Other Interests: pursuing your passion

Best of 2006

The usual "best of ..." articles are being published.

I thought these were worth noting:

• Wired's 300 best gear and gadgets
• best innovation and design books
• New York Times 100 notable books
• 10 places to get free images
• top 10 YouTube videos
• top 50 blogging resources
• Top 10 mistakes in web design

The Echo Maker: brain damage and our identity

The usual stories you read in the newspaper about brain damage discuss the person's change of personality and the burden on the spouse or other carer. Sometimes a story will focus on the "oddity" aspect: such as the SMH story on the man with an uncontrollable sex drive after an accident.

Richard Powers' The Echo Maker focuses on a man who cannot recognise his sister after an accident and his search for his memory, starting with the cause of his accident. Along the way we meet his sister, a neurologist author and the cranes who come to Nebraska each year.

This is a compelling story which shows the frustrations of all involved: the victim, the family, the doctors, the friends. There is a satisfactory resolution but not necessarily on all levels.

New York Review of Books' review by Margaret Atwood.

Short stories, short films

Short stories can be as effective as a full-length novel.

Morris Lurie tells how in his own style in When and How to Write Short Stories and What They Are

Similarly short films can tell a great story economically.

Watch some great short films at Nice Shorts. (via Anecdote)

Queensland Gallery of Modern Art

I have just had my first look at the new Queensland Gallery of Modern Art .

It is a light and spacious building which opens up to the Brisbane River.

It  faces the old Art Gallery and adjoins the new State Library.

Importantly the air conditioning works well and seems to have a variety of cafes: all good reasons to keep going back to see some innovative art!