I do not know how many of you have read Alasdair Gray’s excellent dystopian novel, Lanark: a Life in Four Books? It takes place partly in Glasgow and partly in an imaginary Glasgow, known as Unthank. In Unthank the characters are forever chasing sunlight whilst seemingly dying of a symbolic disease known as ‘dragonhide’ (Yes, [...]
Posts tagged bibliomania
The Reading Survey
15. What is the most difficult book you’ve ever read?
This is being written whilst I’m gritting my teeth: Ben Marcus’ The Age of Wire and String. It’s a very, very short novel. I spent a month reading it. Then Stupid Boyfriend said: “Oh. Did you try to make sense of it? I didn’t. I just [...]
Isn’t It Romantic?
A few weeks ago my partner, David, came down with the flu and I succumbed a day later. I suspect it was the dreaded H1N1 flu, although we cannot be sure. I was cooped up in bed for a few days which obviously led to me devouring one book after another. That is, one Georgette [...]
Treasured
When I talked about independent bookshops and Glasgow, I mentioned that my neighbourhood has several excellent secondhand bookshops. This is my favourite: Voltaire & Rousseau just off Otago Street. Sometimes I even think it is my favourite bookshop in the entire universe, full stop.
As someone whose idea of a good time is digging through piles [...]
Lost in Fiction – RIP?
Our local independent bookshop, Lost in Fiction, closed its doors recently. I greeted the news with very mixed emotions.
Independent bookshops are becoming increasingly rare and it hurts every time one of them closes. The closing-down of LiF also reflects that rents and commercial property prices in the Glasgow West End are spinning out of control. [...]
If all time is eternally present …
A deadline has been and gone. Yesterday, in fact.
So I can finally start thinking about packing for Denmark, buying Branston Pickle for my Danish friends (don’t ask) and even post-Denmark things. As I’m flying out on Monday, you could argue it is about time.
I’m still torn on whether I should buy A.S. Byatt’s new novel, [...]
Linkage
Link dump day!
+ Europe, Explained: a nice map which summarises it all for confused non-Europeans.
+ Puppets need puppets too.
+ Vegetarian-friendly roadkill carpet
+ The prettiest yarn shop in Denmark? I like my yarn shops over-stuffed, but if you like minimalism..
+ Sweden has its own Etsy-like site.
+ This is a real film: Tiptoes stars Matthew McConaughey as [...]
Gifted
This is the week of receiving gifts, it seems.
When Kirsten Marie visited, she offered to make me some bling out of materials we bought at The Bead Company. I don’t wear much jewellery, but I do appreciate handmade things. And so a few weeks later these earrings arrived by post and I think they are [...]
Bibliophilia
Do you think reality TV beckons me? I’m thinking of entering one of those “Britain’s Got Talent!” shows with my uncanny ability to acquire a massive amount of books without spending much money.
This week’s haul is pictured to the left. Fourteen books adding up to a whopping total of £4.50. Okay, so the top one [...]
Aye Write: The Aftermath
Jonathan Coe cancelled Aye Write, he bloody well did. I had even brought along my hardback copy of The Rain Before It Falls (not my favourite, but my nicest copy of a Coe book) and a big bucket of courage so I could ask him to sign my book.
Boo.
Still, I went to see Andrew Crumey [...]
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