Janet Lewison

The first book I bought by my favourite writer: heroine, genius, the best. Shakespeare wrote plays – Kael wrote film criticism!

She’s funny and bossy and I want to be like her! And she’s cool!

Although I always  say Morrison is the BEST …I adore The  English Patient and it has that ‘tingle factor’ of recognition that only visionary Artists are able to ‘gift’ us. ‘If… Read More »Janet Lewison Ondaatje's English Patient and Morrison's Beloved.

    Favourite book: Mark Helprin’s “Winter’s Tale”.  I first picked up this book in the 80s, read it cover-to-cover, and wept at the ending.  Gorgeous descriptive writing, vivid characters, and… Read More »Karen Bromelow: Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin

She was an optimist, but a vulnerable one “tomorrow is fresh ..with no mistakes on it.” She was so spirited – I really wanted to be Anne (spelled with an… Read More »Fiona Salt: Anne Of Green Gables

They were in the close proper now, a narrow and fairly steep roadway between stone buildings. A rough drainage channel ran down one side of the road. Passages led off… Read More »Ian Rankin: Mortal Causes

Strange to know nothing, never to be sureOf what is true or right or real,But forced to qualify or so I feel,Or Well, it does seem so:Someone must know.Strange to… Read More »Larkin: Ignorance

COW DUNG CUSTARD A lot of kids have nicknames. Like Mouse, or Bluey, or Freckles. Those sort of nicknames are okay. My nickname was the Cow Dung Kid. Can you… Read More »Paul jennings: Unreal!

Kathryn FlettSunday May 13, 2007The Observer From the first drizzle-soused English exterior to the last gasp of the big fat portentous strings, I was weak with lust for both BBC2’s… Read More »Daphne 'darling' BBC 'You looked lovelier every day. It just defeated me.'

She did not consciously think, “Ah, today I learned this and that; I gained this much.” You do not do it step by step that way, by adding on coatings… Read More »(Chungliang Al Huang)

Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again. This arrests us within the narrator’s trapped  psychological time-line. We are in a world of haunting recurrence. Dreams secrete messages that… Read More »Daphne Du Maurier's Rebeccca: Is this the best opening line ever?

Some people have views of God that are so broad and flexible that it is inevitable that they will find God wherever they look for him. One hears it said… Read More »Dawkins's messy creation: The God Delusion

To see a World in a Grain of SandAnd a Heaven in a Wild Flower,Hold Infinity in the palm of your handAnd Eternity in an hour.

I planted a quince for her, completing the ellipseof fruiting trees — plum, apple, an apricotgrown from a stone — for its colour and grace.But six weeks after her death,… Read More »Gillian Clarke: Quince

“If you always do, what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”

I thought I was so tough,But gentled at your hands,Cannot be quick enoughTo fly for you and showThat when I go I goAt your commands. Even in flight aboveI am… Read More »Tamer and hawk: Thom Gunn

You are alreadyasleep. I lowermyself in next toyou, my skin slightlynumb with the restraintof habits, the patina of self, the black frostof outsideness, so that evenunclothed, it isa resilient chillyhardness,… Read More »Thom Gunn's Touch

Considering the Snail    The snail pushes through a greennight, for the grass is heavywith water and meets overthe bright path he makes, where rain has darkened the earth’s dark.… Read More »Thom Gunn's Snail

Painting by Vuillard    Two dumpy women with buns were drinking coffeeIn a narrow kitchen—at least I think a kitchenAnd I think it was whitewashed, in spite of all the… Read More »Thom Gunn:Painting by Vuillard

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LKDzMyzlGxo Doom da da di da di Doom da da di da di Everybody’s gonna love today,Gonna love today, gonna love today.Everybody’s gonna love today, gonna love today.Anyway you want… Read More »Mika : LOve Today

El remanso del airebajo la rama del eco. El remanso del aguabajo fronda de luceros. El remanso de tu bocabajo espesura de besos. Variation That still pool of the air… Read More »Lorca: Variacion

Why do birds suddenly appearEvery time you are near?Just like me, they long to beClose to you Why do stars fall down from the skyEvery time you walk by?Just like… Read More »A Heavenly Voice: The Carpenters 'Close to You.'

As promised Chris …the King himself dazzling in his black leather and snake hips….! My house would collapse about my ears without you and you are a real rock Chris!… Read More »For Chris: All Shook Up !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGYx3Wpt5oM&mode=related&search= Do I want you for my baby? Do I want you by my side? Do I wanna run & kiss your lips & say you’re my lovin’ guy? Oh… Read More »Ronnettes : Do I love you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLpRU9wszhs&mode=related&search=   Used to sing this to my son when he was a baby. Told him today and he looked rather horrified! My Great Aunt Bessie was a great fan… Read More »Meine Lippen , sie kussen so heiss : Elisabeth Schwarzkopf

The Book of Lost ThingsJohn ConnollyAtriaHardcover352 pagesNovember 2006 A very satisfied Reader! A Nightmarish cocktail of fairytales gone BAD! But with a very satisying outcome. A truly remarkable piece of… Read More »The Book of Last Things by John Connolly reviewed by Chris Dawson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BysvxpzzxtM&mode=related&search= L’amour est un oiseau rebelle que nul ne peut apprivoiser, et c’est bien en vain qu’on l’appelle, s’il lui convient de refuser. Rien n’y fait, menace ou prière, l’un… Read More »Maria Callas : Habanera