The Bethlehem Murders – Matt Rees

Politics can be incomprehensible and situations in some parts of the world more so than most. For example – the conflicts in the Middle East. Matt Rees spent ten years covering the complexities in this part of the world only to walk away as a disaffected journalist, frustrated with interviewing people for hours, only to [...]

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TSS: Travelling Companions

A quick post today as I’m preparing for a week long business trip.  In true bibliophile style the only thing ready is my destination-compatible reading list! I’m heading for …. With the aid of that and the other truly amazing resource below ….. I have planned a few evening walkabouts – weather and gammy ankle [...]

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The Allure of Chanel – Paul Morand

Quite possibly the most – er – alluring of titles published in 2008,  this dinky little number from Pushkin Press has been calling to me from the shelves ever since the author was mentioned by name in Gilbert Adair’s The Death of the Author and a little girly fun now and again doesn’t go amiss. [...]

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TSS: Colourful stories – Part One

Looking at my collection of unread and ignored volumes the other week made me feel guilty.  All that talent going to waste.  So I decided to meet the colour reading challenge head-on by taking an afternoon to digest some short stories (or novellas) with colours in the titles.  This is what I pulled from the shelves:  [...]

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The Sufferings of Young Werther – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

In the month when a new German literary superstar is born (Herta Mueller), how appropriate that Lizzy revisits the first.  Goethe, the bane of  Lizzy in her university days or should that read Lizzy, the bane of her long-suffering 18th century literature professor?  Goethe and I did not get on and my poor professor was stuck [...]

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TSS: My book group – the first five years

Yes, my book group is 5 years old this week. Over the years we have read 62 books together. We’ve loved some and we’ve hated others. Unfortunately I suspect that our current read is likely to be added to the latter type. I’m fortunate to belong to a library book group. North Lanarkshire Council started these [...]

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Glasshopper – Isabel Ashdown

13-year old Jake’s mother is an alcoholic wreck.  Her husband, Jake’s father has recently given up and moved out, while her eldest son, Matthew, has absconded entirely.  The question that emerges is whether these two events are the cause of her dysfunction or whether that is the fruit of seeds sown further back in the past. Mary’s story from [...]

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TSS: Short Story September is now a season …

and that’s official. I was so pleased with myself.  I completed the countdown challenge 2009, which had a committment of  44 books!  My reading/review list is here.  Flushed with success I signed-up to the countdown 2010 challenge with its committment of 54 books. (10 from 2010, 9 from 2009, etc down to 2001).  It’s a [...]

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My Driver – Maggie Gee

Four years after the London-based events of My Cleaner, Maggie Gee has transported the three main characters from London to Uganda.  Trevor, Vanessa Henman’s ex-husband has travelled there to repair the well in his ex-cleaner’s home village.  Vanessa has travelled separately but has not told either Tevor or Mary, thinking that she will just get in touch once in situ. As [...]

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