The quarterly review III

Back in March I documented all the books I'd read during the first quarter of the year, and in June I did the same thing for the second quarter. Exciting, no? So exciting, in fact, that it's time to do it again for, you've guessed it, the third quarter. And whilst I haven't read as much as I would like recently, one of the books was a 900-page brick, so it's not like I haven't been putting in at least some time. Anyway, here goes - sorry for the brevity and, for non-fans, that it's a bit of a King-fest. As before, hover over the book covers for my 255-character reviews...

If you only buy one DVD box-set this year...

...make it this one...

Television just doesn't get any better than Our Friends In The North, at least not television of a serious-adult-drama nature. Impressive in breadth and scale (it covers more than thirty years in the lives of four friends) it was, in my view, the making of its stars - Christopher Eccleston, Mark Strong, Daniel Craig and the ever-wonderful Gina McKee (who won a best-actress BAFTA for her role). And I don't even feel slightly miffed that this is being released (on the 27th, but you can pre-order it now) just a couple of months after I had spent hours painstakingly transcribing an old begged/borrowed/stolen VHS copy onto DVD... because of course that gave me an excuse to watch the whole glorious thing again...

They don't make TV like this any more... a pity...

Turn your home town into a wilderness

My internal jury is still out on Arcade Fire - some days I think they sound too interesting for words, yet on others I tire very quickly of their rambly noodling.

Having said that, they, together with "some friends from Google" and film-maker Chris Milk are responsible for one of the coolest and most interesting mash-ups I think I've ever seen. Their interactive film The Wilderness Downtown, featuring We Used To Wait, is available to watch online - being a Google co-production you'll need Chrome to get the full effect. I'll warn you, you'll need a fastish PC and a decent Internet connection too. But the video - sorry, interactive film - is worth it. Using Google Maps' satellite imagery and StreetView pictures, your home town (which you have to specify at the outset - it isn't that clever) becomes the backdrop for the film. So simple in concept, yet staggeringly effective and, for this boy at least, genuinely entrancing. A real showcase for HTML5 too.

When the movie ends you get prompted to write a postcard message to your younger self, the self that resided in that home town. If you do, there's a chance your message may be used in future Arcade Fire stage backdrops or video material. Plus there's a chance that people may respond to your postcard message, so hang on to the "responses" link they give you at the end.

Go on, have a look. You don't have to register, or anything so annoying, and you get to see your home town starring in a music video. How cool is that?