September Book Picks

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Frostie

Geetu Bharwaney Emotional Resilience.

An intelligent and accessible book. This brilliant book helps you develop your emotional resilience. It has practical steps which are easy to follow and understand, leaving you with the tools to perform at your best. It is all broken down well and is an original, unique book that allows you to prepare yourself against challenging situations. This great book gives you the toolkit to be your best at work.

Pressure, stress and annoying problems are all part of life, especially at work.

By developing your emotional resilience you can be bulletproof, prepare yourself against even the most challenging situations, and focus fully on achieving your goals, getting things done, moving ahead and being the best you can be.

With this comprehensive, practical and empowering guide, you will start feeling the benefits of emotional resilience straight away as you learn to:

· quickly adapt to tricky and pressured situations and get the best from them;

· be at your best all the time by successfully managing your emotions, thoughts and actions;

· handle everyday demands, hassles and annoyances with positivity and confidence;

· realise your full potential – whether on your own or with others.

Being clever, skilled or smart is not enough. To get an edge, stand out and really succeed you need emotional resilience.

Emotional Resilience: Know What it Takes to be Agile, Adaptable and Perform at Your Best is available here.

J.D. Robb Obsession In Death.

Another brilliant crime thriller from J.D Robb AKA Nora Roberts. Entertaining and indulgent. These books are hugely popular for a reason.

A crisp winter morning in New York. In a luxury apartment, the body of a woman lies stretched out on a huge bed. On the wall above, the killer has left a message in bold black ink: FOR LIEUTENANT EVE DALLAS, WITH GREAT ADMIRATION AND UNDERSTANDING.

Eve Dallas is used to unwanted attention. Famous for her high-profile cases and her marriage to billionaire businessman Roarke, she has learned to deal with intense public scrutiny and media gossip. But now Eve has become the object of a singular and deadly obsession. She has an ‘admirer’, who just can’t stop thinking about her. Who is convinced they have a special bond. Who is planning to kill for her – again and again…

With time against her, Eve is forced to play a delicate – and dangerous – psychological dance. Because the killer is desperate for something Eve can never provide – approval. And once that becomes clear, Eve knows her own life will be at risk – along with those she cares about the most.

Obsession in Death is available here.

Helen Oyeyemi Boy, Snow, Bird.

Now out in paperback. this imaginative and original novel is well worth a read. Read our review here.

The fifth novel from award-winning author Helen Oyeyemi, who was named in 2013 as one of Granta’s best of young British novelists. A retelling of the Snow White myth, Boy, Snow, Bird is a deeply moving novel about an unbreakable bond . . .

BOY Novak turns twenty and decides to try for a brand-new life. Flax Hill, Massachusetts, isn’t exactly a welcoming town, but it does have the virtue of being the last stop on the bus route she took from New York. Flax Hill is also the hometown of Arturo Whitman – craftsman, widower, and father of Snow.

SNOW is mild-mannered, radiant and deeply cherished – exactly the sort of little girl Boy never was, and Boy is utterly beguiled by her. If Snow displays a certain inscrutability at times, that’s simply a characteristic she shares with her father, harmless until Boy gives birth to Snow’s sister, Bird.

When BIRD is born Boy is forced to re-evaluate the image Arturo’s family have presented to her, and Boy, Snow and Bird are broken apart.

Sparkling with wit and vibrancy, Boy, Snow, Bird is a novel about three women and the strange connection between them. It confirms Helen Oyeyemi’s place as one of the most original and dynamic literary voices of her generation.

Boy, Snow, Bird is available here.

J.D Robb Devoted In Death

Another entertaining thriller. A must read and destined to become a film (we hope).

It’s a new year in New York city, and two star-crossed lovers have just discovered an insatiable appetite…for murder.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas has witnessed some grisly crimes in her career and she knows just how dark things can get on the streets. But when a much-loved musician is found dead, Eve soon realises that his murder is part of a horrifying killing spree, stretching right across the country.

Now the killers have reached New York, and they’ve found themselves another victim. Eve knows she only has a couple of days to save a young girl’s life, and to stop the killers before their sadistic games escalate. Eve’s husband Roarke is ready to put his brains and his considerable resources behind the search. But even as the couple works closely together, time is running out…

Devoted in Death is available here.

Actor Interviews: Rakesh Dasgupta

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Frostie

What made you become an actor?

It all started while I was in school. I never really had any friends to talk during my school days. I was experiencing domestic violence almost everyday; I could not find anyone to listen to me. I was getting bullied at school. All these experiences started giving me depression at that age and I was so helpless. But I always loved to watch movies and I liked portraying those characters I saw in the movies. Its hard to explain but when I used to portray the characters in front of the mirror I used to (kind of) become those characters from within which helped me for that short span of time to forget everything surrounding me. I found this to be a very helpful technique to stay away from my depression and the unwanted ambience. As time progressed, I just got hooked up with this acting.

Did you train and if so where?

Sounds weird but I must say my initial training started in front of the mirror. Being a commerce graduate I never had any formal acting qualification. Until 2013 when I started taking informal acting and accent removal classes in Sydney with some of the experienced actors.

Career Highlight

Instead of taking names of some of the projects that I have worked on, I would like to consider my career highlight to date being given the opportunity to go to Hollywood and perform in front of the film directors and casting directors. Also getting representation offer from one of the leading agencies in USA during my first week in Hollywood was something completely unexpected. (Well its a different thing that I could not accept the offer for having no work rights in USA)

Lowest Point

Those first days in Sydney when I did not have a place to live and was visiting Salvation Army to ask for food as I didn’t have any money with me. I don’t want to speak too much on my lowest points in life as I think people who want to pursue acting, want to become actors and have big dreams would get discouraged and scared listening to my past. So I would prefer to keep this point short.

Hardest thing about being an actor

1. Getting job – you can be an acting degree holder from the best acting university in the world and you might have the best acting talent but you might not get any acting job. If you ask me why, I don’t have that answer. It’s the way it is. 2. Uncertainty of the future – as an aspiring actor you never know where you will end up in the next 5 or 10 years time; you can end up with stardom or you can just end up with nothing. 3. No financial security – In the early stages of acting career, it does not pay you much, if at all to make both ends meet. It’s very likely that you might just end up with one meal a day as that’s all you would be able to sometime afford being an aspiring actor.

Do you make enough money from acting, if not, what else do you do?

At this stage of my career I do not make enough money from acting to pay all my bills. As such I have to do other stuff like working in supermarkets, gas stations, doing gardening work etc etc. I prefer these kind of odd jobs instead of a full time desk job because they provide flexibility to attend auditions and shoots.

Best and Worst audition

Best audition – When I had four days time to practice my lines which is quite unusual to get such a long time to prepare a script. I knew my lines and moves to perfection and was very satisfied with the way I performed in the audition room. The casting director appreciated my performance and I was so convinced about getting that role but guess what, I didn’t get the role.

Worst audition – I was driving to this audition and my car broke down in the middle of the highway. I had to get my car towed to the nearest gas station and then I got a cab and was able to reach the audition venue just on time. It was summer and I was profusely sweating. I went to the audition room and I couldn’t recall half my lines; I left the script in my car which made me look so unprofessional. I came out from the audition room dejected with no hope. Two days later my agent informed me that I got that role.

Advice for other actors

Firstly you should only pursue acting if you enjoy the actual art; If your reason to pursue acting is to become famous, you got a bad news coming – you are in the wrong business. Do not have a back up option because if you have a back up option you are basically preparing for failure. Acting is a business in which ‘YOU’ are the product that you sell, so maintain yourself (a good physique is always an asset in the acting business). When you are an aspiring actor you will get naysayers coming by default who will tell you that it cannot be done – just ignore them. Most importantly, you have to honestly believe in yourself that one day you will become a successful actor; Well, if you don’t believe in yourself, who else will.

What is the most important thing for actors to do to improve their career?

Practice Practice Practice! Practice your art, work on your art whole year, not just two days before going to an audition. Doesn’t matter if you practice lines in front of the mirror in your room, in the middle of the beach or in an acting school, but do something everyday to improve your confidence level.

Role Models

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Dwayne Johnson, Johnny Depp

The Road To Rangoon By Lucy Cruickshanks By Jan Speedie

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Lucy Cruickshanks’ latest atmospheric novel is set in 1980 in the Mogok region of northern Burma (now called Myanmar). This region is where they mine the world’s most beautiful rubies. A bitter civil war rages between the controlling Tatmadaw and the rebel Shan State Army. The people are poor and the Tatmadaw regime is cruel, violent and corrupt. Lucy’s three main characters are thrown together by chance and must struggle together to survive.

Than Chit an ambitious military officer with the Tatmadaw longs for promotion and power. His schemes and manipulations to promote himself end in devastating personal loss.

Thuza Win is 11 years old when her parents are imprisoned for ruby smuggling. Deeply scarred by life and struggling to survive she must grab any chance she can for a better life.

Michael Atwood, son of the British Ambassador in Rangoon is a naive 21 year old. Following a bomb attack in which his friend is seriously hurt Michael decides to avenge this terrible deed by helping the rebels. Unfortunately, Michael finds that he has been tricked; he is in danger and his only hope of survival lies with Than Chit and Thuza.

But as three strangers, in this savage country, they must learn who they can trust.

Lucy Cruickshanks has travelled the world, drawn to countries with a troubled history. Her first novel was set in Vietnam and was short listed for the Authors’ Club First Novel Award and the Guardian Not the Booker Prize.

Lucy was born and raised in Cornwall. She studied Politics and Philosophy at Warwick University and Creative Writing at Bath Spa University. She now lives on the south coast of England with her husband and two small children. She enjoy writing and caring for her young family.

I enjoyed Cruickshanks’ handling of her material, and her research is thorough and fascinating. She weaves it all together into a satisfying novel. Even the title is evocative: ‘Rangoon’ has such resonance …

Published by Heron Books on 17^th September 2015 in hardback £18.99

Month 8 of My Reading Challenge By Frances Colville

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Margaret Graham

This month I deliberately set out to base my book choices on recommendations from other people. This decision in part came about because my first book The Book of Lost and Found by Lucy Foley (Harper Collins 2015) was lent to me some time ago by a friend who has been wondering why I hadn’t yet got round to reading it. So now I have. And a good story it is too, telling of the relationship between two people over the course of the 20^th century from the viewpoint of a younger family member. It’s well-written and well-constructed. I enjoyed it. But it isn’t memorable in any way and I suspect I’ll have forgotten all about it in a month or two.

I met Harry Bucknall, the author of my next book, Life of a Tramp, Life of a Pilgrim (Bloomsbury 2014), at a recent creative writing workshop. He mentioned his book and I was intrigued enough to pick up a copy the next time I was in a bookshop. He writes about a pilgrimage he took from London to Rome on foot, following the old Via Francigena. This is a fascinating mix of travel book, history and memoir and I recommend it to anyone who likes any of those genres. I also found a personal link to the book – the author mentions Eric Newby, who escaped from a prisoner-of-war camp in Italy during WW2 and went on to write about his experiences. My father was in the same camp as Eric Newby and frequently talked of him and his successful escape. As I’ve said before, I like to look for connections in and between books and this one was very satisfying!

Next up was The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver (Faber & Faber paperback 2010). I read The Poisonwood Bible (about Belgian colonialism amongst other things) by the same author many years ago when I was living in Belgium and it has stuck in my mind ever since. So I was very pleased when her latest book was suggested by a member of one of my book groups. It’s a long book, and has been 10 years in the writing. It took a bit of getting into, but the language is memorable from the start and I was soon completely hooked by the story as well. This novel works on many different levels. It’s full of information about life in Mexico and the US in the 20^th century, about Trotsky, his exile from the USSR and murder in Mexico by Stalin’s men, about the art world of the early 20^th century, Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo in particular and about McCarthyism in the US. A fascinating mix of fact and fiction. Above all a book about people, their inner lives and their relationships. But I think what will stick in my mind most of all is the power and beauty of the descriptive passages. This is a book which has so much to admire, it might require reading several times. When though? That’s the problem.

My youngest son has been recommending Moby Dick by Herman Melville for a long time (years probably) telling me that my life is much the poorer for never having read it. However, having tracked down his copy and had a flick through I decided to opt instead for another of his recommendations, the much shorter The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes (Vintage 2011) . It proved to be a great choice, reminding me of On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan and Stoner by John Williams, both of which I enjoyed very much. Much of it resonated with me, having grown up in the 60s and 70s, and the idea of writing a novel out of relatively little appealed to me greatly. What I didn’t get – ironically given the title – was any sense of the ending. I’m not sure it fitted the rest of the book. And Moby Dick? On my list for the future, but probably not this year.

Three words: Men AND Cats | Men And Cats Book Review

Posted on September 11, 2015 by Frostie

Based on the French blog Des Hommes et Des Chatons. The Huffington Post asked “We just have one question: Why did it take so long for someone to come up with this?” and we are wondering the same thing. It is hot men and cats in the same poses. Sigh. Out 24^th September priced at £8.99, it is the perfect present. Frost Loves.

What do you think?

Entertainment For Your Lunch Hour

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Amy Voce

Many people say you should use your lunch hour productively, but the most happy workers spend an hour chilling out or having fun. Overworking will affect your health and happiness, making you less able to do your job. Gordon Gekko may think lunch is for wimps but here at Frost Magazine we know the truth: it should be spent having fun. Switching off for an hour will make the rest of the day go better as you will be happier and more relaxed. Whether you want to have a sandwich at your desk, or spend an hour in Pret on your phone, here are some suggestions.

Reading a Book

Getting lost in a book is one of life’s great pleasures. No matter what your interests are, you will find a book that you will love. We review lots of books at Frost Magazine. Books don’t need to be expensive, you can even get books from the library for free.

YouTube

Two words: cat videos. There are few things that are more worthy of your time than a cat video. If you are more of a dog person, there are videos for you too. There are also plenty of vloggers making great videos on a wide variety of subjects.

Online Games

There are many fun games online. A Frost favourite is online bingo. Many of us have played bingo with family members and it is a relaxing and fun way to spend an hour. It is very satisfying when you win a game.

A Catch Up With a Close Friend

Either meet up for lunch or a walk in the park. Alternatively, phone your most fun friend and have a good gossip. A good catch up with a friend will leave you feeling more energised and happier. Just make sure you choose a good, fun friend. You don’t want a negative person putting you on a downer for the rest of the day.

Magazines

Yes, we know we are online but we still love print. There is great satisfaction in reading a magazine from cover to cover and there are hundreds of magazines to choose from on any subject you can think of. Relaxing and fun, pop into a newsagent for some escapism. There is a magazine on everything from trains to cycling. We can generally be found in the women’s lifestyle section.

Or Read Some Amazing Articles For Free.

We love The Huffington Post, The Pool and glamour.com. Plenty of amazing writing from talented writers on each of these sites. A fun hour can easily be spent browsing high-quality content. Another great way to spend your lunch hour is to browse Frost Magazine and read our amazing articles. Yes, we know, but we had to get that in there.

So there are our ideas on spending some time out from thinking about work in your lunch hour. From reading to gaming and catching up with friends. Add your own suggestions and comments below. How do you spend your lunch hour? Let us know.

Salomé, by Oscar Wilde, at The Space

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Paloma Kubiak

‘She is monstrous thy daughter’

As a teenager, one of the first classic books I read, incidentally, was by Oscar Wilde after a friend recommended ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’. Wilde captured the true horror of a person’s character; physically Dorian was a picture of youth and moral standing, but in the portrait that represents Dorian’s soul, his spirit is decaying and putrefying.

And princess Salomé, the daughter of Herod and Herodias is a thing of beauty where many in the kingdom are told ‘not to look at her like that’.

However, just like Dorian, her mind is full of darkness and sin and her wicked motives are reflected in the changing moon – her skin is as pale as the shining sphere in the sky and throughout the play, it turns a deeper shade of red, symbolising that blood will be spilt by sundown.

After we hear the treacherous murmurings of prophet Jokanaan from the depths of the cistern, Salomé becomes intrigued and asks her servants if she can speak with him.

Despite refusing her request, a Syrian who is so taken aback by Salomé’s beauty grants her wish.

But Jokanaan does not succumb to her charm – he won’t let her touch his skin or kiss his lips and here the play becomes slightly erotic, as Salomé caresses herself below her waist.

The scene then turns to the banquet at the palace where Herod requests Salomé to dance for him and he promises to give her anything, even half his kingdom, if she will fulfil his wish.

Salomé, played by Liza Weber, gives an empowering, potent and sensual display to the delight of Herod.

All that she requests is the head of Jokanaan in return, and despite Herod’s pleas that something bad would happen, he is a man of his word and the deed is done.

He shouts ‘she is monstrous thy daughter’ to his Herodias as Salomé can finally kiss Jokanaan’s lips and stroke his skin as she dances with his head dripping with blood.

Salomé, a production by Théâtre Libre is a departure from The Space’s usual plays.

Having been to a number of performances at the fringe theatre in the Isle of Dogs, the idea to run Salomé was a bold one.

Théâtre Libre attempted to approach the little-known play by Wilde from a modern, feminist angle, exploring the objectification of women and how the gaze of male eyes shapes the character. This was reflected in the prolonged, sensual dance performed by Salomé showing that in order for her to get what she wants, she must display her body to please the powerful male ruler of the kingdom.

Produced by Oran Doyle, and directed by Kaitlin Argeaux who founded Théâtre Libre, at times the audience was exposed to uncomfortable and graphic scenes – quite rightly so – and this highlights the great performance by the actors with particular applaud going to Liza Weber and Christopher Slater (Herod).

Both were impassioned and true to their characters, and Herodias, Cheska Hill-Wood, came into her own as a mother defending the actions of her daughter and defending her honour against the ramblings of the prophet Jokanaan.

The stage set-up and lighting for the production of Salomé was of particular importance, especially with all the references to the colour of the moon and this was executed well throughout the play.

Salomé is showing at The Space until 19 September, tickets cost from £10.

Armada by Ernest Cline Book Review

Posted on September 4, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Armada arrived on my desk and as a total non-gamer I approached it with diffidence. Halfway through the first page, however, I settled down with the main character, Zack Lightman, as he daydreamed through another boring maths class at high school hoping something would happen to take him away from all this. And who hasn’t felt this?

Ernest Cline writes with a fine sense of empathy, and a deliciously casual sense of humour and it is this that works extremely well: I reminded myself that I was a man of science, even if I did usually get a C in it.

So there was Zack, glancing through the window, and lo and behold, along came a flying saucer – every geek’s dream. It is a flying saucer that happens to be straight out of the video game he plays every night. It is a popular online flight simulator called Armada, in which gamers protect the earth from alien invaders.

Suddenly, the problem is real, or is it?

I discovered there is a dormant area of geekism at my core as I enjoyed Zack’s skills which are fully utilized. Not just his, but millions of gamers across the world who have to raise their game to save the earth from what’s about to befall.

I kept thinking: reluctant students, beware the dream, as I read on, following Zack and his new comrades as they scramble to prepare for the alien onslaught. Plenty of twists, turns, and tension but also the emotional conundrum of his father’s premature death, and his mother who has fun, but won’t commit to any bloke … No, I won’t go on. Read it.

I found it satisfactory on many levels, not the least that it is accessible to young adults, and old ducks like me – a rare accomplishment. Armada is a journey towards emotional intelligence and understanding, a journey towards some questions answered, others posed – huge questions they are too. Armada’s a good ‘un.

Armada by Ernest Cline

Published in hardback by Century £16.99

Also available in ebook

Ernest Cline is the author of the bestselling Ready Player One

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