Welcome to 2023 – Time for a fresh reading list
Like it or lump it, the new year is upon us. “They” say (based on unknown data sources and noContinue Reading
Category: Readers and reading
Today I learned about “pilsa”
I was reading about J.M. Coetzee‘s latest novel called El Polaco, which he has published first in Spanish, not English,Continue Reading
Sp(r)outing nonsense? The how-to of reviewing
On YouTube, the ultimate destination for everyone who has an opinion they want to share, there are many rants andContinue Reading
Vampire Like Farms – What are the alternatives?
Regarding my rant against the sellers of fake reviews: If I look at the online presences of artists, I noticeContinue Reading
The “accidental dance between collected memory and influence” – Nick Cave’s affectionate honesty (2)
In the previous post, I wrote about how much I enjoy Nick Cave’s Red Hand Files. A recent Red HandContinue Reading
How to be kind to your fans – Nick Cave’s affectionate honesty (1)
The Red Hand Files, musician Nick Cave’s responses to questions from his fans, readers and listeners, has passed the 180Continue Reading
Can you actually recite a famous poem? Bet you can’t.
I thunk me a thought these past few days, which was this: people were telling huge fibs about poetry, judgingContinue Reading
Award-winning novel Creative Process Discussion of writing style Literary analysis New Non-Fiction Readers and reading Review of historical fiction Review of literary fiction
A man on the roof of a 70-storey building – Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel
Wolf Hall is 672 pages long. It is 672 pages in which every single line and every single word haveContinue Reading
To Be or Not To Be…?
On WordPress, that is. Here follow the confessions of a cynic. As of October, there will be a hiatus onContinue Reading
Backstories Discussion of film/TV series Published books Readers and reading Review of literary fiction
The origins of “Waiting for the Barbarians”
Uncomfortable truths aplenty come to mind when you read and absorb J.M. Coetzee’s famous dystopian narrative, Waiting for the Barbarians.Continue Reading
Discussion of writing style Readers and reading Review of new book Review of new science fiction Science Fiction
Can you feel for Klara? – Klara and the Sun, by Kazuo Ishiguro
The catch in Klara and the Sun, the latest, highly-anticipated novel by acclaimed British author Kazuo Ishiguro, is that theContinue 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
Author interview Backstories Creative Process Discussion of writing style Readers and reading Review of previously published novel Review of translated novel
Dear BBC, what is there to know about Sjón?
Here is the sad tale of a quite discombobulated radio interview. In the post before this one I discussed theContinue Reading
Author interview Backstories Creative Process Discussion of writing style Readers and reading Review of previously published novel Review of translated novel
Performing to an empty room – Is there anyone out there?
The use of videotelephony software, such as Zoom, Facebook Live, Skype or Teams, for video and audio streaming of whatContinue 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
At the end of your tether with typos? Read this
I know from personal experience how tiresome and aggravating it is to pick up mistakes in something you’ve made afterContinue Reading
The Year In Books – Not bad for 2020
Seven Circumstances grew some more this year – the 10th year of its existence. Yes, it’s been ten years sinceContinue 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
The Bookshop Sketch (or How to Infuriate the Staff at a Bookshop)
Way back in 1967 John Cleese and Marty Feldman produced a hilarious sketch called The Bookshop. (It was not subtitledContinue 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
SEVEN CIRCUMSTANCES 