Monthly Archives: June, 2016
The Last Fighting Tommy by Harry Patch & Richard van Emden
I usually avoid books with more than one author. However, I was interested to read about Henry (Harry) Patch, an ordinary man who got coaught up in both World War I and lived through World War II. I found a book written about him just after his death. However, I then noticed The Last Fighting …
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
The Wind in the Willows is normally considered to be a children’s novel. It was written by Kenneth Grahame and first published in 1908. As a children’s book, I was surprised that it was the subject of study at Anne Scott’s summer literature class. However, apparently Grahame himself said that it was not a book for children. …
Being West Kilbride by Stephen Brown
When I first met my husband, he told me he lived in West Kilbride. I had never heard of the village so assumed I had misheard him and said “East Kilbride?” back to him. He replied, “No, West Kilbride, I know where I live.” That established, he as been patient and dogmatic in equal measure …
Kinder Than Solitude by Yiyun Li
My sister gave me this book for Christmas. Although it was described on the cover as a “thriller”, a genre I enjoy, it is not a book that I would have picked up for myself. The author, Yiyun Li is a Chinese American writer who was born in Beijing, China on 4 November 1972. She was …
The Dark Horizon by Simon Hall
Now, I have a difficulty reviewing The Dark Horizon by Simon Hall and it is this: He is the man mentoring the draft of my first novel. I will meet up with him at the Swanwick Writer’s Summer School later this year for his advice. Should my review of Simon’s novel be gentler than usual. Life …
‘Sumer is icumumen in’ by guest author Dr Oliver Tearle
This article, by Dr. Oliver Tearle Lecturer in English at Loughborough University, England was first published on 01.06.2016 on the website Interesting Literature at https://interestingliterature.com/2016/06/01/a-short-analysis-of-sumer-is-icumen-in/. English poetry begins with a stag breaking wind. Or, at least, it does if you pick up The Oxford Book of English Verse, where the short song, ‘Sumer is icumen in’, begins …
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