The Pocket Bookclub set a dangerous precedent when we emulated Eleanor Oliphant's favourite dinner of vodka and pizza. It seemed that on every other page the characters in Téa Obreht's The Tiger's Wife are drinking Rakija or Rakia. This is essentially fruit brandy from the Balkans which you cannot buy (easily) in Australia. We know … Continue reading Where’s the Rakija?
Tag: books
From Castration to Dissection to Rescue
It is the first Saturday of the month and time for 6 degrees of separation as hosted by Kate at Books Are My Best and Favourite. A book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six other books to make a chain. This month starts with Murmur by Will Eaves. I have never heard of this … Continue reading From Castration to Dissection to Rescue
The Power of Stories
Humans tell stories. We are all natural storytellers even if we never write a book or call ourselves writers or directors. We even see patterns and create stories even when none exists. Watch this film. https://youtu.be/VTNmLt7QX8E Do you see a story? This film was used in the 1944 experiment of "Apparent Behavior" by Fritz Heider … Continue reading The Power of Stories
Strange & Norrell
Some books are like a feather bed. Not that they lull you to sleep. More a case of falling into them like a comfortable dream. If you love a book as much as a feather bed you should not ask your book club to read it. You may hope they will also be dreamily enthralled. … Continue reading Strange & Norrell
Easter in the Subtopics
The meaning of holidays - or holy days - like Easter has changed and will continue to changes and so it should. Most people know that Easter was a Spring Equinox festival. Eostre was a goddess of renewal and spring. Eggs were a symbol of new life and the promise of spring after the harsh … Continue reading Easter in the Subtopics
Pocket Bookclub votes again
Unable to break with tradition, the Pocket Bookclub had our end-of-year do at Cormorant Bay Cafe Sadly, the cafe will be closing next month. SEQ Water will not renew the lease. I can't begin to explain what this means to our local community. But this is a post about books, not meeting places. As usual, … Continue reading Pocket Bookclub votes again
# 6 degrees to bad boys
A day late on Sunday but here I am participating in #6degrees hosted by Kate at booksaremybestandfavourite We begin this month with the French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles. I have never done this before, but whatever, it's hot and its Sunday so I googled "books similar to... " it's a thing right? For when … Continue reading # 6 degrees to bad boys
6 Degrees from a Dickens Christmas to a home in Toyland
It's #6 degrees time (well its Sunday not Saturday but yesterday was otherwise engaged). Time to link six books in a chain starting with: Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol, surely one of the most often retold stories. Also, Wikipedia tells me, responsible for popularising the phrase Merry Christmas. So, there you go. Merry Christmas. One … Continue reading 6 Degrees from a Dickens Christmas to a home in Toyland
Six Degrees of Separation from Vanity to Solitude
It's first Saturday of the month and time for #6degrees hosted by Kate at booksaremybestandfavourite. You can play too. Vanity Fair is one of these books you have to stop and think. It's really famous. Have I read it or do I think I have read it because it is so famous? The answer is that no … Continue reading Six Degrees of Separation from Vanity to Solitude
# 6 degrees from Rebellious Boys to Naughty Girls
It's time for s #6degrees hosted by Kate at booksaremybestandfavourite. "The Outsiders," by SE Hinton is one of those books people read in English class. Is that right? Not me. I read it long, long ago because I wanted to, not because I had to. The first book I remember being 'set' for English was Alan Marshall's autobiography … Continue reading # 6 degrees from Rebellious Boys to Naughty Girls