Reviews

‘a delightful amateur sleuth novel with a well balanced mix of domestic and academic life and a strong sense of place.’ [Stage Fright]

- EUROCRIME.CO.UK

Having a Break

Posted on Jul 20, 2012 in Uncategorized | No Comments

I’ve got a busy summer ahead so will be posting only intermittently, but I will be back before too long to blog about my summer reading.

A Dance to the Music of Time

Posted on Jun 22, 2012 in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Two or three months ago I decided to re-read Anthony Powell’s A DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME. I’d been meaning to do this for a while. I read the first two volumes in the mid 1970s and the other eight between August 1981 and August 1982. I know this because in those days I […]

A little break from blogging

Posted on Apr 22, 2011 in Uncategorized | No Comments

I’ll be back in ten days or so. I’m having a holiday and will let you know what I’ve been reading when I get back.

Spuds, Spam, and Eating for Victory

Posted on Jan 27, 2011 in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

The full title of this book is RATIONING IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR: SPUDS, SPAM, AND EATING FOR VICTORY. I met the author, Katherine Knight, at a Society of Authors event last year and liked the sound of her book. It is just as interesting as I thought it would be, both in itself and […]

Back soon

Posted on Oct 19, 2010 in Uncategorized | No Comments

I’m having a short break. Will be blogging again the week beginning 8 November. See you then!

A Woman at Home

Posted on Dec 4, 2009 in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

I am still mulling over the biography of Elizabeth Taylor that I wrote about a few weeks ago. One of Nicola Beauman’s arguments is that Taylor might have been an even greater novelist if she hadn’t been tied to her sweet-manufacturer husband and the domestic round. I wonder . . . There is virtually always […]

Book Group

Posted on May 8, 2009 in Uncategorized | No Comments

Next week it is my turn to offer the books for the group to choose from and this always involves some pleasurable musing. It is a bit like assembling a cheese board. Everything should be good of its kind and there should be a variety. It’s good to choose something recent and this time it […]

One-hit wonders

Posted on Mar 31, 2009 in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

It was reading MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY by Winifred Watson that got me thinking about this. It’s usually a derogatory term, but I, for one, would rather have one hit than none at all. Alain-Fournier is the classic example of this with LE GRAND MEALNES. Death in the trenches of WWI ended his […]

Half-term

Posted on Feb 19, 2009 in Uncategorized | No Comments

It’s half-term and also I’m not well – so will be back to blogging next week. Monday probably. See you then.

Blog Suspended

Posted on Jun 17, 2007 in Uncategorized | No Comments

I’m taking a break from my blog for family reasons. See you in a while.