I picked this book up after hearing that it dealt, in fictional form, with similar experiences to Oliver Sach's Awakenings. I put it down after a single page as I had no desire to force myself through 400 pages of unpunctuated stream of consciousness. Months later I came across the audiobook (someone else had done … Continue reading One Minute Book Review – Umbrella by Will Self
A Favourite Quote – G. B. Shaw (or someone)
'I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it.' As well as George Bernard Shaw, this delightful quotation has variously been attributed to Oscar Wilde, Abraham Lincoln and Mark Twain to name a few but not to Martin Luther, John Milton or (Heaven forfend) William … Continue reading A Favourite Quote – G. B. Shaw (or someone)
We Will Remember Them
We are now over two years into our commemoration of the centenary of the Great War. Overwhelmingly people have approached these commemorations with an attitude of solemnity. Whether for wreath laying ceremonies or visits to war memorials or to museums, thoughts are primarily on those who were lost. Going through newspapers over the 50 years … Continue reading We Will Remember Them
One Minute Book Review – A Woman So Bold by L. S. Young
This is an engaging first novel, categorized as historical romance, better described as historical fiction with a strong romance element. It is the story of Landra Andrews’ growth from childhood to womanhood and her struggle against both family and a narrow society to live and love on her own terms. Set in north Florida in … Continue reading One Minute Book Review – A Woman So Bold by L. S. Young
In My Garden – Marmalade bush
The Marmalade Bush (Streptosolen jamesonii) is a bright, long flowering evergreen. A South American plant (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru), it does very well in temperate areas of Australia. Its blooms are loose clusters of small flared trumpet shaped flowers which range in colour from yellow to bright orange, the colour deepening as the flower matures. While … Continue reading In My Garden – Marmalade bush
My Reading – October 2016
His Bloody Project : Documents Relating to the Case of Roderick Macrae by Graeme Macrae Burnet The Wife's Tale by Christine Wells Hot Milk by Deborah Levy The Sellout by Paul Beatty Save
One Minute Book Review – A Test of Wills by Charles Todd
This is more like a two and a half minute review. A Test of Wills is the first in the Ian Rutledge series, written by mother and son team Caroline and Charles Todd. It begins in June 1919 with Ian Rutledge, a Scotland Yard detective, returned after five years military service in France. Prior to … Continue reading One Minute Book Review – A Test of Wills by Charles Todd
In My Garden – Aquilegia
Aquilegia, also known as Columbine and Granny's Bonnet, is a perennial which flowers in spring. The blooms are striking - a spurred bell-shaped flower made up of five petals that spread out from the base surrounding five larger sepals. The petals and sepals are often of different colours and the blooms overall range in colour … Continue reading In My Garden – Aquilegia
Embroidered history
So take a brightly coloured strand and thread it through the eye, then pierce the cloth to draw it on and watch the story grow. With English cloth and English yarn in colours wrung from life, a banner stitched in Canterbury relates the victor's tale. Stem stitches draw the story out, long threads laid side … Continue reading Embroidered history
One Minute Book Review – The Wife’s Tale by Christine Wells
The Wife’s Tale by Christine Wells is a novel with dual intertwining timelines. The modern strand involves Australian lawyer Liz Jones who, under the pretence of writing a novel about the 18th century Lady Nash, goes to the Isle of Wight to discretely investigate her employer’s claim to descent from Delaney Nash. As she delves … Continue reading One Minute Book Review – The Wife’s Tale by Christine Wells
