Did you know that J.R.R. Tolkien lived in Leeds for 5 years? From 1920-1925; Tolkien held his first academic position at the University of Leeds. It was during this period that he co-released Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - for many the definitive academic piece on this topic. Though his time at … Continue reading J.R.R. Tolkien – Blue Plaque in Leeds
2012
Man Booker Shortlist Book 02 – Narcopolis – GUEST
WoodsieGirl's Man Booker Challenge I'm reading through all six of the Booker Prize shortlisted novels - attempting to finish before the winner is announced, although given the size of the books that is looking unlikely at the moment! Here's the second of my reviews, for Jeet Thayil's Narcopolis. BLURB Jeet Thayil’s luminous debut novel … Continue reading Man Booker Shortlist Book 02 – Narcopolis – GUEST
Dark Tower 01 – The Wind Through the Keyhole – GUEST
DARK TOWER 01 - THE WIND THROUGH THE KEYHOLE STEPHEN KING Stephen King’s first Dark Tower novel – The Gunslinger - was published a long time before the rest of the series, which follows the quest of the last Gunslinger, Roland Deschain, and his companions along the Path of the Beam to find the Dark … Continue reading Dark Tower 01 – The Wind Through the Keyhole – GUEST
Mother to Son – Langston Hughes
Mother to Son Well, son, I'll tell you: Life for me ain't been no crystal stair. It's had tacks in it, And splinters, And boards torn up, And places with no carpet on the floor— Bare. But all the time I'se been a-climbin' on, And reachin' landin's, And turnin' corners, And sometimes goin' in the … Continue reading Mother to Son – Langston Hughes
Wighill Book Exchange!
A friend of mine emailed me a little while ago about a little book swap shop with a difference that she located in Wighill. var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true}; "We went for a cycle ride this morning and visited Wighill on the way, where - inside an old phone box - they have a swap shop … Continue reading Wighill Book Exchange!
Man Booker Shortlist Book 01 – The Garden of Evening Mists – GUEST
WoodsieGirl's Man Booker Challenge I'm reading through all six of the Booker Prize shortlisted novels - attempting to finish before the winner is announced, although given the size of the books that is looking unlikely at the moment! Here's the first of my reviews, for Tan Twan Eng's The Garden of Evening Mists. … Continue reading Man Booker Shortlist Book 01 – The Garden of Evening Mists – GUEST
The LainiBop Challenge – Book 19 – Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
READ! TO GO! 19 111 The LainiBop Challenge MRS DALLOWAY VIRGINIA WOOLF * * * * * * * * * * SPOILERS * * * * * * * * * * Sigh, Virginia, Virginia, Virginia! This book was on my TBR shelf, but I also picked it this month as part of … Continue reading The LainiBop Challenge – Book 19 – Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Sock Puppetry and Paid-for Reviews
On no, they didn't. oh YES, they did. There's been something fishy about reviews lately... In the last few months, the practice of sock puppetry has been given another very public airing. According to Merriam-Webster, a sock puppet is defined as: 1 : a hand puppet made with a sock 2 : a false online identity used … Continue reading Sock Puppetry and Paid-for Reviews
The Hobbit Trailer
Words can't do justice to how excited I am about seeing this film! Though a huge fan of the Lord Of The Rings books; I wasn't upset by the liabilities taken during the making of that epic trilogy. This trailer looks great; the music transports me back to middle earth and it's great to see … Continue reading The Hobbit Trailer
EBacc-wards
This is my personal opinion-not that of LeedsBookClub. Sometimes you just need to get a rant off your chest! In a world where a one in five adults cannot find a plumber in a phone book, teaching the elite to remember is not the way to raise standards. The proposed reforms to the Key Stage … Continue reading EBacc-wards
LeedsBookClub 