Hello friends! Since I will be on a plane tomorrow, I am posting my Monday Musing a little prematurely. Hopefully it will serve as motivation for that final push through to the Christmas holidays. For those of you who do not celebrate, it remains a perfect time of year for many occupations that require cold … Continue reading Monday Musing (on a Sunday): 14/12/14
"The road to Manderley lay ahead. There was no moon. The sky above our heads was inky black. But the sky on the horizon was not dark at all. It was shot with crimson, like a splash of blood. And the ashes blew towards us with the salt wind from the sea." Every so often, … Continue reading Review: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
The season of good cheer is upon us, and not only because I am able to wear my reindeer hat without shame. For those engaged in a love affair with literature, bitter cold and biting wind mean an excuse for blankets and books. While many decry the seemingly-unending darkness, bibliophiles can rejoice in long evenings … Continue reading Winter Warmers: 5 Books To Cosy Up With This Winter
As I said in my last review, I have not been giving myself the easiest time with my reading choices. I seem to be moving quickly from one difficult read to another, without much pause. From William Styron's troubling masterpiece Sophie's Choice, to Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar, my recent selections have hardly been uplifting. … Continue reading Review: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
I cannot honestly say that I have given myself the easiest time of it recently. I have travelled from heavy read to heavy read, without reprieve. I accept full responsibility for this decision, largely a consequence of my determination to fill in some obvious gaps in my reading repertoire. Sophie's Choice is a novel that I … Continue reading Review: Sophie’s Choice by William Styron
I have spoken before about my foray into the world of book groups. With two 'To-Read' stacks, consisting of 30 books still awaiting consumption, I am hesitant to place further demands on my already hectic reading schedule. But I recently stumbled upon a new group that seems to cater exactly to my tastes - the … Continue reading Review: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
I am, by anyone's reckoning, quite the Jane Austen fanatic (a true Austenite, if you will). My numerous copies of Pride and Prejudice are extremely well thumbed, and her most recognised masterpieces hold a similarly prominent place on my bookshelf (as well as in my heart). I have, however, long neglected her less celebrated works. … Continue reading Review: Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
If my previous rants on the subject didn't already make it clear to you, censorship is something of a hot button issue with me. For any bibliophile, the banning of literary works is one of the more perverse mechanisms of oppression and social control. Unfortunately, it is a reality that exists in almost every society. … Continue reading Review: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
A few weeks ago, I had a revelation. Assisting with an advertising campaign for Hitchin British Schools (where I played the role of wife and mother very effectively), I stumbled upon the fabulous Eric T. Moore Books - a seller of secondhand, out-of-print, and antiquarian books. It is an absolute treasure trove. If I hadn't … Continue reading Review: Dracula by Bram Stoker
A couple of weeks ago in my column for The Riveter, I talked about the importance of literature in cultural exploration. As I think anyone who has occupied multiple countries will appreciate, fiction can provide an invaluable window into the historical, social, and political factors (among many others) that feed culture. When I first moved … Continue reading Review: My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk
The Book Habit 