Hey folks! Hope you’ve had a good week. Mine involved making the ridiculous cake below, with my lovely friend Lorna. I’m off on holiday tonight, cat-sitting at home for a week, then off to Shropshire and Wales with my bro for a bit. I was going to have proper posts ready to pop up, and who knows, maybe I still will – but… Well, something will appear, but it might be on a somewhat rationed basis. Still time for a Weekend Miscellany before I board the train, though…
1.) The blog post – is a lovely photo post by Diana, being Part 1 of a multipart series documenting her recent trip to the UK. I’ll come into it somewhere towards the end, but the first part is delightful – more general, about her 29 trips to these shores, with a great group of photos taken over the years. I swear, she knows Britain much better than I do.
2.) The link – so, the Man Booker longlist is out. I have read none; I own the Julian Barnes. This is the last time I shall mention anything to do with it…
3.) The book – had gone into a pile to go home: interesting enough to keep, but not to read for a while. It’s Let Not The Waves of the Sea by Simon Stephenson, and I kept my review copy from John Murray mostly because I love the cover. And then I read this article from the Guardian, wept over it, and want to read it. Let Not The Waves of the Sea is non-fiction, about Stephenson’s relationship with his brother Dominic, who died in the 2004 tsunami. My brother is the most important person in my life, and I love any book which cherishes the importance of siblings – even if this has a terribly tragic element, the blurb writes that it is ‘more than a book about what it means to lose a brother: it is a book about what it means to have one in the first place.’
Hi Simon
Your cake looks delicious.
I have noted the book "let not the waves of the sea" thanks for the lead.
Wishing you a fun week cat sitting.
Helenxx
Thank you so much for the book recommendation and the Guardian link. Reading that piece bought a tear to my eye, and I am not normally a tearful person. My own two sons, eight years apart in age, are not as close as perhaps they could be … the younger was always resentful of the older's having done everything first … I think perhaps I shall buy him a copy of the book.
Happy holidays :D
Did you recently put up your 50 books list? I've got such a long reading list for my classes next year, but I was drawn in by your recommendations. I hope you enjoy your break — and that it includes lots of cake and books!
I've just read a book that might interest you: The House at Norham Gardens, by Penelope Lively.
Thank you for the link. I love the pictures and Diana's narrative accompaniment. One day I hope to have picture of England with myself in them! :)
The book definitely sounds intriguing. Have a great holiday!
Great cake!
As far as the Booker long-list is concerned, I'm pleased to see the inclusion of Jane Rogers. She's been writing excellent novels for years and she was a visiting tutor when I was studying for Creative Writing at Birkbeck. Lovely lady.
Oh, my, Simon, thank you for the link to the article. I am putting this on my TBR list right now. If the article was this moving (I first teared up at this phrase: "every throw and catch had become an act of fraternal faith"), then I know the book will be very moving. I don't have an older brother, but I know I feel very much the same way as the oldest sister to a younger sister and two younger brothers.
Enjoy your time at home!
Thanks for the book link.
The cake looks scrumptious!
The cake is totally ridiculous and wonderful, all at once.