All sorts of marvellous things
Three reasons for me choosing Circe; as with the whole world, Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey has triggered interest in Greek myth. It had received a fabulous review on The Book Club podcast. And my wife loved it, and she has excellent taste. And I loved it also. Lyrical, charming, deceptively simple, the prose is a joy ... The post Circe first appeared on StickyHat .
Another week, another classic. Pulled from our shelves, sitting there for years just waiting to be read… the original science fiction horror novel – Frankenstein. Firstly, it’s short, just 160 odd pages. Secondly it is told as a series of stories, first the explorer Walton who picks up Frankenstein in the frozen north pursuing a ... The post Frankenstein first appeared on StickyHat .
In my desire to enjoy more fiction, I’ve also decided to read more of the classics. They are, after all, deemed classics for good reason. Wuthering Heights was a perfect start; highly regarded, set in my locality, at once recognisable characters and yet a dawning that I knew little (if any) of the story. The ... The post Wuthering Heights first appeared on StickyHat .
Recommended on the fantastic Rest Is History podcast, this is a relentlessly brutal first hand account from frontline of the First World War, as told by a German officer. It’s a remarkably detailed story, possible due to the diaries of the author Ernst Junger. He took part in many key battles across France and Belgium, ... The post Storm Of Steel first appeared on StickyHat .
Recording unique species in our nature pond in our West Yorkshire (UK) garden. Mosquito larvae – 7th June 2026 Rat-tailed maggot (hoverfly larva) – 19th June 2026 Great diving beetle larva – 9th July 2026 Tadpole (bladder) snail – 10th July 2026 Ramshorn snail – 12th July 2026 Semaphore fly – 13th July 2026 The post Pond life first appeared on StickyHat .
Recording unique beetle species in our West Yorkshire (UK) garden. Common Green Shieldbug (2nd instar nymph) – 6th July 2026 Rough-haired Lagria beetle – 8th July 2026 Common red soldier beetle – 12th July 2026 The post Beetles in the garden first appeared on StickyHat .
I’d never heard of this despite being a hit book that was subsequently dramatised by the BBC. Set in 18th century Yorkshire, it is a fictionalised account of the real Coiners, a gang of currency forgers. Many of the characters are based on historical individuals, who are brought to life through dialect, thoughts, and action. ... The post The Gallows Pole first appeared on StickyHat .
Another half-random charity shop purchase… Had heard positive things about John Lancaster and Capital was right there, waiting to be bought. It’s a story that weaves together the very different lives of a few London inhabitants, who all have a connection to the same residential street. The long running intrigue concerns postcards dropped through every ... The post Capital first appeared on…
Really can’t remember where I’d seen this recommended and I’m a little late in reading another book about the pandemic, but glad I did… A really absorbing tale from the two people that designed the Oxford Astrazeneca COVID vaccine. It basically follows the story chronologically from the start of Jan 2020 to late Dec, with ... The post Vaxxers first appeared on StickyHat .
The Game-Set-Match trilogy introduced me to Len Deighton and SS-GB was my first exploration of his other fiction; turned out to be an excellent choice. An alternative historical fiction, it is based in a 1941 world where the Nazis won the Battle of Britain and control large swathes of the UK including London. A murder ... The post SS-GB first appeared on StickyHat .