Advances in technology are typically accompanied by wildly inaccurate predictions that an existing way of doing things will become obsolete. Yet the old ways cling on resolutely. So you’ll find large numbers of people using bicycles as one of their travel options even though they have a car, or handwriting letters although they could use … More Why books aren’t disappearing (and neither is this blog…)
Until five years ago, I couldn’t really see the point of dogs. Although aware of many of the amazing things they can do, from herding sheep to sniffing out smuggled drugs, I didn’t feel the need to have one in my life. Then, thanks to an extended campaign by my family, I found myself giving … More My Life in His Paws, Wendy Hilling
Comedy is one of the ways we humans deal with things going wrong. So, in the middle of a war zone or in the aftermath of a terrible natural disaster, you’ll find people cracking jokes. Insensitive, some call it, but I’d day it was normal and healthy. In my experience of bereavement, there comes a … More The Owl at the Window by Carl Gorham
Some reviewers have said that readers who’ve read the author’s first book, The Gates of Evangeline, will get more from The Shimmering Road. I can’t say whether they are right or not, but this certainly works as a standalone novel, even if there are a few references which might have meant more if I’d read … More The Shimmering Road by Hester Young
Beyond a keen interest in karate and a fondness for sushi, my knowledge of Japan is pretty limited. So when I say that Japanese culture and society seems to be a strange blend of contrasts, it’s not based on any direct experience of the country or its people. I get the impression that, while age … More Review: Blue Light Yokohama
If you’re paying this blog a visit as a result of its place on the Right Behind You blog tour, then welcome. While you are here, feel free to have a look around at other books and authors I have featured. As the author of several series, Lisa Gardner used a Facebook poll to determine … More Review: Right Behind You by Lisa Gardner
Usually in fiction when an incredibly wealthy man sets up an organisation to influence world events, it’s bad news for the rest of us. In Scott Vincent’s Vendicare series a billionaire is behind a secret international organisation working at arm’s length for governments who don’t want to get their hands dirty. The kind of person … More Angel Faces by Scott Vincent
As I write, America is preparing to inaugurate Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States of America. Strangely, even though he spent months campaigning for office, making countless public appearances and appearing in TV debates watched by huge audiences, it seems we still know very little about what kind of President he … More Donald Trump’s Books
If I were to mention birdwatching, I bet the first thing to pop into your mind would be an image of someone in stout shoes, waterproof clothing and a warm hat. To complete the scene you might want to throw in a tripod a thermos flask and some binoculars. If so, then Ross Armstrong’s debut … More A watcher watched
Supporters of the traditional book format, of which I am one, are fond of saying that digital books will never match the sensory experience of a `proper’ book. Whatever technological advances may be around the corner, it’s hard to see anyone creating an e-book format that matches the look, feel and even smell of a … More Are bookshops doomed?
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