Blog
Bring Maine into your kitchen
29 September, 2011
After six days Maine, I have finally enjoyed my first taste of the local Clam Chowder. Together with the local lobster, this is a must-have dish up here. So, in an attempt to have you share in this culinary delight, here’s the traditional New England recipe for it. CLAM CHOWDER RECIPE Ingredients 5 cups bottled/canned […]
Wednesday Cover Story: Reel Cuisine, Reely appetising?
28 September, 2011
I recently spotted the book Reel Cuisine (a recipe book based on meals from films) in The Bookseller. Aside from my obvious love of books, I am also known for being both a film buff and a food-lover, so this is the kind of book that would immediately attract someone like me. Sadly, however, the […]
Love this bookshelf. Must buy now.
27 September, 2011
We have blogged about interesting bookshelves in the past, but I have now discovered a new favourite – here in my aunt’s house in Maine. And I didn’t even realise it was a bookshelf at first – simply a stack of books precariously piled on top of each other…. But no, it is in a […]
Stephen King Country
26 September, 2011
So here I am, blogging from Maine, USA – otherwise known as the home of Stephen King (pictured above). In fact, I passed through his birthplace, Portland, on my way up from Boston, and looked out for the guy, before remembering he actually now lives further north in Bangor. As I drove through the streets […]
‘Reader, I saw the film…’
23 September, 2011
In the next few weeks I will be making a point of visiting my local cinema to see the latest adaptation of Jane Eyre starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender. What I’ve heard of it so far, particularly how it has been structured, with much of the early portion of the story told in flashbacks, […]
A Wicked weekend in the West End
22 September, 2011
I know I’ve been in the big city for a while now, but I’m still in the phase of doing touristy London things – there’s just so much to see! Going to a West End show was one of the things missing from my list, so when I stumbled across some cheap tickets to Wicked […]
Wednesday Cover Story: That woman again…
21 September, 2011
Last year we posted a blog about this image of a woman from a picture library that almost found her way on to one of Rachel Moore‘s books, and did get used on both the cover of The Island and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. These copycat covers were highlighted by Horace […]
B & B & B (bed and breakfast and books)
20 September, 2011
What would you say was the mark of a good hotel? Excellent food? Impeccable service? A choice selection of reading material? I’m just back from a week off which included a few nights at the very comfortable Lake Country House Hotel, north of the Brecon Beacons. Tucked away in the countryside and replete with not […]
Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!
19 September, 2011
Today is International Talk like a Pirate Day! (I’ve not made this up, it’s actually official.) If you entered Laurie R King’s Parrot King Competition, you can check out all the other artistic submissions on her website here and keep your eyes peeled as the winner will be announced today! Then, get into the spirit […]
Introducing an inspiring new blog
16 September, 2011
Today I have the pleasure of introducing a new blog by Jacqueline Winspear, the author of the acclaimed Maisie Dobbs mystery series. For those who are not familiar with her books, they are set in 1930s London, featuring the young psychologist and investigator Maisie, and infused with an emotional undercurrent, where the impact of the […]
Sorry, we’re closed…
15 September, 2011
My recent blog post about literary maps must have reawakened some very, very latent geographical interest, for as this week has progressed other maps have been coming to my attention. Firstly, Amazon released details of their reading hotspots around the UK, with Cambridge one town ranking very highly for them. I found that interesting when […]
Wednesday Cover Story: Triple delight from the printers
14 September, 2011
We’re always a little excited when a new book comes in from the printers. It’s a bit like Christmas. The box arrives, everyone gathers round, there’s a hint of trepidation as the box gets opened (will we like what’s inside?) and then usually, luckily more often then not, there’s a collective “Oh, lovely – that […]
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. […]
All women need is love…?
12 September, 2011
The recent release of the new film adaptation of Jane Eyre got me thinking about women’s literature and its status in the twenty-first century. To be honest, I assumed that the majority of bestselling authors these days are men; I’ve certainly heard of more male crime writers, for instance. A quick look at The Bookseller‘s […]
Shakespeare at the Olympics
9 September, 2011
It’s official: I’m looking forward to the Olympics. Not for the sporting events, of course. Or the chaos that will inevitably descend on London’s public transport. No, the reason for my anticipation lies in a more literary direction: the World Shakespeare Festival! I’m sure you’re thinking this has nothing to do with the Olympics. BBC […]
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 […]
Wednesday Cover Story: Art Noveau
7 September, 2011
I saw this book, Art Nouveau, by Norbert Wolf, advertised in The Bookseller and I had to admire the cover. I am a fan of book cover designs that break the mould – not adhering to the usual format where the title, author name and image take up all the available space on the cover, […]
Start Parroting!
6 September, 2011
No, this isn’t quite the new craze to replace Owling, but it’s nevertheless catching on… Pose with a parrot for your profile picture on Facebook or Twitter! Why? Because it’s a way to declare your love for Laurie R King’s Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes series and celebrating the upcoming release Pirate King ! Or […]
Insert laughter/terror here [delete where applicable]…
5 September, 2011
Soundtracks in ebooks. Yes you heard me right, a soundtrack as you read. You may (rightly) infer from that abrupt tone that I’m not convinced by this new concept that I’ve come across in the past week and I’m a pretty strong advocate of digital editions generally. This ‘immersive’ experience, so the blurb goes, will […]
The reading maze mapped
2 September, 2011
I’m coming to an end of my latest reads – I was switching between Agatha Christie’s autobiography and slightly weepy chick lit The Knitting Circle, by Ann Hood, an eclectic mix to be sure – and the cupboard is bare of books. Literally, my bedside cupboard, where I store up purchases and library picks, has […]
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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