Picture: Emil Widlund, Unsplash BRITISH readers’ love affair with all things dark, murderous and mysterious shows no signs of waning. Crime continues to come first choice among public library users, with children’s books a valiant second and daylight to all other genres. Thrillers, mysteries and crime fiction take eight out of the ten top places in the British Library’s latest list (for the 2018-19 year) of the country’s most borrowed books. Continuing the trend of recent years, the list reflects readers’ enduring love of thrillers. Eight of the top ten are crime fiction. Lee Child, who leads the way with… Continue reading
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CRIME fiction is probably the broadest of all literary genres. And nowhere in my recent reading is this better demonstrated than by this beautifully crafted novel. Fine writing from a Grand Prix Litteraire de l’Heroine winner that mystifies and intrigues from the appealing title all the way through to its… Continue reading
Picture: Melissa Walker Horn, Unsplash IT appears that waste is good. More than that, it is to be encouraged rather than discouraged, despite the extent to which it is universally decried. This is proved time and again on my regular excursions to buy the necessities of life. The recent panic… Continue reading
A CLICHE it maybe, but the saying that “everything old is new again” is one that has stood the test of time. As reliable as ever as each generation “discovers” something that was commonplace to their parents or grandparents. It rushed to mind as today’s papers splashed on the “innovative”… Continue reading
Picture by Becca McChaffie, Unsplash WITHOUT fanfare my local M&S has today reopened its ground floor clothing, cosmetics and sundry items section. No shouty newspaper or TV campaigns. Almost a whisper; a soft opening as similar cautious events are described. Yet hardly had the doors slid open to provide access… Continue reading
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Picture courtesy Elijah Hail, Unsplash WHAT is it about proofreading and editing that academics find so hard to understand? Yet again a university student has requested my help in preparing their thesis for submission. And yet again, and much as I would welcome the work, I have had to say no. There are several reasons for refusal, but the main one is time. The student has set a deadline for return of the completed edit five days on from sending the request. No fees have been quoted or agreed. None of the specifics have been discussed. Nothing has been signed. Continue reading