Sharing books

My sister first introduced me to Anne Perry and her historical (Victorian era) detective fiction. Her two most popular series are The Monk Mysteries set in the 1850s/60s and the Thomas Pitt Mysteries set in the 1880s/90s. She also has a WWI series and a Christmas series along with loads of other works. Her evocation …

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Sharing books

They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera For those of you that read the last page of a book and then begin the actual story...this time the author has called you out. As you can plainly see, the ending of the book has taken pride of place in the title. Difficult to talk …

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The Late Mattia Pascal by Luigi Pirandello

Certain authors have a certain heft about them; so much so, that at times, reading their work seems daunting. When you read a quote such as, "Pirandello turned psychological analysis into good theatre" (through his plays) or discover that he was good friends with the likes of Albert Einstein or find out that he won …

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Sharing books and recipies

"yum" is international Whilst in Italy I picked up the above cookbook, by Jaimie Oliver, in the translated Italian version. It is one of my go-to favorites because it covers recipes from France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Morocco and Sweden all in one volume. During the pandemic and on many uninspired days of standing in the …

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Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

Ever notice that when there is less information provided, you automatically look harder, try harder, think harder in order to fill in the missing data. If you are told a girl is very young and nothing else, you will provide the supposed age, if a topic is deemed difficult, you will suggest which areas you …

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Elizabeth Gilbert’s City of Girls

What a read! A confession of sorts within an answer to a question..."What were you to my father?" A declaration of having existed on this earth and left a mark. The highs are dizzyingly so and the lows are lower than pond scum. Somewhere in between is the exercise of living. Living to do, to …

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Chineasy by SHAOLAN

Back to basics Characters representing words placed on an associated pictorial (see cover page drawing where feet and a head were added to the two black strokes representing person). That is how SHAOLAN proposes to teach us the basics of the Chinese language. Intriguing. The author/artist/businesswoman came up with the concept while teaching her own …

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Tea at Fortnum & Mason

Richly Historied It is no secret that I adore books. So, for friends and family, it is a no brainer to shop for me at Christmas or Birthdays. Gift me a book and you will never go wrong. After Christmas Eve midnight unwrapping, I will certainly be sharing with you some of my newly acquired …

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A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

This book was recommended to me by a friend. Do your friend(s) a kindness and do the same because it is worth it. Written in a genteel manner, this elegant read is part history lesson and love story, part etiquette manual and cuisinay guide, part class study and artistic/literary essay. You will find yourself in …

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In the Woods by Tana French

Tana French's novel, In the Woods, (the first of her Dublin Murder Squad Series) is for those who aren't put out by the unexpected. You won't find the neatly wrapped up finish wherein, as per usual, the boy gets the girl and justice is had by all, where all problems are resolved and all enigmas …

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