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Archive
Behind-The-Books Blog
Judging a book by its cover
Monday, November 30th, 2009
I’ve been reading The Man from Saigon, by Marti Leimbach (and if you followed the Currently We are Reading section last week, you’ll know I’m throughly enjoying it) and noticed that on Amazon the cover appears as pictured here - featuring a man wearing a Vietnamese hat.
However, on the actual printed version of the book, [...]
Available for weddings, bar mitzvahs…and environmental portraiture.
Friday, November 27th, 2009
Our talented Art Editor, Christina Griffiths, has had her photography reviewed by The Guardian. Never one to toot her own horn, she did not broadcast the news (I only found out today), so I feel compelled and delighted to do the tooting for her.
Her ‘portofilio of environmental portraiture’ is described as ’stylishly executed’. The photos are praised for being ‘wonderfully nostalgic’, [...]
WANTED: Ideas for a Big Birthday Surprise!
Thursday, November 26th, 2009
Next year my grandad will reach the grand old age of ninety. To celebrate, we want to do something special for him – something really memorable – and we’ve been racking our brains trying to come up with some ideas.
Thing is, my grandad isn’t your average 89-year-old: he recently passed the advanced driving course (the [...]
Top toys for Christmas
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009
After a mini-panic last week I have begun my Christmas shopping in earnest, seizing upon ideas with the same desperation that usually strikes this time of year.
I came across the usual ‘top 10 toys for Christmas’ list the other week, and it made me wish I was buying for more kids than grown-ups. So simple [...]
It seems Bill Gates has a strange sense of humour
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
Be thankful your boss doesn’t make you do this!
I doubt whether even David Brent would have come up with anything this mortifying! Staff in a Microsoft store have been asked/persuaded/forced/blackmailed (slightly regaining respect as we go on) to take part in this little party trick. In a routine that would make Billy Ray Cyrus proud, [...]
Life’s funny little coincidences
Monday, November 23rd, 2009
Last night, I had dinner with my mum, and our conversation veered onto my late American grandmother - her life and upbringing. Of all the titbits of information I learned, I was astounded to hear that my great grandmother had packed them up (my gran and her siblings) and taken them to Europe for a [...]
Maria-Xuan designs
Friday, November 20th, 2009
Last night I attended a private sale of a new collection of jewellery and accessories by a young designer, Maria-Xuan. We were invited through some old friends and it was an absolute delight to be privy to this girl’s talent. I can’t add cut and paste any of the pictures of her designs on this [...]
The 4th book?
Thursday, November 19th, 2009
Stieg Larsson never had the chance to see his books achieve their phenomenal success. He was the second bestselling author of 2008, beaten only by Khaled Hosseini and according to The Times (this came as a welcome surprise to me) he has now ‘outsold the whole Dan Brown oeuvre in paperback in Britain’.
But would his [...]
Authors talking about books (and not their own)
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
Call me insular, but I love books about, well, books. Which is why I loved Nick Hornby’s The Complete Polysyllabic Spree - witty entries about the wonderfully diverse books he was reading - and why I’ll be adding Susan Hill’s Howards End is on the Landing - an epic journey through her plentifully stocked bookshelves [...]
Vampire mania hits again…
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
The new Twilight film New Moon premiered last week which saw screaming fans flock to Battersea Evolution - most of them, no doubt, there to catch a glimpse of heart-throb Robert Pattison (or R-Pat to use the current teen lingo…) The movie hits cinemas across the country this Friday 20 November - and so yes, [...]
Need a (dance) kick this Monday morning?
Monday, November 16th, 2009
Here is something that’s bound to bring a little ounce of joy on a Monday morning, when we could all use an extra boost. I came across this video over the weekend, which took me down memory lane. I’ve been a Fred Astaire fan since I was little. I used to record his films on [...]
Creative marketing
Friday, November 13th, 2009
I´ve been thinking lately about creative marketing - the kind that gets people talking or forwarding on the message or video or whatever to everyone they know, without it being an obvious sell of the product. I loved, for example, Honda´s “Hate Something, Change Something” advert - and I couldn´t stop singing that tune for the rest of [...]
Wahoo!It’s Jimmy Choo!
Thursday, November 12th, 2009
Have you heard the news? Jimmy Choo is coming to H&M!
I may finally be able to afford a pair of top quality, absolutely gorgeous, never-take-them-off designer heels without breaking the bank! Surely every girl’s dream come true.
They’re launching the Jimmy Choo collection this Saturday (November 14th), and it will include not only shoes but clothes [...]
iPhones (and Apps) - a justifiable extravagance?
Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
A reprise from Chiara’s post last week about Apple Macs Vs. PCs: I am currently on the horns of a dilemma. To buy iPhone, or not to buy iPhone?
Can I survive impending family Christmas with not only my brother but my sister-in-law-to-be showing off the latest apps that they have downloaded? Can I bear to [...]
Foggy Tuesday (time for a free trip to Paris!)
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
I think we’ve seen the last of the fireworks (a brilliant display nearby our offices last night which we watched out of our skylight) and the end of the mild weather is now official. But before we descend into blueness and think hibernation is our only option, consider this little special which is sure to [...]
Finding inspiration in mundane things
Monday, November 9th, 2009
The other day came across this quirky blog, Shopping Losts, that turns people’s shopping lists into a little gem of design.
As I admired these small pieces of work, I couldn’t help wondering who had owned each shopping list. Did it belong to a man or a woman? What kind of person likes pizza, frozen meals [...]
Stuart Pawson saves the day! (Well, sort of…)
Friday, November 6th, 2009
This certainly tops my list of unorthodox reviews for one of our books…
In this week’s issue of Pick Me Up magazine there is a story about a woman who was attacked by some machete-wielding robbers who locked her in an industrial container for nine-hours…
How did she pass the time?
By reading the book Shooting Elvis, by Stuart Pawson!
Her [...]
Should I go for an Apple Mac or PC?
Thursday, November 5th, 2009
I’m planning to buy a new laptop, and whilst I have always been a PC girl, I am seriously considering going for a Macbook this time.
The main reason is the virus issue. Apparently Macs just don’t get viruses - whereas my previous laptop, well, that’s exactly what killed it. Death by Trojan. I had the [...]
Think you can write a killer read?
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
(There’s never a lack of puns when it comes to talking about crime-fiction books. I’ve tried my own take on the CWA website’s headline which reads “Fancy a stab at crime-writing?” Another option was “Would you murder for a chance to win the Debut Dagger?” The possibilties abound. Feel free to suggest others.)
But I digress. [...]
Christmas lights in London tonight
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
Our offices are just a few minutes walk from Oxford Circus - where they’ll be turning on the Christmas lights tonight with the usual fanfare including street performances. And although I’m dreading the tube journey home (despite the rain there are always thousands of people flocking to these things), I’m secretly a real Christmas nut [...]
Currently we are...
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...reading
The Rose of Sebastopol, by Katharine Mcmahon Lara: Mariella is an interesting protagonist – so far, not your traditional heroine and still second fiddle to the beautiful, enigmatic Rosa. This is the author’s aim I suppose, but I’m still interested to see if Mariella does finally come into her own – or if as readers you’ll always wish the story was told from Rosa’s point of view instead.
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