Rediscovering a neglected literary art form…
14 June, 2013
Once the literature of the masses (back when the novel was considered a lightweight, ‘feminine’ art form) but now often ignored, I’ve found myself unintentionally rediscovering poetry recently. And as I’m living and breathing novels at A&B, it’s interesting to look at something a bit different… Like most of us, I can’t say I’ve sat […]
Why I Despise…
6 June, 2013
After reading this article from New York Magazine recently, ‘Why I Despise The Great Gatsby‘, I started thinking about the topic of ‘great literary classics you secretly can’t stand’ and our reluctance to admit to them. It seems to be something of a literary taboo – confessing which novels, whether from centuries ago or those […]
The best books you’ve never heard of
20 May, 2013
The other week I attended my first literary awards bash – the Clarke Award, one of Britain’s most prestigious award for Science Fiction novels, set up with a grant from Arthur C Clarke. It was held at the Royal Society and open to the public for, I think, the first time this year. After a […]
Rachel Caine visits Renaissance Learning
10 May, 2013
Yesterday I had the chance to go along to a special event with bestselling author Rachel Caine, hosted by Renaissance Learning, a company who works with schools to encourage reading. They were also the organisers of the recent nationwide What Kids Are Reading poll which saw Glass Houses (the first book in Rachel’s Morganville Vampire […]
Turning the pages of the A&B office
16 April, 2013
Coming into a new office is remarkably similar to starting a new book. There are new people to meet, new locations to familiarise yourself with, and new idiosyncrasies to grow used to, whether these are particular ways the author has of phrasing sentences, counter-intuitive taps, or a shower whose presence, so far, no one has […]
Alternative ways to pick your next reads…
19 December, 2012
I have spent an amazing few weeks here at Allison & Busby (a huge thank you to all theA&B women) and wanted to leave you with this. CBC Radio has a brilliant show called the Vinyl Café hosted by Stuart Maclean. Nearly every episode features as its highlight a story about a couple called Dave […]
A Library Beyond the Arctic Circle
11 December, 2012
As winter draws in, I am reminded of the time I spent earlier this year above the Arctic Circle near the end of the Dempster Highway in Inuvik, Canada, where despite the glorious sunshine the lingering snow meant it was still mostly -11° during the days. As such, you could only be outside for so […]
What books would you choose from the 2013 World Book Night list?
8 November, 2012
Today, the 20 books to be given away on World Book Night 2013 has been announced. 23rd April 2013 will mark the third year for this innovative project. It is a diverse range of titles ranging from A Girl with the Pearl Earring, through Casino Royale, modern favourites including The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, new […]
Literature at the Fringe
9 August, 2012
Everyone’s talking so much about the Olympics, and Great Britain’s gold run, that they’ve forgotten about another of GB’s gems that’s going on right now – the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. London’s not the only capital to have seen a sudden influx. But while we’ve got all the athletes, Edinburgh’s got all the thespians. I greatly […]
Time for more unusual bookshelves…
12 June, 2012
It’s a common predicament; too many books, too little space. Where on earth to put them all? At the moment, for me, it ranges from overflowing, precariously balanced piles to finding a Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in my puppy’s bed. I know interesting bookshelves have been covered in this blog before so […]
Get ready for National Libraries Day
2 February, 2012
Library goers up and down the UK are preparing to mark National Libraries Day on 4 February 2012. It will be the finale to a week of events that will celebrate libraries and librarians, and highlight the importance of reading. For example, in London at Canning Town Library, library users will be able to hear […]
It’s literary hashtag time again!
17 January, 2012
Literary-themed hashtags sweep Twitter on a seemingly regular basis at the moment. For example, @Foyles runs an almost weekly literary hashtag competition and participation is high. Last week’s chosen theme was #bookrailway and the entry, Now We Are Six Minutes Late, won for its ‘realistic sense of exasperation’! Whether it is driven by procrastination or […]
A Marginal Error
15 December, 2011
I recently had the great pleasure of visiting Skoob, the massive second-hand bookstore in London that not even Oxford’s traditional charity bookshops can compete with. After two hours of feverishly scouring the shelves for the best bargains, I triumphantly presented my winnings – five pounds for ten tattered, ancient, dust-cloth books. These are the kind […]
A trip down memory lane with Matilda: The Musical
15 November, 2011
I was brought back to my childhood in a flurry of bright scrabble-shaped letters, music, singing and dancing this weekend when I saw Matilda: The Musical at the Cambridge Theatre. Ronald Dahl has been one of my favourite authors since I could read, or perhaps even before that when my mother read to me. James […]
When does Christmas start for you?
3 November, 2011
On the first of November I left early to fight my way through Oxford Street to see the Christmas Lighting Celebration. It was packed inside the fenced in street, with a crowd stretched from Marks & Spencer to Marble Arch, and it did, indeed, begin to feel like Christmas. Together the crowd sang out ‘Santa […]
Bring on the rain, and the stories that go with it…
27 October, 2011
It’s another miserable day: the sky outside is a stubborn steely grey, and rain periodically lashes or drizzles against the A&B office windows. Those of us unlucky enough to have forgotten our umbrellas have reached our desks soggy and displeased, damning our bleak British weather. But perhaps we shouldn’t condemn the precipitation too quickly. Often […]
The taste of a good book…
18 October, 2011
This Saturday I found myself at the Southbank Centre’s Autumn Wine and Cheese Festival. On two levels, booths packed side by side boasted their wines, ales, ciders, cheese, bread and goods for those passing by. Now I don’t know about you, but when I see that many sweet treats tempting me in one place, I […]
Groovy punctuation…
13 October, 2011
The internet has a lot to answer for: identity theft, horror porn, and Rebecca Black, to name just a few examples. However, if there’s one thing it is good for (unless, that is, you are a sadistic online thief with a penchant for woeful bubblegum pop), then that is providing a wealth of semi-useless information […]
Goodbye, Mr. E-book….
13 September, 2011
“So, as I fumbled through my backpack for something to eat, I found the US Declaration of Independence and had a lightbulb moment…” Last week, I came across an article on the Guardian website which caught my interest. Michael Hart, inventor of the e-book and founder of Project Gutenberg, died last Tuesday aged just 64. […]
Something for the travelling readers out there…
8 September, 2011
This summer I spent four weeks travelling through Peru and Bolivia. Everyone said how much they admired me for going on my own, but also expressed their worry for my safety. Yet when I got there, being alone wasn’t my main cause for concern. It was the fact that I’d finished the only book that […]
Giving Books
1 September, 2011
Earlier today I was compiling a list of my top ten books on the World Book Night website. They are currently in the process of selecting the 25 titles to be given away next year and are asking people to give their suggestions. It seemed simple enough, search for the title, drag and drop the […]
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