David Bowie's Reading List from The Telegraph and My Reading List

The Telegraph has an interesting article today on David Bowie the book lover:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/david-bowie-the-man-who-loved-books/

I'm sorry to say I've only read 8 of the books on the list of Bowie's top 100 favorite books. But I'm going to copy the list and keep it with me to see what I can add to my reading (or listening list, I listen to audiobooks on my commute to/from work). 

I hope that if you're reading this post, you'll take a look at the article and look at Bowie's reading list, and add some of them to your reading list.

Of course, I will never live long enough to read all the books that I would like to read or hope to read. I used to read during my lunch hour at work, in the days I had a lunch hour. That's gone out of fashion in the workplace today, having a "lunch hour" so I don't do that anymore.  

My two favorite actors are both readers, book lovers, and over the years I've looked to them and what they're reading, or what they are working on at the moment if based on a book or books, to add to my reading list.  

Richard Armitage wins the prize, since he is not only an avid reader, but a wonderful, amazing, unique, talented narrator (performer). He's also very enthusiastic about sharing with his fans and the public what he's reading, what are his favorites, what he's reading to research a role and also on selecting projects that are related to works of literature, or recently to books about contemporary issues. To see a partial list of what I'm reading or listening to thanks to my Book Guru, Richard Armitage, see the sidebar on my blog. So right now I'm listening to his performance of David Hewson's Romeo & Juliet: A Novel, from Audible.

Sean Bean has also narrated books and continues to do so, but not as many as Richard. (And some are sports related books he's narrated, those really not my genre at all, sorry Sean.)  In part I read less books from Sean because he talks about his reading list less on interviews, also because he's rarely asked. The media sees him as a "hard man" and so can't really stretch their minds to think this is a man that loves books.  Because of Sean I discovered the books of Bernard Cornwell and George RR Martin. I've recently added another author and set of books to read that Sean is reading now and says is his current favorite (Empire Magazine, January 2017 Issue, answering question from his friend Viggo Mortensen),  Berlin Noir by Philip Kerr.  Book, or first book in the series, it is a series I discovered, added to my Audible library. 

What is it with my two men and Berlin? 

Today's King Richard Armitage Post: Book Reviews

As one of the King Richard Armitage (KRA) website's participating bloggers I've also been posting about the artists who contributed fan art during October. Some of the contributions during that month were also books and so today the KRA site is recommending some great books, fiction and non-fiction, about Richard III and his life and times.  

You might just find the perfect book for the King Richard III or history lover on your Christmas list:

http://kingrichardarmitage.rgcwp.com/2011/12/07/book-recommendations/

One of the books on the list is one Richard Armitage has mentioned in interviews.  Here is an excerpt from an interview he gave to Vulpes Libris in 2009:

VL: Now, you were born on August the 22nd and your given name is Richard. I believe those two facts are not completely disconnected – and that there are plans afoot for a bit of Richard III rehabilitation. Can you tell us a little more about it?

RA: I was named Richard being born on the anniversary of Richard III’s demise at Bosworth; one of my father’s favourite novels is The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman, and I read this many years ago. In recent years it has lead to a tentative interest and line of research into the rehabilitation of this story. As an actor, it’s a project I would love to achieve. I believe it is a great story, a socio-political thriller, a love story and a dynastic tragedy. My challenge is to convince commercial producers to see beyond ‘history lesson’, but I strongly suspect that this will be a long way off, probably outside of my ability to play the role, but I wouldn’t rule out playing another role, I may even be producing by the time someone wakes up and realizes the potential for this project.

  

Petition for “Richard III”

For several years, Richard Armitage, starring in the upcoming “The Hobbit” films, has been seeking financing to make a film or television series exploring a more historically accurate portrayal of King Richard III of England.

Please support Richard Armitage’s effort by signing this petition and encouraging potential financiers and production investors to support the “Richard III” project. Click on the link below to go to the petition:

http://kingrichardarmitage.rgcwp.com/petition-for-richard-iii/

This website (KRA) is created through a fan-initiative to support Richard Armitage with his “Richard III” filming project and to demonstrate that there is a substantial global audience who support this project.

Fifteen Books that Will Always Stick with You?

I was looking through my "old" FB page and found this from a few years back. If I was doing this today, November 12, I would definitely add a particular audio book to the list. But these were my choices then when this was going around FB(see rules below):

1) To Kill a Mockingbird –Harper Lee

2.) Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte

3.) Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte

4.)Five Families – Oscar Lewis

5.) Animal Farm – George Orwell

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6.)Sharpe’s Sword – Bernard Cornwell

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7.) A Fine Disregard: What Makes Modern Art Modern – Kirk Varnedoe

8.) A Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

9.)A Great Deliverance – Elizabeth George

10.) Versos Sencillos - Jose Marti

11). A Separate Peace – John Knowles

12.) Lady Chatterley’s Lover (2nd version)- DH Lawrence

13.)Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

14.)Future Shock – Alvin Toffler

15.)Possession – A.S. Byatt

Looking back several of my choices are books I read when I was a student. Funny they still stick in my mind.

What are some of the books that will always stick with you?

Rules: Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall.