Things that are making me happy this week

Posted by Kate W in Stuff and Nonsense and tagged with COVID-19, Curtis Sittenfeld, Emma Jane Unsworth, Eurovision, Lisa McInerney, Melbourne, podcast, Sally Rooney, Women's Prize for Fiction May 27, 2020

01. If it hadn’t been for lockdown, I would never have had Lune perfection delivered to my door early on Saturday morning (or three courses on Monday night from Mr Bianco). Continue reading →

Ten years, ten top books

Posted by Kate W in Stuff and Nonsense and tagged with Ann Patchett, book list, Chad Harbach, Charlotte Wood, Cheryl Strayed, Gillian Mears, Hannah Kent, Hanya Yanagihara, Kate Atkinson, Leanne Shapton, Lisa McInerney December 26, 2019

It hadn’t occurred to me to make a list of my top ten books of the decade until I saw such lists popping up everywhere. Given that books, blogging and lists go together like sand and sea, it’s ridiculous that I haven’t been working on my list for months! Continue reading →

Six Degrees of Separation – from The Dry to I Am Charlotte Simmons

Posted by Kate W in Stuff and Nonsense and tagged with campus-lit, Jane Harper, Linda Grant, Lisa McInerney, literary mix tape, Rick Moody, Rosalie Ham, Six Degrees of Separation, Tom Wolfe, Trent Dalton, Will Eaves May 4, 2019

It’s time for #6degrees. Start at the same place as other wonderful readers, add six books, and see where you end up. Continue reading →

Six Degrees of Separation – from The Outsiders to The Other Typist

Posted by Kate W in Stuff and Nonsense and tagged with Lisa McInerney, Maxine Beneba Clarke, Melbourne Writers Festival, memoir, music, Nick Hornby, Paul Kelly, Rob Lowe, S. E. Hinton, Six Degrees of Separation, twitter, William Makepeace Thackeray October 6, 2018

It’s time for #6degrees. Start at the same place as other wonderful readers, add six books, and see where you end up!

This month we begin with the classic teen novel, The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. Continue reading →

20 Books of Summer – it’s a wrap

Posted by Kate W in Stuff and Nonsense and tagged with Bri Lee, Clare Wright, jennifer egan, Jessie Cole, Joanna Cannon, Justin Cronin, Kate Atkinson, Lauren Groff, Lisa McInerney, Melbourne, Owen King, R.J. Gadney, reading challenge, Rose Tremain, Tara Westover, Truman Capote September 3, 2018

As the clock strikes midnight, the 20 Books of Summer reading challenge will draw to a close. Those extra few hours won’t make a difference to my final tally. I read 21 books (but I’m a little behind on reviews…). Continue reading →

Bookish (and not so bookish) Thoughts

Posted by Kate W in Stuff and Nonsense and tagged with Bookish (and not so bookish) Thoughts, Eurovision, holidays, Ian McEwan, Kerry Hudson, Lisa McInerney, Margaret Atwood, music, television May 31, 2018

01. I’ve finished uni for the semester. Now I’m planning six weeks of fun. Continue reading →

20 Books of Summer (except that it’s Winter)

Posted by Kate W in Fiction, Non-fiction, Stuff and Nonsense and tagged with Bri Lee, Clare Wright, Elizabeth Day, jennifer egan, Jessie Cole, John Irving, Justin Cronin, Kate Atkinson, Kris D'Agostino, Lauren Groff, Lisa McInerney, Liz Porter, Malin Persson Giolito, Owen King, R.J. Gadney, reading challenge, Roddy Doyle, Rose Tremain, Sloane Crosley, Tara Westover, TBR, Toni Morrison, Truman Capote May 29, 2018

Cathy at 746 Books is hosting the 20 Books of Summer reading challenge again this year. By Cathy’s own admission, she doesn’t have a great track record with her own challenge… But I do! As I’ve done in previous years, I’m using this challenge to read from my to-be-read stack (with a particular focus on hard copies). The challenge is straightforward – read twenty books between June 1st and September 3rd. Continue reading →

My Best Books for 2017

Posted by Kate W in Fiction, Non-fiction, Stuff and Nonsense and tagged with 2017, Ann Patchett, book list, Cheryl Strayed, Eliza Robertson, Elizabeth Strout, Elspeth Muir, Georgia Blain, Heather Rose, Jennifer Down, Joanna Rakoff, Jon Ronson, Lisa McInerney, Matt Haig, Maxine Beneba Clarke, Rick Moody, Rob Lowe, Sara Baume, Sarah Krasnostein December 31, 2017

As I did last year, I’m paying less attention to four and five star ratings and more attention to the books that are still speaking to me. Continue reading →

July Rewind

Posted by Kate W in Stuff and Nonsense and tagged with Evie Wyld, Karen Joy Fowler, Lauren Fox, Lisa McInerney, Murray Bail, rewind, Richard Yates July 31, 2017

This month’s rewind includes my favourite book for 2014 (and possibly for this year as well) – Continue reading →

Bookish (and not so bookish) Thoughts

Posted by Kate W in Stuff and Nonsense and tagged with author talk, Bookish (and not so bookish) Thoughts, Christine Kenneally, Heather Rose, Jane Austen, Jennifer Down, Lisa McInerney, Margaret Atwood, Maxine Beneba Clarke, Melbourne Writers Festival, music, television, Tracy Chevalier July 20, 2017

01. The Melbourne Writers Festival 2017 program was launched this week. I’m excited about Heather Rose, Jennifer Down, Christine Kenneally, Tracy Chevalier and Maxine Beneba Clarke. Also: Grenville, Tsiolkas, Laguna, Krien, Joosten. It’s going to be a busy ten days. Continue reading →