Drharrietd

LATEST ARTICLES ( 303 )

• Woman Reading in Hammock

  

  As I've been enjoying the last days of summer, I thought this might be appropriate before autumn is really upon us. This is actually called Sunshine and... Read more

  Posted on 11 October 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• The Racketeer by John Grisham

  

  Back in the day, I read a lot of John Grisham, probably everything he wrote, and I've seen the movies too. Then I heard murmurings that he’d gone off the boil... Read more

  Posted on 08 October 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• SNB Non Fiction Reviews

  

  This gorgeous picture, apparently a painting by Michael Harnett done in 1878 though you'd never believe it, is the header for the non-fiction section of Shiny... Read more

  Posted on 07 October 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Shiny New Books 3 is Out!

  

  Yes, SNB issue 3 is up and running since this morning and absolutely crammed with good things. Do pop over there and have a look. And here's a link to one of... Read more

  Posted on 06 October 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Woman with Book

  

  This is 'Self Portrait' by the American artist Elaine de Kooning (1918-1989). She painted this in 1946, when she was 28. The book is obviously a sketchbook. I... Read more

  Posted on 27 September 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• The Chemistry of Tears by Peter Carey

  

  After I wrote here recently of how much I had enjoyed Peter Carey's Parrot and Olivier in America, a kind commenter suggested this one, which I had never so muc... Read more

  Posted on 25 September 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Brilliant Books and Ordinary Books

  

  I may have been silent on here for a while, but I've been doing a heck of a lot of reading. Some of it has been brilliant. I've just finished Sarah Waters... Read more

  Posted on 17 September 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Woman Not Very Happy

  

  I love pictures that tell a story, don't you? Sometimes it's hard to tell what that story is, but the title of this one, painted in 1887 by Sir William... Read more

  Posted on 13 September 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• New Arrivals

  

  The table where I work is close to the French doors, and on the wall outside is my mailbox, so I'm perfectly placed to see the postman driving up in his yellow... Read more

  Posted on 09 September 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Woman Reading

  

  Actually 'Young Woman Reading' (1875). The painter is Lucius Rossi (Italian, 1846-1913), who doesn't seem to have a Wikipedia entry. Read more

  Posted on 06 September 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

  

  "Medieval England -- a Hideous Murder -- Enter the first female anatomist", proclaims the cover. I must admit that when my daughter gave this to me to read, I... Read more

  Posted on 04 September 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Girl Writing

  

  Here's another girl writing -- painted by Harold Knight, and easily recognisable as his wife Laura, the celebrated artist Dame Laura Knight, who looks to be... Read more

  Posted on 30 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Parrot and Olivier in America

  

  Years ago -- in 2007 to be exact -- I read and reviewed Peter Carey's Booker-winning Oscar and Lucinda. I absolutely loved it, and have been meaning ever since... Read more

  Posted on 29 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• The Girl Next Door by Ruth Rendell

  

  I've been a huge admirer of Ruth Rendell for literally decades, so I was really pleased to be sent a review copy of this, her latest novel. And oh how I wish I... Read more

  Posted on 22 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• The Silkworm in Shiny New Books

  

  I really enjoyed Robert Galbraith's The Cuckoo's Calling and was very much looking forward to The Silkworm. Would it measure up? Yes indeed -- I thought it a... Read more

  Posted on 19 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Today is In-Betweeny Day

  

  Yes, Shiny New Books today publishes issue 2a, or the inbetweeny. Although we are a quarterly magazine, there are books which one way or another have not quite... Read more

  Posted on 18 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Crossword Ends in Violence (5) by James Cary

  

  This entertaining comedy thriller is (unfortunately for some of you) only available as an e-book. James Cary, the author, has described himself as 'a... Read more

  Posted on 14 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• The Outlander by Gil Adamson

  

  The Outlander was published in 2009 -- 2007, even, in Canada -- how on earth did it pass me by? I suppose in those days I was reading mostly older fiction, and... Read more

  Posted on 13 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Cats in Art

  

  Quite a selection for you today, it being world cat day, apparently. This first one is a portrait of Manet's daughter Julie, painted by his friend Renoir. This... Read more

  Posted on 09 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• A Perfect Woman by LP Hartley

  

  Does anyone read LP Hartley any more? If not, they really really should. I picked up a 1956 edition of this 1955 novel at a vide grenier (aka jumble sale) in a... Read more

  Posted on 07 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE