Real and fictional geisha and what to read
Seven Circumstances investigates In my previous post about The Tale of Genji and The Tale of Murasaki, I mentioned thatContinue Reading
Category: Discussion of genre
Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style List of similar books Review of new book Review of new novel
Getting the hang of the Chinese novel
Updated discussion and reviews After many years of reading and reviewing novels by Chinese authors, that have been translated into English,Continue Reading
It all depends on how you look at it…
As my reward for having gotten through 2020 without any major ructions, while at the same time staying productive, IContinue Reading
Backstories Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Readers and reading Review of Biographical Fiction Review of historical fiction
A Paraguayan Perspective on the Strange Case of the President of Paraguay and the Irish Courtesan
A few months ago, I wrote a piece about three novels that have as their subjects the former President ofContinue Reading
Backstories Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Readers and reading Review of Biographical Fiction Review of historical fiction
The Strange Case of the President of Paraguay and the Irish Courtesan
If you look up Paraguay on a map, like I had to, you will see that it is a countryContinue Reading
Creative Process Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Modern fiction Readers and reading Review of anthology Review of modern fiction Review of new book Reviews of short stories
Many tantalizing twists in these tales – If It Bleeds, by Stephen King
What is Stephen King known for? Horror Fiction. Suspenseful mysteries. I bought If It Bleeds in the hope that IContinue Reading
Backstories CanLit Creative Process Detective fiction Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style List of similar books Mysteries and Thrillers Published books Realistic Fiction
Real World Meets Realism – Devil’s Run, by Gordon Mohs (Part 3 of 3)
In this post I continue looking into the subject of factual accuracy in Fiction, and specifically Realistic Fiction and theContinue Reading
Real World Meets Realism – Is It Fact or Fiction? (Part 2 of 3)
In this post I continue looking into the subject of factual accuracy in Fiction, and specifically Realistic Fiction and theContinue Reading
Current events Discussion of genre List of similar books List of top books Review of anthology Review of essay collection Review of modern fiction Review of previously published novel
Funny, witty, amusing books for light relief
To alleviate the “morbs” that might have descended on you from reading those books with pandemic and epidemics as themes,Continue Reading
Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Review of literary fiction Review of new book Review of new novel Review of science fiction
Challenging the limits of physicality – Frankissstein – A Love Story, by Jeanette Winterson
Frankissstein (with 3 s’es) is a collection of interwoven love stories that takes place from the mid 1800s to theContinue Reading
Creative Process Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Meta-data Review of new book Review of science fiction Reviews of graphic novels and comic strips Science Fiction
A perfect combination of Sci-Fi art and prose – Above the Timberline, by Gregory Manchess
Reading the screenplay of The Ballad of Buster Scruggs by Joel and Ethan Coen led me to the real artistContinue Reading
Discussion of author’s portfolio Discussion of film/TV series Discussion of genre getting published Non-fiction Review of new book Science Fiction
Looking back at the original Star Trek – The Trouble with Tribbles
Which Sci-Fi devotee is not looking forward to the debut of Star Trek: Picard? (Roll on, January 23, 2020!) IContinue Reading
Backstories Best of 2018 Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Review of science fiction Review of translated novel Science Fiction
An “Invention Story” about Futile Obsession – Ball Lightning, by Cixin Liu
LIU Cixin, or Cixin Liu as he is known in English, is the author of the famous Science Fiction trilogyContinue Reading
CanLit Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style List of similar books Review of Biographical Fiction Review of literary fiction Review of new book
A howl from the guts – White Out by Martine Delvaux
Before you read White Out it is best that you know that this book is written somewhat in the styleContinue Reading
What tickles your funny-bone? Rhett and Link caption The New Yorker’s cartoons
Here’s something entertaining: the appearance on The New Yorker magazine’s video channel of my favourite You-tubers, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal,Continue Reading
crime fiction Detective fiction Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Modern fiction Review of Mysteries and Thrillers Review of new book
Homage to the Bard with Bloody-Handed Bastards and Gold Bars – Macbeth, by Jo Nesbo
Jo Nesbo is a masterful writer of crime fiction. In his particular niche, he is superb. That said, it probablyContinue Reading
Backstories Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Review of classical fiction Review of classical novel Review of new non-fiction
Are you pondering what I’m pondering? – The lost, Icelandic version of “Dracula”
This is the Icelandic version of Bram Stoker’s famous Victorian Gothic novel, Dracula. Powers of Darkness, called Makt Myrkranna, “the powerContinue Reading
Best of 2018 Constructed World Novel Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Review of new book Review of new science fiction Review of science fiction
High calibre writing – Arm of the Sphinx, by Josiah Bancroft
Some writers write so clearly, elegantly and expressively that reading their words is like drinking a glass of the bestContinue Reading
Current events Discussion of current events Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Review of new book Review of science fiction Reviews of short stories
Reality from a different perspective – Giants at the End of the World, Finnish Weird anthology
At the 75th World Science Fiction Conference (Worldcon 75) held in August 2017 in Helsinki, Finland, the bag of goodiesContinue Reading
Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Modern fiction Review of literary fiction Review of new book Review of new novel
From the inside looking out – A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles
This is a stylized, studied novel, about a stylish gentleman, written in elegant style. It has a fin-de-siècle feel to it,Continue Reading
Award-winning novel Books for Summer Discussion of current events Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Review of modern fiction
Almost incomprehensible English – The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
Hard to read but worthwhile reading Some books are hard to read and hard to finish. It could be becauseContinue Reading
Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Review of historical fiction Review of new book Review of novel
The Piano Maker by Kurt Palka – Review: How does artistic consciousness connect with the world?
The Piano Maker could have been so much less, and in that way, been so much more. I thought that the author,Continue Reading
Afrikaans Current events Discussion of current events Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style List of similar books Review of new book
Authors in deadpools and recent obits – Umberto Eco, Harper Lee and others
Two days ago, 19 February 2016, both Umberto Eco and Harper Lee died. Both their names were probably in theContinue Reading
Welcome to Marwencol, by Mark Hogancamp and Chris Shellen
Welcome to Marwencol, by Mark Hogancamp and Chris Shellen Mark Hogancamp is a celebrity – and for good reason. Obscure peopleContinue Reading
Discussion of film/TV series Discussion of genre Non-fiction Review of new book Review of new non-fiction
All the Best Lines, by George Tiffin
For New Year 2016 I engaged my brain to delve into some interesting new non-fiction. These are not obvious choicesContinue Reading
Current events Discussion of film/TV series Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Modern fiction Review of historical fiction Review of modern fiction Review of novel
The Big Business of Erotic Romances – Fifty Shades of Grey, by E.L. James
For the last in my series of festive season books, the theme is romance and erotica, and I have someContinue Reading
Discussion of author’s portfolio Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Review of historical fiction Review of new book Review of novel
A Harsh Beauty – Island of Wings, by Karin Altenberg
In part 2 of good reads for the festive season, my choice is Island of Wings, by Karin Altenberg, which hasContinue Reading
Detective fiction Discussion of author’s portfolio Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style Review of science fiction
The Impossibility of Unseeing – The City & The City by China Miéville
For the festive season reading list, I’d like to get back to books that can stand up to frequent re-readings.Continue Reading
Why I hate and love poetry
The fatal problem with poetry: poems Poetry is everywhere. Just when you think poetry is dead, there is rap. IContinue Reading
Discussion of genre Discussion of writing style List of similar books Modern fiction Review of modern fiction Review of new novel
Still feels fresh 60+ years on – Go Set A Watchman, by Harper Lee
This novel cannot be discussed without reference to Lee’s first and famous novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. However, as Go SetContinue Reading
Remembrance of horrors past – The Fat Years, by Chan Koonchung & The Zone of Interest, by Martin Amis
Halloween has come to be associated with TV and film horror. Actually Halloween has nothing to do with costumes, cartoonContinue Reading
To Kill a Mockingbird goes digital – other classics to follow – world e-book base grows
Last year I wrote about why old books, long-playing records and other non-digital media are gaining value, and why some unlikelyContinue Reading
Books for Summer road trips – Stories from Iceland, Denmark and Canada’s small towns
Books for Summer road trips This past month I travelled south into the USA, down through Washington State, into Oregon,Continue Reading
No more death by PowerPoint – Prezi HOTSHOT, by Hedwyg van Groenendaal
Here’s a prezi for you – “Prezi HOTSHOT”, by Hedwyg van Groenendaal Everyone who’s up-to-date with apps for business knows ofContinue Reading
Famous Men for Father’s Day: An Author, an Astronaut and a dead Absurdist
Manly books about famous men In celebration of Father’s Day coming up, here are some books about men I admire thatContinue Reading
Homage to Hennie Aucamp
South African author, poet, lyricist and playwright Hennie Aucamp died on 20 March 2014, aged 80 years, from a heartContinue Reading
Backstories Current events Discussion of genre Fairytales Humor Humour Review of modern fiction Review of novel
Easily digestible lessons for modern life – The 100-Year-Old Man and Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk
New spins on old fables The past few years have seen an increase in films and novels that rework andContinue Reading
Milking a franchise – Let Me Off at the Top! by Ron Burgundy
“Ron Burgundy” is of course not the actual author of this book – it was penned by Will Ferrell andContinue Reading
There’s another “Dear Life” out there – Comparing H.E. Bates and Alice Munro
TWO “DEAR LIFE” TITLES The other day, I was rereading one of my favourite short story compilations, My Uncle Silas,Continue Reading
The Pigoons are going to get you – MaddAddam Trilogy by Margaret Atwood
Man Booker Prize winner Margaret Atwood is famous, celebrated, much awarded, and justly so. One comes to expect that everythingContinue Reading
The astonishing politics of language – Embassytown, by China Miéville
This is a New Weird novel/thriller/sociological discourse (?) about Linguistics in society, or to be more precise – Semiotics – andContinue Reading
Best Wishes for the Season – In the words of Breyten Breytenbach
The best way to express my best wishes to my family, friends, followers and fellow book lovers for the newContinue Reading
Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers’ Hard-Hearted Nanny, the topic of new film
Update on this post: Here is an excellent analysis in the New Yorker of P.L. Travers’ youth, development as anContinue Reading
William Shakespeare’s Star Wars – Verily, A New Hope, by Ian Doescher
Skip the poetry, go to the Full review A Review of This Fine Tale, in Blank Verse and A HeroicContinue Reading
Children’s Literature Current events Discussion of author’s portfolio Discussion of genre Review of new book Review of new novel Review of novel
Depicting the minutiae of life – Dear Life, by Alice Munro
– (Penguin Books Canada, 2012) The significant moments in Alice Munro’s latest collection of short stories tend to creep upContinue Reading
The Rosie Project, by Graeme Simsion
Overview I initially liked this novel, written from the point of view of a man who shows quite a fewContinue Reading
SEVEN CIRCUMSTANCES 