Monthly Archives: January 2016

Colm Tóibín – a man for all seasons? – the jury’s out…

Posted on January 29, 2016 by

Having spent a not inconsiderable amount of time over previous days proposing wildly romantic things for people to do in Paris over the Saint Valentin period, it struck me that the main character of Colm Toibin’s recent novel “Nora Webster” … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Books on the Big Screen | Tagged , , , | 17 Comments

“A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara (2015) – taking repeated deep breaths

Posted on January 13, 2016 by

Be warned, this book comes with a general health warning. It is an absolutely visceral read. It tears at your heartstrings, rips at your emotions, at times plucks at your eyes like one of the vultures from ‘The Jungle Book’. … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged , , , | 28 Comments

“Lady Chatterley’s lover” by D.H. Lawrence (1928) – taking the John Thomas, sorry, the mickey – and welcome to “Whoar”, oops “War & Peace”

Posted on January 10, 2016 by

Back in the autumn, the BBC revisited Lady Chatterley and strapping Oliver Mellors, and after watching the rose-tinted version with a certain sense of bafflement, was tickled to pick up the battered (complete and unexpurgated) copy on the shelf and … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Books on the Big Screen, Classics Club Challenge | Tagged , | 10 Comments

Kate Atkinson’s “Life After Life” (2013) and “A God in Ruins” (2015) – it doesn’t get much better than this

Posted on January 4, 2016 by

Kate Atkinson, just in case there was ever any shadow of a doubt, is the real deal. I want her to write for ever and ever and ever. Was entranced during the wee small hours recently watching her on interview … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged , , , | 23 Comments

Two on the trot: it’s definitely holiday time… Throwing down the gauntlet – The TBR Triple Dog Dare 1st January to 1st April 2016

Posted on January 1, 2016 by

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language And next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.“ Thus spake T.S. Eliot quite some time ago, and part of beginning every new … Continue reading →

Posted in Reading Challenge | 7 Comments