Joining in with this again, for just the second time, as I’m working my way through a pile of ad hoc classics as well as the 1001 books list. Last spin gave me the momentum to read and enjoy Sebald’s modern classic Austerlitz, so I’m looking forward to finding out what comes up this time. …
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Music review: South African late 20th century classics
Miriam Makeba by Miriam Makeba (1960) I couldn’t spend a month ‘in’ South Africa without listening to some South African music, and this album by Miriam Makeba (who to this point I only knew for ‘Pata Pata’) features in the 1001 albums list, which describes it thus: “traditional Xhosa wedding songs swing into airy African …
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Book review: The Good Doctor by Damon Galgut (South Africa)
Moral uncertainties abound in this excellent novel by Booker-winning South African author Damon Galgut
Reading plans for the beginning of 2023
The picture at the top of this post isn’t of my home, sadly, but it’s something to aspire to! As I mentioned in my first post of the year yesterday I’m going back to deep-diving into books and other areas of culture from individual countries, month by month. I didn’t keep this up very well …
Classics Club – My 1st Spin – Updated!
Joining in with this for the first time, as I’m working my way through a pile of ad hoc classics as well as the 1001 books list. The number that came up is 6, so it’s Austerlitz for me! Feeling a little intimidated, but I’ve got till the end of January. My Book Spin List for the …
October: cultural plans and TBR
Over the past few weeks writing (and reading!) posts has fallen by the wayside, as life has intervened: not only work, but helping get my eldest ready for university, some minor health woes and a very lovely trip to Venice with my mum. October is gearing up to be another busy month, but I’m determined …
An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine (Lebanon)
A introspective novel about a woman cloistered in her apartment in Lebanon for 50 years, accompanied only by great works of literature.
Mr Norris Changes Trains by Christopher Isherwood and three other mini book reviews
Three mini reviews of the latest in my 20 books of summer
The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna (Sierra Leone)
Love, trauma and memory in Sierra Leone
Japanese Music
A brief foray into Japanese music