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Continue reading →: Indian Nocturne by Antonio Tabucchi
translated from the Italian by Tim Parks – published 1984 In the 1980s an unnamed man searches for his missing friend, Xavier, in India, from its luxury hotels to its seedy backstreets. It’s beautifully told, and a wonderful example of less is more, with minimal descriptions, short sentences and not…
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Continue reading →: Wasteland: The Secret World of Waste and the Urgent Search for a Cleaner Future by Oliver Franklin-Wallis
British Literature published 2024 – non-fiction – conservation Garbage; the book’s subject, and absolutely not a word to describe its content, which is refreshing, hopeful and an engrossing read. Franklin-Wallis chronicles has global trek through sewer systems, toxic chemical waste sites, recycling plants and household waste, in this very through…
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Continue reading →: Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
First published 1872 – Irish – Gothic Romance The classic story of a lesbian vampire written in 1872 reads as well today as it can ever have done, though I would have enjoyed being around for the furore and genuine shock amongst the public and the media when it was…
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Continue reading →: Bringing It All Back HomeThe journey back to Cumbria went smoothly, arriving back on Wednesday, day 185 of the course. Overnight Saturday and Sunday I was in Gedinne, the purpose being to visit the Invictus Brewery. I had sent a message ahead, though the brewery in the forest does open for a few hours…
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Continue reading →: The Ardennes: more forests and breweriesIt’s been a pleasant few days wandering through the Ardennes forest rewarded periodically by a tiny brewery in the place it would be least expected. I’ve described a U shape on the map in the van for no particular reason other than to fit in with the opening hours of…
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Continue reading →: Devil In The Darkness by Archie Roy
Published 1977 – Scottish Horror Fiction If there’s such a thing as ‘cosy horror’ this is it; a honeymooning couple, a snow storm, a gothic mansion, the remote Scottish Highlands, and of course, strange goings-on.It may be a well worn set of circumstances, but it’s one that still goes down…
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Continue reading →: Untold Lessons by Maddalena Vaglio Tanet
Published 2024 – also titled Dear Teacher – translated from the Italian by Jill Foulston Nominated last year for Italy’s most prestigious literary prize, the Premio Strega, this is a tense and dark novel about the death of a young pupil in a small village in the Italian Alps, and…
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Continue reading →: Parc Naturel des Deux Ourthes and Another BreweryFrom the hiking car park I was based at on Monday night there was a sign indicating that it was a 45 minute walk to a beer museum. I looked it up on the map and put together a circuit through various forests trails to make it a ten kilometre…
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Continue reading →: Ripley Under Ground by Patricia Highsmith
Ripley#2 – American Literature – published 1970 Tom Ripley, having escaped the Italian and American authorities in the first book, The Talented Mr. Ripley, is now 31, settled down and married to a wealthy French woman seems as amoral as he is. He is living an idle a life as…
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Continue reading →: A return to Ardennes, and another Brewery Trail beginsI found a really good place to stop for Saturday about 80 kilometres east of Frankfurt, in the state of Hessen. Ramholz Castle was first mentioned as a Manor House in 1167. In 1501 a new building, called the ‘Old Castle’ was constructed on the site by one of the…
To live more widely
supera superiora sequi
SafeReturnDoubtful is my alias. Rua is my fox red labrador pup, born 14 Feb 2026 and learning fast..
Where is Rua?
I was so much older then…
Quote of the Week
Alice asked the Cheshire Cat, who was sitting in a tree, ‘What road do I take?’ The cat asked, ‘Where do you want to go?’ ‘I don’t know,’ Alice answered. ‘Then,’ said the cat, ‘it really doesn’t matter, does it?’
Lewis Carroll
Safe Return Doubtful 