Sluice Issue #11

Sluice  | by Arthur H. Manners

Issue #11

Things to share this week

1. Books: How to be Idle by Tom Hodgkinson. I heard about this from Austin Kleon. A bestseller that's been around for 20 years, but is still just as needed today. The book throws everything Hodgkinson can muster against the culture of work. It's more than just about stopping to rest: it's about finding meaning in more than 'achieving'. 2. Film/TV: The Dark Knight Rises. The 2012 third instalment of Chris Nolan's Batman trilogy doesn't need a boost, but A. recently amitted she hadn't seen it. An emergency movie night cured that, but I'm worried that there might be others out there who haven't been treated to Tom Hardy's Bane. 3. Music: The Goldberg Variations by Johann Bach. I immediately hold up my hands: when it comes to music, I am a rube. Classical music? Forget it. But I make the baby steps I can. Last Christmas, somebody bought me an LP of the Goldberg Variations, one of the only pieces of classical music I can recognise. It's become one of those things that cues me to clear my head. It's also the music playing when Hannibal Lecter breaks out of prison in The Silence of the Lambs, so it deserves and extra special soft-spot in our hearts. Listen on Spotify.4. Podcast: MICE primers by Writing Excuses (starting with Season 16, episode 35). Writing Excuses is running a series on the MICE quotient, run by Mary Robinette Kowall. MICE stands for Milieu, Inquiry, Character and Event. It's a writing analysis framework, and the hosts are spending the next run of episodes doing deep dives into each element.5. Artist to follow: Jason Gurley. I've been following Jason's progress for about eight years, since he released his self-published books circa 2014. He always has a lot to say about his process and what he's up to creatively, and I'm certain he'll be a big name. 

Until next time, be good.

Best regards,

Art

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