Monthly Archives: November 2010

Nightingale Wood – Stella Gibbons

Posted on November 29, 2010 by Ela

(Virago Modern Classics 2009, originally published 1938) Stella Gibbons wrote many books in the early 20th century, but is unfortunate to be known really for only one, the delightful and funny Cold Comfort Farm – a satire of the Rural … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010 New Reads, Fiction, Humour, Reviews, Romance | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Kidnapped – Robert Louis Stevenson

Posted on November 28, 2010 by Ela

(Pennsylvania State University Electronic Classics 2001, originally published 1886) This famous historical novel (historical even at the time Stevenson was writing, since it takes as the central event the notorious ‘Appin murder’ of 1752 and includes a number of real … Continue reading →

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New entries in the to be read pile

Posted on November 25, 2010 by Ela

While I have some additional reviews to post, I thought I’d share some new buys which have been recently added to my TBR pile: Banewreaker and Godslayer – Jacqueline Carey: I’ve only read Kushiel’s Dart of Carey’s other books, but … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010 New Reads, Fiction | 7 Comments

Billy Budd, Sailor – Herman Melville

Posted on November 21, 2010 by Ela

(Pennsylvania State University Electronic Classics 2001, originally published in 1924) Melville began writing Billy Budd in 1886, but he never completed the novella in a finished form, and so it was prepared for publication after his death. It’s a simple … Continue reading →

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Sleeping Beauty – Ross Macdonald

Posted on November 20, 2010 by Ela

(Vintage Crime/Black Lizard 2000, originally published 1973) This is one of Macdonald’s later Lew Archer novels: the last, The Blue Hammer, was published in 1976 (Macdonald died in 1983, at the age of sixty-eight). There’s a rather dark and nocturnal … Continue reading →

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Miss Ranskill Comes Home – Barbara Euphan Todd

Posted on November 18, 2010 by Ela

(Persephone Books 2008, originally published 1946) This delightful and satirical book begins on a desert island, where Miss Nona Ranskill is burying the body of her companion and friend of the last four years, a man whom she refers to … Continue reading →

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The Barbarous Coast – Ross Macdonald

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Ela

(Vintage Crime/Black Lizard 2007, originally published 1956) Ross Macdonald was the pseudonym of Kenneth Millar, who was married to Margaret Millar, also a writer of detective/mystery novels. His novels featuring private detective Lew Archer were written in the ‘hard-boiled’ tradition … Continue reading →

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Komarr – Lois McMaster Bujold

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Ela

(Baen 2008, originally published 1998) Komarr is another of Bujold’s series of SF books featuring Miles Vorkosigan, set at a time in Miles’ life when he has had to give up his military career in ImpSec (Imperial Security). Newly appointed … Continue reading →

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Haunted – Kelley Armstrong

Posted on November 11, 2010 by Ela

(Orbit 2005) Eve Levine is a half-demon black witch – and dead. She’s living out a rather pleasant ghost-world after-life where she’s able to see living people when she wants: even if they can’t see her. She’s even able to … Continue reading →

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Babbitt – Sinclair Lewis

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Ela

(Pennsylvania State University Electronic Classics 2001, originally published 1922) George F. Babbitt is a conventional man, a real estate agent in partnership with his father-in-law, living in the American city of Zenith with his wife, Myra, and children Verona, Ted … Continue reading →

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