Such is the quality of his short fiction writing, that every short story fan's heart fluttered when Jon McGregor's short story collection, This Isn't The Sort Of Thing That Happens To Someone Like You (Bloomsbury) was announced. It's time for mine to … [Read more...]
Forethoughts: Accabadora by Michela Murgia
October 20, 2011 By 2 Comments
Hand's up, who knows what an accabadora is? I'd be impressed if you did know. I didn't, but I soon found out when I picked up my lasted read which uses this word as its title. The meaning of accabadora is revealed in the cover blurb (see below). … [Read more...]
Afterthoughts: Atlas of Remote Islands by Judith Schalansky
August 13, 2011 By 1 Comment
In a Nutshell: Finally, a coffee table book that's worth its weight in gold. Well written and beautifully presented, Atlas of Remote Islands is a perfect companion for anyone wishing to escape their dreary surroundings to indulge in a spot of remote … [Read more...]
Forethoughts: The Art of Fact edited by Kevin Kerrane and Ben Yagoda
August 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The Art of Fact: A Historical Anthology of Literary Journalism (Simon & Schuster) may have been published in 1997 but it still stands as one of the finest anthologies on the subject of literary nonfiction. So what better book to complement my read … [Read more...]
Forethoughts: Atlas of Remote Islands by Judith Schalansky
August 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Note: My afterthoughts for Atlas of Remote Islands have now been posted (but I'd still like it if you read my forethoughts for this title, if you haven't already). The first thing I have to make clear about this, my next read in preparation for … [Read more...]
Forethoughts: Things We Didn’t See Coming by Steven Amsterdam
July 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Now here's a work of fiction that I know absolutely nothing about; and I know even less about its author, Steven Amsterdam. However, I have it on very good authority that Things We Didn't See Coming (Harvill Secker) is an unmissable debut, and I … [Read more...]