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Working it all out

Whenever we contemplate life’s innumerable mysteries, the imaginative scope of the human brain soon reaches its outer limits and we have to resort to head-shaking wonder and quite possibly the issue of whether God exists or not and other similarly-profound matters. It is almost as if the more [...]

September 28, 2016 // 0 Comments

The Flemish House/Georges Simenon

Georges Simenon is one of those authors many have heard of but less have read. Older readers will recalling actor Rupert Davies definitively in the role of the bulky French detective in his trademark raincoat and pipe. A good friend of mine and the Rust presented me with a copy of The Flemish [...]

September 13, 2016 // 0 Comments

Salute to Bridget

In common with what is now my fellow members of two generations of women, since Helen Fielding first brought her to the printed page in The Independent newspaper in the mid-1990s, I have had to come to terms with the Bridget Jones phenomenon. However, unlike some of the sisterhood, I have never [...]

September 9, 2016 // 0 Comments

The Unfortunate Englishman/John Lawton

One of the attractions of Amazon is their recommendations based on the premise that  if you enjoyed reading A, you might well enjoy reading B. Generally this works for me in one of the genres I most enjoy: the espionage novel. I was introduced to Charles Cumming who has brought espionage into the [...]

September 6, 2016 // 0 Comments

Lives of Disraeli

I have a confession to make. Two in fact. I do not enjoy reading biography and one of the reasons for  this is that I remember little of what I read. A biographer has to do much research and take great time. Much of the research goes into the book resulting in a lengthy volume which does not make [...]

August 22, 2016 // 0 Comments

A Colder War/Charles Cummins

Charles Cummins eptomises the new generation of espionage writers. Himself recruited for MI6 he uses the techniques of surveillance and hacking that he presumably learned and implemented. This novel in the Thomas Kell series is set in modern Turkey. Kell, a MI6 operative in disgraced after an over [...]

August 3, 2016 // 0 Comments

The Gustav Sonata/Rose Tremain

Rose Tremain could be classified as writer of historical fiction – and a very good one – but one of her skills is her diversity. I was speaking to Neil Rosen who said much of the same of Stanley Kubrick who has directed films as different as Barry Lyndon to Dr Strangelove. I have read [...]

July 23, 2016 // 0 Comments

War in Val d’Orcia/Iris Origo

A contemporary chronicle or journal is of considerable historical value as a primary source but has its disadvantages too in terms of authenticity and good writing. Iris Origo, an English born aristocratic wife of a landowner in Tuscany, has written an account of her times (1943-44) which were [...]

July 9, 2016 // 0 Comments

A la Colthard/Harry’s Bar

When a rich and successful businessman I know suggested for his turn for lunch we go to Harry’s bar in South Audley Street my mind went back to another businessman from Birmingham who once there resolutely refused to pay for truffles on the basis there that the waiter did not explain the [...]

June 22, 2016 // 0 Comments

Beyond Menabilly

Finally we have weather dry enough to venture out of Pridmouth Cottage. It’s not exactly a burning summer’s day but at least it’s dry enough to take the coastal path to the Gribben. The Gribben is a red and white watchtower operating as a sea and landmark. Beacons were hung to [...]

June 15, 2016 // 0 Comments

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