The Monkey and the Melon

Mickey the Monkey lived in the jungle, surrounded by trees with luscious long leaves, birds with bright feathers and snakes that slithered over the palms. When she closed her eyes she could hear the caw-caw of toucans, the rustling of leaves, and the trickle of waterfalls. She would play with her monkey friends and family [...]

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Writing Before Reading @ the Book Club

Today’s the day we discuss Jan Morris’s Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere. Reading the book for me now is like having an ongoing conversation with Morris: I agree, and disagree. I’d like to discuss it with her. And in writing about it now, even just trying to quote her, I find I must replicate [...]

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Trieste and the Meaning of Somewhere

So – two reasons for writing this. First, I’m moving (back) to Trieste this summer. Second, we’re reading Jan Morris’s Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere for our monthly Book Club meeting at The Rocket this Sunday.  I am loving this reunion with Trieste. As I’ve said in an earlier post, I first lived in [...]

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Book Club news

For the last eighteen months or so, I have been facilitating a book club, first at a lovely local cafe/deli Vanilla (which has sadly since closed down) and now at my local pub The Rocket. It’s an informal gathering of  readers who meet regularly to discuss works of fiction. We choose the books as we go [...]

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