For years now, I've been absolutely fascinated with the concept of bibliotherapy. I discovered it almost by accident when I came across the book The Novel Cure: An A-Z of Literary Remedies by Ella Berthoud and Susan Elderkin. The book delineates various ailments and the works of fiction that may serve as a cure, or a … Continue reading 10 Classic Novels Everyone Should Read In Their Twenties (Part One)
"The place I like best in this world is the kitchen. No matter where it is, no matter what kind, if it's a kitchen, if it's a place where they make food, it's fine with me. Ideally it should be well broken in. Lots of tea towels, dry and immaculate. White tile catching the light … Continue reading Review: Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
Is anyone else unreasonably excited by the fact that autumn is now officially here? I've spent the whole of summer ready for this seasonal change, not least because the autumnal equinox coincides with my birthday (so double the reason to celebrate)! As I mentioned in one of my most recent posts (8 Books to Conjure … Continue reading A ‘Beginning of Fall’ Book Haul
"We are the memories we don't remember, which live in us, which we feel, which make us sing and dance and pray the way we do, feelings from memories that flare and bloom unexpectedly in our lives like blood through a blanket from a wound made by a bullet fired by a man shooting us … Continue reading Review: ‘There There’ by Tommy Orange
For the amount of time that I do and have spent writing, I struggle with words. Perhaps it's the 'stiff upper lip' philosophy that, whilst not often acknowledged, seems to seep its way into the lives of so many Brits. Or maybe it's just something particular to my personality. Where I can usually find the … Continue reading Monday Musing: 03/09/18
I couldn't be more excited for the autumn. It has always been my favourite season and no less so now that I live in the US. If anything, enduring five months of 40C weather has made me even more enamoured with the prospect of turning leaves, wooly scarves, and steaming bowls of soups. To me, … Continue reading 8 Books To Conjure That Cosy Autumn Feeling
A return to The Book Habit obviously means a return to Monday Musing posts. Some things just don't change, despite a three year break! Even with a transatlantic move and a wedding under my belt, so much remains the same. I still look to my books for inspiration and comfort (despite an incredibly painful pruning of my … Continue reading Monday Musing: 27/08/18
"I waited to be told what was good about me [...] All that time I had spent readying myself, the articles that taught me life was really jut a waiting room until someone noticed you - the boys had spent that time becoming themselves." There's something about the approach to turning 30 that invites an … Continue reading Review: ‘The Girls’ by Emma Cline
Happy Halloween, my darlings! I can't say that I'm a huge fan of Halloween, for the same reason that darkness gives me the heebie-jeebies. A day devoted to scary stuff is not quite up my alley. But after living in the US - and now being engaged to an American - it's become more difficult … Continue reading Happy Halloween!
Happy Thursday, all. This week has seen me immersed in #97 of the TIME 100 Novels - the 700 page epic A Dance to the Music of Time: Spring by Anthony Powell. The beauty of this reading challenge is the great exposure it provides to books that wouldn't otherwise be on my radar. As someone … Continue reading The Weekly Reader: 09/07/15
The Book Habit 