There's no shortage of history in Shakespeare's hometown of Stratford-Upon-Avon. Many of the places you can visit were once home to Shakespeare's relations, including the homestead of his wife, Anne Hathway. Part of the building dates from the 1400s, and it provides an intriguing window into the past. There's not a great deal known about... Continue Reading →
Well, I had to didn't I? The final Discworld novel. After this, there will be no more. I knew this day would come eventually, but it shouldn't have come so damn soon. I've started reading it and it's just as good as I expected albeit tinged with bittersweetness in every word. One day I shall... 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 →
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 →
Exercise. Some people love it, some people would rather sit on broken glass than do all that jumping about. It would be stereotypical to suggest that all writers are in the latter camp, but there's no getting away from the fact that writing involves a lot of staying still to get the words on paper.... Continue Reading →
Highgate East cemetery is one of the biggest and oldest graveyards in London. It's split into two sides, East and West. Both sides are open to visit for a fee - but the West requires a tour, whilst the East lets you wander at will. The cemetery was one of a number built and run... Continue Reading →
The Charles Dickens Museum in London is based in number 48 Doughty Street, where Dickens' lived from 1837 to 1839. It's where he wrote some of his most famous works including Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby. It opened as a museum in 1925. The home is furnished with a lot of authentic pieces, many purchased from... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
Charles Dicken's birthplace lies tucked away in Portsmouth. The street is a sore thumb of nineteenth-century architecture in amongst a labyrinth of blocky sixties tower blocks. Dickens didn't live in the house long, moving to London when he was still a young child. The museum that is now in his old house doesn't include any... Continue Reading →
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