When Terry Pratchett died, it affected me because he shaped the person I am today. The same is true of Carrie Fisher, albeit in a different way. To women of a certain age, especially those in love with fantasy, she was an icon. There weren't a great deal of notable female characters in the genre... Continue Reading →
Monk's House was once the home of Virginia and Leonard Woolf. Today it's owned by the National Trust and the unassuming 18th century cottage with a beautiful big garden and orchard is a world away from the grand buildings it's known for. Virginia's writing shed can be found in the orchard, and she resides here... Continue Reading →
Any fan of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ will know that its eponymous heroine is based on a real person. Alice Liddell was the fourth child in the Liddell family. They were friends with Charles Dodgson AKA Lewis Carroll and it was on a boating trip that he whipped up the tale of Alice and the White... Continue Reading →
The Glasgow Necropolis on a cold, bright morn; grand and Gothic and unsurprisingly, Victorian. Ever a society in love with death, elevating it into an art form fit for the ancients. It's easy to see why writers are fascinated by cities of the dead. Cemeteries tell a thousand tales. Inspiration and intrigue around every corner.... Continue Reading →
I've never read any of Christie's books but I'm very aware of her contribution to literature. Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot are legendary characters. I'm especially familiar with the latter thanks to David Suchet's portrayal of him in the TV series my mother loved to watch. St Mary's Church, Cholsey Despite her huge success, Agatha... Continue Reading →
The National Trust house Batemans is nestled in the East Sussex countryside. The 17th Century property is a nice place to visit anyway, but it has an added attraction as the home of Rudyard Kipling. I'm not the biggest fan of his work but you cannot argue with the importance of his works such as... Continue Reading →
This is a very sad day. I want to say something, but there’s not much I can add to what I said in this previous post. This says it all.
I recently started reading Terry Pratchett’s latest book ‘Raising Steam’, with a slightly heavy heart. Not because I didn’t think I’d enjoy it, I knew I would, but because each new book brings us a bit closer to the time where there will be no more new books.
He has a very rare form of early onset Alzheimer’s and it’s meant that it’s becoming harder for him to write. He can’t type anymore and now dictates his books to his assist Rob or uses voice recognition software. With luck he can carry on for a good few years and he’s also said that he is happy for his daughter Rhianna to carry on writing his famous Discworld series so his legacy is safe. Still it will be a very sad day when he can no longer write books himself.
For years I’ve wanted to write him a fan letter and…
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It seems almost impossible that I should have neglected to find the final resting place of the author of my favourite book, Alice in Wonderland. And yet I did. I assumed that Lewis Carroll was interred somewhere in London or Canterbury perhaps. The truth is he rests in a fairly unassuming graveyard in Guildford, roughly... Continue Reading →
I couldn't resist this little chap I found in a charity shop - books and owls! Related Reads Hedwig & Pigwidgeon
Wordland 