I spy a literary turn off
Espionage has hit the news this week, with a Chinese spy reportedly defecting to Australia. This might sound like the…
Can fiction really change you?
The books that change people I find it fascinating to hear people talk about the books that changed them. I…
Why I love stories that make me cry
It seems wrong to dwell on the death of mothers in fiction in the lead up to Mother’s Day, but…
What book did you hate?
The question was asked in a book club on Facebook – what is the worst book you’ve read? I quickly…
The many faces of friendship in fiction
Mark Twain once claimed, “Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.” And sometimes, a…
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
There is something endearing about an author who introduces a book by saying that the final story was nothing like…
Look who’s talking – strange narrators in fiction
Not long ago, I read a book that was written from the viewpoint of a foetus. Now, I’ve just finished…
