Many years ago I worked as a bookseller for Borders and I have to admit that the true crime section was not one that I thought of as full of ‘literature’. All the books had sensational covers with big red letters and bad photographs. They were small fat books that didn't get many visitors, and while I… Continue reading In Praise Of: True Crime
Category: Comment
Can We Take a Minute to Appreciate the New Maggie O’Farrell Hardback?!
I recently reviewed Maggie O'Farrell's new book This Must Be The Place, after the publisher kindly sent me a lovely review copy. It was a very attractive review copy, but my hardback copy arrived today from Wordery, and my goodness it is beautiful. Whoever came up with and executed its design deserves all the awards.… Continue reading Can We Take a Minute to Appreciate the New Maggie O’Farrell Hardback?!
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In Praise Of: Horror!
Yes, horror. As in the genre, not the feeling in real life. When I think of the horror genre, I think first of movies. I have always been a bit a scaredy-cat with them and let them get into my head, and find it hard to sleep after watching them. But this has begun to… Continue reading In Praise Of: Horror!
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Adventures with Audiobooks: The Smart One by Jennifer Close
I used to listen to audiobooks as a child, but they haven't really been part of my 'library' as an adult. We listened to A Song of Ice and Fire and Lord of the Rings on road trips, but that was about it. My new job requires me to take a 30-minute bus to and… Continue reading Adventures with Audiobooks: The Smart One by Jennifer Close
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Top 5 Books for Spring!
Spring is (kind of) in the air, and I at least am starting to long for the warmer weather, no need for a big coat, sun shining down… and what better way to embrace the new (slightly) warmer weather with an appropriate book? Yes, it has the wrong season in the title, but Summer Crossing… Continue reading Top 5 Books for Spring!
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An Update (That Inevitably Includes ASOIAF)
How is your GoodReads challenge going this year? Mine is not going well. I've read three books and am apparently five books behind schedule. You know why? A Song of Ice and Fire. I've been reading A Clash of Kings for what feels like a year, and I'm only just over halfway through. There was… Continue reading An Update (That Inevitably Includes ASOIAF)
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In Praise Of: Sad Stories
When we learn about trauma, we also learn about catharsis, about 'getting it out' and finding closure. About having a cathartic experience. This is why we read books about war and suffering, why survivor testimonies are always popular books in whatever form they may take - from the wonder of writers like Primo Levi, to… Continue reading In Praise Of: Sad Stories
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More Than A Daughter: The Problem With Simplifying Women
I recently read a book called The Undertaker’s Daughter. It is the memoir of a woman, Kate Mayfield, whose father was indeed an undertaker. She grew up in a ‘funeral home’, as they call them in the States, and was thought of for a long time as the daughter of the undertaker and not much else.… Continue reading More Than A Daughter: The Problem With Simplifying Women
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In Praise Of
In the interests of my making my blog as varied and interesting as possible, and also to stop it from becoming what Kim Forrester recently called “ another (unpaid) marketing cog in the machine”, I have decided to start a new series - In Praise Of. So what will I be praising? Firstly it won’t… Continue reading In Praise Of
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International Literacy Day and Why It Matters
Today (8th September) in International Literacy Day. This year's theme is 'Literacy and Sustainable Development' - Literacy is one of the key elements needed to promote sustainable development, as it empowers people so that they can make the right decisions in the areas of economic growth, social development and environmental integration. Literacy is a basis for… Continue reading International Literacy Day and Why It Matters
These Little Words 