Bookish (and not so bookish) Thoughts

Posted by Kate W in Stuff and Nonsense and tagged with Bookish (and not so bookish) Thoughts, Deborah Levy, holidays, Matt Haig, Paul Dolan, Stella Prize, swimming, swimming pool, TBR January 30, 2019

01. I love the cloudscapes by artist, Kelly Money.

02. I didn’t have a beach holiday this summer but I have restored the soul with a McCrae day trip. There will be a few more before Easter. 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 →

2017: What I Read

Posted by Kate W in Stuff and Nonsense and tagged with 2017, Alan Bennett, Anita Brookner, Ann Patchett, Anna Pitoniak, audiobook, Caroline Smailes, Curtis Sittenfeld, Eliza Robertson, Elliot Perlman, Emily Maguire, Gillian Best, Jennifer Down, Kjersti Annesdatter Skomsvold, Matt Haig, Mohsin Hamid, Sally Rooney, TBR, Tom Perrotta December 30, 2017

Here’s my year in books (with thanks to the Goodreads record keeping tool): Continue reading →

Three audiobooks

Posted by Kate W in Fiction, Non-fiction and tagged with audiobook, book review, British, Colm Toibin, fiction, Matt Haig, Megan Abbott, Melbourne Writers Festival, memoir, nonfiction, reading challenge, review August 22, 2017

My problem with audiobooks is that I can’t (actually, don’t) take note of passages that I like, so reviews seem rather flimsy. Anyhoo, some thoughts on three books I’ve listened to recently. Continue reading →

Six Degrees of Separation – from Reasons to Stay Alive to The Secret Son

Posted by Kate W in Stuff and Nonsense and tagged with Amber Dermont, Christos Tsiolkas, Elena Ferrante, Jenny Ackland, Leanne Shapton, Matt Haig, memoir, Rebecca Starford, Six Degrees of Separation September 5, 2015

It’s six degrees of separation for books. Created by Emma Chapman and Annabel Smith. Check out the rules if you want to play along.

This month the chain begins with Matt Haig’s memoir, Reasons to Stay Alive. I haven’t read this book (and it sounds like tough reading) but I have read dozens of other memoirs. One of my favourites is Leanne Shapton’s Swimming Studies – a truly original book about one of my favourite things, swimming! Continue reading →