You may not expect the oldest bookstore in the world to be found in Portugal. But in the Chiado Livraria Bertrand in Lisbon has a Guinness World Records certificate to prove it. The original shop opened in 1732 and has stayed open ever since, albeit moving around the city. The current shop opened in 1773,... Continue Reading →
Collaboration is a buzzword of the modern era. These days you don't have to be in the same room or even the same time zone to do it. Internet-based tools mean people can collaborate no matter where they are. But could it be the next big thing for the usually solitary pursuit of writing? Writing a... Continue Reading →
Whether you believe writers are born or made (and I think it's a little bit of both), there are certain traits I think all writers should cultivate. Some may come naturally, others may need a bit of work. But they'll help you be the best writer you can be. 1) Happy in your own company... Continue Reading →
Oxford University is made up of thirty-eight colleges, some of which were built when the University was first established. This includes Merton College, whose alumni include TS Eliot and Thomas Bodley (who founded the Bodleian Library). It's also where J.R.R. Tolkien taught as a professor of English Language and Literature. Many of the buildings that... Continue Reading →
I am framed through the hagioscope, but this is not your prison. They walled you in with freedom, and you sang your own death, and spread pity on all the words that followed. They all want saving but they’re not yours to save. One foot embedded in ancient stone, the other pointed as you rise.... Continue Reading →
A village within a village, Watts Gallery Artists' Village sits just on the edge of the village of Compton in Surrey. It was the home of GF Watts and his wife Mary and is made up of their home, still working studios, an art gallery, and a cemetery which holds the Watts Cemetery Chapel. Watts... Continue Reading →
You can't turn on the TV or flip through a magazine without being told how unhealthy we're all becoming. And whilst no-one has the perfect lifestyle, writing isn't the healthiest occupation there is. Yes, you're exercising your mind and being creative, but are you taking care of yourself in other ways? Whether you write full-time... Continue Reading →
Aldous Huxley's died on the same day as C.S. Lewis, which is unfortunate timing, to say the least. But in an almost unbelievable twist of fate, both of these famous writers had their passing overshadowed by the assassination of President John F Kennedy, which occurred the very same day. Aldous Huxley now lies in an... Continue Reading →
Places are something that I've always found inspiring. The Museum of the History of Science is an inspiring place. Less so because of the setting (which is still grand as a lot of buildings are in Oxford), and more because of the objects it holds. The museum is open Tues-Sun, from 12pm-5pm. It's also free... Continue Reading →
Oh look another ruined building! If you're a regular reader, you'll know these pop up a lot, but this one has a twist - it was ruined on purpose. Scotney Old Castle sits in lovely landscaped grounds, below Scotney New Castle, a Victorian house built to replace it between 1835 and 1843. If you didn't... Continue Reading →
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