“Sorrow and Bliss” by Meg Mason – but especially bliss!

After a run of pretty heavy going yet still inspiring non-fiction reads, I was determined to plump for a novel that would be easier on the eye for the next book I was to open for the late summer of 2021. I first heard Meg Mason (2021), "Sorrow and Bliss", London: Weidenfield and Nicolson enthusiastically …

To hope or to hide? Rutger Bregman: “Humankind – A Hopeful History”

Right back at the beginning of the pandemic, one of my neighbours died. Wendy lived directly opposite me, and our lives had been intertwined just so since 1973 when I was just a toddler. She was born in 1944, so she had been a part of my Mum’s life for much longer. When I moved …

“The Foghorn’s Lament: The Disappearing Music of the Coast”: Jennifer Lucy Allan

There are some far flung corners of mind which can only be summoned by sound (just as with smell, texture, even colours) - some corners more distant than others. There is one vague, definitely greyed-out location, where I’m on some kind of quayside location. My grandad used to drive HGV lorries for a stint when …

Sounds of 2020

It has been tough to pick twelve tracks which represent my favourite 'Sounds of 2020', but these are my best attempt to do so. With a neurological condition that suppresses my immune system, like many, I have been shielding for most of the year. It has meant that the radio, and in particular, music has …

Down With The Kids – Polyhymns’ sound of parenthood and isolation in the digital age is with me in lockdown

I’ve tended to withdraw from social media to a great extent while I’ve been shielding during the lockdown. It was getting a bit too much. It’s no overstatement to say that music has been a real lifeline during the last couple of months, and one track in particular in recent days has done the business. …

“Earth Emotions – New Words for a New World” by Glenn A. Albrecht

“We’ve followed the science” parrots a politician from a daily press conference podium. Defending themselves against charges of inaction or incompetence, the same politician responds in a monotone voice, from a pre-scripted reply that “we’re straining every sinew”. Words are important, but what is crucial is what they really mean – what is behind them. …

“Daemon Voices: Essays on Storytelling” – by Philip Pullman

From that moment I first set eyes on the deep red hardback cover, and textured-like effect of the jackdaw artwork by John Lawrence evocative of the linocut works that have long stirred something in me, I knew I must have this book. Obviously, the content of the book was of more than a passing interest …

Sounds of 2019

It's that time of year when lists of favourite albums of the year, or 'Sounds of 2019' are compiled. This year, I've decided to put together two lists. The first is my 'Sounds of 2019' - albums released this year which I've been introduced to through tracks played on UK radio. A huge thanks to …

Sourdough September – the Power of Three!

I've written before (click here - Feb. 2019) about my love of 'real bread' and catching the sourdough baking bug. It signposts the recipes I trust most, as well as plenty of other useful links. This month has been designated 'Sourdough September' by the 'Real Bread Campaign', so before the month is through, I wanted …

Underland – a deep time journey

Our relationship with time, and our planet are as much the theme for Robert Macfarlane's latest book, "Underland" (Hamish Hamilton/Penguin Books, 2019), as is the more literal exploration of underground spaces in a variety of places around the globe. Reading the book could not have come at a more opportune moment for me. I'm finding …