One in English - here's to you Kyle!

It feels almost odd to use this blog to write in English, but this once I'll make an exception. The answer to your question about why I stick to Swedish otherwise is, I suppose - why shouldn't I? There's so much English out there anyway. After all, Swedish is my mother tongue, and what would seem boring in Swedish would most surely be even more dreadful and unbearable in my sometimes rather pretentious English. Well, to be honest, it's also a way for me to practise expressing myself in Swedish - after all, my job depends to a large extent on the level of my Swedish skills. It may not always be evident that that's what my blog is there for, but still, it gives me a chance to do just that.

Anyway - here's one in English, just for you Kyle.

I often tend to become slightly melodramatic when writing in English. Or perhaps it's just right now that this is happening? I suppose it depends to a large extent on what I've done, whom I've listened and spoken to lately. And when I sit down to write, I naturally don't get any influences from anyone other than myself. (If we disregard memory and all that, of course.)

The last couple of days, I've been listening to Samuel West's reading of How Proust Can Change Your Life by Alain de Botton. I bought it while in London about a year ago, and keep listening to it every now and then. For me, it is an unbeatable combination. Favourite actor with wonderful, lovely voice reading a book by one of my favourite, dry-wittedly humorous (does such an expression exist at all?) authors. Even if you have never read Proust (as, I have to confess, I have not), the book is a true pleasure to read or, indeed, to listen to.

(For something only slightly related: Did you ever get a chance to visit the BBC-shop in Westminster in London? Go there! It's heaven, with high-quality productions on CD, DVD, video and what-not. Heaven! Go! Spend your money there! This is the voice of commerce speaking!)

Another wonderful reading by Samuel West is Realms of Gold: The Letters and Poems by John Keats. I must say that I have never cared much for Keats's poetry. Sorry if I disappoint anyone by saying that, but it was always much too romantic for my taste. And I have to admit that I picked out that particular audio book only so that I would get to listen to the Voice of West - as it is particularly nice to hear.

I was happily surprised though. Not so much by the poetry, my opinion on that remains largely the same, but by his letters. The man was clever! And he was funny! Dry wits, I tell you, dry wits! He even makes some remarks about his own poetry, and why some words were chosen over others that would make me go back and reread it, had it not been for the fact that it is already included in the recording.

And while we're on the subject of poetry - as we seem to be quite often, or "I seem to be", I should say - I can also reveal that I found an anthology of Victorian poetry the other week. I'm hoping to find something nice to recite for the next sherlockian dinner party I'll attend, whenever that is.

And so, dear friends, I shall end this post by sharing with you one of the poems from it, one that I liked the moment I saw it. And I like it better the more I think about it. It was written in 1893 by George MacDonald. I think it pretty much says all there is to say, in many situations.


The Shortest and Sweetest of Songs

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Home.