It’s a bit like buses. After waiting ages for a book to come out, two come out in one week! Yes, Saving Sebastian is actually in my hand. Looking beautiful too. A rousing cheer for Tom Bee the cover designer. Dr Justin Blaydon-Green has his hands full. Three teenage daughters at home, one of whom [...]
As you know I have an ambivalent relationship with Jodi Picoult‘s books. But I confess I had a bit of a revival of interest when I read House Rules (reviewed on this blog back in February). Super book about autism. So, when I was deciding which books to sample on the Kindle – just to [...]
I wonder how many of you enjoy a book that tackles one of life’s big issues. The kind that makes you ask, ‘What would I have done in that situation?‘ Not everyone does, I know. Some people tell me they’re looking for escape from life’s challenges, they don’t want their leisure hours to be troubled [...]
Phew! That’s the Book Festival over for another year. And I confess I’ll be quite glad to stop this gallivanting into town for performances and parties at all hours. But I’ve had some interesting experiences, and learned a thing or two about how to seduce an audience. (I come to these events with two agendas: [...]
I love acers – or maple trees. We have quite a number in our garden, including until this year a whopper at the front of the house. So it was troubling when this one started to show signs of unhappiness about three years ago. It energetically sprouted lovely fresh growth in the spring, but then [...]
‘The worst floods in a thousand years …’ ‘… biblical proportions …’ My heart goes out to those poor souls in areas devastated by the torrential rains of the last week. Lives lost, livelihoods in tatters, cherished possessions washed away, homes not only uninhabitable but uninsurable, unsellable … misery writ large. Puts the inconvenience of [...]