Books Read You can see that I’ve been busy this month with travelling to Berlin, hosting a friend for a week and also still binging a bit (OK, a LOT) on Korean and Japanese TV series. I’ve read fewer books than usual, only eleven, of which at least four were very quick reads indeed. Seven of the eleven books were either in foreign languages or in translation (two from Japan, two in German, one in Romanian, one from Kazakhstan and one from Spain), while two were part of the Women’s Prize shortlist. I’ve also continued to read different forms of memoir: The Rooster House, Zambind printre nori ..read more

Isabella Hammad: Enter Ghost, Jonathan Cape London, 2023. It seems more apposite (and tragic) than ever to review this book today, following the horrendous news about the Israeli air strikes in Rafah, in a designated humanitarian safe zone. This book has been shortlisted for the Women’s Prize, not just because of its subject matter – the attempt to put on a Palestinian production of Hamlet in the West Bank – but because it is so multi-layered and sobering, exploring trauma and identity in interesting and often beautiful ways. There are three covers for this novel, and this is the least annoyin ..read more

Another chance to sigh over villas and hotels which have served as film locations – in Asia, this time. I could just waft around there, harbouring killer or romantic thoughts (as required) all day long. Koh Yao Noi Six Senses in Thailand, from turquoiseholidays.co.uk Similar vibe in the Philippines, also courtesy of Turquoise Holidays. View from Nicole Kidman’s pad while she was filming The Expats in Hong Kong. Nice work if you can get it! From Tatler Asia. This villa in Sri Lanka apparently featured in the TV series The Night Manager, from circle360lk.com This resort in Koh Samui, Thailand, w ..read more

While minimalism remains largely aspirational in my own home, I do tend to prefer clean, simple lines and very small amounts of clutter, but for a change I thought I’d have some fun presenting home libraries that are more ‘maximalist’ in their approach. Very Thousand and One Nights, or so it feels to me! A ‘fainting’ or lounging chair seems to be a must in such a decor. From Pinterest The curved space adds to the fun, from Amazing Grace Book Nook. Paintings mingle comfortably with books, plants and stairs in this example from the NY Times. One of the rooms in the flat I fell in love with in Be ..read more

I’ve spent the past 2-3 weeks with friends I’ve known for a very long time, yet each of these friendships is unique. I feel very luck to have these friends in my life, but they are also a reminder that you can make or break or maintain friendships at any age. I’ve known B. since we were about four years old and both just starting at the English nursery and school in Vienna. My English was very slightly better than hers at the time (hers was non-existent), but German was her mother tongue, while I barely spoke it at all. We somehow hit it off although we were both shy initially: she was gentle ..read more

Just a little meander through Berlin last week, in magnificent sunshine… Three landmarks in one photo The Caspar David Friedrich exhibition was magnificent, although initially I thought it was just the one room and nearly forgot to go upstairs. Also enjoyed seeing a few Impressionists and German painters here. Visible from pretty much everywhere in the centre of Berlin The old runway of Tempelhof airport is now a place to cycle and skateboard and the whole airfield is full of sports clubs, community gardening projects, wildlife reserves and BBQs. There are still remembrances of things past in ..read more

April was a delightful reading month, improved even more by the #1937Club organised by Simon and Kaggsy and by having finished most of the International Booker Prize longlist, so being free to read as I pleased. For the #1937Club, I read the rather bonkers but fun Ferdydurke by Gombrowicz, the dreamy but spikey Journey by Moonlight by Antal Szerb and the much-better-upon-rereading The Years by Virginia Woolf. I read The House on Via Gemito by Domenico Starnone for the International Booker Prize, which I found a very compelling read, although it could have been equally impactful if it had been ..read more

After a short but fun break in Berlin, it’s time to return to our literary muttons and take part in the monthly #6Degrees of Separation meme hosted by Kate. This month’s literary chain starts with The Anniversary by Stephanie Bishop, which I haven’t read and haven’t seen around in the UK, but which sounds interesting potentially, with its theme of creative couples and how they handle each other’s success. Perhaps reminiscent of the film Anatomy of a Fall? I opted for another unequal (in terms of power) couple for my first link, namely the troubled relationship between Hans and Katharina in Jen ..read more

I’m off to Berlin today and can only hope I find flats that have at least half as much potential as the ones below for built-in bookshelves, including those going over doorways, to maximise space. I rather like the idea of one room flowing into another, when they are studies and living rooms combined, especially with these bookshelves drawing the eye in. From Pinterest. A darker version, with an upper gallery – perhaps too aspirational. From Pinterest. Beautiful proportions in these two rooms, from Apartment Therapy. This might be a bit too white for my taste, but has that timeless elegance. F ..read more

The only expensive hobby I have (other than ordering mochi from the Japan Centre every few months) is book-buying. But sometimes I get lucky and have books given to me by friends. Here is a pile I acquired this month of April – a fairly normal rate monthly rate of acquisition, I would say. From the top: I enjoyed Antal Szerb‘s Journey by Moonlight so much that I ordered several of his other books that have been translated into English, but only this one Oliver VII has arrived thus far, a sort of Prince and the Pauper retelling. I think Selva Almada’s Not the River got lost in the post when I ..read more