Archive for June, 2026


A review of the best-selling novel “There Are Rivers In The Sky” by Elif Shafak

June 4th, 2026 by Roger Darlington

I had not heard of this book, or even of the Turkish-British author, before the novel was gifted to me by a good female friend, but I found it a thoroughly enjoyable read and a really impressive piece of work. Following a introduction set in Ancient Mesopotamia, the hugely ambitious narrative features three characters from […]

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A review of the 1972 classic film “The Discreet Charm Of The Bourgeoisie” 

June 2nd, 2026 by Roger Darlington

An odd title for a very odd film, but then this French-language work was co-written and directed by the Mexican surrealist Luis Buñuel. Three upper middle-class couples try repeatedly to sit down for a meal together, only to be frustrated by an absurd number and nature of interruptions. Out of such seemingly quotidian material, Buñuel […]

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