10 of the Best in 2009

 Here we go again … didn’t 2009 just fly by? In total I read 95 books plus a couple of dozen short stories and essays, from which the following stand out reads. 1.      Funniest read:  No Word from Gurb – Eduardo Mendoza 2.      Saddest read:   This was the most closely contested race.  Neck and neck [...]

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Carter Beats The Devil – Glen David Gold

Charles Joseph Carter, Carter the Great, master illusionist and magician in the 1920′s, contemporary of Harry Houdini, was unknown to me before I read Glen David Gold’s fictionalised biography.  I was also unaware of the corruption associated with President Warren Harding’s term of office or the mystery surrounding his sudden death.  Both Carter and Harding are [...]

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The Book Bag

And like the dope-fiend who cannot move from place to place without taking with him a plentiful supply of his deadly balm I never venture far without a sufficiency of reading matter …. But when I am starting on a long journey the problem is formidable …. Exactly – how do you choose from a [...]

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Book Group: Perfume – Patrick Süskind

An open letter to my book group – Well-Read in Motherwell Ladies Sod’s law they call it.  For 5+ years I’ve been trying to get you to read something originally penned in German. Finally it happens and I’m not there.  As they’d say typisch!  However, I can register my virtual presence and put in my tuppence worth. So [...]

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TSS: A somewhat sensational catchup (Non-fiction)

The past few months have been hectic.  I went back to school and found that in the spare time that remained I preferred reading to reviewing.  (Are you shocked?).  Anyway I’ve been dipping in and out of a few good books recently.  It’s time to summarise again.  Simon of SavidgeReads has been behaving sensationally!   I decided to [...]

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A Literary Puzzle: Answers revealed and a surprise prize!

Remember this?   It’s seems that almost everyone was feeling a little shy because only Jackie from Farmlanebooks dared to go where no other blogger dared.  For that, Jackie, thanks and because you obviously enjoyed the first extract more than the second, I shall send the book to you as a gift – just as soon as you [...]

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TSS: Best Fiction of the Noughties

The papers are already full of the books of 2009.  That’s far too soon for me as I have a lot of reading left to do.  Plus I won’t be limiting the selection of my best books of 2009 to those published this year.  What I can do, however, is produce Lizzy’s Best Fiction of the Noughties.  Not such a difficult [...]

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Crime/Spy/Thrillers – A Bit of A Binge

The thing about crime/spy/thrillers is that they are so quickly read that I can’t keep pace with the reviews.   This calls for a catch-up post or, if you prefer, 3 reviews for the price of 1. Dismissed Dead – Rod Brammer Berlin was celebrating in November. 20 years since the fall of the Wall and [...]

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TSS: A literary puzzle

A bit of a departure  here on Lizzy’s Literary Life (and probably more suited to a Sunday Salon post - but I can’t wait till next Sunday.  So for one week only it’s Sunday Salon on a Tuesday!) My question is precipitated by the novellas I chose for the November Novella challenge.  I’m not going to name [...]

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