Poetry is such a varied medium that a reader approaches any work with cautious curiosity. What will this piece say, will it be formal, contemporary, or simply chopped prose? The very fact that Calibna prefers his Junk Talk Poet handle may well put off a number of potential readers due to the propensity to pre-judge. …
Continue reading Grenade Rain Dance, by Calibna J. Kerr (Junk Talk Poet): #BookReview.
This short story is from the collection in my anthology, Ten Tales for Tomorrow. I present it here for your enjoyment. (If it inspires you to read the rest of the collection, you’ll find links to that at the foot of this post. Enjoy!) Smoke A thin curl of greenish smoke rose from sand ahead, …
Continue reading A Short Story for You.
416 pages Political History and Theory/Evolutionary Psychology This is an unusually truthful book, written in rational prose with a degree of honesty that will startle most readers. Presented in five parts, entitled, The Technological Challenge, The Political Challenge, Despair and Hope, Truth, and Resilience, with each section further divided, it does what it states in …
Continue reading 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, by Yuval Noah Harari: #BookReview.
340 pagesBiological Evolution/Biology/Higher Education of Biological Sciences I came late to this seminal work, published 1986; a somewhat turbulent and formative period in my life. Wishing I’d read it at the time is pointless but nevertheless the case. It requires a special type of academic brilliance, combined with a good deal of experience, to tackle …
Continue reading The Blind Watchmaker, by Richard Dawkins: #BookReview.
254 pages Science and Religion/Ethics and Morality/Practical and Motivational Self Help This book, subtitled, ‘Universal lessons on finding purpose, meaning and joy’ encapsulates ideas I’d already formed from life experience, wide reading, and a deep love of the natural world. Every religion has its individual text, presented as a guide for how to live your …
Continue reading the little book of humanism, by Andrew Copson and Alice Roberts: #BookReview.
326 Pages Authorship Reference/E-Commerce Web Marketing. I read this book after reading the author’s ‘Let’s Get Digital’. It’s a natural follow-on for those interested in marketing their e-books as indie writers/publishers. In fact, it also has a lot to say about, and to, mainstream and some small publishers, much of which might benefit the authors …
Continue reading Amazon Decoded, by David Gaughran: #BookReview.
That final stage in progress. The title to this post is, of course, a show of blatant optimism, since I have completed my personal final edit, but the publisher’s team, kept locked in his basement, will undoubtedly come back with more. However, it is a milestone to celebrate. The MS ran to 79,079 words when …
Continue reading That Final Edit
220 pages Writing Reference. This is the 4th Edition. This manual guides writers through the process of publishing a book in digital form. But it’s so much more than that. David Gaughran has been writing about writing and publishing for some years. He bases his advice on personal experience combined with much research. He knows …
Continue reading Let’s Get Digital, by David Gaughran: #BookReview.
My desk during editing. If you write by the seat of your pants, you’re a pantster, as opposed to those who write a story from a structured plan; they’re plotters. Both methods have upsides and downsides, and both have devotees, some of whom can be unnecessarily scathing of those in the opposite camp. I’ve been …
Continue reading Perils of the Pantster.
I read this short story by the famous playwright in the hope it would prove a better read than his ‘The Birthday of the Infanta’. My hope was based on ‘The Sphinx Without a Secret’ and ‘The Selfish Giant’, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed. Unfortunately, this moral tale is similar to the ‘Infanta’, in …
Continue reading The Fisherman and His Soul, by Oscar Wilde: #BookReview.
Some of the books on the list. Each week since October 2019 I’ve been posting ‘reviews’ of books on my shelves that deal with the English language, its use, and the opportunities to find and employ different words to express yourself in speech and/or writing. The complete list of books is listed below with link …
Continue reading Finding the Write #Words? Last in the Series.
Very definitely a story of its time. It’s intended for children, but I seriously doubt many modern kids would read this. There are moral lessons buried here, but they are largely lost in the unnecessarily detailed descriptions of the riches of the royal family featured. Some of these are effectively lists of luxury items and …
Continue reading The Birthday of the Infanta, by Oscar Wilde: #BookReview.
Completing the description of books on words and the English language listed in the introductory post, which you’ll find here. Book 38: Usage and Abusage Paperback, 380 pages. Published in 1947 by Hamish Hamilton and reprinted many times. I own the 1978 Penguin edition, which I bought for the princely sum of £1.10. There’s a …
Continue reading Finding the Write #Words? No. 38: Usage and Abusage
304 Pages Children’s Books (8-12) This book came to me as a ‘jokey’ present from my daughter, who lives in Australia. Whilst it’s clearly a book written for children, I suspect a lot of adults will find it informative, illuminating, and entertaining, as I did. I’d love to see it used by both UK and …
Continuing the description of books on words and the English language listed in the introductory post, which you’ll find here. Book 37: The Synonym Finder Hardback, 1355 pages. Published in 1979 by Rodale Press, which is the edition I own. I don’t recall what I paid for it, as it was part of a collection …
Continue reading Finding the Write #Words? No. 37: The Synonym Finder
Stuart Aken 