I have just (finally) read Blind Faith by Ben Elton.  Ben has always intrigued me as a writer, by pretty much always eschewing the happy ending in favour of something that is bittersweet at best.  Blind Faith is a great read, and as always very thought provoking, but the bittersweetness is quite acute.  I almost feel annoyed that he has once again ruined what I hoped would be a good feeling at the end … whilst at the same time thinking that it was very well put together, and pretty much expecting the nature of the ending, even if I completely missed the twist.  I know that the good feeling I craved was not reflective of reality … but that is in part why I read.  If I wanted the roughness of reality then I have many ways to get that; and I do want it.  But sometimes escapism is restorative.  Not all escapism or course – we watched The Dark Knight this weekend, and whilst thinking that Ledger deserved his Oscar, it wasn’t exactly uplifting.  Sometimes, what I need is a chick flick (or book equivalent).  Mirror neurons are wired into me deeply, as they are for everyone … and sometimes they are a great way to feel chilled, they just need a need a good trigger.  So, I feel the need for Legally Blonde or Four weddings and a funeral , or preferably one I haven’t seen before… (but please don’t tell everyone, it’s not considered macho).

P.S. but not the chick flicks that are aimed at the teenage girl market – some of the ones Kat picks make me gag – even she admits that they can be very silly.