We need clarity on MoD cuts

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Ruth Green

Here is my latest article published in the Guardian:

For people like me, who have close relatives in the armed forces, the recent shake-up in the Ministry of Defence and the mixed messages coming from defence secretary Liam Fox and the prime minister, David Cameron, have been very confusing.

My fiance will be deployed to Afghanistan later this year – an arduous task in itself, let alone during a recession that is putting increasing strain on equipment and manpower.

Published on 17-06-10. Read on here

A Taste of the Best Modern Spanish Fiction

Posted on June 14, 2010 by Ruth Green

Here is my first blog for Booktrust:

Sometimes the prospect of reading a translated novel can seem a bit overwhelming, but it’s not all about the War and Peace’s and Don Quixote’s of this world. Many of you will have come across Lucia Graves’ beautiful translation of Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s The Shadow of the Wind (La Sombra del Viento), but here I hope to draw attention to a taste of some lesser-known delights from peninsular Spain.

For anyone interested in the history of the Spanish Civil War, you cannot get much better than Juan Goytisolo. Although he has written many great novels, Marks of Identity (Señas de Identidad) tells the story of a Spanish exile’s return from Paris to his family home in Barcelona and provides a fantastic introduction to just some of the literature which was inspired by the Civil War and Franco’s dictatorship. Another worthwhile read is Soldiers of Salamis (Soldados de Salamina) by Javier Cercas, which humanely reveals how the Civil War has permeated Spain’s modern-day conscious. Anne McLean’s translation of the novel was notably awarded the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize in 2004.

Published on 14-06-10. Read on here

When dying for your art is all part of the spectacle

Posted on May 25, 2010 by Ruth Green

Here is my latest article published in the Guardian:

“It is amazing what some people will do in the name of their craft,” I thought to myself last Friday as I was confronted with graphic images of Spanish matador Julio Aparicio being gored in the neck at Madrid’s Las Ventas bullring.

Animal rights issues surrounding bullfighting aside, the nature of Aparicio’s injuries not only serves to remind us how brutal this activity can be for the men and women involved, but also questions the motivation behind such dangerous activities – whether they be considered a sport, an art form, or simply an attention-grabbing venture in which people willingly place their lives in jeopardy.

Published on 25-05-10. Read on here

Medvedev has failed to protect judiciary

Posted on April 16, 2010 by Ruth Green

Here is my latest article published in the Guardian:

A leading senior Russian judge, Eduard Chuvashov, was assassinated in Moscow on Monday morning. Chuvashov was a judge in many high-profile trials involving extremist organisations and was renowned for his tough sentencing of groups such as the notorious Russian fascist group, the White Wolves.

Published on 16-04-10. Read on here

Nouvel by name, novel by nature

Posted on March 29, 2010 by Ruth Green

Here is my latest article published in the Guardian:

The announcement last week that Jean Nouvel is this year’s chosen architect for the Serpentine Gallery pavilion was met with scorn and derision. Much of the criticism also suggests that parochial views on what constitutes “good British architecture” are still prevalent and there are fears that modern architectural design is tainting our urban landscapes.

Published on 29-03-10. Read on here