The object of this series, which I am running in conjunction with my wonderful friend, Elle, who blogs at Inkproductions.org (well-written, entertaining and thoughtful articles on all things writing and blogging-oriented) is to grab a long-neglected unread book off our shelves, speculate on what we think the book’s about based solely Continue Reading
Books
Rip’d from the pages of my childhood: Agaton Sax by Nils-Olof Franzén
The Agaton Sax series by Nils-Olof Franzén was one of the major literary touchstones of my childhood. Yet another Scandinavian author who reeled me in hook, line and quirky sinker, Franzén crafted a protagonist in the short, round Swedish detective I grew to love, who was intelligent, resourceful and just quirky Continue Reading
Judging a book by its cover #4: “Beneath the Shadows”
The object of this series, which I am running in conjunction with my wonderful friend, Elle, who blogs at Inkproductions.org (well-written, entertaining and thoughtful articles on all things writing and blogging-oriented) is to grab a long-neglected unread book off our shelves, speculate on what we think the book’s about based solely Continue Reading
Judging a book by its cover #3: “The Windup Girl” by Paolo Bacigalupi
The object of this series, which I am running in conjunction with my wonderful friend, Elle, who blogs at Inkproductions.org (well-written, entertaining and thoughtful articles on all things writing and blogging-oriented) is to grab a long-neglected unread book off our shelves, speculate on what we think the book’s about Continue Reading
Judging a book by its cover #2: “The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake”
The object of this new series, which I am starting in conjunction with my wonderful friend, Elle, who blogs at Inkproductions.org (well-written, entertaining and thoughtful articles on all things writing and blogging-oriented) is to grab a long-neglected unread book off our shelves, speculate on what we think the book’s about based Continue Reading
Judging books by their covers #1: “Room”
The object of this new series, which I am starting in conjunction with my wonderful friend, Elle, who blogs at Inkproductions.org (well-written, entertaining and thoughtful articles on all things writing and blogging-oriented) is to grab a long-neglected unread book off our shelves, speculate on what we think the book’s Continue Reading
Books from my childhood: E L Konigsburg, author of “From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler”, dies aged 83
* This post originally appeared on writingbar.com Books, like music and certain scents, possess a potent ability to conjure up long-dormant memories. Just how potent was brought home to me when I read that E. L. Konigsburg, author of From the The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil. E. Continue Reading
Book review: Great North Road by Peter F Hamilton
* this post first appeared on writingbar.com Diving headlong into one of Peter F Hamilton’s science fiction novels, with their fully-complete worlds, richly-detailed cultures, and authentically-believable characters is so all-encompassing that it’s as if you’re there in person experiencing it all firsthand. Which is quite an achievement since Hamilton, who Continue Reading
Love, true fictional love: My favourite couples from the pages of literature
* This post originally appeared on writingbar.com* Love, it has been said, is a “many-splendoured thing”, and while that sentiment was uttered in the context of the 1955 film and song of the same name, it holds true for literature too. With the exception of dystopian storytelling, where romance Continue Reading
I have a bookworm for a pet: my 5 favourite books of 2012
I have loved reading books since I was a small child. It was not uncommon for me to get through 70-80 books a year at school, and yes I even got certificates in front of the whole school assembly (which frankly wasn’t the aim of the exercise but it Continue Reading