This book of four novellas is about women, about what it is like to be a woman, though sometimes through extreme examples. It is not always a pleasant book. Cardiff, by the Sea shows us the worst, most devastating things about being a woman - as well as the exquisite moments of joy that can… Continue reading Cardiff, by the Sea by Joyce Carol Oates (2020)
The Montessori Toddler: A Parent’s Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being by Simone Davies (2018)
I realise that this book is a bit of a departure from the sort of thing reviewed in my last few posts (which I realise were months ago, hello 2021), but this is the first book I have read all the way through since I think October - so I'm reviewing it. Honestly having a… Continue reading The Montessori Toddler: A Parent’s Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being by Simone Davies (2018)
My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier (1951)
2003 Virago paperback I first read this in 2014, which seems like a lifetime ago, and decided to re-read it earlier this year when I was fed up with everything I had on my bookshelves. At some point I put it aside, and I left it for so long, I'm not sure why, that I… Continue reading My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier (1951)
East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity by Phillippe Sands (2016)
image: goodreads.com This is a book about many things. Ostensibly you could say that East West Street is about a lawyer and historian, Phillippe Sands, exploring the lives of his maternal grandparents (and his mother) before and during the Second World War. It starts as that, catalysed by Sands being invited to give a lecture… Continue reading East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity by Phillippe Sands (2016)
House of Glass by Hadley Freeman (2020)
Let me preface this review by saying that I have not written a book review, or any blog post, for months now so please bear with me... in June I went back to work after maternity leave, but due to lockdown my little one's nursery was not open at the time and so my husband… Continue reading House of Glass by Hadley Freeman (2020)
I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron (2006)
I honestly don't know why it's taken me so long to read any of Nora Ephron's books. I adore her movies, particularly When Harry Met Sally, and I'd always heard her books were just as good. Perhaps I was afraid they wouldn't be and my reverence of her script writing would be ruined. But then… Continue reading I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron (2006)
The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski, tr. Danusia Stok (1993, 2007)
I have not written a book review in quite a while. My last one was Stet by Diana Athill in July 2019. A month later I had my baby and though I tried to read during feeds or when he was asleep, it just never really happened - I started a couple of books but… Continue reading The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski, tr. Danusia Stok (1993, 2007)
Life update! Sept 2019
Hello readers! As you may have noticed I have been completely absent from the blog, Twitter, and Instagram for a little while - and this is because my baby was born in mid-August and only now am I managing to take a few minutes to update things! (And I’ll have to be quick as he… Continue reading Life update! Sept 2019
Stet: An Editor’s Life by Diana Athill (2000)
For whatever reason this book had been sitting on my shelves since at least January, as I received it as a Christmas/birthday present (they are only ten days apart so I forget which this was for), but luckily I had a book audit a few weeks ago and came upon it again. I had started… Continue reading Stet: An Editor’s Life by Diana Athill (2000)
Baby and Birth Books – My Reading So Far
I am now 34 weeks pregnant and while talking to friends and relatives with children about pregnancy and birth has been great, along with information from the midwife and the NCT course we just did, I have also been doing a bit of reading about all this as well - of course! I’ve got a… Continue reading Baby and Birth Books – My Reading So Far
