie' and scare the hell out of people on approach. The instant registered look of horror (disgust? disbelief? awe?) on people's faces was reassurance that my plan was super-tight and I was on the winning track. But then what happens? This bloody item of clothing, by some miracle, lands itself on the list of 'no longer horrific items to wear in public' and makes my life miserable. There went my 'foul-proof' costume out the window dropping to zero impact because compared to people wearing it now, I actually don't look too bad if you get my drift. So, here I am again this year, only a few days away and still with NOTHING planned to wear to a party on the night.
Oh well, I can always find solace in the fact that at least my reading list for this week is foul-proof. Every year, a week before Halloween to be exact, I re-visit a few of my favourite titles and discover new ones for that year that I feel are relevant to themes of horror, anxiety, and general disturbance to the psyche.
Here are a few of my favourite titles:
1. 'Christine' by Stephen King
I read this when I was about 14 years old and to this day I always, always, treat my cars nicely because you just never know!!! 'Christine' is a novel about a love triangle involving 17-year-old misfit Arnie Cunningham, his new girlfriend and a haunted 1958 Plymouth Fury. Dubbed Christine by her previous owner, Arnie's first car is jealous, possessive and deadly.
2. 'The Little Stranger' by Sarah Waters
Published in 2009, this I found to be a seriously chilling read. I couldn't put it down once I got stuck into it. The story is that of Dr. Faraday, a working class physician, and his friendship with the residents of Thousand Hall manor. Set in post war Britain, this is a well-knit story that is not only spooky but also reflects the atmosphere of the period brilliantly as regards to the British and the class system.
3. 'Before I Go To Sleep' by SJ Watson
Published in 2011, this novel was a sensation when it hit. It centres around a woman suffering from anterograde amnesia, which means that when she wakes up every morning she will have forgotten everything of her past and has to re-learn about herself and those around her each and every day by use of a journal she has been keeping. As she returns to her journal each day, a terrifying truth emerges that sets her on an impossible quest.
3. 'Little Hands Clapping' by Dan Rhodes
Published in 2010, the story revolves around a very macabre museum in Germany dedicated to suicide. This is a sombre story with characters that have 'interesting' life stories and many secrets. I probably should not have this in my list as there are quite a few brilliantly uplifting and funny moments in the book but it is also a sad story about some very sad people.
And for younger readers (11+ years), here are my recommendations:
1. 'The Long Weekend' by Savita Kalhan
The novel is about two 11-year old boys who think they are about to have the best time of their lives. Read a full review HERE.
2. 'Demon Dentist' by David Walliams
Recently released this is a book that carries a warning by its author that this is a horror story and for any child who hates going to the dentist, this will not make it any easier. My solace is that my 11-year old thought that his ordeal with his dentist was bad until he read this story about Alfie Griffith. Brilliant book with 'quite a lot of made up words'.
Lights, flashbulbs, and sequins galore. It was all there at Abu Dhabi's 7th Film Festival held at the Emirates Palace Hotel. In splendidly majestic surroundings saturated with Arabian perfumes, the creme de la creme of the local and international cinema industry descended on the festival's red carpet to be greeted by fans and a heavy media presence before heading to the hotel's Auditorium where the opening ceremony was held.
The majestic Emirates Palace Hotel Abu Dhabi
With 'bling' overshadowing the glare of the massive crystal chandeliers, it was a sight to behold on the red carpet. Not only were the celebrities dressed to impress but the invited guests matched their idols suit for suit, dress for dress, and botox for botox. There wasn't a wrinkle in the house, and one sensed that out beyond the Palace walls were plastic surgeons, beauticians, make-up artists, hairdressers, and dress-makers falling exhaustedly into their beds knowing their job, at least for this night, was done.
Egyptian actress Mervat Ameen at the ADFF 2013
And yet, in spite of all the glitz and the glamour, the ceremony was not flawless. The presenters of the show shouted into the microphone, stammered through the few lines of their presentations and struggled profoundly to pronounce foreign names of international directors, producers and judges called onto the stage for an impromptu photo shoot. Everyone else shifted impatiently in their seats waiting for the opening night's film to start.
But the people who most let down the festival were some of the invited guests. Dressed to the nines and singing the praises of the festival to the camera, they were the first to leave the auditorium as soon as the lights were switched off announcing the commencement of the film. Was it the film's content that they objected to with its sexual scenes and innuendos? Was it that some collective unforeseen emergency had arisen? or was it simply that away from the limelight, they simply did not care? Now, this writer is not naive and perfectly well understands that tickets to these events are handed to corporations that distribute them amongst their staff. So, I do understand that this means that not everyone is there to support the film industry per se, but one would expect that if one has taken the trouble to attend a film festival then one would at least stay to watch the film? My suggestion would be that perhaps festival organisers should probably work on compiling a more industry-worthy invitee list for next year.
Forest Whitaker takes home the Black Pearl Lifetime Achievement Award
However, in all fairness, flawed as the ceremony was, it wasn't a complete wash-out either. It was a beautiful night with a very worthy film screening of 'Life of Crime' by director Schechter and producer Ashok Amritraj. Mark Boone Junior, who plays sinister character Richard, also attended the night's screening. His performance was blood curdling and was deserving of every bit of the applause resonating around the majestic Auditorium at the end of the movie.
It was to deafening applause that super actor Forest Whitaker took to the stage to be awarded the Black Pearl Lifetime Achievement award. With his usual grace and charisma, he gave a beautiful speech thanking the festival organisers for the award and re-iterating how much it meant for him. He ended his speech with a few verses he'd learned from the Quran to the delight of the audience. The cheering and clapping took quite a while to abate.
The lavish outdoor party setting
The ceremony's after-party was a lavish affair and seemed to come straight out of a scene of 'The Great Gatsby' with live jazz music blaring away before switching to house music. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits. However, by then it was midnight and my feet had had enough signalling it was time for me to go. Off I slipped away from the palace, with both slippers still on, to a land beyond the magical Palace walls, to a sweet little place that I've recently started to call 'home'.
The Abu Dhabi Film Festival opens tomorrow and I'm right there on the red carpet rubbing shoulders with the stars. It is such a big event here and many of the Arab and International cinema stars are convening on Abu Dhabi for a fantastic 9 days of all things cinema. The festival opening night will feature the Middle East premiere of 'Life of Crime' starring Jennifer Aniston, Tim Robbins, and Isla Fisher. Director Daniel Schechter and actor Mark Boone Junior will discuss the film at a live audience Q&A during the opening night. The movie is a comedy based on the novel 'The Switch' by Elmore Leonard. I'll have all the details of the night on Friday! so be sure to tune in!
Super actor Simon Whitaker is expected to attend and who, by the way, is going to receive the Career Achievement Award. I know you must all know who he is, but for those who've 'forgotten' he's the guy who played Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 'The Last King of Scotland' (2006).
Also gliding down that red carpet will be actress Hiam Abbas who starred in the movie 'Miral' (2010), Egyptian actors Ahmad Ezz, Basel Khayyat, and many many others. Two actresses that I am personally hoping to catch a glimpse of are Mervat Ameen and Lebleba, two very well established actresses who have had a major influence on Arab cinema.
Of course there are many distinguished actors and directors from all over the world who will be present and in fear of forgetting to mention any of them I have pasted the full press release of the ADFFat the end of this post.
So, as I'm too excited to review any books and this gal has a lot of 'getting pretty' to do in preparation for the RED CARPET, I leave you with this fantastic band that is taking the Arab world by storm. 'Mashrou' Leila' (literally means Leila's Project) are a six-member band from Lebanon who have performed their alternative Arabic music live to sold-out venues in Lebanon, Cairo, Amman, Istanbul, Dubai, Tunisia, Paris, Amsterdam, Montreal, Geneva and Serbia. Their third album is to be released this year.
This track 'Fasateen' is brilliant.
Visit theirFacebook page/their website HERE & to listen to the music/buy their albums click HERE
The full press release of ADFF:
Abu Dhabi, UAE – October 23, 2013: Abu Dhabi will play host to film stars and other leading lights of the international film world when the seventh Abu Dhabi Film Festival opens tomorrow. Household names will walk the red carpet alongside new talents that the audience will discover during the nine day celebration. Festival Guests will attend screenings of their films, giving film fans a chance to hear insider stories first hand.
The seventh ADFF opens with the Middle East Premiere of LIFE OF CRIME. The director Daniel Schechter and actor Mark Boone Junior will discuss the film at a live audience Q&A during the Opening Night.
Also attending Opening Night is acclaimed US actor Forest Whitaker, who won 23 major acting awards, including the Academy, Screen Actor’s Guild and BAFTA awards, for his performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND (2006). Whitaker, who has starred in iconic films like THE CRYING GAME (1992) as well as turning his hand to producing (Fruitvale Station) and directing films such as HOPE FLOATS, 1998 and WAITING TO EXHALE. In partnership with Jaeger-LeCoultre, Whitaker will receive a Black Pearl Career Achievement award.
Actress Hiam Abbass (Munich, 2005; THE VISITOR, 2007; MIRAL, 2010; and PEACE AFTER MARRIAGE which world premieres at ADFF 2013) will also be presented with a Black Pearl Career Achievement Award in recognition for her admirable contributions to cinema as an artist, actress and professional.
Mervat Amin will lead the Arab stars down the carpet, including Hend Sabri, Ahmad Ezz, Basel Khayat, Eyad Nassar, Kinda Aloush, Abed Fahad, Manal Khader, and Nesrine Tafesh. Egyptian stars Lebleba and Khaled Abol Naga, whose latest film VILLA 69 has its World Premiere at ADFF, will also join the Festival. Other Arab talents at ADFF this year include Saleh Bakri, one of the most internationally recognised Arab actors of our time. Bakri appears inGIRAFFADA and SALVO. Another rising star, Asser Yassin, will attend with his new film RAGS AND TATTERS. Abdel Monaam Chouaya will present BASTARDO and Samar Qahtan joins the delegation with IN THE SANDS OF BABYLON and UNDEREXPOSURE.
Stars from the Gulf region that attend this year’s Abu Dhabi Film Festival include Mohammed Al Mansour, Dawood Hussain, Huda Al Khatib, Khaled Ameen, Ahmed Iraj, Samera Ahmad, Ahmad Al Jasmi and Maisa Al Maghribi.
Merzak Allouache, attending ADFF with THE ROOFTOPS and OMAR GATLATO (1976), will receive the Variety Award for Middle East Filmmaker of the Year during the Festival. Other Arab directors with films in competition include Mohamed Jabarah Al-Daradji, Director of IN THE SANDS OF BABYLON, Ahmad Abdallah, Director of RAGS AND TATTERS and Ayten Amin, Director of VILLA 69. Directors Férid Boughedir (HALFOUINE: BOY OF THE TERRACES),Moufida Tlatli (SILENCES OF THE PALACE), Mohamad Malas (DREAMS OF THE CITY) andOday Rasheed (UNDEREXPOSURE) films appear in the Special Programme “Debut Films by Arab Filmmakers”. Documentary filmmakers Mohammad Soueid (HANGING DATES UNDER ALEPPO’S CITADEL) and Kasaim Abid (WHISPERS OF THE CITIES) present their latest films as well.
Two Kurdish directors will be at the screenings of their films in this year’s edition of ADFF: Hiner Saleem (MY SWEET PEPPER LAND) and Hisham Zaman (BEFORE SNOWFALL).
Many leading lights of Indian Cinema will be at the Festival for its celebration of the centenary of Indian Cinema. Cross-over star Irrfan Khan, who has taken Bollywood and Hollywood by storm, attends with his new film QISSA, along with the film’s director Anup Singh. Director Richie Mehta presents SIDDARTH, and director Aparna Sen presents THE JEWELLERY BOX at a Premiere attended by a star of Hindi and Bengali cinema, Moushumi Chatterjee. In the Special Programme “Celebrating Indian Cinema” Jahnu Barua, director of THE CATASTROPHE, andM.S. Sathyu, director of SCORCHING WINDS, will attend screenings in person. Producer Ashok Amritraj, whose extensive credits include the Opening Night film LIFE OF CRIME, will also attend the festival and deliver a workshop as part of ADFF TALKS FILM.
International stars attending ADFF include, among others, Chinese actress Tao Zhao (A TOUCH OF SIN), Philippine Superstar Eugene Domingo (BARBER'S TALES), Golshifteh Farahani andKorkmaz Arslan (MY SWEET PEPPER LAND), and rising stars Laure De Clermont-Tonnerre(GIRAFFADA), Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Sam Reid (BELLE), as well as Louis Garrel(JEALOUSY).
As for international directing talents, expect to see Academy Award winner Danis Tanovic (AN EPISODE IN THE LIFE OF AN IRON PICKER), Amma Asante, (BELLE) and from China Jia Zhangke, (A TOUCH OF SIN). Baroness Beeban Kidron, appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire and life peer in 2012, is attending with her new film, INREALLIFE. The director ofHARMONY LESSONS, Silver Bear winner at this year’s Berlinale, will be presented by the director, Emir Baigazin from Kazakhstan as will SACRO GRA, which won the Golden Lion in Venice this year for Italy’s Gianfranco Rosy. French Fashion Designer Agnès Troublé, akaAgnès B., who has produced a number of films including Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers, makes her directorial debut with MY NAME IS HMMM...
ADFF also welcomes renowned producers Cedomir Kolar (AN EPISODE IN THE LIFE OF AN IRON PICKER), Uberto Pasolini (STILL LIFE, Oscar nominated for THE FULL MONTY in 1997),Mohamed Hefzy (VILLA 69 and RAGS AND TATTERS) and Catherine Dussart (THE MISSING PICTURE) to the Festival.
The Abu Dhabi Film Festival runs from October 24 until November 2. The Ceremony for the winners of the Black Pearl Awards will take place on October 31.
Maravan Vilasam is a Tamil with a passion for food. The youngest of four, he is raised by his great aunt Nangay in Jaffna after his parents burn to their death during the 1983 pogroms in Colombo; the same year that Sri Lanka is plunged into a brutal civil war that will last for over 27 years. With an early interest in cooking instigated by helping Nangay cook meals to sell at the market stall in Jaffna, he quickly learns from his mother's sister all the secrets to Tamil cooking and most importantly to Ayurvedic cuisine.
The novel opens with Maravan as a low-paid refugee-seeker in Zurich, living amongst Switzerland's Tamil diaspora. The civil war in Sri Lanka has reached its pinnacle as Maravan desperately tries to make enough money to send back to his ailing aunt Nangay who is suffering from a vicious type of Diabetes. The year is 2008, one of Switzerland's largest banks has had to write down a further US$19 billion and Lehman Brothers have gone into insolvency. Europe is officially in recession.
Things are tough on everyone in Switzerland but particularly so for Maravan who is working as kitchen help in one of Zurich's finest restaurants 'Chez Huwyler'. With N-authorisation status, which allows asylum seekers such as himself, to only work in specific catering jobs for low wages, there is minimal chance of advancement in his job. In spite of that, he continues to nurture his dream of one day owning a turmeric yellow van with 'Maravan Catering' on the side and to open 'Maravan's' which will be 'the place for avant-garde subcontinental cuisine, paying homage to the aromas, tastes and textures of Southern India and Sri Lanka'. Until then, with his meagre wage and what is left of it after he sends some money home, he continues to experiment with cooking at his home keeping him busy and mostly out of pocket.
At Huwyler, Maravan meets Andrea, a beautiful waitress who has trouble holding a job for more than a few months. After an altercation between the head chef and Maravan, she ends up inviting herself to Maravan's house for dinner. Wanting to impress her, Maravan 'borrows' a kitchen equipment to use for preparing Andrea's meal, the Love Menu. Although the meal goes partly as planned, the same cannot be said of Maravan's plans to return the machine without being noticed. He is fired, goes on the dole and understandably struggles to find another job.
That is, until Andrea comes up with an ingenuous idea to set up the 'Love Food' a private catering company which offers ancient Ayurvedic aphrodisiac recipes to a certain clientele. It all starts off simple and easy but with the business struggling to take off in the dire economic times and Maravan's obligations to his family and his amounting debts, the business takes a whole new turn. The company finds itself immersed in the world of shady dealings with shady people. Maravan's beliefs and values are tested and re-tested time and time again as he struggles to get to grips with 'the dirty stuff' side of the business. Maravan's life, as he knows it, is never the same again.
It is beyond a doubt that 'The Chef' has a lot going for it judging by its ratings - it is a bestseller in Europe. However, in my opinion, its main flaw lies first and foremost with its cover in which a woman's foot is suggestively riding up a man's trouser leg in an outdoor cafe. It is a cover that does not do justice to the story line, but in plain fact devalues it. This is a beautiful story with a very intelligent plot and in no need for such a gimmick. The book's cover is an unfortunate choice and misleading and seems to suggest a saucy read between its covers which is not only disappointing to the reader expecting them but in effect is as far from the reality of the book as possible. This is in fact a story where passion is compromised time and time again be it in Maravan's true passion for what he would like his cooking to do, or Andrea's passion for the call girl Makeda, and even business man Dalmann, with his accumulation of money and power, seems to lack the ability to experience passion. It seems that Martin Suter, whether purposefully or inadvertently, is trying to drive the point that in these times it seems that passion is a romantic notion consigned to the past to be ignored in these tough economic times. We do what we do to survive for if we don't do that, then others will.
There is a lot going on behind the scenes of this novel. 'The Chef' is a multi layered book, one of which is offering a glimpse into a segment of Swiss society rarely highlighted; that of the Tamil population. According to statics from 2008, the number of Tamils in Switzerland alone has reached 55,000. Although they have integrated to their full potential in the business sector, they remain a closed knit society holding on to its traditions, language and culture allowing very little, if any, influence to infiltrate from the hosting country. That is why it is quite refreshing to read the parts about Maravan's rituals upon entering his house, the Tamil festivals that he caters for and his relationship with the community of the diaspora particularly his relationship with Sandana, a first generation Swiss Tamil.
It is evident from the start that Maravan does not share the views of The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelan (LTTE) which makes Maravan's existence within the diaspora both difficult and suspicious. The LTTE are a powerful lot and it is apparent the amount of control they exert on people's lives and livelihoods, even resorting to blackmail in the case of Maravan, to secure the funds necessary for their fight against the Sri Lankan army in their homeland. Their path is not one Maravan believes in particularly with the knowledge of the LTTE 's recruitment of child soldiers. A fate he worries might be destined for his young 14-year-old nephew, Ulagu.
I did, on the whole, enjoy 'The Chef' although it did take a bit of a while to warm up to the characters. I cannot promise all of you will like it but one thing I can promise is this: if you are into cooking, as I am, then you are in for a gastronomic delight. The sections with Maravan preparing his magical dishes are mouth-watering. Although I have yet to try any of the recipes in the book that is not to say I am ruling out the possibility. Will keep you updated on that one!
After an exact 5-month absence BOOKFABULOUS is now officially back to business as usual. The reason for the absence is, as some of you are well aware, is my recent relocation from London to Abu Dhabi. A relocation which has had its fair share of ups and downs. I will not bore any of you with the details suffice to say that things are normal enough for me to sit down and write. I have run out of excuses not to really especially that my writing desk, a really cool piece bought me by my darling better half on one of his recent travels, has finally arrived.
So although too busy to report in, I'm never too busy to read; something I can do standing on my head if challenged. And so in the next few weeks I will be bringing you loads of book reviews and book news in an attempt to get through the backlog and make up for lost time.
This is usually the time when I start recommending books to curl up with in front of a burning fire or to take to a warm bed on a wintery night. So, this is where it all feels weird for me now for although the UAE is officially in its Autumn season, temperatures remain relatively high (in the 30s) and humidity although should be dropping this time of year, still hovers around 62%. But I will try my best to review a wide variety of fantastic titles to suit a wider audience.
With relocation comes change and this will undoubtedly manifest itself in this blog as well. I am taking this opportunity of living in the Middle East to explore famous Arab authors who enjoy an International platform as well as lesser known Arab authors who have yet to be translated into any other language. I will try to do that through as many interviews and possible author contributions on this blog as possible (fingers crossed!). I feel this is a great opportunity to widen the readership of this blog while reaching out to readers in the region offering those who are interested a platform to discuss books and book matters. Of course I am not alone in this and there are pretty well established blogs who do the same thing that I do but we all have different perspectives and different ways of doing things and I am hoping that BOOKFABULOUS will bring that bit extra to the table. I also appeal to book bloggers, authors , book lovers and readers to connect with this blog and hopefully we can all work together to create something magnificent and worthwhile.
Another change is that BOOKFABULOUS will be posting every Monday, Wednesday and Friday (which is the first day of the weekend in the Middle East). Of course, you can continue to connect with BOOKFABULOUS on a daily basis through the Twitter account @RanaAsfour or email me at bookfabulous@hotmail.co.uk
Finally, I would like to take the opportunity to stress that this is an independent blog written by myself in a manner and style that I see fit and appropriate (my blog, my rules!). The views are my own and in no way affiliated with any organisation/s or individual/s other than myself. This is mainly a book blog but there are times when I'd like to write about other things (hence the 'and more' in the blog's title). So, for anyone who has a problem with what I write or takes offence then you have three options:
1. Re-read the above paragraph.
2. Get in touch (twitter, email, comments) and tell me nicely what your problem is and I will happily take your comment/s into consideration. BOOKFABULOUS encourages all points of view and is very liberal and open-minded. However, be warned: abusive or inappropriate language will not be tolerated. Ever! Keep it clean!
3. Simply leave and never visit again. I'll be sad to see you go but I'll live.
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