A Most Wanted Man

I take back what I said about not posting flattering remarks sent to me about the books. It's just too tempting to share. So this is what my student Helen just sent, and thank you for putting up with this boastful writer:

We were at the cottage over the weekend and I finally found time to read your book. I loved it. I couldn't put it down. A warm, painful, heartfelt and honest story of such vulnerability and honesty. Wonderful.

Thank you! Maybe not 361 sold, but it's bringing pleasure where it goes.

My friend Ron took me as my birthday present to see "A Most Wanted Man," and then we had gourmet pizza and rosé on my deck. Dinner and a movie - the perfect date. It's hard for me to write about the film because I associate it with discomfort - the theatre was so full when we got there that we had to sit very close to the front - painful on the neck. It's also painful to watch the talented Philip Seymour Hoffman in his last role as a dissolute and brilliant German spymaster. Ron pointed out afterwards that it was a thriller without sex, violence or car chases, and yet it's thrilling. And quite haunting, because - SPOILER ALERT - it is trying to show the human face behind Islamic terrorism, and yet again the Americans are the villains.

But I have to say, sore neck or not, it's not my kind of movie.

I have spent nearly all day on promo for the memoir - writing a press release, meeting with Maija, the young woman who's coming up with ideas to help me promote it (Buzzfeed - what's that??), etc. This is business; this is capitalism and selling. It's not something I want to be doing, I'd rather be writing the next book, but first I have to do my best to help the last ones have a chance in the world.