I am the hoarder/curator of my family's cookbooks so when the Esk Valley Cookery Book was used on Back in Time for Dinner I thought - I have that cookbook! My version of this Country Women's Association recipe book is dated 1976. It is the 13th edition and celebrates 25 years of the book's publication … Continue reading From Brain Rissoles to Uber Eats
Category: Book Fix
Like the book, not the man
This month Pocket Bookclub ventured into memoir revisiting the first book by Clive James, Unreliable Memoirs. It's an old book now, first published in 1981. I am not sure if its age is a good reason to forgive Clive James. Reading this book, you will hear James voice in your head. The rhythm of his speech … Continue reading Like the book, not the man
#6degrees from tipping points to magic points
I keep losing track of time and the date for #6degrees passes by without my participation. I get so annoyed at myself. I missed The Poisonwood Bible which I love. But this month here and on time. Six degrees of separation is hosted by booksaremybestandfavourite. You can play too. This month we start with The Tipping … Continue reading #6degrees from tipping points to magic points
Bookclub sets a dangerous precedent
A dangerous precedent has been set at a local book club with the serving of vodka and pizza. This inappropriate supper was the result of protagonist Eleanor Oliphant's preferred Friday dinner. While the dinner did not come from Tesco, as the character Eleanor Oliphant would have insisted, it did lead to the question: What book … Continue reading Bookclub sets a dangerous precedent
Kismet and optimism
I screwed this piece of paper up. Then I unscrewed it because it was such a colourful piece of story editing, and though I didn't know it at the time, successful. From scribble and screwed up to looking lovely in print. This story, Turning the Corner was published in Unsettling Wonder late last year. I wrote this story … Continue reading Kismet and optimism
I am not disorganised…
Don't dare say I am disorganised. It will rile me. I am a juggler. A juggler of many fragile glass balls. Sometimes I have to put a couple down in order to cope with what is struggling in the air. To an outsider, this may appear disorganised. The truth is this a futile attempt to … Continue reading I am not disorganised…
Hungry and lost: Terra Nullius
The Pocket Bookclub does not have many rules. It is however customary for the month's chooser of the book to bring supper. Of late these suppers have in part been inspired by the book. Some members have been quite imaginative and set a high bar. Notably, our civil war inspired supper when discussing Lincoln in … Continue reading Hungry and lost: Terra Nullius
Fiction Fix: March
Life can be a piece of crap sometimes. Thank god we have fictional universes to divert our attention. Sometimes it is the little things. Here are three of my little highlights this month. One: Dolores in Westworld saying, "I imagined a world where I didn't have to be the damsel." (There are so many reasons to love … Continue reading Fiction Fix: March
From Beauty Myth to Femme Fatales
From the Beauty Myth to Femme Fatales #6Degrees #books
From Lincoln to Scarlet
The first Saturday of the month is time for #6 degrees hosted by Kate booksaremybestandfavourite. By some chance of the blue moon, Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders was the January pick for PocketBook Club. I listened to it which was a bit confusing at first, but eventually, I got my head around the … Continue reading From Lincoln to Scarlet