Litlove

LATEST ARTICLES ( 372 )

• Why Childish Pleasures Are Best Left Alone

  

  Going to lectures by childrens’ authors is not something I normally do, but I have a good friend with an eagle eye for these events, who is writing children’s... Read more

  Posted on 12 September 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• A Funeral and Two Near-Misses

  Early one morning a few days back, Mr Litlove came into our room in a state of some concern. ‘Harvey hasn’t come in for his breakfast,’ he said. Read more

  Posted on 04 September 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Stay Up With Me

  

  I remember when short stories fell out of fashion. For a while there, from the mid-90s onwards, only the most established authors could risk a collection. Read more

  Posted on 02 September 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• And Now Something Completely Different

  

  I am a lucky woman to have such good friends, real and virtual. One of the consequences of my last post was that I caught up with the man I like to call my... Read more

  Posted on 28 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• How Far Do You Go?

  ‘Tell him to man up,’ said the taxi driver as we sat in the usual London traffic jam. ‘That’s what he needs to do: man up. Take me for instance. I’ve just... Read more

  Posted on 25 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• More on Women’s Fiction

  

  Last year I was sent a novel by an author called Leah Fleming and I didn’t really get on with it. So when I was offered her new novel, The Postcard, this year, ... Read more

  Posted on 21 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Various Fires

  

  A couple of things today. First, the latest inbetweenie update of Shiny New Books is available at the site – a further 22 reviews and features. Read more

  Posted on 18 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Passing Through

  

  I am still somewhat brainless with chronic fatigue and turgid in spirit (isn’t turgid a good word?), though I don’t know what Mr Litlove’s excuse is. Read more

  Posted on 13 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• A Geography Lesson

  

  No matter how hard I try – and these past six months I have been attempting regular exercise, for crying out loud – I am doomed to hoard stress the way squirrel... Read more

  Posted on 07 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Life, But Not As We Know It

  

  The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker is not my usual kind of book. I’m not at all into disaster movies or science fiction, though this book, despite... Read more

  Posted on 03 August 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Not Your Average Holiday Romance

  

  Helen Walsh’s The Lemon Grove is definitely going to be a Marmite book. How you feel about it will probably depend on your tolerance for Forbidden Passion;... Read more

  Posted on 31 July 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Monday Miscellany

  1. Finally something properly good has happened for my son. He has a job in a well-known pub in London’s West End. This was entirely his own doing – he put... Read more

  Posted on 28 July 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Riptides, Or What Makes A Good Short Story?

  

  When, several weeks after I had expected this book to arrive, it was still missing, I emailed a friend who knew the publisher and could track it down. The... Read more

  Posted on 25 July 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Aren’t We Sisters?

  

  I am not the first person to write with a sigh in her voice about the way that ‘women’s fiction’ still seems to have a taint of inferiority about it. Read more

  Posted on 23 July 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• The Farm, Or It’s Not As Nice In Sweden As You’d Think

  

  A few weeks ago, Mr Litlove was under the weather and so he decided to distract himself with a book. He settled for The Farm, by Tom Rob Smith, a novel I’d give... Read more

  Posted on 21 July 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Friday Teasers

  It’s boiling hot here – in a steamy sort of way – and we’re expecting family for the weekend, so rather than a real post, a few teasers for reviews I’ve... Read more

  Posted on 18 July 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• The Very Inspiring Blogger Award

  

  I was immensely chuffed to find that two dear blogging friends – Susan and Annabel – had nominated me for this award (and I would nominate both of them right... Read more

  Posted on 16 July 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Trials in Reading

  

  Life seems to have been very stressful lately, and in consequence I have been lying about the place like a beached whale, wondering if my zip will ever return. Read more

  Posted on 11 July 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Issue 2 Is Out!

  

  Yes, our second, summery edition of Shiny New Books is live today! I learned one or two intriguing things over the past few months: 1. It is possible to say... Read more

  Posted on 07 July 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE

• What We Did On Holiday

  

  For the last couple of months, Mr Litlove has been busy making me new bookcases. It will probably not surprise you to know that we have been experiencing a bit... Read more

  Posted on 04 July 2014 BOOKS, CULTURE