Round about May and November each year, I notice that the pile of “To be read” books by my bed is beginning to shrink. Not for long, however. The birthday comes; Christmas comes – the tower leaps up again. Occasionally there’s some rearranging, when books that...
What have you been reading this year? Please feel free to tell us below! What have I been reading? Well, I’m continuing slowly to work my way through medieval British literature (Chaucer’s “Miller’s Tale” is really funny), and some 20th century poetry; and I’m also enjoying a...
The Fourth Tale from Ragaris is still not imminent, but progress is being made. I am approaching the first draft of the denouement. It’s been tricky; this fact and the lollipop are my excuses. When you last heard about it, the book was called "Naming People...
I was very flattered a little while ago when a local artist I knew slightly said he wanted to paint my portrait. His name is Matthew Lyons, and I think it was during the pandemic that he decided to paint a varied series of local people,...
Someone I know asked whether, or to what extent, we do or should blame the people of Russia for the actions of Vladimir Putin. I had already been wondering about a post on the disadvantages of democracy. The obvious quote here is Churchill: “it has been said...
Recently I had a fascinating discussion about feminism with a reader of this blog. He expressed the view that belief in feminism meant believing (doubtless among other things) that women should have the same opportunities as men. What are these opportunities, he wondered? Following the Lionesses’...
In December 2020 I reviewed my Books of the Year here: https://www.penelopewallace.com/books-2020/ giving the award for Most Enjoyable Read to Becky Chambers’ “The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet.” I have now just completed the Wayfarers tetralogy of which that was the first. Despite the impression...
Last month I went to Hull for the weekend. I enjoyed an interesting guided tour round Hull city centre – obviously this is a loved city with a spirit of independence and creativity - but the reason for my visit was to attend the AGM of...
Back in the 1930s, a Midlands solicitor and his wife commissioned the making of an expensive dolls’ house as a birthday present for their elder daughter Ursula. On the day, her father sent the child on an errand to the room where it had been...
(Once again, apologies for lateness.) This week a fairly depressing and urgent IPCC report was issued - see here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-60984663) We can try to battle climate change by challenging the government and campaigning for better insulation, more wind farms etc. And/or we can try to battle climate change...