Last week I had to attend a meeting in Edinburgh. I wasn't quite sure exactly what time I was meant to be there so I went early. You may wonder how it is possible to do this - deliberately go early when you don't know what time you are actually meant to be there- but I did. In any case, it turned out that I was early by more than two hours- enough time to pay a visit to the bookshop and buy a book and (even better) enough time to start reading it.The book I bought is pictured above. OK - it is not exactly hot off the press. It was published in 2003 and (as you can see from the cover) it has already been turned into" a major motion picture" which is also now available on DVD.
And I know why: it was a brilliant read. One day I would love to be able to read it in the original Italian; but even in the English translation by Jonathan Hunt it is quite delightful.
I'm not going to attempt to review the book, far less spoil it by giving away the plot: I just want to recommend it.
The old proverb tells us never to judge a book by its cover but I don't mind admitting that it was the cover which sold it to me, along with the title. When somebody says (either out loud or just into themselves) "I'm not scared!" you can be pretty certain that this is precisely what they are.
People can be scared by all sorts of things, and often the fears are entirely irrational - like my own fear of heights, or other people's fear of spiders. Some fears are not only justified, they are downright useful. When you are about to cross the road, it is a good idea to be a little bit afraid of fast moving cars: not so scared that you are rooted to the spot and unable to cross, but, equally, not so blase that you walk out into the road not even looking to see if there is any traffic coming. Even fear has its uses sometimes.
Unfortunately, we often fear things we can do absolutely nothing to change and, perhaps even more often, we fear things that are just not likely to happen.
So what is your most irrational fear?
Own up...right here...
...if you dare!
19 comments:
stairs without backs - although I don't think this is entirely irrational (no-one ever does, I suppose).
E.Louise, I think that may be a variant on my fear of heights. :-) At least you can see if there's some creature trying to hide under them. :-)
Coming down a spliral staircase ,and spiders.
Hi Lynn. I think a "spliral" staircase might scare me ... if I knew what it was. :-)
Sorry my fingers and my brain weren't working together.I did mean to type "spiral" Doh!!
I just thought,imagine a spiral staircase with a spider on the wall!!! Aargh!!!
I wouldn't go up the stairs in my aunts house because she had stairs with no backs when I was a child...imagine my horror on Saturday to find out they have 2 flights if stairs like these at the science centre in Glasgow!
Oh and going to the dentist...still make my mum go with me if I need anything major done..honest the last time she came with me I was almost 30 and had just had a baby!
Hi "Alice" - but I bet you went up them 'cos you had the kids with you.
Yes...twice!
Hi Iain, I have some weird irrational fear of birds - you just can't tell what's on their mind, and their faces certainly dont give away any clues as they look constantly angry and ready to peck humans at a seconds notice! I blame Alfred Hitchcock.
"I have some weird irrational fear of birds - you just can't tell what's on their mind, and their faces certainly dont give away any clues" - I thought for a minute you were using a colloquial term to refer to the female members of our own species!!
Thanks for book recommendation - yours are usually good - reading blue like jazz right now and love watching the painted veil that you reccommended some time ago.
My biggest fear right now? - Wasting my time in the wrong place.
liz
There's 13 comments! Just had to make one more to make it 14. I guess that means i'm one of those people who are afraid of the number 13!
No need to be afraid now, Lindsay, eh? Unless you are afraid of the number 15 as well. :-)
Ah, I see your train of thought Iain - I suppose the second part of my comment "they look constantly angry and ready to peck humans at a seconds notice" would also fit within this colloquialism if we were to accept this line of thinking! (Good job we're not accepting it!)
Hey, you guys...STEADY!
Heights Iain, heights. Get terribly dizzy even in movies with a drop.
I'm not scared was also a very good movie if you get a chance.
Finally thanks for two of the hymns at our Week of Prayer for Christian Unity service in Backwell last night. Good job.
Steve, thanks for the comments about the hymns. I did recently watch the movie of "I'm Not Scared" and thought it was really good. I couldn't believe how close to the book it was, until I realised that the author also did the screenplay.
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