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
Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane: Family saga at its best. I whipped through this over several evenings and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'll mention this book again when my post about family sagas goes live soon and it's a contender for the my best reads of 2020 list already. The Photographer of the Lost by Caroline Scott: … Continue reading For the Love of Books | Currently Reading January 2020
We watched/are watching Dracula ("I'm undead, not unreasonable"), Wisting and The Trial of Christine Keeler. I listened to an interview with Kathleen Keyes. Hankies at the ready. (This is obviously not a fun thing, but worth reading all the same.) I came across a perfect quotation for book lovers: "Strange, isn't it? To love a … Continue reading Four Fun Things
I'm of an age where I can remember things being kept 'for best' - the dress that was only worn once or twice a year - Christmas and a 'special' family occasion, that bottle of of my favourite Champagne or the eggshell china tea set that spends its days wrapped in newspaper, quietly waiting for … Continue reading Don't Save It 'For Best'
I can't be the only one who recalls novels read in school English Literature classes with a slight shudder. As evidence of said slight shudder, I give you The Trumpet Major by Thomas Hardy ('O' Level set book, JMB examination board, 1984). And incidentally, my sister-in-law chose 'Thomas Hardy and the Gothic' for her Masters … Continue reading For the Love of Books | 4 Books Read in School That Are Worth Re-Reading
Sometimes, as much as we want to have an endless amount of excitement and cheer for a new year, it’s dreadful. While it can seem like new beginnings and fresh starts for some of us, a new year can also feel like a starting point for a necessary change. There’s so much pressure to make … Continue reading 15 Things I'm Planning on Doing Throughout 2020
Twenty nineteen was another good year for reading. Having said that, I find myself with just three titles on my Favourites of 2019 list (last year I had six on my list): Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid: In April, I wrote that "initially I wasn’t interested in a story about rock … Continue reading For the Love of Books | Favourite Reads of 2019
Happy New Year! Final sunset of 2019 Let me begin by thanking you for reading, commenting and staying with me throughout 2019. It was quite a year. Let's also take a look at the all-important numbers: I wrote 253 posts, totalling 42,065 words. I have 138 followers. There were 1,604 comments, averaging 6 comments per … Continue reading Blog Review | 2019
I did very little reading throughout the month, but what I did read was written by Diana Gabaldon. So, in a different type of reading round-up, here's what's currently in my 'waiting to be read' pile (all were Christmas gifts): Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane: Family saga at its best. The Family Upstairs … Continue reading For The Love of Books | Currently Reading December 2019
