Articles

Gawande’s sparkling anecdotal prose is skilfully employed in making complex medical dilemmas engaging and lucid to the lay reader. Over the course of eleven essays Gawande looks at issues such as hand washing in hospitals, polio outbreaks in India, why we should be troubled by the rise in caesarean births and the ethical implications for doctors becoming involved in capital punishment. A wise, humane and riveting read underscored by one simple question: what does it take to be good at something when failure is so easy? Wonderful.

The Kadam family relocate their Indian restaurant run by son and hotshot chef Hassan, from Mumbai, India to Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val in the south of France; just a hundred-feet away from the local competition, Michelin star restaurant ‘Le Saule Pleureur'. Culinary warfare ensues. A rom-com for foodies directed by Lasse Hallström (Chocolat) with scenes that could be taken from a painting by Renoir. Slow-paced, predictable and cheesy. But salvaged by some charming qualities to boot: the winning combination of screen legends Helen Mirren and Om Puri, a stunning setting in scenic south of France, and a few subtle moments of truth. And keep an eye out for the gourmand Mayor played by Michel Blanc. Perfect for inflight viewing.

The new Members’ Room at Tate Britain, a product of the recent £45 million refurbishment, has a wow factor to rival that of its Modern younger sibling, celebrating instead the Neoclassical character and charm of the original building. Architects Caruso St John have exposed the Upper Rotunda balcony and Dome closed off since the 1920s, made accessible by a whimsical spiral staircase, inspired perhaps by ‘Alice in Wonderland’. The circular space is totally unique, very roomy and faintly wacky. The 14-metre long bar serves sandwiches, snacks, hot and cold drinks and alcohol. A good place to relax after taking in an exhibition although it should be noted that service was a bit disorganized, and access to the area was not restricted to members only.

Watchable sci-fi lite space adventure from Christopher Nolan. America is a giant 1930s style dustbowl and mankind is facing famine. Matthew McConaughey plays an ex-NASA pilot turned farmer who chances upon a secret plan to save everyone and so dumps his kids for the chance of some real action. Disappointing script, riddled with holes. Read The Death of Grass by John Christopher for a more subversive take on famine and the end of civilisation.

An excellent review of the visionary artist’s late years from 1835, at the ripe age of 60, until his death in 1851; detailing a period of heightened creativity for Turner, and his thirst for innovation, with an eye to the past. The exhibition is a definite crowd pleaser. But, back in the day, Turner had the critics up in arms by pushing the boundaries of painting towards abstraction. This is an unmissable opportunity to see his late works up close, while they shed light on his inscrutable character: I was awestruck by the sublime ‘Sunset with Sea Monsters’(1845), moved by the tragic ‘A Disaster at Sea’ (1835) and rather appalled at the series of Whaling pictures (1845-6). Ends 25 January 2015.