With books and comics drumming up big business on both the small and silver screens, it's no surprise that Hollywood execs find themselves spending a lot of time in bookstores. And when those bookstores find their way onto celluloid? Pure bibliophile perfection.
Former leading New Zealand publisher and bookseller, and widely experienced judge of both the Commonwealth Writers Prize and the Montana New Zealand Book Awards, talks about what he is currently reading, what impresses him and what doesn't, along with chat about the international English language book scene, and links to sites of interest to booklovers.
The novel Bronze Drum explores the legend of the sisters' rebellion against Chinese rule and the idea of collective memory as resistance.
Instabooks 160: hurlinghambooks
Venus in Furs describes the obsessions of Severin von Kusiemski, a European nobleman who desires to be enslaved to a woman. Severin finds his ideal of voluptuous cruelty in the merciless Wanda von Dunajew....
What a catalog of superficiality reveals about the complex inner worlds of young women.
From Barbara Kingsolver's "Unsheltered" to Tayari Jones's "An American Marriage," some of the best books of 2018 helped to inform and enlighten us, and keep us riveted.
9. Never assume a witch is dead
Cody Dickerson is a student of the Germanic mysteries, Indo-European religious and linguistic studies, British cunning-folk magic, and is an initiated Braucher, or Powwow practitioner. A blacksmith by trade and a gardener by avocation, he also studies the rural folk magic and traditions of North America, Europe and Mexico. His first book for Three Hands Press is The Language of …
From rock stars to country darlings to jazz singers, these books reveal the lives behind the lyrics.
Col. ill. by Vladimir Kirin
There’s something about our oldest stories that never gets old. Rereading classical mythology is for me an exercise in surprise and recognition mixed together. There are things I’ve always missed i…
Explore the world of cozy fantasy and magical tea and coffee shops with these 10 books like Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree.
We’ve all been in a situation where we’ve made a fist, either as an expression of anger or right before hitting something (or an unfortunate someone).
Bookworms can relate to this pet peeve.
There's always more to read.
Sarah Penner's The Lost Apothecary will make you want to take a solo jaunt to England (or wherever your fondness lies) and go on an adv...
New movies are few; new TV is fast diminishing. Here are the books we think you should pick up instead.
A new book reveals suspected witches, users of love magic and believers in fairies
"One word: Magical.”
If You Like, Then Read is a feature where we offer book suggestions based on titles you already like. This week we are showcasing books recommended for fans of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. …
This fantasy book is about the Hogfather, who is similar to Santa. If you need to know the kinds of things you'll learn from it, just read this excerpt:Death: Yes. As practice, you have to start out learning to believe the little lies.Susan: So we can believe the big ones?Death: Yes. Justice, mercy, duty. That sort of thing.Susan: They're not the same at all.Death: You think so? Then take the universe and grind it down to the finest powder, and sieve it through the finest sieve, and then show me one atom of justice, one molecule of mercy. And yet, you try to act as if there is some ideal order in the world. As if there is some, some rightness in the universe, by which it may be judged.
The Writer and the Librarian is a work of fiction in the fantasy, adventure, and mystery subgenres, and it forms the first novel of the Raven Society series. The work is suitable for both mature young adult and adult readers and was penned by R.L. Geer-Robbins. In this thrilling tale, we are introduced to our reluctant protagonist Chloe Pairtee, a writer who aspires to have more in life but gets a whole lot more than she bargained for when the mysterious Raven Society invites her to join them. So begins the uncovering of a magical legacy dating back centuries, and the darkness in Chloe’s past will be revealed along the way. R.L. Geer-Robbins delivers a superb foray into the fantasy world with a brilliant premise on which to start a series. I loved the immediate drop into the clandestine world of the Raven Society, and many threads of danger and intrigue weighed on the atmosphere of the story, creating tension as we followed them all into a tapestry of daemons, magic, and impending doom. Chloe makes an excellent central protagonist for the novel, beginning in the anti-hero space as we watch her develop, become more open, and eventually step up to assume the mantle that awaits her. She comes a long way indeed in this opening novel, but with so much more potential that it’s exciting to suppose where the series will go next. If you’re seeking a fantastic new fantasy series with solid plotting, likable characters, and edge-of-your-seat suspense, look no further than The Writer and the Librarian for your next adventure.
'A cult figure.' Guardian 'A dark and brilliant achievement.' Ian McEwan 'Shamelessly clever ... Exhilaratingly subversive and funny.' Independent 'A modern classic ... As relevant now as when it was first published. ' John Banville A young woman is in love with a successful surgeon; a man torn between his love for her and his womanising. His mistress, a free-spirited artist, lives her life as a series of betrayals; while her other lover stands to lose everything because of his noble qualities. In a world where lives are shaped by choices and events, and everything occurs but once, existence seems to lose its substance and weight - and we feel 'the unbearable lightness of being'. The Unbearable Lightness of Being encompasses passion and philosophy, infidelity and ideas, the Prague Spring and modern America, political acts and private desires, comedy and tragedy - in fact, all of human existence. What readers are saying: 'Some books change your mind, some change your heart, the very best change your whole world ... A mighty piece of work, that will shape your life forever.' 'One of the best books I've ever read ... A book about love and life, full of surprises. Beautiful.' 'This book is going to change your life ... It definitely leaves you with a hangover after you're done reading.' 'A must read - loved it, such beautiful observations on life, love and sexuality.' 'Kundera writes about love as if in a trance so the beauty of it is enchanting and dreamy ... Will stay with you forever.' 'A beautiful novel that helps you understand life better ... Loved it.' 'One of those rare novels full of depth and insight into the human condition ... Got me reading Camus and Sartre.' 'One of the best books I have ever read ... An intellectual love story if ever there was one.'
Take a look at who is at the intersection. Venn diagram prepared by Fake Library Stats, shared by Christian Lauersen. More to check out: [ef-archive number=5 tag=”geek-stuff”]
With the publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in 1997, little Hermione Granger joined the ranks of book nerd heroines. Now she stands proud alongside Elizabeth Bennett, Anne Shirley, and Matilda Wormwood. But what books would you…
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