Reading in a winter wonderland...
Christmas book suggestions
...it occurred to me that some folk out there might be looking for a few Christmas book suggestions, so I thought I'd bash out a quick list of books that aren't currently on the bestsellers lists...
Coming to The End
"There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story" - something I've long known but have only recently come to appreciate...
A Spooky Halloween Read – Slade House
Halloween is the time for Ghosts & Ghouls, Tricks & Treats; Candy, Costumes and more partying than a middle-aged bookworm is cut out for... It's also a great excuse to curl up in front of a warm fire (if you are fortunate to have one) and settle in for a spooky read. If anyone out there got … Continue reading A Spooky Halloween Read – Slade House
5 times the Movie has stolen the show
It’s probably because of how much I love to read that when I do come across a movie that goes beyond the page, it really sticks in my head.
6 books to read for whatever your mood.
I've been stuck for things to read... have you?
The art of adaption / The League Extraordinary Gentlemen
This blog was going to be about how amazing The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Vol 1) is, but I couldn’t get past the disparity in quality between the comic and the movie…
Utopia Avenue – David Mitchell
Much as I loved reading Utopia Avenue, as I turned over the last page, a small part of me couldn’t help but wonder …what if?
Gravity’s Rainbow – Thomas Pynchon
If I were to draw up a sliding scale, with 'slightly unusual' on one end, and, 'completely unhinged from all conventional reality,' at the other; well, Gravity’s Rainbow is...
Piranesi – by Susanna Clarke
Piranesi’s particular gift is the haunting quiet it instils in your mind...
The importance of reading in the age of COVID.
2020 has been a weird year. I suppose that’s an understatement for a lot of people...
Some Christmas Book Suggestions
Tis the season to be jolly... as they say. Ordinarily, I'm not the biggest subscriber to the Christmas consumerism culture, a luxury I'm afforded by correct condom usage and a subsequent lack of children. This year's a little different though (I mean - obviously) and I think everyone needs to get out there and give everyone else a bit of win.
Infinite Jest – David Foster Wallace
So, the question faced, as I try to write a review of Infinite Jest is:- how do you write a review of Infinite Jest, without writing a book about Infinite Jest?
Dead Lions – Mick Herron
So, this is fun read. Simple as...
Death and the Penguin – Andrey Kurkov
Yes - in case you're wondering - I bought this book because it's called 'Death and The Penguin'. Simple as that. No big story. Can't say I'm overly familiar with Ukrainian fiction, or even that the name Andrey Kurkov rang any particular bell with me. I didn't even think, 'Ooh, like Batman.' I just got … Continue reading Death and the Penguin – Andrey Kurkov
The Starless Sea
If you're a fan of the fantasy genre, or grew up in the times after Harry Potter swept through the imagination of a generation, you've likely heard of Erin Morgenstern's first book, the indisputably wonderful, 'The Night Circus'. While The Starless Sea isn't quite as good as that (a book that I would certainly recommend … Continue reading The Starless Sea
Antkind – Charlie Kaufman
I was browsing bookshops (trying to send a little love back to my favourite shops in Dublin, who've suffered right along with every other realtor under the 2020 Lockdown), and on one of the show tables I caught the name Charlie Kaufman...
6 Dublin bookshops worth visiting/supporting.
Corona has changed the world. That fact can't be ignored, much as we might like to. Even if you're one of those people who doesn’t believe that the virus exists, or perhaps isn't the menace that we're constantly told it is, you have to accept that the world has changed around your beliefs. Those issues … Continue reading 6 Dublin bookshops worth visiting/supporting.
Wise Blood – A review (of sorts)
By Lee Cross I was gifted Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood for Christmas; and like all presents from loved ones, I immediately came to cherish the book and very much enjoyed the read (not simply due to the pleasure derived from the book itself, but also from the enjoyment of knowing that someone I hold in … Continue reading Wise Blood – A review (of sorts)
My 5 Favourite Books – Today
"Tough question coming up, but what are you five favourite books today?" That's how I started my date, fielding a question about my favourite books. It's a tribute to the girl, who I was meeting for the first time, that she used the word, "Today," showing a real readers understanding of the riddle we … Continue reading My 5 Favourite Books – Today
Waiting for Godot – Samuel Beckett
"We always find something...to give us the impression we exist" I've had this little book, on my shelf at home, for as long as I can remember (left by a friend, once upon a when), which calls itself Waiting for Godot. If you were to ask why I've never opened the book, I'm not sure … Continue reading Waiting for Godot – Samuel Beckett
So… just what is this about?
Hi everyone, if you're reading this, you're likely wondering why you are reading this, and so.... The idea of this site is to promote discussion, for the most part about literature, words, and the worlds, within worlds, that inhabit every bookshelf you've ever seen. To my mind, books are the most important thing in the … Continue reading So… just what is this about?
The Gray Man (Audiobook)
This isn't going to be much of a review, quite honestly because The Gray Man by Mark Greaney is absolute garbage. I hate writing negative reviews about books (I have in the past on other platforms for clicks - but here I'm not fussed about that) because I appreciate how difficult it is to produce … Continue reading The Gray Man (Audiobook)
Mordew – Alex Pheby (a review)
I'm going to write this without any spoilers, for the simple reason that Alex Pheby has designed the story to unfold in complete mystery, and I'm going to try and respect that intention.
Bookshops – Coming Home
There are many great things about being in love with books; the gift of travelling without moving; of seeing people, places and things that do not exist and could never exist; having an imagination clearer than even the most expensive television screen... You could write on any of those subjects; in fact, I probably have … Continue reading Bookshops – Coming Home
Geiger by Gustaf Skördeman
For fans of I Am Pilgrim (apparently)...
BOOKS and GIGS and STUFF 