This time period, covering the Xmas/summer holidays, was a great reading period for me. I read (and largely enjoyed) sixteen new novels and one work of non-fiction. After my discussion of them, I’ll conclude with my ‘best of 2025’ list. I also found time to watch (and enjoy) many streamed series that I will comment on at the end of … Read More
This update mainly focuses on the eleven novels I have read over the past six months. Some of this reading took place while I was ‘on the road’ in Europe for three months. I will also comment (albeit more briefly) on films I have watched, theatre I have attended and streamed series I have viewed over the past few months. … Read More
This update is all about the summer reading that I’ve been undertaking; twelve novels in all. I then conclude with my ‘best of 2024’ list. I’ll discuss these books in alphabetical order, by author: BOOKS Martyr by Kaveh Akbar. This first novel by the well-known Iranian-American poet Kaveh Akbar is not a light read but it mostly engaged me … Read More
This update is all about the fiction I’ve been reading over the past two months. Why just reading? Because this is the time of the year when nominations for major literary awards (such as the Booker Prize and the American National Book Award) emerge, and as a serious reader, I feel obliged to read as many nominated novels as possible … Read More
I’ve done a lot of reading of fiction over the past few months – eleven novels in all, including several very substantial ones – but have undertaken less movie and theatre-going in that time period. I was lucky enough, while in London during March, to attend nine plays, but nothing since I have returned to New Zealand. I have, however, … Read More