Blog
Remembering the sinking of the City of Benares
17 September, 2010
This year is the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, which was fought between the RAF and the German Luftwaffe over the summer and autumn of 1940, and the Blitz and this month sees a plethora of commemorative events and exhibitions to mark this piece of history. Find out more about events around London […]
Wednesday Cover Story: V&A Book Cover Award Winner
15 September, 2010
Today’s confession: I judge a book by its cover. No, retract that; that’s not a confession. That’s a statement of the obvious. A book’s cover is (I have no need to tell you, rational blog-readers), what draws us to that particular book out of the hundreds of others flaunting their vibrant front faces in bookshops; […]
The Alternative TV Book Club Summer Reads List…
14 September, 2010
It’s an accepted fact that most (if not all) of the books picked for the Richard & Judy Book Clubs and now the new TV Book Clubs tend to come from the larger publishers. This isn’t a gripe, it’s just stating fact. We’ve been on the shortlist several times, but unfortunately not yet made it […]
Magnificent maps indeed!
13 September, 2010
Last weekend saw me traipsing into central London to look at maps at the British Library. Thrilling, no? I’ll be honest, geography has never been my strong point so my enthusiasm for the day was not at its highest levels. However, I’d been promised that the day would have a pub ending. I’m easily persuaded. […]
Spot Susan Wooldridge in Tamara Drewe!
10 September, 2010
The brand new film Tamara Drewe (out now) has been garnering rave reviews from the critics. I’ve seen the trailer and have to admit, the scene watching the jogger trip up beside a herd of cows had me sold. Why on earth should I find that so funny? But I have another reason to want […]
Worth a $1 million?
9 September, 2010
Somethings are worth paying insurance for. Like the direct debit covering my trusty iPhone (let’s try not to drop it again, Lesley, OK?) or, things like travel and health insurance. Take the honeymooner who hit the news recently, who broke her back falling over a balcony in Corfu and needed to be flown back to […]
Wednesday Cover story: 'Like stuffing a rottweiler in a dress'
8 September, 2010
Lionel Shriver presented a no-holds barred argument for less girly covers on her books in the guardian on Friday. Read article here… She maintains that publishers are underestimating women readers, cutting off potential male readers with soft-focus designs, and worst of all by dressing up hard-hitting novels in pastels and giving them weak titles, preventing […]
Eat, Eat, Eat (all Italiana) – forget the Loving and Praying…
7 September, 2010
I have just returned from a weekend in Perugia visiting my Italian nonna (almost 103!) which means I’ve spent the last three days gorging on fresh pasta with homemade pesto, polpettone (meatloaf), fat and flavoursome sausages, minestrone, figs and prosciutto, more pasta, platefuls of borlotti beans with salt and butter (so simple, so delicious!) and […]
Rewriting the classics
6 September, 2010
Beatrix Potter was an absolute favourite of mine as a child – Peter Rabbit and Miss Tiggy-Winkle were books I read and reread. And now I see that Emma Thompson has been signed up to write a new Peter Rabbit tale. Read more here… I’ll refrain from donning my cynical hat, as after all Ms […]
Beyond the simple egg cosy…
3 September, 2010
Finished knitting those booties for your new nephew? Cast off the final row of your new winter scarf? Sitting there clacking the old needles waiting for a new project to get your teeth into? How about the human brain? Or the digestive system? Click here for more original ideas… (Personally, I think this one on […]
Wednesday Cover Story: The four covers to Under the Dome
2 September, 2010
These are the four different covers to the book Under the Dome, by Stephen King – depicting each of the four main characters in the book. As book covers go, these covers do look odd, with the title and author name pushed to the bottom of the image, almost as though the designer wished he […]
In need of a pedicure? Send in the Garra Rufa fish.
1 September, 2010
You may not be surprised to hear that I’m not much of a pampering girl. I mean there aren’t many beauty treatments that justify a half hour of boredom, in my opinion. You can’t hold a book with tacky nail polish and you can’t have much of a conversation when your face muscles are being […]
What a coup!
26 August, 2010
Apparently Jedward’s autobiography has been signed by John Blake. Remember them? The jumpy twins who got their hair styling tips from There’s Something About Mary? To the top of my must-read list it goes… Lara Crisp, Managing Editor
Wednesday Cover Story: C is for Creative and Clever Cover
25 August, 2010
It is an obvious fact that book covers follow certain trends with new books mimicking the look of the current bestsellers. It’s a way of helping readers recognise a similar kind of book, or indeed (for the more cynical of you) a way to encourage them to think “I’m going to be getting something similar […]
Your language needs you!
24 August, 2010
We’re all used to hearing news stories every year about the shiny new words that have had the official stamp of acceptance by the English language and have made it into one of the dictionaries. Just the other day, chillax made headlines as it was welcomed into the Oxfrod Dictionary of English (how a word […]
Blindness and Seeing
23 August, 2010
Last night I watched the film Blindness – about an epidemic that spreads through a city causing people to suddenly go blind. It is a harrowing story that follows a group of people infected with blindness who have been quarantined and abbandoned in an asylum – a place which quickly descends into squallor and where […]
Crime-writing Short Story Competition
20 August, 2010
Lancashire Libraries has been focusing on crime fiction and true crime this year, recommending a variety of books in all crime sub-genres (from classic crime to psychological thrillers), hosting special author events and organising other (legal of course) crime-related activities… And here’s the latest: Crime-writer Zoë Sharp, author of the hugely acclaimed thrillers featuring female […]
Where did I put my…??
19 August, 2010
Yesterday I left home to go to work, got to Wimbledon station and then realised I’d left my travel card at home, in the pocket of another jacket. Arrrgh! Great start to the day. I am forced to text my colleagues to admit my oversight, letting them know I have to head home again so […]
Wednesday Cover Story: Innocent
18 August, 2010
I can’t make my mind up as to whether I like this cover or not. It is certainly eye-catching and original with the 3D effect of the lettering – it certainly stands out. However, whilst I can appreciate the design concept in itself, I’m not sure I actually like it as a book cover for […]
How to Survive a Zombie Apolcalypse at the Fringe
17 August, 2010
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is in full swing at the moment and our very own professional zombologist, Dr Dale, is there with his show (the brand new seminar) How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse RELOADED. I’ve seen the show and thought it was hilarious! But just so you know I’m not biased, this is what […]
Oh I do like to be beside the seaside
16 August, 2010
That’s your lot people, we’re fresh out of summer. According to my mother (obviously your first port of call for a long-range weather forecast) we might even have snow in the next month. So, this weekend wasn’t the best bet for a trip to the seaside, but nevertheless that’s what I found myself doing on […]
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