Having read Alone in Berlin, and a biography of Hans Fallada (the amazing More Lives Than One), I came to read City of Women with some idea of the world I was stepping into. A world filled with conflicts, both political and social but also psychological, as ordinary Germans dealt with the often devastating effects… Continue reading City of Women by David Gillham (2013)
2013 in Review: WordPress Report
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog. Here's an excerpt: The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 19,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 7 sold-out performances for that many… Continue reading 2013 in Review: WordPress Report
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New Fiction: The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
On her eleventh birthday Sarah is given her own personal slave as a present by her mother. This slave is Handful, and she is thrust in front of Sarah during her birthday celebrations with a ribbon around her neck. Sarah is horrified that she is expected to own another human being; and she decides to… Continue reading New Fiction: The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
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Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
I got some books for Christmas - of course - and will probably get some - I hope - for my birthday on 4th January. I normally wait until after my birthday to assess the entire haul and choose a new book for the new year, but for some reason this time I wanted to… Continue reading Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
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Best of 2013
2013 has been another fantastic year for books, with some super duper award winners and releases. I've read a relatively low number of books this year (about 35 I reckon), and I haven't loved them all, but there have been a few real gems (click on the links for my original reviews). Brain on… Continue reading Best of 2013
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Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus (2010)
Is it ever wise to impulse-buy a book? Annoyingly the answer is sometimes yes and sometimes no. I've bought a lot of books over the years on the spur of the moment, both online and in bookshops that I've put on the shelf and then never bothered with again... luckily, that did not happen on… Continue reading Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus (2010)
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The People in the Photo by Helene Gestern (2011)
I'm a big fan of Gallic Books and was very pleased when they sent me this novel out of the blue, despite never having heard of it or author Helene Gestern. According to Gallic's website The People in the Photo has won more than twenty literary awards, which is incredible. It has a very simple… Continue reading The People in the Photo by Helene Gestern (2011)
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Donna Tartt Interviewed on CBS
A little more Donna Tartt excitement for you! She recently recorded her only American TV appearance for This Morning on CBS, and here it is! The interviewer has some great questions but quite an odd way of talking that is a bit off-putting, and fades out the ends of Donna's answers - but it is… Continue reading Donna Tartt Interviewed on CBS
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An Evening With Donna Tartt
Let me just say this now: Donna Tartt is my favourite writer. Hands down. I read The Secret History and then The Little Friend about ten years ago, and something latched on inside of me and has never let go. I was amazed and excited to hear that she would be publishing a new novel… Continue reading An Evening With Donna Tartt
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Clip: Kirsty Wark Interviews Donna Tartt
I was stupid enough to be busy on the night when BBC Four showed a Review Show Special of Kirsty Wark interviewing Donna Tartt - and now it is gone from iPlayer! But I found a section of it that Newsnight put on YouTube - so here it is... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiL1dIXAQKo It is an utter joy… Continue reading Clip: Kirsty Wark Interviews Donna Tartt
These Little Words 