The Book Gods Are Smiling!, originally uploaded by Robert Burdock. Unlike the mean 'n' moody photo of Alan Bennett that graces the cover of his prose collection, Untold Stories (Faber, Profile), the Book Gods were really smiling on me at the … [Read more...]
Daily Bookshot: Two Heads are Better Than One
October 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Two Heads are Better Than One, originally uploaded by Robert Burdock. When I first set eyes on the cover for Daniel Everett's Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes: Life and Language in the Amazonian Jungle (Profile Books), I did a double-take.I thought … [Read more...]
Daily Bookshot: Dandelion Time
September 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Dandelion Time, originally uploaded by Robert Burdock. I make no apologies for the fact that I feature a lot of titles from Profile Books in my Daily Bookshots, but the fact is, their covers are so photogenic. Take the recently released Time by … [Read more...]
Afterthoughts: Ox-Tales Water
September 20, 2009 By 2 Comments
In a Nutshell: The quality of stories in this, the final volume of the four-book Ox-Tales series, is of a high enough standard to ensure that the collection as a whole remains consistently good across the board. In fact there are a couple of stories … [Read more...]
Afterthoughts: Ox-Tales Fire
September 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment
In a Nutshell: Although identical in its layout and variety of stories, this third book in the series of four Ox-Tales volumes turns out to be the best of them all so far. Ideally all four volumes should be read as a unified set of course, but if … [Read more...]
Reading Journal: Tuesday 25th August 2009
August 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Rather than a ‘what I read today’ entry, this reading journal post is more of a ‘catch up’ on the highlights of my rather erratic reading over the past few days. First off I’m completely (and rather sadly) done ‘n’ dusted with the … [Read more...]
Reading Journal: Wednesday 19th August 2009
August 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment
07:00 - My journey through Ox-Tales: Water (Profile Books) rolls on and this morning I had the pleasure of reading a story from Joanna Trollope called The Piano Man. The story actually turns out to be the first chapter of a novel which is being … [Read more...]
Reading Journal: Tuesday 18th August 2009
August 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment
07:00 - With only four stories left to read before I not only finish Ox-Tales: Water, but the series as a whole, I’m wondering how on earth I’m going to do with my reading time over breakfast (no really I have something else lined up). This … [Read more...]
Reading Journal: Monday 17th August 2009
August 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment
07:00 - Back on track with my reading, and over muesli and orange juice this morning I read the next story in line from OX-Tales: Water (Profile Books), Bethany-next-the-Sea by William Boyd. This was an interesting story, and by no means a bad one. … [Read more...]
Reading Journal: Friday 14th August 2009
August 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment
07:00 - So there’s me thinking a story set around a worldwide pandemic, with dodgy dealings from a pharmaceutical company would be right up my street. Sadly however this morning’s serving from Ox-Tales: Water - Kaltes Klares Wasser by Hari … [Read more...]