Lucy Kellaway of the Financial Times is my new literary crush. She writes acerbic, funny, insightful things about language and its (mis)-uses. Think George Orwell's 'Politics and the English Language' for the 21st century.
February 19, 2012
The problem with looking for artistic validation in unhappiness, though, is that only the unhappiness is guaranteed; the art is still up to you.
January 31, 2012
I’m a little bit hooked on Flavorwire – they turn up some amazing, inspiring creative content. Like this list of Henry Miller’s tips on how to be a writer. COMMANDMENTS 1. Work on one thing at a time until finished. 2. Start no more new books, add no more new material to “Black Spring.” 3.… [Read more…]
January 29, 2012
She is the… greatest. The inimitable Patti Smith has been busy of late and has new books out: Woolgathering and The Coral Sea. This fantastic quote introduces an earlier poetry collection, Witt: These ravings, observations, etc come from one who, beyond vows, is without mother, gender, or country who attempts to bleed from the word… [Read more…]
January 27, 2012
Best examples of the art of the essay: Orwell, Didion, Forster, Greer, Woolf, Montaigne, Capote and more. Many of the writers on this list would rather have been known as great novelists the mixture of unfiltered insight and immaculate prose found in these essays sings higher.
January 19, 2012
Needing a Business Case for Reading Novels is an alien – and slightly depressing – concept. Nevertheless, any case for reading is a good one and Anne Kreamer’s argument that novel-reading can boost workplace fortunes by improving people’s ability to relate to others is admirably lucid. Her list of suggested reading is unfamiliar, apart from… [Read more…]
January 10, 2012
The quote below is an excerpt from A Man Without A Country — a diamond of a book by the inimitable Kurt Vonnegut. To be as wise, incensed and articulate as Vonnegut is here (age 83) is surely one definition of success. If you want to really hurt your parents, and you don’t have the… [Read more…]
December 20, 2011
I’m delighted to have a guest post from award-winning vegan chef Mark Reinfeld, of Vegan Fusion. A culinary wizard, Mark picked up a love of food from his grandfather who was a chef and ice carver. He has co-authored more books than you can shake a carrot at, including the lauded, best-seller Vegan Fusion World… [Read more…]
November 23, 2011
The Lost Brothers started as a “joke” according to Oisin Leech but he and musical partner Mark McCausland soon found people taking their dusty, gentle folk harmonies to heart. Their deubt album Trails of the Lonely is one of my favourites: a Simon & Garfunkle drinking whisky-laced coffee in the rain with Burt Jansch affair… [Read more…]
November 22, 2011
A huge thanks to La Muse creators Kerry & John and the brilliant creative company: Debbie, Anna, Stephanie, Sherry, Rebecca and Jessie. I’ve had an amazing, illuminating fortnight in the south of France. One short story and one new book title later it’s off to London and the next adventure.
February 23, 2012
0