What do Cervantes, Shakespeare and Catalonian lovers have in common? It’s all to do with today’s date- the 23rd April. The Shakespeare lovers amongst you might have already spotted that it is both the Bard’s birth and his death day today (and the 450th anniversary of his birth!)- but did you know that it’s also […]
You know you’ve made it when you’ve been Google Doodled. On Bank Holiday Monday, Google tipped their hat in the direction of Charlotte Brontë by dedicating that day’s (her birthday) Google Doodle to the author. For a website with the clout of Google, these potentially frivolous celebrations have acquired a certain level of depth. A […]
Whilst I didn’t compete in the London’s greatest running event last weekend, I must admit it’s been a bit of a marathon to get to the Easter holiday this year. It does make a difference when it falls to the end of April, doesn’t it?! Nevertheless, it’s been a great couple of weeks, full of […]
I don’t often read the weekend papers, though when I do, proper time is devoted to it and easily assembled food must be on tap. In my mind it’s a treat similar to wallowing in a bath for a hour or more. Which is why the approach of Sunday Papers Live appeals to me on […]
Sometimes I wonder how writers decide which chapters to keep and which to omit as a single changed chapter can drastically change a book. More often than not, an editor casts a critical eye over the manuscript and decides what needs to be cut. At other times, the author will choose to delete certain sections […]
If you’re stuck for present ideas for the altruistic bibliophile in your life, then I’ve stumbled upon the perfect suggestion: adopting a book in need of conservation and expertise at the British Library. For £25 you can help with the British Library”s ongoing conservation work and, most importantly, keeping a vast array of titles on […]
‘Pop-up’ has become a buzz word lately, though it still makes me think of jack-in-the-boxes making me jump rather than trendy temporary boutiques and events. But the term’s connotations seem appropriate to two upcoming nights of Alice and Wonderland-themed fun later this month. Fancy following the White Rabbit to the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party? Note, […]
Of all the great things happening in April, I think I’m most excited about the London Marathon. 35, 000 runners will descend upon the capital and complete a 26.2 mile course alongside some of Britain’s greatest landmarks. My favourite runner, Mo Farah, is making his full marathon debut, not only aiming to complete the race […]
By the time of his death in 1959, Raymond Chandler had completed seven novels featuring his most famous creation, Philip Marlowe. But as with many other great literary heroes, the detective’s appeal has endured far beyond the lifetime of his creator. This year, Marlowe appears again in Benjamin Black’s The Black Eyed Blonde. The book […]
Have you spotted the Cityread events popping up around London this month? Supported and funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, Cityread London is an annual celebration of literature that aims to bring reading to life for the whole capital. Each April, Cityread asks London’s citizens, workers and visitors to pick up a […]
During March we were celebrating all things fairy tale following the publication of The Wild Girl in paperback. There were competitions with fantastic prizes and, in true fairy tale tradition, there were a magical three winners. In our main competition we were offering the chance for one lucky winner and a friend to enjoy a […]
While reading Stylist magazine last week I struck (Terry’s Chocolate) gold: Saturday past saw the launch of this year’s Chocolate Festivals. Kicking off first in Brighton, the rest of the UK will get their chance of a Wonka-like experience as it moves on to Bristol, London and Oxford through April. I think it’s no coincidence […]
After seeing the Shanghai Ballet’s production of Jane Eyre, I’ve been keeping my eyes open for more dance adaptations of literary works. And I didn’t have to wait long. A ballet based on the life and works of Virginia Woolf, titled Woolf Works will premiere next year, forming a central part of The Royal Opera House’s […]
Have you ever felt like you’re being watched? Not me. I’m the kind of oblivious person who usually has her nose in a book or her mind merrily in the clouds and has to be shouted at repeatedly before I realise someone wants my attention. But even I have noticed a proliferation of creepy eyes […]
Anyone who reads our blog posts or tweets for any length of time will come to realise that I’m a bit of a Jane Austen fan. But, I hasten to add, I’d like to think I’m not the scary, militant type that would take it as a personal insult if you happened to say you […]
Did you know that the Bloody Mary is rumoured to have been named by Ernest Hemingway? Just one of the exciting and, ahem, educational facts you could learn upon purchasing this book. Reminiscent of another A&B favourite, Tequila Mockingbird (see Lesley’s blog post here ), To Have and Have Another is cocktail connoisseur Philip Greene’s […]
I recently put aside my fairly sizable fear of heights and ventured up The Shard, London’s latest tourist attraction. Everything in the building is very dark and glossy, and I felt uncouth just being in the reception. The viewing platform is on floor 69, with access up to floor 74 via stairs. I was a […]
‘The Godfather of Fonts’. It’s a snappy title, don’t you think, though I wonder whether Mike Parker, who died in February this year, liked the moniker. You probably encounter Parker’s work fifty times a day: he was the man who adapted and promulgated the font that became known as Helvetica. The typeface with its unfussy […]
At this time of year we’re busy with preparations for the London Book Fair: finalising appointments, consulting the seminar schedule for interesting topics and, my favourite, planning on how we can make our stand look stunning. A big part of that are the posters that will adorn the stand, giving those wandering the aisles of […]
It’s often said that our sense of smell is the most powerful and evocative sense, able to transport us back in time and to different locations in the whiff of a scent. So, excepting what I’ve found among the output of some children’s publishers, has the book trade been missing out on a trick not […]
Beowulf, as the oldest work of English literature, has done the rounds. Whether or not you enjoy ploughing through Old English vernacular, its dragons, mead halls and monsters certainly set a precedent in terms of the word ‘epic’. With translations and interpretations from the great (Seamus Heaney) to the terrible ((yet hilarious) 2007 film starring Ray […]