Don’t ask me to answer that question though I have more reasons to say YES than NO ! A black crow is cawing on the top of a pine-tree in front of my window as to agree with me… . . . . . . . . . . A few years ago, we rented an old rustic cottage, … Continue reading →
In the 19th century, it was not uncommon to see itinerant lecturers hopscotching across their countries. It was also a great opportunity for them to meet with people, mingle with them, and listen to local stories and folk tales. Is it during his itinerant lectures that John Mackay Wilson got the idea of writing and compiling the Tales of the Borders … Continue reading →
“The strange human craving for the pleasure of feeling afraid….” (Virginia Woolf – The Common Reader) We’re not of the kind to discriminate against anybody, so let us share our readings with this old guy relaxing in his armchair, or… is it a “she” ? This venerable person must have a lot of thrilling stories to tell us … Indeed, … Continue reading →
The first Scottish fictional female detective, Valeria, created by Wilkie Collins, back in 1875, in his book titled The Law and the Lady was all about attacking the “Not Proven” verdict that still exists today in Scotland laws. It is quite surprising Mairiuna, that Wilkie Collins had a great success with this book, because, in those times, women were not … Continue reading →
How amazing! Our blog seems to possess a life of its own now, with its authors sometimes desperately trying to follow it ! There are so many roads opening everywhere that we sometimes feel as if lost in a labyrinth. Mind you ! That’s the kind of thing that may well happen to you if you visit some of the … Continue reading →
The Sherlock Award for Best Comic Detective? Sure Mairiuna, it is with great pleasure that I will talk more about it, especially that information on this very unique literary award is not easily gathered online. Furthermore, it is rather confusing as they are several categories. I first heard about it when blogging a few days ago about Christopher Brookmyre‘s novel, … Continue reading →
There is so much to say and so much going on at The Mitchell Library in Glasgow that I will, Mairiuna, stay in the building for another blog post. Especially so, that there will be a Book Launch this month in the Mitchell Library Theatre, for Pandaemonium, the latest book written by Christopher Brookmyre, well known Scottish crime fiction novelist. … Continue reading →
It is with great pleasure Mairiuna that I will undertake with you this challenge of reading the complete series of 17 novels from Ian Rankin’s Inspector Rebus series. While I await reception of my Amazon order for the first novel in the detective series, Knots and Crosses let me jot down some facts about the first Ian Rankin’s book we … Continue reading →
“A city built on books, brimming with writers and readers and home to the world’s largest Book Festival” Hi everybody ! Do you remember how an old dying sycamore growing in Conan Doyle’s childhood garden, on the playground of what is now known as Dunedin School, in Edinburgh, had been given a second life ? What a good idea to … Continue reading →
Conan Doyle died of a heart attack on 7 July 1930. He was aged 71 and lived then at “Windlesham”, his house situated in East Sussex, England. He was buried in the churchyard at Minstead in the New Forest, Hampshire. The epitaph on his grave reads “Steel True – Blade Straight – Arthur Conan Doyle – Knight – Patriot, Physician & … Continue reading →
. Tinker Bell’s wings would scarcely carry her now (…) Every moment her light was growing fainter; and Peter knew that if it went out she would be no more (…) Her voice was so low that at first he could not make out what she said. Then he made it out. She was saying that she thought she could … Continue reading →
So, back again to Wallace, Janice, and old books too since I’ve just found a beautiful copy of The Scottish Chiefs. It’s an undated Routledge edition published circa 1884… look at the beautiful cover with its elaborate decoration. It has many black and white illustrations inside. An antiquarian find and the right kind of book to send you back in … Continue reading →
Bought so many books the day we spent hours in The Book Shop in Wigtown Mairiuna, that I can hardly remember all the titles. 😉 How funny !!!…do you remember how Jean-Claude had to tuck away some of our books inside the spare tire section of the car so that we could take them back home ? We were ready to … Continue reading →
