Quicksand What it means to be a human being by Henning Mankell is published on the 4th February.

Today in the guardian there is an article with some of his ideas on mortality , moments of intense fear, hope and happiness.

Because we have been talking about our schooldays and the past , the article seems significant

He says 'Children are extremely serious creatures. Not least when they reach the age when they slowly take the step that changes them into conscious human beings - conscious of the fact that they have an identity that cannot be changed.  Over the years what one looks like in a mirror changes, but behind that mirror image is always the real you. '

My thought is that Bedlington helped produce the people we have become.

For Canny Lass / in the article he talks about Gothenburg , Vallakra, Landskrona Varberg Laholm and Kungsbacka.

This guy who died of cancer last autumn wrote Wallander.

Yes Maggie, it's good to take your ideas on morality from the Guardian. It's the right kind of morality, and having pseudo-intellectuals doing your thinking for you removes the risk of falling into morality traps.  If you are a state broadcaster it even saves having to write the manual.

Are those students at Oriel College "extremely serious creatures"?  They're extremely serious about being over-indulged, and serious about their feelings of victimisation (but actually only Guardian readers need take them seriously).  I'm not a huge Chris Patten fan, but it sounds like Oxford has the right man for the "job".

If you are quick you might just catch a play called Utopia on iPlayer.  It needs to be part of all those Oriel students courses.

Interesting reply 3G.

Not sure it is relevant to this book on life by the author of Wallander..

Maybe the offending word is Guardian.

Looking at life has always been an issue when you reach a certain age or stage of decay.

Utopia has always been controversial .

We all maybe find that there is 'No Place ' like home.

With  or without a statue for controversy .

 

I've somehow managed to miss this, Maggie. Mankell's works are very good. One of Sweden's most popular modern day 'sons' along with Stieg Larsson.

German TV - Thrives on Mankell's Wallander, even the dialog in German is of high quality.