The colour purple
Years ago, when we had film cameras, Rosy and I had fun choosing a colour scheme for our holiday photos. Yellow I remember especially one year in Cornwall - gorse, lichen, buttery sunlight, herring gull bill.
A late night photo in our bloc hotel before an early flight to Marseille seems to have set the palette for this trip, although a blossoming artichoke had already caught my eye in Brighton.
Mauve, violet, purple... The colour of madness some say. 'Mad John came down from Birmingham' friends of my old school friend (whom we'll be staying with in Séguret) used to say, echoing the Donovan song. The speck of bright light in the photo of the window was a plane landing. Just a bit late taking the shot.
Purple prose —What’s in a word?
According to Reverso, the translation app, the French word 'zou' can mean 'let's go', 'chop-chop' and 'shoo', as well as ‘whoosh’. I'm not sure it's quite the right term for the stopping train from Vitrolles to Avignon.
The word is horrifically familiar.
In January, a former student at London’s UCL, Zhenhao Zou has been found guilty of a total of 28 offences, including 11 counts of rape against 10 different women. According to a lead detective on the case, Zhenhao Zou "may turn out to be one of the most prolific sexual predators that we've ever seen in this country."
According to UCL Media
The Met police have expressed concerns that there may be more than 50 other unidentified victims across London and China. Detectives seized laptops and phones from Zou's flat, which contained 1270 videos, 58 of contained distressing footage of Zou raping different women. Detective Superintendent Vanessa Britton claims it could be “an extraordinary amount of time” before they know the scale of Zou's offences.
Last month he was sentenced to 24 years in prison.
Madame Zou - a Chinese novel
Inspired by the author’s real life, Madame Zou tells the story of women in a labour camp during the cultural revolution.
The author Zhang Yihe was the daughter of Zhang Bojun, a victim of Mao’s 'anti-rightist campaign' from 1957. She is the author of numerous essays, including the best-seller A past that does not go up in smoke (2004). After Madame Liu and Madame Yang, Madame Zou is the third part of the series Women in prison.
Zou is for Zebra
Zou is an animated children's television series inspired by the books of French author Michel Gay.
Zou is about the day-to-day life and adventures of a young zebra colt, Zou (Bizou), his sidekick Poc the parakeet, and his family and friends. Most episodes contain Zou's name in the title and usually take place at Zou's house or in his backyard. Zou lives with his mother, father, grandparents, and great-grandmother. Each episode features some simple problem or issue that Zou must deal with, usually with the assistance of his family and friends.
Madame Zou Zou
An acoustic song by Golden Earring recorded during sessions for their 1991 album Bloody Buccaneers.
© Golden Earring/Sony Music
© Photo: Raymond van Schaijk