Last year, one of my bookish dreams came true when the Folio Society published Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. For existing fans of DWJ it was most gratifying to see one of our favorite books appear in a splendid illustrated edition, joining a list that includes many great authors of the past and … Continue reading A new Folio delight: Castle in the Air
Over at A Gallimaufry, a Sylvia Townsend Warner Reading Week is happening from June 28 to July 4. I'm always up for investigating another blogger's enthusiasms, and I've been meaning to read something else by STW (I'd only read Lolly Willowes). So I checked out The Corner That Held Them from the library, and set … Continue reading “Lively and discursive as Chaucer’s pilgrims”: The Corner That Held Them
Stella Gibbons, The Swiss Summer (1951), A Pink Front Door (1959), The Weather at Tregulla (1962), The Snow-Woman (1969) Sometimes all I ask from a book is to transport me to someplace different so I can meet and live with another set of people for a while. If the scenery of that place is attractive, … Continue reading Beyond cold comfort: Four by Stella Gibbons
Octavia Butler, Parable of the Sower, 1993 I read Parable of the Sower for my "Make me read it challenge" -- blog readers told me which of five choices on my TBR shelf to complete. I'm not sure I would have gotten through it without the challenge, because this is a helluva bleak dystopian vision … Continue reading You made me read it: Parable of the Sower
Last week I reviewed a new UK release over at Shiny New Books: Featherweight by Mick Kitson. It's a historical novel set in the 19th century British midlands, featuring a unique heroine and her unusual talents as a pugilist. It was her voice that really captured me, though ... find out more from my full … Continue reading Shiny Linkiness: Featherweight
I'm proud to be a reviewer for the excellent recommendation website Shiny New Books, brought to you by bloggers Annabel (AnnaBookBel.net) and Harriet (harrietdevine.typepad.com). Every week they present reviews of the best and brightest -- and, well, shiniest -- new books. During my blog break, SNB published my review of the British hardcover release of … Continue reading Shiny Linkiness: Hidden Valley Road
After enjoying several Slightly Foxed publications with my teenage son, I asked if SF would like us to review something from their set of historical novels by Ronald Welch. The twelve Carey Family novels explore British history through the eyes of members of a single family, from the Crusades to the First World War. It's … Continue reading A brush with history: The Carey Novels
Moss Hart, Act One (1959) I read Act One years ago, but was inspired to visit it again after reading Julie Andrews's memoir Home, which includes a priceless account of her experience in the Broadway production of My Fair Lady. Hart was the director, and if he hadn't been, Andrews might never have made it … Continue reading A dramatic transformation: Act One
