Music & Books

Music

Just recently, I picked up playing the classical guitar again, and I try to practise at least once per week.
Some of the most beautiful pieces are from Villa Lobos, Tarrega and Albeniz.
As you already guessed I have a weak spot for guitarmusic, classical as well as pop.
In popmusic some of my favourite bands/artists are: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Sisters of Mercy, Garbage, David Bowie, REM, Prodigy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Madonna, Moby, and lounge music.

Books

Reading is something I grew up with. My mother used to show me picturebooks in the library when I was only a small child, unable to read. Nowadays the love for the written word and books is still there. Also, bacause of my history background, I am espcially interested in very old manuscripts. At the university I attended a course in palaeograghy: that is the art of deciphering old (e.g. medieval) manuscripts.

Here is a list of books I really enjoyed (you can see it as a top 10, in no particular order).

  • Hyperion-series/Dan Simmons
  • The dark Tower-series/Stephen King
  • Elric of Melniboné/Michael Moorcock
  • The Mists of Avalon/Marion Zimmer Bradley
  • Finn Mac Cool/Morgan Llywelyn
  • Hawkmoon/Michael Moorcock
  • The Talisman/Stephen King & Peter Straub
  • Neverwhere/Neil Gaiman
  • Otherland (part 1-4)/Tad Williams
  • Vampire Chronicles/Anne Rice (esp. The Witching Hour)

Book reviews

I used to make a bookreview every month, but it took too much of my time. So I won't review any more, but the ones I wrote are still available.

Title Author Misc.
'Dream Park/The Voodoo Game' Larry Niven en Steven Barnes London Pan Books, 1991
'Otherland' Tad Williams --
'Neverwhere' Neil Gaiman New York, AvonBooks, 1997
'My Soul to Keep' Tananarive Due New York, Harper Collins, 1997
'Lady of Avalon' Marion Zimmer Bradey London, Penguin Books, 1998
'Hogfather' Terry Pratchett London, Victor Gollancz, 1991
'Imajica' Clive Barker London, Harper Collins, 1996
'Close to the Bone' Mark Morris London, Piatkus, 1995
'Wizard and Glass' Stephen King New York, Penguin group, 1997
'Wish You Were Here' Lesley Grant-Adamson London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1995
'The Magician's Tale' David Hunt London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1997
'Havock Junction' Joe Donnelly London, Century, 1995
'The Rise of Endymion' Dan Simmons London, Headline Book Publishing, 1997
'Sleeping Beauties' Mavis Cheek London, Faber&Faber, 1996
'Feet of Clay' Terry Pratchett London, 1996
'Backwards' Rob Grant London, Viking, 1996
'The Revenge of the Rose' Michael Moorcock London, Orion, 1991
'Outside the Rules' Dylan Jones London, Century, 1994