I share my thoughts on the true story of Chris McCandless, a young man who walked deep into the Alaskan wilderness to seek adventure but never returned.
Biography / Memoir
BOOK REVIEW: Conversations with Wilde: A Fictional Dialogue Based on Biographical Facts
Imagined by Oscar Wilde’s own grandson, this fictionalised conversation presents a fascinating biography of the poet, playwright and gay martyr.
THOUGHTS ON: The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
We look back at a powerful memoir exploring death, illness, marriage and memory from an iconic American writer.
BOOK REVIEW: Green Almonds: Letters from Palestine
A glimpse into a complex situation through the eyes of a naive young woman who discovers a country, makes friends, falls in love and is confronted with the plight of the Palestinians.
BOOK REVIEW: The Brontë Family: Passionate Literary Geniuses
An immensely enjoyable biography of the Brontë sister’s unconventional lives, astounding literary talents and tragic deaths.
BLOG TOUR: ‘Why Do Birds Suddenly Disappear? 200 birds, 12 months, 1 lapsed birdwatcher’ by Lev Parikian
Book Jotter is the fourth stop on Lev Parikian’s great Why Do Birds Suddenly Disappear? Blog Tour. Grab your bins and join in the fun!
BOOK REVIEW: Books for Living: A Reader’s Guide to Life
An uplifting exploration of the power of books to shape our lives in an era of constant connectivity.
Book Review: Sylvia Pankhurst: Rebellious Suffragette
In honour of the centennial of women gaining the right to vote in the UK, we look at the life of someone who fought relentlessly to achieve it.
Book Review: The Little Book of Feminist Saints
Its publication date scheduled to coincide with International Women’s Day, Julia Pierpont’s The Little Book of Feminist Saints is a joyous celebration of one hundred women who achieved something of significance during their lives.
Book Review: The Extraordinary Life of A A Milne
While The Extraordinary Life of A A Milne will undoubtedly delight fans, it should also appeal to anyone with even a passing interest in the author and his famous teddy bear.
Book Review: Aphra Behn: A Secret Life
Behn is celebrated for being one of the first English women to earn a living from her pen. She courageously shattered many cultural conventions of her day, while in some ways remaining in step with her times.
BOOK REVIEW: In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley is remembered above all for creating a monster – the grotesque but perceptive creature from her 1818 novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.
BOOK REVIEW: A Chill in the Air: An Italian War Diary 1939–1940
Iris Origo was known to me as being one of the finest diarists of the 20th century for her moving and compassionate journal detailing Italy’s disastrous involvement in the same conflict.
Book Review: The Outrun
Without a doubt, this book has been my favourite read of 2017.
THOUGHTS ON: Tove Jansson Life, Art, Words: The Authorised Biography
Tove Jansson, author of the Moomins and one of the great idiosyncratic talents of the 20th century, must surely have found her ideal biographer in Boel Westin.
