I came across this book by chance in a Waterstones bookshop in Blackpool late last month, and I was so taken by the opening page (which is what I always read before deciding upon a book. I don’t care about a book cover or the blurb – I like to decide for myself with the writing itself), that… Read on
Ruth Norrington’s beautifully-bound and carefully selected compilation of letters between King Charles II and his sister, Henrietta, Duchesse d’Orleans is a wonderful read for anyone remotely interested in the Restoration court and the colourful people associated with it. [amazon template=image&chan=default&asin=0720609917] The book begins with an excellent, concise short history of the time shortly before and after the birth… Read on
It’s that time of year again where we all wonder what to give to that special someone, friend, or relative. Enter “The Gin Lane Gazette”… I received my signed copy of “The Gin Lane Gazette” a few days ago and I loved it, and think this would be a wonderful gift to give this holiday season. What is… Read on
In Sheila Fitzpatrick’s Everyday Stalinism: Ordinary Life in Extraordinary Times: Soviet Russia in the 1930s, we are given a world of knowledge surrounding how Post-Revolutionary Russia was an ever-changing situation. After all, “This was an age of utopianism[1].” Many Russians felt that Communism could be the answer to their prayers. Unfortunately for many, life under Stalin was one… Read on
“A Book to read, again; A Terrifying prophecy; A Reason to Act Now[1].” So reads the back cover of Nevil Shute’s masterpiece, On the Beach. The book takes us to what remains of the world following a nuclear holocaust. The people of the Southern hemisphere, particularly those in Australia, have become the sole survivors- temporarily- of the nuclear… Read on
The content of Part One of Robin Wang’s book, Images of Women in Chinese Thought and Culture, was comprised of many beautifully-versed poems full of imagery. These poems, including Book Twelve of the Lessons of States or Guofeng, are quite beautiful and fluid. For example, Ode 143 states: “The moon comes forth in her brightness; How lovely is… Read on