With Matchless I’m at review 52! CANNONBALL! I don’t expect to do this again, I had to sacrifice longer novels for shorter ones to meet the goal and stretch with some graphic novels at the end but I’m satisfied with my reviews and enjoyed the challenge of pushing myself to stay on a reading and writing schedule. Apologies to my work for the countless lunch hours (and sometimes beyond) spent writing these up. On to review 52! Matchless began its life a spoken word performance […]
THANK YOU Mathildehoeg!
A big shout out to Mathildehoeg for my awesome book exchange presents! I’ve already plowed right through “Trouble” and will be doing an annotated reading on “Atonement” for one of my MFA classes this spring. How she knew “Atonement” was one of my favorite stories, we’ll never know! A review of both coming shortly!
A classic gets a pleasant but unnecessary sequel.
The Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol, is one of my favorite books. I love the language, the sly wit, and the simple but timeless story of the redemption of Ebenezer Scrooge. I will confess I’ve never given much thought to what came next but this book is here to answer that question. For those familiar with A Christmas Carol you will immediately notice the descriptions and setup in the sequel is the same as the first book. The book is divided into the same […]
Not a creature was stirring, not event a fruit bat.
Wow, five years in a row and my Christmas tradition (rereading this little tome) is going strong! Love this little book and its irreverent look at the holidays. This year I had my book club read it, as they really enjoyed “The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove” and it is a quick read, which is perfect for the busy holiday season. Reviews from my club were mostly favorable, though one person who was listening on audio wasn’t a big fan, though her criticism was that […]
In Honor of Krampusnacht
Today is December 5th which makes tonight Krampusnacht and tomorrow St Nicholas Day. These holidays are mostly German and Eastern European, but I started celebrating St Nicholas with a Polish aunt about eight years ago. Some time ago I saw this book on the shelf of a favorite independent bookstore and almost bought it. Then 2 months ago I saw it again, and I bought it on a whim. I am very glad I did. Krampus is frequently a figure in horror movies and fiction, […]
Views from a passing train
On her way by train to visit her old friend Jane Marple for Christmas, Mrs Elspeth McGillicuddy is shocked to realise that she’s witnessing a murder in the train running parallel. A tall, dark man in a dark coat is strangling a blond woman in a fur coat and there is nothing Mrs McGillicuddy can do. As soon as the train stops, she notifies the ticket inspector and the station master of what she saw, and when she arrives at Miss Marple’s, the two talk […]