I must say that reading Man at the Helm was quite a departure for me. As my boyfriend and, I'm sure, my readers will testify, I usually read sad/serious books. Apparently someone always dies and/or cries. There's a fair bit of crying in Man at the Helm, and a small amount of death, but on… Continue reading Man at the Helm by Nina Stibbe
Category: Reviews
Summer Crossing by Truman Capote (Part of the Capote Readathon)
This post is part of the Summer Capote Readathon with The Literary Sisters. Have you read Summer Crossing?I'm glad I've never had to be in the position of Alan Schwartz, Truman Capote's friend and lawyer. In his Afterword to Summer Crossing he explains that in his will Capote "left everything including his literary properties to a… Continue reading Summer Crossing by Truman Capote (Part of the Capote Readathon)
Share this:
Adventures in the 7th Century: Hild by Nicola Griffith
This post is part of the official blog tour for Hild. As a rule I like historical fiction, and when I think about it a lot of the historical fiction I've read has been set either in the early 20th century (including several things set during World War II), or only slight before that, i.e. the… Continue reading Adventures in the 7th Century: Hild by Nicola Griffith
Share this:
The Grass Harp by Truman Capote (Part of the Capote Readathon)
This post is part of the Summer Capote Readathon with The Literary Sisters. Feel free to join in! I first read this novella in 2008 when I was in the midst of an obsession with Capote and his writing. I tore through his books and declared him to be one of my favourite writers.… Continue reading The Grass Harp by Truman Capote (Part of the Capote Readathon)
Share this:
Capote Readathon: Short Stories (Part One)
As part of the Capote Summer Readathon, Kirsty and I are reading the twelve short stories included in A Capote Reader. For July we have read the first six of these. They vary in length, style, and subject, and they are a joy to read. Which of these have or will you read? Miriam I… Continue reading Capote Readathon: Short Stories (Part One)
Share this:
The Blue Room by Hanne Orstavik (tr. Deborah Dawkin)
As a rule I think Peirene Press are pretty fantastic, and their output is always both unusual and interesting. Given that they only publish books that have never before been translated into English, to a degree this makes sense. All the stories are a little quirky and unconventional, which I like. But for me The Blue… Continue reading The Blue Room by Hanne Orstavik (tr. Deborah Dawkin)
Share this:
Re-Reading: How to Be a Good Wife by Emma Chapman
This article contains spoilers about key plot points that you will not want to find out if you have not read this book. Or you might want to, but I thought I'd let you know. Recently I wrote about re-reading - why we do or do not choose to re-read certain books, and what we… Continue reading Re-Reading: How to Be a Good Wife by Emma Chapman
Share this:
Sisters of Treason by Elizabeth Fremantle
What do you think of when you think of Lady Jane Grey? I instantly think of that horribly famous painting, 'The Execution of Lady Jane Grey' by Paul Delaroche. I remember seeing it first when learning about the Tudors at school and being struck by the sheer whiteness of Jane and her dress, and the… Continue reading Sisters of Treason by Elizabeth Fremantle
Share this:
Review of Sugar Hall on The Siren
I have just posted my first review on The Siren, and I could not wait to share it with you! The Siren is an online journal that publishes short fiction, creative writing, book reviews and comment. They very kindly invited me to review Sugar Hall by Tiffany Murray, an intriguing ghost story set near the… Continue reading Review of Sugar Hall on The Siren
Share this:
The Bone Seeker by M.J. McGrath
The Bone Seeker begins with both the style and plot of quite a standard crime novel. Teacher and ex-polar bear hunter Edie sees Martha Salliaq on a Friday afternoon at school. Martha drops her bag and make up falls out; Edie notes this is unusual for an Inuk girl. She asks Martha if she is… Continue reading The Bone Seeker by M.J. McGrath
These Little Words 