The time has come, the walrus said, for grown-up women to divest their childhood books (apologies to Lewis Carroll for such clumsy paraphrasing). Along with so many others in COVID lockdown, occupying themselves by cleaning and clearing, I eventually took a hard look at those books I have held on to for more than fifty … Continue reading Ash Road by Ivan Southall
Book Reviews
Newcastle Writers Festival
In contrast to the Adelaide Writers Festival which I attended at the beginning of March the Newcastle Writers Festival is a smaller regional affair with predominantly home-grown authors on the dais. I was up there at the beginning of April, with Bill and I being house-guests of long-time friends, and attended events on the Saturday and Sunday. … Continue reading Newcastle Writers Festival
A Word or Two from Dickens
Some time ago my cousin passed along to me the set of Dickens which had belonged to his mother - my aunt. This particular set is The Fireside Dickens, Complete Edition in Twenty-Two Volumes, with Illustrations by Cruikshank, 'Phiz,' &c. This collection was published by Chapman & Hall, London; and Henry Frowde. The books were … Continue reading A Word or Two from Dickens
The Reluctant Retiree 