A lovely day spent yesterday in Leamington spa with friends I havn't seen while I've been in the depths of thesis writing. Went rowing on the river with Laura and her man Mark, who is currently artist in residence at Laura's house as he writes his book and tries to sell his really rather good photographs. They're detailed close-ups with interesting textures and patterns. Also rowing were Steve and Sarah and Sarah's university friend from Warwick. Steve is currently doing extremely well with his comedy writing and along with the other two members of the Dawson Brothers seems to be taking over Channel Four as I type. Great things are in the near future I'm sure. Anyway, a great evening catching up with others too, though I do hope to see people again before I head off.

Finished off the Iliad on the train on the way to Leamington yesterday. I hadn't realised how many famous incidence from the Trojan wars didn't come from the Iliad, though it is nice to have a bit more context to my small knownledge of ancient history. I'd like to have look at Chapman's poetic version rather than the straight prose of Rieu.

I also read An African Elegy which is a wonderful book recommended by someone who seems to have a really varied and interesting taste in books. I hope to find out more from them. Anyway, it's a book partly about the African diaspora, partly about what Africa is now and how it has been pulled and manipulated, and partly a more personal account of what it is to be African. Anyway, a really powerful use of language with a lot of fantastic imagery. Some beautiful passages and some very painful ones. Having read The Famished Road which is almost psalmic in its rythm (though not a poem), I'd love to read some more of his.

I'm now reading the Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, a book of short stories by a woman born in England of Bengali parents who moved to the States. I've only read the first one so far so will comment when I have the bigger picture.

In my non-writing freedom I'm suddenly spending a lot on bargain DVDs. I picked up Lucas Moodyson's Together which I've yet to see, though Show Me Love is a very touching film. It always sounds bad when you try to explain that it's a Swedish film about teen lesbians, but it's in no way excplicit, just an interesting look at first love between seemingly opposite personalities.