This week, I’ve been following the twists and turns of Novak Djokovic’s visa problems and attempt to play in the Australian Open. I won’t try to record them all or my views on them, ( Read more... )

I meant to reread ‘Susan Pulls The Strings’ but I couldn’t find my copy (it’s probably in the house, but I can’t be bothered to remove all the furniture I’d need to to find it.) Fortunately, the following was on top f my ‘to be read’ pile:

First Term at Ash Grove: Mabel Esther Allan, Blackie 1988

Reading this book, I felt a slight pang that I hadn’t come across it when it was first published, when I was ( Read more... )

Over the Sea to School: Mabel Esther Allan Blackie

[This is a Welsh translation of my review of this book. The original will be posted forthwith.]

Nid oeddwn i’n deall bod y teitl yn chwarae ar y gân ‘Over the Sea to Skye’ tan i fi ddarllen y llyfr. ( Read more... )

Rachel Tandy: Mabel Esther Allan. Hutchinson 1958

This is a rather charming book that I enjoyed reading – it did have echoes of other Allan books, of which I’ve read many. ( Read more... )

I have a habit of reading completely unseasonal books. I read this book before the snow first fell, but even so, the contrast between what was going on around me and the opening segment of this book was pretty stark.

The House By the Marsh: M. E. Allan Dent 1966

( 'Somehow Norfolk sounded cold and bleak,' said Tam, as they disentangled themselves from the back seat. 'I never thought it would be like this.' The sun was, in fact, extremely hot on the weed-grown gravel sweep before the front door, bees were busy in the overgrown masses of roses, phlox, marguerites, and stocks, and the big house basked in sunny peace. )

I saw that Greyladies has published Allan's only book for adults, which has a similar setting and is on my list to get/read.