Thursday, 26 February 2015

The Origin of Books: Writing and Desire

›
Some years ago, I wandered around the Tropical Greenhouses of Hamburg's Botanical Gardens. On the way out I bought a book,  Die Goldene ...
Sunday, 22 February 2015

Review: Tim Parks, Where I'm Reading From

›
Tim Parks is a prolific writer across a variety of genres and in two languages – and that may be three reasons why he is less appreci...
Saturday, 21 February 2015

Review: Stephen Kotkin - Stalin, Paradoxes of Power 1878 - 1928

›
Nowadays, I find the decision whether to buy a 949 hardback tome a weighty one: Will it be worth the effort of reading in a semi-reclin...
Saturday, 7 February 2015

Review: Richard Sakwa, Frontline Ukraine

›
This is an unsatisfactory book. Described by the publishers as "The Authoritative Account of the Ukrainian Conflict" it is n...
Wednesday, 28 January 2015

Review: Ben Fergusson, The Spring of Kasper Meier

›
I had just read Joseph Kanon's, The Good German (see previous review) so I was curious to see how this book, also set in the ruins ...
Monday, 19 January 2015

Review: Jospeh Kanon, The Good German

›
This is a readable book, but even at 500+ pages, it tries to do too much. It is most satisfactory as a credible recreation of life ...
Sunday, 11 January 2015

Review: Nicholas Shakespeare, Priscilla

›
This is a remarkably interesting book. But rather than being the story of a War Heroine - as one might imagine from the cover - it’s ...