Once the New Year's resolutions have been abandoned, January can be a relatively dull and static month for many of us. Fortunately, the literary world doesn't stop turning, even as we lock ourselves away in a state of semi-hibernation. If you're interested in what's been happening this January, you've come to the right place! I've … Continue reading The Monthly Reader: A Literary Roundup For January 2019
"What will they make of us, the people of those unimaginably distant times? One thing I do know: they won't want the brutal reality of conquest and slavery. They won't want to be told about the massacres of men and boys, the enslavement of women and girls. They won't want to know we were living … Continue reading Review: The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
I can't believe that we're already almost through January (although the current -11C weather is making me increasingly desperate for the spring). Fortunately, I'm finding some great ways to while away these freezing winter months with the usual combination of tea and books. One of my goals for 2019 was to add some new literary … Continue reading Monday Musing: Dreaming Murakami
"An occasional student who comes upon the name may wonder idly who William Stoner was, but he seldom pursues his curiosity beyond a casual question. Stoner's colleagues, who held him in no particular esteem when he was alive, speak of him rarely now; to the older ones, his name is a reminder of the end … Continue reading Review: Stoner by John Williams
Whether or not you're a fan of the New Year's resolution, it's inevitable that the start of each year ushers in a desire to do more and better. The idea of a fresh start can be incredibly appealing, as can the hope of improving on your previous year's achievements. Focusing on your reading habits - whether with a … Continue reading How To Read Successfully In 2019
It's been a long weekend of reading here at The Book Habit central. We've had 10 inches of snow over the past two days and are officially snow-bound. I've written before about my struggles with adapting to the unpredictable extremes of weather in the US midwest and this weekend is surely my karmic punishment for complaining. Since … Continue reading Monday Musing: 14/01/19
"The Greeks had a word, xenia - guest friendship - a command to take care of traveling strangers, to open your door to whoever is out there, because anyone passing by, far from home, might be God. Ovid tells the story of two immortals who came to Earth in disguise to cleanse the sickened world. … Continue reading Review: The Overstory by Richard Powers
As I mentioned in my previous post, I've recently found myself preoccupied with the idea of endings. There have been a lot of them over the past two years - I left my PhD programme, I left my country. It's required acceptance of the fact that goodbyes and new beginnings often go hand-in-hand. These reflections … Continue reading The Best Endings In Literature: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Returning to The Book Habit in appropriate style, with a review of Claire Fuller's debut novel Our Endless Numbered Days. I received a copy of this book at the start of the year, prior to its February release.* Despite tearing through it in no time, my PhD work has kept me away from the blog and means … Continue reading Review: Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller
My adoration of a good mystery is no surprise. I have written often of my love for the genre, particularly the works of the Queen of Mystery, Agatha Christie. When it comes to crime fiction, I tend to live exclusively in the past. Modern mystery thrillers, in the mould of those by John Grisham, just … Continue reading Review: The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
The Book Habit 