On never really understanding the popularity of something
Published at 1:33 pm on December 18th, 2021
Filed under: Artistic, Media Addict.
Or, some foundational literature
Published at 10:16 pm on November 18th, 2021
Filed under: Artistic.
On stories set firmly in a particular place
Published at 9:27 pm on November 5th, 2020
Filed under: Artistic.
Keyword noise: Alan Garner, The Owl Service, books, literature, mythology, Blodeuwedd, Mabinogi, Math fab Mythonwy, Wales, Cymru, Gwynedd, Llanymawddwy, Vale of Ffestiniog, Dyffryn Maentwrog.
In which your author reads, and learns more about writing as a result
Published at 6:33 pm on November 17th, 2011
Filed under: Artistic, Dear Diary, Meta.
Keyword noise: books, Hilary Mantel, literature, novels, reading, reading aloud, Wolf Hall, writing, Flann O'Brien, The Third Policeman, Alasdair Gray, Lanark, Peter Ackroyd, Dan Leno And The Limehouse Golem.
In which I hasve been to see an operatic adaptation of that classic 20th century Irish novel The Third Policeman, so write a review filled with in-jokes
Published at 11:54 pm on November 11th, 2011
Filed under: Artistic, Media Addict.
Keyword noise: adaptation, Bristol, Ergo Phizmiz, Flann O'Brien, literature, live music, music, opera, The Cube, The Third Policeman, theatre, The Plain People Of The Internet.
In which we discuss the Scott Pilgrim movie, one case of a comic-to-film adaptation that keeps all the spirit of the comic it came from.
Published at 8:18 pm on September 5th, 2010
Filed under: Media Addict.
In which we criticise a Great Writer, at least by volume
Published at 7:07 am on January 12th, 2010
Filed under: Artistic.
In which something is hard to understand
Published at 7:54 am on January 7th, 2010
Filed under: Artistic, Geekery.
Keyword noise: anachronism, BBC, Cranmore, East Somerset Railway, ghost stories, Great Western Railway, Henry James, literature, Peter Quint, television, The Turn Of The Screw.
In which we must have upset someone
Published at 9:20 pm on June 17th, 2009
Filed under: Dear Diary.
In which we compare two David Crystal books with the inside of my head
Published at 10:06 am on January 20th, 2009
Filed under: Artistic, Geekery.
Keyword noise: books, Books I Haven't Read, By Hook Or By Crook, David Crystal, English, language, linguistics, literature, philology, reading, The Stories Of English.
In which we go to the seaside
Published at 3:00 pm on January 19th, 2009
Filed under: Dear Diary.
In which we discuss books and the French Revolution
Published at 1:42 pm on January 14th, 2009
Filed under: Artistic, In With The Old, Meta.
Keyword noise: biography, books, Books I Haven't Read, Fatal Purity, France, French Revolution, history, literature, Maximilien Robespierre, review, Robert Graves, Robespierre, Ruth Scurr, The White Goddess.
In which we muse what book to abandon reading next
Published at 12:55 pm on November 16th, 2008
Filed under: Artistic, In With The Old, Meta.
Keyword noise: archaeology, Books I Haven't Read, Christopher Hill, Robert Graves, civil war, English Civil War, Greek Myths, history, Levellers, literature, mythology, poetics, The White Goddess, The World Turned Upside Down.
In which we discuss “Halting State” by Charles Stross
Published at 9:20 pm on June 24th, 2008
Filed under: Artistic.
Keyword noise: Bannermans, books, Charles Stross, Cowgate, Edinburgh, Halting State, High School Yards, literature, review, science fiction, SF, Stockbridge Colonies.
In which we muse on J K Rowling’s favourite books
Published at 7:32 am on January 11th, 2008
Filed under: Artistic.
In which we think about secret tunnels and the literature surrounding them
Published at 10:39 pm on September 17th, 2007
Filed under: Artistic, Geekery, Trains.
Keyword noise: disused, disused underground stations, Doctor Who, Down Street, Jeremy Dyson, labyrinth, literature, London, London Underground, Neverwhere, Paris, Paris Metro, Post Office Railway, secret tunnels, underground.
In which the end of a series is within sight
Published at 5:25 pm on July 20th, 2007
Filed under: Artistic.
In which we start reading something
Published at 7:42 am on January 27th, 2007
Filed under: Artistic.
In which we fail to read “House Of Leaves” by Mark Z Danielewski
Published at 10:43 pm on January 15th, 2007
Filed under: Artistic.
In which we have to save ourselves before even thinking about saving someone else
Published at 7:02 pm on December 22nd, 2006
Filed under: Dear Diary, Feeling Meh, The Old Office.
Keyword noise: Big Dave, books, Celtic mythology, children's books, general knowledge, King Arthur, King William's College, literature, mythology, quiz, Silver On The Tree, Susan Cooper, The Dark Is Rising, trivia.
Keyword noise: books, children's books, Epiphany, fantasy, fog, literature, new year, seasons, solstice, Susan Cooper, The Dark Is Rising, weather, winter solstice, Yuletide.
Keyword noise: Anne Atkins, BBC, bedsit, Big Dave, books, Books I Haven't Read, Christianity, Yuletide, Christmas presents, house hunting, House Of Leaves, literature, London, Mark Z Danielewski, presents, radio, reading, religion, shopping, studio flat, Thought For The Day.
In which we fail to read “Victorian Railway Days” by Francis Bennion
Published at 9:03 pm on November 28th, 2006
Filed under: Artistic.
Keyword noise: Atonement, books, Books I Haven't Read, David St John Thomas, Ernest Simmons, fiction, Francis Bennion, historical fiction, history, Ian McEwan, Jack Simmons, literature, Lucilla Andrews, Memoirs Of A Station Master, reading, research, source material, The Country Railway, Victorian Railway Days.
In which we recap on a few things
Published at 10:04 pm on September 15th, 2006
Filed under: Artistic, Dear Diary, Meta.
In which my cynicism is exposed for the cynical, hollow sham it is
Published at 7:10 am on September 8th, 2006
Filed under: Dear Diary, Media Addict, Meta.
Keyword noise: bad driving, books, Craig Moore, driving, food, grumpy, literature, reading, restaurant, Thermite, Yorkshire.
In which we remember a great writer
Published at 8:34 am on July 19th, 2006
Filed under: Artistic.
In which we fail to complete Iron Sunrise by Charles Stross
Published at 8:48 am on June 8th, 2006
Filed under: Artistic.
Keyword noise: books, Books I Haven't Read, Charles Stross, Charlie Stross, Iron Sunrise, July 7th, literature, reading, sci fi, science fiction, terrorism.
In which we uncover something that might count as proto-blogging
Published at 10:15 pm on May 29th, 2006
Filed under: Artistic.
Keyword noise: blogging, books, Christian science fiction, Christianity, Dilwyn Horvat, literature, management, Operation Titan, science fiction, SF, Umberto Eco, How To Travel With A Salmon.
Keyword noise: 1970s, books, death, Glasgow, Glasgow Subway, history, Jan Mark, literature, obituary, photography, railway, reading, subway, underground, Zeno Was Here.
In which Mario Reading tries to predict the future, and fails
Published at 8:54 pm on January 20th, 2006
Filed under: Media Addict, Unbelievable.
Keyword noise: books, future, George W Bush, literature, Mario Reading, marketing, news, Nostradamus, prediction, prophecy, prophet, psychic, publicity, reading, television, telly, tv.
In which something obscure keeps popping up
Published at 9:55 pm on December 27th, 2005
Filed under: Media Addict, Unbelievable.
In which we have trouble reading a catalogue
Published at 10:10 pm on November 13th, 2005
Filed under: Artistic, Media Addict.
In which we haven't read “The System Of The World” by Neal Stephenson
Published at 11:11 pm on October 30th, 2005
Filed under: Artistic, Media Addict.
Keyword noise: books, Books I Haven't Read, Cryptonomicon, literature, Neal Stephenson, Quicksilver, reading, Samuel Pepys, SF, The Baroque Cycle, The Confusion, The System Of The World.
In which I finish something for once
Published at 3:54 pm on October 17th, 2005
Filed under: Artistic, Media Addict.
In which we discuss An Unequalled Self by Claire Tomalin
Published at 7:41 pm on September 25th, 2005
Filed under: Artistic, Media Addict.