Trespass by Rose Tremain is about two familes, in fact two sets of brothers and sisters whose lives become interlinked. Anthony Verey, renowned antiques expert fallen on hard times, takes himself off to visit his elder sister Veronica who has made her home in the Cevennes with her new partner Kitty. As Anthony reclaims his sister’s loyalty, Kitty’s fragile … Continue reading Trespass
Picking up The Stone Gallows by C. David Ingram (Myrmidon, 2009) I wasn’t at all sure this was going to be my cup of tea. I don’t as a rule read crime, and although I make an exception for Rebus (mainly because Rankin’s voice resonates with me on some deep level) I’m finding I’ve started to lose interest in the … Continue reading The Stone Gallows
Last summer while on jury service, a fellow juror (and comparative stranger) seeing me with book in hand, took me to one side and told me I should read The Help by Kathryn Stockett. When I’d had the same advice from several others (whose reading tastes I knew better!) I eventually took it and am happy to pass … Continue reading Civil Rights and Civil War
An extended sojourn with Scottish literature has kept these half-forgotten words crowding in thick and fast. Here are a few that might require translation. Cowp – spill or tip Warsle – wrestle or struggle with Fykie – fiddly Fankled – tangled (especially of wool or thread) Havers, havering – rubbish, ranting, talking like a mad … Continue reading Scottish season
Forget bakewells, victorias, roulades and other members of the Great British Bake-Off, if you want to raise a smile, try the humble scone. First of all there was Alexander McCall Smith’s The Unbearable Lightness of Scones . I don’t think I have actually read it, but being familiar with the tenor of the Scotland Street novels, I … Continue reading The Scone Effect
Ali Bacon, Author 