This month has been all about Thomas Cromwell. Hilary Mantel's long-awaited novel, The Mirror and the Light, was released at the beginning of the month, which meant that in order to be up to speed with the story, I re-read Wolf Hall (last read in 2009) and Bring up the Bodies (last read in 2012) … Continue reading For the Love of Books | Currently Reading March 2020
Some people are stockpiling food; I am stockpiling books. Waiting to be read, once I've got through The Mirror and the Light, are: Grown Ups by Marian Keyes: I heard this being discussed on the Radio 2 Book Club. The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver: this is the latest offering from the … Continue reading For The Love of Books | The To Be Read (TBR) Pile
What now for This West London Life? If we're not going anywhere, what will I write about? The lunch we were throwing for family and close friends to mark The Boy Child becoming a teenager? Cancelled. The Road Trip to Bruges in Belgium during the Easter holidays? Cancelled. The return visit to Jersey at the … Continue reading Social Distancing and What It Might Mean for Content
History was my favourite lesson at school and the Tudors have always been my favourite part of British history. Henry VIII and his six wives are popular with authors and there's a whole publishing industry around that period of British history. Here's a few of my favourites and are well worth a read: Hilary Mantel's … Continue reading For the Love of Books | Novels With a Tudor Theme
Week 9: Yet another winter storm - Storm Jorge, although London got off fairly lightly. I spent an afternoon with my friend at St. Mary's, Paddington (I've obscured her face to protect her privacy and made a flip-up pocket to hide the journaling). The Boy Child and I went on a Mum and Son date … Continue reading Project Life Revisited | Weeks 9 and 10
I was doing my usual Winter cull of The Boy Child's bookshelves and thinking how their contents have changed over the years. Looking back at me now are a ton of reference books (mostly relating to aviation), Tom Gates, Alex Rider and every one of the stories by David Walliams. I miss the picture books … Continue reading Inspired by Dr Seuss
Droughtlander is over - Series 5 of Outlander has begun on Amazon Prime. Research says that having fresh flowers in your home can help to reduce stress and pain. This photo of a newborn baby makes me laugh every single time. Our first overseas trip of the year is booked - a city break during … Continue reading Four Fun Things
My reading focus in February was one just one novel. I read it twice, I enjoyed it that much. My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan (Kindle and paperback): Let me begin with saying that I loved this so much, I purchased it in two formats: initially on Kindle and then in paperback. Why did I … Continue reading For the Love of Books | Currently Reading February 2020
I know. Controversial. I'm usually the first one to say, "The book was better", but in the following examples, I'm happy to be proved wrong. A Room With A View: E.M. Forster’s classic becomes an absolutely gorgeous film, complete with soaring arias and Italian vistas. I’ve loved this film since I was a kid. (Heads up: there’s … Continue reading Three Film Adaptations That Are Better Than The Books
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese: This engrossing story combines medicine, family, and politics to great effect. Moving between India, Ethiopia, and New York City, we follow the story of identical twin brothers, born of a secret union between an Indian nun and the British surgeon she assisted. Part coming-of-age story, part mystery, part sweeping … Continue reading For the Love of Books | Four Family Sagas
