- Books Review
- 48 views
The worst uses of music in film and TV adaptations of books
Just as the right choice of music can lift a film adaptation out of the ordinary (Pulp Fiction, Jaws, Trainspotting and The Exorcist are obvious examples), so can a bad choice of song bring a movie to a juddering halt…
- Books Review
- 31 views
I like writing about books, so why do I find it so hard to remember them?
I’m often asked (by my wife, roughly once a week) why I need to keep books that I have already read, and why the bookshelves can’t be cleared to make way for more useful items such as knick-knacks, assorted pens,…
- Books Review
- 63 views
Describing the indescribable: The most notable books about the Holocaust
Not the lightest of topics, maybe, but Remembrance Weekend seems as good a time as any to consider the books which most effectively portray the reality of the Holocaust. How do you describe the indescribable, or imagine the unimaginable? Many…
- Books Review
- 25 views
Martin Amis’s actual best novels
In the numerous pieces published about the death of Martin Amis, a number of contributors felt the understandable need to provide an assessment of his best work. Many of these lists included his essays and criticism; and in terms of…
- Books Review
- 26 views
Hits and misses of 2022
When I look back on my reading in 2022, it strikes me – a little to my surprise – that there aren’t that many books that I absolutely loved. There was plenty of stuff that was engaging, readable, admirable even;…
- Books Review
- 22 views
My best and worst books of 2020
Like many people, I imagine, my reading habits changed in 2020. I read more; and I read different types of books. It’s been a year of comfort reading, no doubt, and as the year went on I found myself increasingly…
- Books Review
- 24 views
‘Lockdown’ by Peter May: What it got right and what it got wrong
Back in 2005 Peter May was not an unknown author, having published most of his China thriller series as well as several standalone novels, but he was certainly without the necessary clout for publishers to put into print whatever came…
- Books Review
- 83 views
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, written by Lewis Carroll (the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), is a timeless fantasy novel that chronicles the curious and whimsical adventures of a young girl named Alice. The story begins with Alice feeling bored…
- Books Review
- 72 views
The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak
Summary:The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak is a captivating and deeply spiritual novel that intertwines two parallel stories: one set in the 13th century and the other in the modern day. At its core, the book explores the…
- Books Review
- 48 views
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Summary:The Alchemist is a timeless and inspiring novel by Paulo Coelho that tells the story of Santiago, a shepherd boy from Spain who dreams of finding treasure hidden near the Egyptian pyramids. Spurred by a recurring dream and the encouragement…