Magnificent Octopus

The Cat Piano , poem written by Eddie White, narrated by Nick Cave.

I recently read The Bell Jar , by Sylvia Plath (originally published under a pseudonym), and I have to admit, I'm a bit mystified why so...

"Do you realize there are towns in America where there are no libraries at all? Not even a bookstore! The only place the people in thos...

Not sure how I feel about Björk, but Moomins rock! Official movie site .

She loved the hat. She had to have the hat, the hat's so cool, would I buy her the hat? It was always the hat, from the moment she laid ...

The scene occurs about a hundred years ago: Tonight, as on most nights, he starts out local, sweeping from two hundred and fifty to four h...

Helena at the start of the summer spent some time at her grandmother's house. When we picked her up, she was more than proud to show off...

Yesterday Helena and I went to see The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition . You can't really consider this post a plug, because, wel...

I'm not absolutely certain of my facts, but I rather fancy it's Shakespeare — or, if not, it's some equally brainy lad — who say...

I wanted to say a little about The Dud Avocado , by Elaine Dundy , but time is tight these last couple weeks, so I keep waiting and waiting ...

Beside the Sea , by Véronique Olmi, is an amazing little novella, simple and powerful. Recently available in English , several reviewers are...

We looked at the menu. "Hah! Avocados," he said, brightening. "How I love them. Cheer up, my little avocado," he said to...

Il m'a pas répondu. Il était barré quelque part, il sait bien faire ça, Stan, larguer les amarres — c'est pas mon môme pour rien. La...

The Unit , by Ninni Holmqvist, is a sharp little dystopian novel with loads to say about some really important matters. Dorrit Weger has j...

Around four, I offered to tour Cornelia through my record collection. Part of me didn't want to play her any music, instead I wanted her...

I'm having a hard time carving out some time to write in any reflective kind of way. I've been back from away for days, but tired, s...

When Catherine flew into London on the day the Settlement came through, I arrived at the airport just after her flight was due in. I saw fro...

I'm taking a train trip (soon), and I want to stock up on some fresh reading material (that is, something other than the classics I'...

In the year 2071, the library has a different feel from the library of today. Apart from a lively, and book-filled, children's section: ...

Just wow! Nightmare Alley (1946, reissued in 2010 by NYRB Classics), by William L Gresham , is hands down the best book I've read in ag...