Homage to Catalonia – George Orwell

This is Orwell’s account of his time fighting in the Spanish Civil War. It’s mostly fun to read – I got a good sense of the life of a (motley) soldier. As they say, it’s long stretches of uncomfortable boredom … Continue reading →

Posted on: 13 September 2026 | 5:36 am

Alice With a Why — Anna James

I like this! I’m a sucker for anything related to Alice in Wonderland. This is a sequel of sorts – the protagonist Alyce is the granddaughter of the original Alice, who she thinks of as a peculiar old lady who … Continue reading →

Posted on: 13 August 2026 | 4:26 am

Mrs Dalloway’s Party — Virginia Woolf

If you liked Mrs Dalloway — and of course you did! — then you should also read this collection of further episodes from the famous party. The first story, Mrs Dalloway in Bond Street, is like an alternative version of … Continue reading →

Posted on: 5 August 2026 | 4:37 am

In Cold Blood – Truman Capote

In 1959 the Clutter family, of Holcomb, Kansas, USA, were all murdered by a couple of home invaders. Truman Capote decided to go to Kansas to research and write this book about the crime and the investigation. Fortunately, he stayed … Continue reading →

Posted on: 11 July 2026 | 3:57 am

Malice — Keigo Higashino

This murder mystery starts with an account written by an acquaintance of the victim. It sets the scene nicely. The next chapter was written from a different point of view, just to mix things up. I was pleased as well … Continue reading →

Posted on: 30 June 2026 | 5:25 am

Dream Count – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This book is about the life and (mostly failed) loves of three women: Chia, her friend Zikora and her cousin Omelogor. They are all Nigerian, living variously in the USA and Nigeria, quite well-off, and each with their own interesting … Continue reading →

Posted on: 31 May 2026 | 4:43 am

Mrs Dalloway – Virginia Woolf

Two contrasting stream-of-consciousness narratives in this novel, set 100 years ago. Mrs Dalloway is preparing to host a party – we go inside her thoughts and also those of various friends and associates, so we get a full picture of … Continue reading →

Posted on: 14 May 2026 | 5:20 am

Feijoa – Kate Evans

This is not the story of the feijoa. It is the story of Kate Evans’s journey investigating the story of the feijoa. Along the way we do learn a lot of interesting stuff about feijoas, but we also learn a … Continue reading →

Posted on: 6 April 2026 | 10:30 pm

The Guermantes Way – Marcel Proust

This is the third volume of In Search of Lost Time, in which our hero (I’ll call him Marcel even though that’s probably not his name) enters the world of high society, basically by stalking Mme de Guermantes until he … Continue reading →

Posted on: 31 March 2026 | 4:55 am

This Is What It Sounds Like – Susan Rogers & Ogi Ogas

Susan Rogers’ first claim to fame is that she was the chief engineer on Prince’s critically acclaimed and immensely popular Purple Rain album. After a subsequent glittering career as a record producer she became a cognitive neuroscientist. This career path … Continue reading →

Posted on: 5 March 2026 | 3:50 am