William McIlvanney or Willie to his nearest and dearest was single-handedly responsible for the genre of Tartan Noir, the bleak and rainy Glaswegian streets, grisly crime screnes steeped in whisky and venomous characters that were the stomping ground of characters like Inspector Laidlaw (changed to Taggart for the famous TV show). All other Scottish crimeContinue reading “A tribute to the phenomenal Scottish writer William McIllvanney”
Tag Archives: books
Book Review: Fools Assassin (Part 1 of the Fitz & the Fool Trilogy) by Robin Hobb
A bit of background: I came very late to the party when it comes to fantasy fiction. A devoted fan of Game of Thrones on TV, I nonetheless found this far too violent, ruthless and bloody to become fully enveloped into the fandom and to read George R.R Martin. So it was a massive surpriseContinue reading “Book Review: Fools Assassin (Part 1 of the Fitz & the Fool Trilogy) by Robin Hobb”
The Ultimate Soothing Tokyo Lullaby: Book and Bed
This is a novel concept that could only be conceived by the Japanese. A bed and book hostel. This captures the very essence of snuggling comfort- falling asleep while reading a good book! The Book and Bed Hostel is a bookshop that’s also a hostel and allows bibliophiles to hire out a nest-like bunk bedContinue reading “The Ultimate Soothing Tokyo Lullaby: Book and Bed”
Objects With A Story. Object 1: The Tiny Book
I found this tiny old leatherbound book in the home of a woman I was looking after in Wales about six years ago. I liked looking after the woman and living in her ancient thatch-roofed house in the middle of nowhere. The serenity was perfect. And yet precisely because it was so serene, I gotContinue reading “Objects With A Story. Object 1: The Tiny Book”
The story of a mysterious mermaid in Milford Haven 1795 A.D.
The 18th century was a time of British exploration, rapidly growing technology and restless souls wanting to travel. Many people from the well-to-do class including a woman called Mrs. Morgan wrote of her adventures and then had it all conveniently bundled, printed and distributed as Mrs. Morgan’s Tour of Milford Haven, published in 1795 and thenContinue reading “The story of a mysterious mermaid in Milford Haven 1795 A.D.”
Book Review: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
*Contains no spoilers* This was a true sky-scraper of a novel. A sweeping epic in the grandest sense that could be compared to Swann’s Way by Proust or even a Dickensian tale like Oliver Twist. The Goldfinch has all of the hallmarks of one of these epic novels because it involves a believable modern-day premise,Continue reading “Book Review: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt”
Ancient Mineral, Art or Book?
San Fran based artist Alexis Arnold has managed to reimagine National Geographic magazines with the use of Borax crystals for a strange geological marvel of colourful striations. Glittering crystals are alive and growing on the gradients of colour, turning them from mere functional books to something akin to living art and also uncannily like aContinue reading “Ancient Mineral, Art or Book?”
Two Inventions That Make Reading Paper Books A Completely New Experience
From electric ink to aromapoetry – the physical book is about to undergo a renaissance by being paired with some nifty new inventions. While paper epitomises the slow lane of publishing, it is anything but a static medium. Traditional analogue technologies such as ink and paper are now being developed in ways that can and inContinue reading “Two Inventions That Make Reading Paper Books A Completely New Experience”
Creepily Correct Predictions Circa 1880 About the World in the 21st Century
Albert Robida was born in 1848 and died in 1926. A French illustrator, etcher, lithographer, caricaturist, and novelist, he came up with some creepily accurate predictions about World War II and also how our world would look like in the 21st Century. He wrote a futuristic trilogy in the same vein as Jules Verne OfContinue reading “Creepily Correct Predictions Circa 1880 About the World in the 21st Century”
The Culinary and Poetic Legacy of Robert Burns in Scotland
Robert Burns is a cult figure amongst Scottish people for his celebrated poetry and folk songs from the 18th Century. He used to write in the Scots language and also English with Scots dialect. Auld Lang Syne by Robert Burns has travelled far beyond Scotland, to become a universal song for New Year’s Eve. EveryContinue reading “The Culinary and Poetic Legacy of Robert Burns in Scotland”
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