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January Book Reviews
January 5, 2018 Amy Elizabeth
In 2017, my reading got a little bit off track. I'd meant to read 52 books (one for every week of the year) but being pregnant and having a baby put a bit of a kibosh on my plans. But, all reading is good reading so I'm starting again this year with the same goal and I'm hoping that having a bit more routine (and a more regular commute from April) will give me more time for my favourite hobbies! If you're also jumping on the reading train this year, you can take a look at the tips and tricks I used to read over 100 books in one year (when I didn't have a baby, natch) and I've shared a few of my recent reads below if you want some recommendations! Happy reading!
Cam Girl by Elliot Wake (writing as Leah Raedar)
If you like dark, twisty, sexy fiction then you need to put Elliot Wake's books on your TBR list. This book is hard to categorise; at times it is a romance, at times a suspenseful thriller and at times just a beautifully written story of trying to come to terms with disability, identity and sexual orientation.
Vada is an artist, but when she gets into a car accident with her best friend Ellis, she damages her drawing arm and ends up losing everything she loves. At rock bottom, she takes a job as a cam girl and strikes up a relationship with a mysterious man, Blue, who wants him all to herself.
At times this book had me literally catching my breath; there are so many secrets and reveals. I absolutely devoured this book, wanting to know the truth about everything. The writing is beautiful and vivid, and every time I finish one of Wake's books, I'm left wanting more of his work.
An Almost Perfect Christmas by Nina Stibbe*
This may be a little unseasonal now, but if you want to recapture some of that Christmas magic then Nina Stibbe is your girl. I absolutely adore Nina's work, and have done ever since I picked up her first book 'Love, Nina'. She has an adorably British way of phrasing things, both honest and eccentric, and she manages to capture the absurdity and the true joy of the Christmas period. From the struggle to create the perfect Christmas playlist, to the saga of trying to cook a non-dry turkey (complete with advice from our favourite celebrity chefs) and the rules of regifting, this is a really lovely little read about one of the most bonkers times of year.
Nasty Women by 404 Ink*
The last year or so has felt like an assault on women. Not that the previous years weren't, but more than ever stories of misogyny and political what-the-fuckery have been front and centre in the news, which has made it feel particularly pertinent. Nasty Women is an anthology speaking in response to the election of Trump, and sharing the real experiences of women from a wide variety of backgrounds. Touching on a wide variety of topics, from racial divides, immigrant experiences, sexual assault, Brexit, pregnancy and sexism in the punk scene, these women don't hold back when telling you the truth of their lives and of their politics. If you like your feminism no holds barred, then I think you'll like this collection. At times I found the writing a little clunky, which made it hard to lose myself in the stories, and I would have liked a bit more cohesion around the 'Nasty Women' theme (as there were times where I felt it was thrown in for the sake of being included) but I am always here for women telling their stories. If you're looking for a primer on feminism in the 2010s, this would be a good place to start.
Everless by Sara Holland*
This book starts with a teenage girl hunting in the woods to try and feed her poor family, bartering in the village which is kept in poverty by an unfair society. So far, so The Hunger Games. Due to a series of events, she goes to serve as a maid at Everless, the seat of power and home to her childhood love, as he picks a wife. So far, so Red Queen.
But, despite drawing on a few of the tried and tested Young Adult tropes, this book still managed to surprise me and to turn some of those tropes on their head. The love story doesn't turn out how you might imagine, and the central concept of the book - that time is money, quite literally, and is extracted from the blood of the poor, made into iron coins and then consumed by the rich to add to their lifespan - is intriguing and provides some gruesome and at times poignant moments.
At first this book is a little confusing; there's a lot of information thrown at you in the beginning, but once you get your bearings, you'll lose yourself in this world as Jules tries to navigate Everless, and find out the truth that her father has kept from her for so long.
The Break by Marian Keyes*
When I was a teenager I devoured everything I could get my hands on in the 'chick lit' section of the bookstore, but it's been almost ten years since I've ventured into that section. This book makes me kick myself for leaving it alone for so long. The Break was everything good I remembered about the genre, and so much more.
Amy's life is turned upside down when her husband, Hugh, announces that he's taking a break to travel for six months and 'clear his head'. In his absence, she must juggle the needs of her eccentric and loveable (but rather stressful) family, keep it together for her daughters, boss it at her job to keep a roof over their heads and work out her feelings about the whole 'break' thing. It's clear that things will never be the same, but can their marriage survive the break?
I read it in a day, and it made me cry on so many occasions for so many different reasons that I felt that I'd been wrung dry. The depth of emotion was astonishing, and the whole cast of characters were so endearing and vivid - I didn't want to leave them at the end of the book and I find myself still sometimes thinking about them. I loved the emotional realism of the novel; I identified with Amy (not just because of the name!) despite being at such different stages of our lives - I just felt like I 'got' her and I wanted the best for her, even when it felt like that was impossible. This is a story of when everyone is trying their best, but it's still not quite working out with a happily ever after - and I urge you all to read it. It's a true triumph.
Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart*
This book opens with a young woman who is clearly on the run, using a stolen identity and works backwards so you can find out how she came to be living it up in a luxury Mexican island and using her friend's name and documents. The story is told in reverse, and is full of twists and turns as you begin to piece together the how, what and whys. It's frustrating in places as you lose the threads of the story, and just as you think you've got a handle on what Jules is up to, the explanation is pulled out from under you. But that's kind of the joy of it. It's a wild ride of a book, and a quick read; if you want a little bit of escapism and a little bit of suspense then this is the one for you.
The King's Curse by Philippa Gregory
Like with The Break, I've been kicking myself that I've never picked up a Philippa Gregory novel before this year. I'm not sure how that has happened; I like historical fiction, and the Tudors and books telling the stories of women - so this is really in my wheelhouse. And, rest assured, I'll be plundering her back catalogue now that I've finished this beast of a book.
Once a royal herself, Margaret Pole's main ambition in life is to stay alive under the new reign of the Tudors. Hidden in marriage to a Tudor supporter of little consequence, her life is changed when she is appointed to look after the Arthur, the Prince of Wales, and his new bride, Katherine of Aragon. Living through the beginning of the Tudor reign, she experiences everything from tragedy & poverty to wealth & opportunity as chief lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine.
This is both the story of an interesting and unusual woman, and a unique look at the rise of Henry VIII and his journey from beloved king to tyrannical ruler. I was utterly absorbed throughout, and it gave me a whole new perspective on this well-known era of British history. I'm already looking for my next one of Philippa Gregory's books - I am hooked!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and buy something, I may receive a small commission. Books marked with a * were provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
In Books & Reviews Tags 2018, Books, Book Reviews
A Few Recent Reads
October 26, 2017 Amy Elizabeth
Vikas Pawar
When Benjamin was first born, there was a *lot* of down time. With him breastfeeding for what seemed like half the day, there was plenty of opportunity to whip out my Kindle and read. Now? Not so much. Life has moved on from those sleepy newborn days and I am finding it harder to steal snippets of time for reading. I'd still really like to read 52 books this year, which means another 13 before the 31st December. Not the easiest challenge in the world, especially with taking on #NaNoWriMo as well and factoring in the busy-ness of the Christmas season. But, I love reading and I want to make time for it, even when it feels like I am rushed off my feet.
Hunger: A Memoir of my Body by Roxane Gay
This is a total gut punch of a book and I think it should be required reading to be a human being in the world. I have waited for this book to be published for what feels like years (and may very well be) and it was entirely worth the wait. This is a painfully honest and beautifully vulnerable memoir about food, weight, self-image, sexual assault and hunger, and it will absolutely blow you away. Roxane Gay has a unique perspective when it comes to the body, but I think everyone will find a little bit of their own body's story in her words. Her experience has been vastly different from my own, but I still gasped in recognition at moments. There were parts that made me cry for her pain, and others that moved me to anger for how she has been treated. I don't want to spoil it, because the revelations come thick and fast and I think that's the power of the book - but be prepared for an emotional response to this book, whatever your body is like.
He Said/She Said by Erin Kelly*
I've been avoiding thrillers recently, because they often seem to hinge their shock factor on descriptions of brutalising women without much substance behind them. I have been burnt too many times by lazy plotting where sexual assault is thrown in for the sake of it. But, He Said/She Said was recommended by Bethany and Alice on the Hello Friend podcast, and I trust them so I put my reservations aside. This book actually puts sexual assault front and centre; a brutal attack is at the heart of it. But, it didn't feel gratuitous and so my mind was put at ease.
My favourite part of this book was that Kit, one half of the couple that witness the attack, is obsessed with total eclipses. It's so fascinating, and punctuates the book as they chase them across the globe every few years. It's in the aftermath of a total eclipse that Kit and Laura witness the attack, and their lives are changed forever. From the day of the attack to the trial and beyond, they are wrapped up in the events and what happens means they end up living in fear. I don't want to tell you too much, as the joy of the thriller is in finding out the truth, but it is *very* cleverly done and I didn't see the ending coming at all. Just when you think you're sorting out the pieces, everything is turned upside down.
The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee*
I read the first book in this series last year and was so eager to get my hands on the next instalment, I put down everything else I was reading as soon as I had it. This book is a futuristic Gossip Girl, with everything from stolen identities and forbidden love to family drama and illegal brain-computers (to put it very, very simply...). Like Gossip Girl, this elite group of teenagers are living the high life of parties, shopping and manicures, but there is so much more bubbling under the surface. It was really fun to revisit these characters (although it took me a few chapters to remember the back story of everyone - I should have reread the first!) and to escape to Manhattan in 2118. I'm already looking forward to the next one...
In Books & Reviews Tags Books, 2017, Book Reviews
6 Cookbooks I Just Keep Reaching For
I have a pretty sizeable cookbook collection but, like most people I imagine, there are definitely quite a few that are gathering dust. Whether it's because they're a specific cuisine, a little bit complex or just not the kind of food that we usually make, the majority only get brought out on special occasions. On the flip side, there are those cookbooks that I am constantly reaching for, week after week, whether it's for a bit of guidance or inspiration, or to draw on an old favourite recipe time and time again.
5 Ingredients by Jamie Oliver
This is a very new addition to my cookbook shelf, but it's been pulled down pretty much every other day since its arrival. Say what you will about Jamie Oliver, but the man knows how to publish a good cookbook. The recipes are simple, tasty and exactly the kind of food that we like to eat at home - which is all I want in an everyday cookbook, really. I've made quite a few recipes from this already, including creamy mustard chicken, banging beef stew and the soft-boiled eggs with home-made flatbreads and mango chutney and have bookmarked tonnes more. My only qualm is that despite all the dishes only containing five ingredients, they don't all make up a meal so you do have to throw some sides in if you want to get your five a day.
The Savvy Cook by Izy Hossack
The book arrived just before Ben did, so I haven't had a chance to explore it properly but when I'm after a little bit of inspiration that orange spine just calls to me. I love Izy's style of cooking, which is big on flavour but little on fuss and every recipe I've ever made of hers has become an instant favourite. Case in point: the 'chorizo' dip (a veggie bean dip that has the delicious smoky flavour of chorizo) and pitta chips are already my go-to if people are coming round for drinks. There's lots of variations on a theme in this book and plenty of ideas for using up leftovers, so it really is a great one if you want to reduce your shopping bill and your food waste.
Fress by Emma Spitzer
From the moment this dropped onto my desk, I was obsessed. Not only is it a beautiful cookbook, it's full of delicious recipes and the combination of world foods is an unusual and inspiring one. Emma acknowledges the many influences on her home cooking, from the Jewish recipes passed down from her mother to the Algerian ones shared by her mother-in-law. The recipes are bold and full of spice, but simple enough for this home cook to recreate without too much faff. If I'm feeling a little flat about our usual repertoire, this is my first port of call for something that I know both Paul and I, and any guests we may have, are going to love. Our favourites so far are the crispy baked chicken wings, the za'atar crusted halloumi and baharat spiced chicken.
Homemade Memories by Kate Doran
This book is basically a warm hug. If you think of your favourite childhood treats then you'll likely find a recipe to recreate them in this delightful cookbook, from home-made jaffa cakes and bourbon biscuits to recreating your very own caterpillar cake. This is a total nostalgia trip and is perfect for this time of year when eating delicious puddings whilst snuggling under a blanket is really the only way to go. My favourites are the boozy puddle puddings, the honeycomb biscuit cake and the roasted cherry & white chocolate brownies - but honestly, if you served me any of the recipes in this book then I would be in heaven.
Brilliant Bread by James Morton
There is something so immensely satisfying about freshly baked bread, but in the past I have found it the most daunting part of baking at home. James Morton's brilliant book changed all of that and now I regularly knock up a loaf to go with dinner. I've mostly stuck with his no-knead white loaf (simply because it's so damn delicious) but have recently started exploring the rest of the book to expand my bread repertoire and I'm very excited to get stuck in.
Smitten Kitchen by Deb Perelman
If you've spent any time on the Internet, you've probably heard of Smitten Kitchen. One of the original and best food blogs out there, Smitten Kitchen is an absolute treasure trove of delicious recipes - and the book is just the same but you can splash ingredients on it without fear of ruining your laptop... I'll often turn to this book if I want a recipe I know won't fail - Deb is renowned for being obsessive about getting things just right and it really shows. This book has a little bit of everything, from brunch dishes and salads to sandwiches and cookies. I love the apricot breakfast crumble (crumble? for breakfast? yes, please!) and the peach dumplings with bourbon sauce, as well as all of her dinner party tricks and recipes in the final chapter.
In Books & Reviews Tags 2017, Cookbook
July 11, 2017 Amy Elizabeth
Despite being fairly committed to reading books over the past few years, and having a to-be-read list longer than both my arms, I've found it quite difficult to concentrate on reading whilst I've been pregnant. Partly, it's because I'm a lot more exhausted, so I've forgone my extra reading time in favour of naps and early nights, and also partly because my brain has been racing with all things baby, which makes it tricky to fit in a trip or two to my favourite fictional land. I've mostly been devouring historical romance novels, which I know will have happy endings and are easy to read so are perfect for my current state of mind (would people like recommendations? I've found some great ones!). But, since I've been on maternity leave and found myself at a loose end with no baby currently in sight, I've been able to get stuck into a few more books than usual - so if you're looking for something to throw in your beach bag this holiday, then look no further...
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
If you read just one book this year, please make it this one; I know I'm not the first to rave about it but believe the hype, it's all true. Plus, it's less than £4 on Amazon right now, which is ridiculously cheap for such a masterpiece. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, The Hate U Give follows the story of sixteen-year-old Starr and what happens when she becomes the only witness to the fatal shooting of a friend at the hands of a police officer. As she finds herself at the middle of a media circus, trying to balance her life becomes more and more difficult as she seeks justice for Khalil whilst trying to maintain her own safety, and that of her family.
It's not just the timeliness and poignancy of the story, but the characters which make this book so incredibly readable and wonderful. In the first instance, Starr is just someone you want to be friends with, and there is a real focus on her family, who are all fantastic characters in their own right, as well as being amazing in their supporting roles. Everyone in the book felt fleshed out and important, from her ex-drug-dealer father to her Asian best friend, and they all had their own storylines that ultimately fed into the wider plot. Basically, this is some complex writing that will still have you tearing through it to find out what happens - which is a surprisingly rare thing to find. I teared up on more than one occasion; anyone who has followed #BlackLivesMatter will recognise just how *real* this story is, which makes it all the more heartbreaking, but I also felt like it left room for hope, too.
Becoming by Laura Jane Williams
If you hang around on the Internet, you've probably come across Laura Jane Williams and her brilliant blog at one time or another (and if you haven't, where have you been?). There was a lot of praise for her first book when it came out last year but it's only just fallen into my hands. With a subtitle of 'Sex, Second Chances, and Figuring Out Who the Hell I am', you can guess at the subject matter, and I think a lot of people will have similar stories to tell from their own lives - but isn't that the point? After being dumped by the man she thought she was going to marry, Laura turned to booze and sex to try and heal her heart. But, after finding that it just isn't working for her, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery from Derby to Detroit, and finally to an... Italian convent?
The comparisons with Wild by Cheryl Strayed or Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert are inevitable, but I think they are justified;not only does this book feature solo female travel, designed to repair and restore the traveller's heart and soul, but Laura manages to combine that wonderful mixture of honesty and sincerity with humour and self-deprecation, which makes this kind of memoir work for me. It would be so easy to go too far down the navel-gazing route, or to make the story more light-hearted in an effort to shun emotional intimacy with the reader, but Laura is unfailingly honest, even when it doesn't picture her in the best light, whilst remaining warm and self-aware enough to have you rooting for her the whole way. We might not have all gone on such a journey, but anyone who has ever experienced heartbreak (and haven't we all?) will find something special in this book.
The Other Half of Happiness by Ayisha Malik*
I read Ayisha Malik's first novel, Sofia Khan is Not Obliged, on honeymoon almost two years ago, and the protagonist is one that's stuck with me ever since - so I was delighted to find that there was a sequel! Sofia Khan is touted as a Muslim Bridget Jones, letting you in on her diary as she struggles with love, life and finding her purpose - but (spoiler alert) it looked like she had found her happily ever after at the end of the first book. But what happens after? Is it really as easy as sailing off into the sunset with your true love? I think we all know, of course, that it isn't - and it was refreshing not only to revisit this beloved cast of characters but also to get a glimpse at the reality of life after the 'I do's.
Sofia finds herself torn between countries and priorities, as she struggles to balance her life with her new husband, Conall, whose work (and annoyingly attractive colleague) is keeping him up at all hours, with the demands of her family and her own work as a writer and publisher back home. Mourning her father, supporting her friends with their own turbulent love lives, and writing a book on Muslim marriage when she's not sure hers is going to work out, all take their toll as she discovers Conall's darkest secret and has to decide just what to do. It's a book full of strife and struggle, but also of warmth and humour; reading this book was like returning to an old friend and I hope that it's not the last we hear from Sofia Khan.
Party Girls Die in Pearls by Plum Sykes*
If you're after some pure escapism, you could do a lot worse than taking a trip to 1980s Oxford with Ursula Flowerbutton and trying to solve a murder... Ursula is expecting Pimms, punting and parties at her first term at Oxford University but when a glamorous classmate is discovered with her throat slit on the first day of term, Ursula finds herself at the centre of a murder investigation. With the help of uber-fashionable American exchange student Nancy Feingold and uber-camp gossip columnist Horatio Bentley, who dresses almost exclusively in purple, Ursula navigates the snobby world of the champagne set, dodge romantic overtures from potential murderers and try to find the time to write her first essay. It's a little absurd, sure, but with a ridiculous(ly posh) cast of characters and some stellar pop culture references, this was a seriously enjoyable readfor me. Think Jilly Cooper meets P.G. Wodehouse meets Cagney and Lacey. I mean, how can you resist?
Sex Object: A Review
June 13, 2017 Amy Elizabeth
I'm not sure what drove me to pick up Jessica Valenti's
Full Frontal Feminism
but to say that doing so changed my life would be an understatement. I think I might always have been a feminist; growing up with the Spice Girls and Buffy the Vampire Slayer ingrained the idea of 'Girl Power' and I've always had a strong sense of justice (as all children have, it seems). But it wasn't until I read Full Frontal Feminism that I understood more about the movement, and began to claim the word 'feminist' as my identifier. I don't know that any women in my life before that point would have actively and proudly called themselves feminists, although many of them lived by feminist principles, so reading this book gave me an insight into exactly what the feminist struggle was about. I remember feeling that impotent rage that I think strikes all young people when they become politically aware; so angry at the state of things, and so unaware of how to affect change. Statistics on domestic violence and rape rang in my ears as I sought out more feminist work out in the world. My birthday present the year after was a pile of feminist literature, much of which still lines my bookshelves. I devoured feminist blogs and books and went on to study Gender, Sexuality and Queer Theory, doing my dissertation on online feminist communities like the one that Valenti set up -
Feministing.com
. My feminism became more nuanced, more thoughtful. Still angry, but in a different way. Slowly but surely, feminism (and the other social justice principles I learnt along the way) became the guiding light of my life. And I owe that lightbulb moment, that spark, to Jessica Valenti. So I was more than a little excited to pick up her latest work,
Sex Object
- a memoir that asks the question:
Who would I be if I didn't live in a world that hated women?
This is not a book that tiptoes around the issue of misogyny and objectification, Valenti is unflinching in describing and discussing the effects of growing up female in a world where doing so means 'that it's not a matter of if something bad happens, but when and how bad.' At times, her descriptions of the ways she has been objectified and abused by men (from the 'everyday sexism' stuff, to real violence and violation) feels too raw, maybe even exaggerated. But really, how many of women can't come up with a similar number of stories that have either happened to us, or to people we know and love? We bond over these stories, sharing them between ourselves in the understanding that this is just what it means to be a woman, but, imagine, if just for one minute, that wasn't the case? I am 'lucky' in the grand scheme of things; my stories amount to a handful of street harassment incidents, some uncomfortable conversations with customers and colleagues, and a litany of gropes from strangers in bars and nightclubs. The fact that makes me 'lucky' is a sad indictment indeed. I shouldn't feel lucky, but I do, because I have heard stories from female friends that bring tears to my eyes to even think about - tears of empathy and pain, and also of anger that this is still the world we live in. That the best we can hope for is my story, the lucky one, rather than a life of lightness and freedom, of never having to go through life, as Valenti puts it 'knowing that our discomfort gave someone a hard-on'.
Valenti has been criticised for not giving her memoir an over-arching theme, for not finding a message in all of the pain and hurt and outrage to package up and give readers hope. I think it's all the more impactful due to that. There isn't an answer, and to expect women to be the one to provide one is in itself part of the problem. She is most honest and most scathing when she talks about the daily abuse she has been the recipient of as a prominent feminist on the Internet (flip to the back of the book for just a taste of the tweets and emails she has received, and tell me that these men don't hate women with every fibre of their being). The accepted wisdom is to feel sorry for Internet trolls, to ignore them, but in doing so we expect women to perform the labour of being okay under a barrage of abuse that would take its toll on even the most resilient of people. There are very real consequences to the kind of hate and abuse that men mete out to women they despise on the Internet, and it's all part of the spectrum of other kinds of violence and violation that Valenti describes over the course of her life. If you want a light and fluffy read, this definitely isn't it, but it will make you think and maybe change your perspective, which can only be a good thing. I highlighted so many quotes when I was reading it, but I wanted to leave you with this one...
Still, somehow, "man-hater" is tossed around with insouciance as if this was a real thing that did harm. Meanwhile we have no real word for men who kill women. Is the word just "men"? ... Still no name for the men who kill women because we have the audacity not to do what we're supposed to do: fuck you, accept you, want you, let you hurt us, be blank slates for your desires. You are entitled to us, but we're not even allowed to call you what you are.
Powerful stuff, right? I wasn't kidding.
A Few Book Reviews...
June 5, 2017 Amy Elizabeth
King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard*
I've had some conflicted feelings about this series so far; the first couple of books seemed to be an amalgamation of a bunch of other popular dystopian YA novels, repackaged and resold. However, I couldn't stop myself from picking up the sequels, so I'm probably not in any position to criticise - and if you want a story that will keep you turning the pages then this is a good place to go. I actually thought that King's Cage was the best of the three, because it started to deviate a little from the expected storylines and gave some new perspectives on the storylines from other characters, but I still wasn't totally blown away. I found the main characters hard to connect and sympathise with; I don't care if characters are 'likeable' but when you know you're supposed to be rooting for them, it can be tricky if you just don't really care... Some of the fringe characters feel more interesting and fleshed out to me than Mare, the supposed heroine, and I find myself not caring about the love triangle she finds herself in - despite there being a lot of potential in it as a storyline. In fact, that's what the whole book felt a bit like to me - wasted potential; there's a lot of promise but despite my coming back for more each time, I leave a little disappointed.
Ctrl, Alt; Delete by Emma Gannon
I have seen this book lauded across the Internet as a relatable memoir about growing up online, and what that means for our generation. And I think I get why; at times, Emma is candid about her own experiences at the hands of the Internet - from the moments where she was the victim, to moments where she used it in slightly nefarious ways herself, as I think we have all done. A lot of her anecdotes were achingly familiar for someone who found the Internet at a similar time, and who has equally made her life and career online - from MSN messenger conversations to typing out blog posts to making friends online, long before that was cool. But, for all her candidness, I also felt a level of detachment in the writing that made it hard to actually 'relate' to the author as she charted her journey to adulthood. For me, the book couldn't quite decide whether it was a memoir that spoke of the author's learning curve, or whether it was cultural criticism of what the Internet has done to our generation. As the former, it didn't dig deep enough to satisfy me, and as the latter, there were a lot of speculations and generalisations that didn't hold water for this erstwhile sociologist. The premise was interesting, and definitely something I want to see explored more as we live longer with the Internet as the background to our lives, but this just didn't hit the spot for me.
One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus*
If you want an addictive YA novel to see you through your summer holidays, then please pick this one up; it was smart, thrilling and excellently paced - and one of the only books that I have raced through this year, unwilling to become distracted from the storyline. Five strangers walk into detention, but only four walk out alive. When Simon, creator of a gossip website reminiscent of Gossip Girl, but even meaner, and focused on the students of Bayview High, dies under suspicious circumstances, his fellow detention attendees become suspects - especially when it's revealed that they all had something to hide that Simon was threatening to expose... On the surface, this was a traditional 'whodunnit' read, that kept you guessing as pieces of the puzzle were slowly revealed or, rather, it kept me guessing because I am always terrible at working out the plot until it's right in front of me - but I suspect that even if you do guess, you'll still enjoy this novel enormously. Whilst the characters are described as the typical YA/high school stereotypes in the blurb (jock, prom queen, nerd...), they were written with complexity and sensitivity and given unexpected but realistic plot lines that made them more than just bit-part players in a murder mystery. Their lives were messy and real, and I'd have been happy to read about them even without the thriller/mystery element of the plot. I don't want to give too much away, so you really must read this one for yourself!
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon*
Oh, my heart. This book is so adorable and precious, and it will fill you with joy. Sure, it's a little unrealistic in places (namely, the ending) but do I care when it gives me such a happy feeling? No, not really. Dimple just wants to escape her over-bearing mother and ace her summer web coding programme. Rishi just wants to please his parents and impress his future wife. I want them to just fall in love and live happily ever after. After a very adorable meet cute, in which Dimple has *no clue* that her parents have arranged a marriage with Rishi's parents behind her back, the two start a slightly rocky friendship. They think they have each other pegged, but as the summer progresses and they reveal their hidden depths to each other and love might just find them after all. And even if it doesn't, you'll definitely fall in love with these characters - with fierce, determined Dimple and sweet, soulful Rishi, as well as their friends and family. I never wanted this book to end; I wanted to stay wrapped in its warm embrace forever more - but the best I can do is to pass the recommendation on to you!
In Books & Reviews Tags Books, Book Reviews, 2017
World Book Day: My Life in Books
March 2, 2017 Amy Elizabeth
I have always been a big reader, from insisting my parents reread Postman Pat to me for the thousandth time, to today when I would usually rather pick up a book than do almost anything else. Reading has been integral to my life and who I am, so it's pretty natural that World Book Day brings me a lot of joy every year. I live for those round ups of kids dressed in their favourite character costumes (fun fact: I won first place for my Mildred Hubble costume when I was in Year 4). Understandably, after almost 30 years of reading, my tastes have changed somewhat, so I thought it might be fun to have a look back over my life in books...
The Famous Five by Enid Blyton
Enid Blyton was my first 'favourite' author, and I loved everything she wrote from The Magic Faraway Tree to Mallory Towers but it was The Famous Five that truly captured my imagination. Her books are full of adventure, whimsy and nostalgia, and I wanted to be a part of the gang so badly. I received the full set for my seventh (or maybe eighth?) birthday, and read them all cover to cover until it felt like I was friends with Julian, Dick, George, Anne and Timmy, going off to their private island and foiling the plots of smugglers.
The Lottie Project by Jacqueline Wilson
Like all girls my age, I was a big fan of Jacqueline Wilson books and it's hard to pick a true favourite as I'm sure at any one time I would have cited a different one - other runners up include The Illustrated Mum and Vicky Angel. But, although The Lottie Project is not one of her more famous novels, it really sticks out in my memory; as a school project, Lottie writes the fictitious diary of Charlotte, a Victorian maid, whose struggles mirror her own. It was the start of a love for historical fiction for me, for sure.
The Harry Potter Series by J.K.Rowling
I'm not sure I need to explain this one; which child of the 90s (or any other decade for that matter) doesn't cite Harry Potter as their favourite books? My mum bought me the second one to read on our caravan holiday one summer, and I was immediately hooked, joining in with the hype with every release from there on out. Since then, my relationship with the books has deepened with every subsequent reading, and one of the things I am most looking forward to about having a baby is being able to share the magic with them.
Cuckoo in the Nest by Michelle Magorian
This book combines so many of my favourite things; theatre, historical fiction, seemingly-cranky-old-ladies-with-a-heart-of-gold... The protagonist Ralph has long been one of my favourite characters of all time, and whenever I pick up this book it's like coming home for me.
Cat by Freya North
In my teens, I went through a big chick lit phase. I would devour as many books about glamorous women in magazine jobs leading complicated romantic lives as I could get my hands on. And, if I'm honest, I couldn't tell you much about the seemingly hundreds of books I read during this time. I don't mean to be disparaging, as I think 'chick lit' is an under-rated genre and is often dismissed out of hand - but I don't think I was very discerning at the time, and would just race through them as quickly as I could. That said, there are a few notable exceptions to the rule, and Freya North's first books, all named after their main characters, were some of my favourites - and I sometimes still think about them now, years later. As well as Cat, there were her sisters Pip and Fen, as well as Sally, Chloe and Polly, all of whom I loved equally - but I chose Cat because the book is set in France (in fact, it is about the Tour de France) and I read so many of these books whilst on holiday there with my friend Jess and her family, that it feels particularly fitting.
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Oh, this book. It has my heart and will probably always be my favourite. It is heartbreaking and heartwarming in all the best ways, and it introduced me to so many concepts and ideas that still inform my thinking now. If you haven't read it, you really must - it's a tale of suffering but also of the redemptive power of love, female friendship and sisterhood. It's an astounding tale, and I cry at the ending every single time. My copy is covered in notes from when I wrote my A-Level coursework on it, and it is one of my most prized possessions.
Full Frontal Feminism by Jessica Valenti
I don't think it's an understatement to say that this book changed my life. I'm not sure why I decided to order this from the library (perhaps because of books like The Color Purple?) but I'm so glad I did. I remember reading it and feeling both angry at the statistics and facts I was reading, and also relieved that it wasn't just me that felt that anger. Having had this introduction to feminism, it became a central part of my life and has remained so ever since. I followed Jessica Valenti's blog - Feministing - and from there discovered so many more blogs and books, which eventually lead to me doing my Masters in Gender, Sexuality and Queer Theory where my dissertation was on feminist blogging (what else?).
Villette by Charlotte Bronte
For an English student (by which I mean a student of English, not a student from England - although I am that, too), I have been pretty disparaging about classic literature in the past. I was scathing about Jane Austen during my A-Levels and was easily bored by school set texts. However, when I got to University that all changed and now I could wax lyrical about Austen and her ilk for hours on end - and it was reading Villette as part of a Victorian literature course that changed all that for me. Jane Eyre is usually thought of as Charlotte Bronte's best novel, and although I now love it, it was the unusual character of Villette, the independent character of Lucy Snowe and the modern & pragmatic love story at its heart that turned my head and found a place in my heart.
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Alongside discovering a love for classical literature, I also delved into the realms of Booker Prize winners as part of my degree - and in doing so stumbled across Atonement by Ian McEwan, a truly incredible novel that affected me so deeply that I don't think I can ever re-read it again. Ian McEwan is the king of surprise endings (I also love Sweet Tooth by him, which has a similarly incredible twist) and this one is all-consuming. I leant the book to a friend, and after a few days came down to find her sitting shock-still on the sofa - I knew immediately that she had finished it and was feeling all the feelings. It's books like this that makes me think it's not worth bothering to write, because it has already been done so perfectly (which I know is foolish, but seriously.. it's amazing).
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
For a while after University, I read almost nothing. After reading three to four full books a week for three years, and then diving into some deep feminist theory for another two years after that, I was ready for a break. But it was Lolita that clawed me back into the world of books (and I am so glad that it did). This book is understandably controversial, but it is a true work of art and I think the opening paragraph may be one of the most perfect pieces of writing in the entire English language (so much so that I have accidentally burnt it into my brain by reading it so many times... Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins and all that). I'm forever grateful to Nabokov for reminding me why I love reading, and for putting me back on the path of my favourite hobby.
Yes Please by Amy Poehler
It is so difficult for me to sum up the past couple of years of reading; after undertaking a challenge to read 100 books in a year (and then 101 books the year after) I discovered so many incredible books. You by Caroline Kepnes, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill all jump out as recent favourites, but it feels as though they're all still so fresh in my mind. It'll be a while before I'll know which books really stuck with me from this time in my life, but I'm certain that Amy Poehler's 'Yes Please' will definitely be on the list. When I grow up, I want to be Amy Poehler, and I turn to this book time and again for wisdom, reassurance and a giggle or two. At times, it feels like a guiding light, which is a pretty magical thing for a book to be.
In Books & Reviews Tags 2017, Books
How to Murder Your Life by Cat Marnell*
Holy shit, I have been waiting for this book for years. And, let me tell you, it did not disappoint. If you were around on a certain part of the Internet circa 2011/12 then you're probably familiar with Cat Marnell; if not, then you should go and read some of her xoJane pieces from around that time and then you'll get what all of the fuss is about. She was the beauty editor who wrote about how to disguise your night-before-drug-binge on the way to work; she specialised in beauty advice with an edge, which went (and still goes) against so much about what the beauty industry stands for. She's also a phenomenal writer. Soon after she announced that she was writing a book, she mostly disappeared off the Internet, leaving us all (me) on a cliffhanger until now...
This is an honest, raw, emotional and hilarious memoir, and I think it's one of the best I've ever read. Cat charts her life through drug addiction with a candidacy that will make you cringe and cry, and occasionally cackle with laughter. She's certainly not lost the skills that kept her on top at xoJane, despite her destructive drug problems, and this book is peppered with witty lines that I kind of want to steal for my own. From troubled teenager at boarding school with her Dad writing her prescriptions for ADHD medication, to beauty editor at large barely holding on by a thread, I could barely put this book down.
Her descent to rock bottom is a glamorous one, peppered by celebrity name-dropping, stints at high-flying magazines, and is therefore probably not a great portrayal of the 'realism' of addiction for many, less privileged people. At times, it is frustrating how Cat managed to sustain something that 'a million girls would kill for' whilst self-destructing at such a magnitude, but she is equally candid about her emotional distress, loneliness and even about just how self-absorbed and boring drug addiction can be. If you're interested in the world of beauty, journalism or blogging then I think you'll probably be hooked on this book; Cat Marnell was a pioneer of the 'blog-style' articles in journalism that are now a mainstay of the industry and her writing will feel familiar to so many who have grown up online. For me, it's a five star read, for sure.
Bridget Jones's Baby by Helen Fielding
I'll admit, I think a lot of my love for this book was pure nostalgia; I've been a fan of Bridget Jones for over ten years so reading the latest instalment felt so much like coming home and hanging out with old friends. However, I think that Bridget's time may be coming to a close for me - I will always love her but this book definitely felt less substantial than the others. Maybe I've changed, maybe the world has changed, but the problem is that Bridget hasn't really changed, which feels a little unrealistic given the timeframe. I feel like portrayals of women have moved on since Bridget; at the time she was the quintessential twenty-something girl struggling to find love and get her shit together... but now she's a thirty-something and she's still slacking at work, unable to talk to her friends, family and lovers, making poor life decisions and rather incompetent at looking after herself. That's not to say that women don't exist who are all of those things - and Bridget is also lots of other things, like a caring friend and daughter - but I can't imagine that she wouldn't have had any personal growth in the intervening years. This book is still funny, heart-warming and cringe-inducing in the way that Bridget Jones always has been, and there's no doubt that I'll continue picking up Bridget Jones books as long as they come out (unless this is the last?) but it is purely because of that nostalgia, and because I can't resist the perfect Mark Darcy (perhaps the most unrealistic of all...). What can I say, I'm a sucker for a happy ending.
Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye
Oh my god, this book. If you're a fan of Jane Eyre and you consider yourself a feminist then a) let's be best friends and b) you must read this book. It's glorious. Like the heroine of her favourite novel, Jane Steele has suffered the cruelty of her aunt and schoolmaster. Unlike Jane Eyre, however, she doesn't take it lying down, leaving behind the corpses of her tormentors as she moves to London to start her new life. After years of living in the underbelly of the big city, she spots an advertisement for a governess at her old home, the place she believes herself to be the heiress to. Intrigued, she finds herself employed, and eventually enmeshed in the strange household of Mr Thornfield, who has a few secrets of his own...
Jane Steele is a feminist vigilante serial killer, which is basically who I want as the heroine of all books I read from now on, if publishers could be so kind. Where she views herself as wicked for having murdered, the reader can see clearly her sense of justice and, at times, you'll probably revel in the deaths of her victims - from attempted rapists to sanctimonious religious hypocrites who threaten the lives of her friends. As she goes from her aunt's house to boarding school, and on to London, there is plenty of blood and excitement to keep you on your toes.
The second half is probably more 'traditional' in feeling, and slows a little in pace but as she begins to fall in love with Mr Thornfield, and with his extended household, I was equally as captivated as in the first part. It almost feels like a separate book, as Jane works to find out if she is the true heiress to Highgate, and what happened to the mysterious trunk of treasures that Mr Thornfield is so adamant has been lost in another time and place. The references to Sikh and Punjabi culture were fascinating, and not at all what I was expecting from a 'retelling' of Jane Eyre, whilst Mr Thornfield was a much preferable romantic hero to dear Rochester.
The nods to Jane Eyre are clear throughout, and will be a delight to anyone who's a fan of the original book, but this novel certainly stands alone as a work of triumph. I never wanted it to end.
Good as Gone by Amy Gentry*
At the age of thirteen, Julie is kidnapped at knifepoint and taken from her home never to be seen again - her younger sister, Jane, the only witness to the crime, hidden in the closet and unable to comprehend what's going on. Eight years later, she reappears on the doorstep of her childhood home, the victim of imprisonment at the hands of a shady drug cartel leader, and the family look to start rebuilding their life. But her mother, Anna, has doubts - is the young woman upstairs really her daughter? Doubts she wants to ignore, until a former detective turns private investigator gets in contact with some information that might just lead to the truth behind Julie's disappearance...
I've avoided thriller novels for a while; so many of them seem to hinge on a common thread of violence towards woman - the more brutal, shocking and, in many cases, sexual, the 'better'. Don't get me wrong; I think it's important that we discuss the realities of violence against women - there are too many who seek to belittle and ignore it, and it's unfortunately an experience that too many go through. That said, I think that there are a lot of suspense novels that are gratuitous about it, using it as a trope to shock the reader without any real exploration of the topic more widely. I was hoping that this novel, recommended by one of my favourite bookish podcasts - All the Books - and with a not-so-subtle nod in the title to 'Gone Girl', which is one of the best in the genre, would be a little different. I think you can probably tell from my prelude that it was not, at least for me.
At first, I was captured by the mystery; who on earth was this woman claiming to be Julie, and what was her motive for doing so? Safety? Money? Something more nefarious? As you're taken back in time through the case and through the many lives of 'Julie', the plot becomes more intriguing, and slightly more obvious. I'm not that great at guessing twists and endings, but by halfway I was pretty sure I had this one nailed (and I was right). There were a few parts that I couldn't (and would not have been able to guess) when it came to the actual revelation, so it wasn't a total loss and I did read through to the end but I found myself a little disappointed that, once again, gratuitous violence against women (and in particular young girls) was at the crux of it without much context or depth. I'm left wondering, once again, whether I should just ditch thrillers for good - but when they're good, they're so, so good and I'm going to keep hoping for one that surprises me and goes against those tropes.
3 Romance Series That Will Make You Swoon
February 7, 2017 Amy Elizabeth
If October is the month for reading scary books, then February is definitely the month for reading romance books. I fell into the world of romance novels last year, and haven't looked back since. The world doesn't need another think piece about a snobby reader who discovered that romance novels are smarter, more feminist and better written than she ever expected (guilty) but suffice to say, they are. So throw away your prejudices, grab yourself a juicy romance novel and feel the love!
Rules of Scoundrels by Sarah MacLean
Sarah MacLean has a stellar reputation in the world of historical romance and, whilst I haven't had a chance to read her full back catalogue, I was happy to have started with her Rules of Scoundrels series. Prepare yourself for some brooding heroes, some feisty heroines and some pretty steamy scenes... Centred around The Fallen Angel, a notorious London gaming hell run by four aristocrats, once exiled from society, who now count themselves as royalty amongst the underbelly of London, this is *not* the kind of historical romance you're imagining. There's very little that's prim and proper about these books - we're not talking courtships and balls, here. Each book centres on one of our heroes, and the love that captures their heart and changes everything. With a few pretty major twists and turns along the way, this ragtag bunch of misfits is bound to capture your heart.
The Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn
Here you've got an extensive and close knit family, and a mother who's desperate to marry them all off. From Anthony all the way down to Henrietta (there are xxx of them in total), they're all looking for love in their own unique ways. This series is more of what you might expect from a historical romance series, with balls and carriages and dresses, but with a little twist... the ladies and gentlemen of the 'Ton are plagued by the straight-talking gossip paper delivered straight to their doors, written by the mysterious XXX, which reveals their secrets at the most inopportune times. There's something incredibly sweet and heart-warming about these books, and you'll find yourself wanting to be part of the Bridgerton family (or married to one, at least), as they tackle their issues and find love across the pages.
The Brothers Sinister by Courtney Milan
I wrote about this in my 'best books of 2016' post a couple of months back, so I think you can tell that I have left my favourite until last. I think about the heroes and heroines of this series often - I devoured every part of this series looking for more snippets about the characters, not willing to let them go on with their lives without me. This is feminist romance at its very best, tackling the issues head on with heroines that defy expectations and heroes that love them all the more for doing so. The women are scientists, suffragettes and society outcasts, but they are also bold, brave and beautiful in their own unique ways. There are the obligatory kisses (and more) and marriage proposals, but there are also thrilling plots full of twists and turns, and I was left wanting more every single time. They were all wonderful, but I have a particular soft spot for Violet and Sebastian from The Countess Conspiracy.
In Books & Reviews Tags Books, 2017, Recommendations
January 17, 2017 Amy Elizabeth
Another year, another reading challenge for me to tackle. For reasons that are probably obvious now, I'm only giving myself a target of reading 52 books this year - less than half my total last year. My hope is that I can sit with a sleeping baby in one arm and my Kindle in the other so I'll actually be able to read more than ever, but suspicion (and anecdotal evidence from friends who are parents) suggest that is a rather unlikely scenario. S0, I'm just going to try and get as much reading done before July and then we'll see, shan't we? Luckily, this set of books was a rather wonderful way to start a reading year...
Heartless by Marissa Meyer*
Heartless is a retelling of Alice in Wonderland from the perspective of the Queen of Hearts (you know, "off with their heads!")... before she became the Queen of Hearts. If you're after an unputdownable read, then I think this might be the one for you: you've got a star-crossed love story, controlling parents, unexplainable events, delicious descriptions of pastries and some familiar characters sprinkled in there.
Catherine is a favourite of the unmarried King but, unlike her social-climbing parents, she's not fussed about becoming the Queen. She wants to open a bakery with her best friend - a goal that seems to be slipping out of her reach with every new attention from his majesty. At a royal ball, she meets the handsome and mysterious Jest, the new court joker and the two begin a secret love affair. Cath wants to follow her heart, but in a land filled with magic, madness and monsters, is that even possible?
Marissa Meyer manages to capture so much of the quirky, surreal, nonsense quality of the original Alice in Wonderland tale in this novel, which has twists and turns around every corner. Characters that you know and love, from the Cheshire Cat to the Mad Hatter, are given new depth and personality, whilst you can't help but fall in love with both Cath and Jest. My heart ached for them, for the impossibilities of the stifling sexist society they live in, and for the ending that you know is coming. As a re-telling you sort of know where the story is going, although the ending did manage to shock me and break my heart regardless. There's a really good balance between the original and Meyer's own innovations that make this feel so fresh - I wish there was another one to come!
This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
As more school shootings happen, so, too, do books about them seem to proliferate as people try to make sense of something that seems nonsensical. There's the infamous We Need To Talk About Kevin, the darkly funny Vernon God Little and plenty more - including this young adult offering, This is Where It Ends. At 10am, the principal of Opportunity High School finishes her welcome speech, marking the start of a new semester. At 10.03am, the auditorium doors won't open. At 10.05am the shooting begins. Told from the perspective of four different students with personal connections to the shooter, this book tracks the incident minute-by-minute in heart-stopping detail. At moments, it is truly terrifying. The shooting, as I imagine it is in reality, is brutal, indiscriminate and all the more scary for it, and the scenes inside the auditorium were incredibly powerful.
However, for me, it just wasn't nuanced enough; school shootings are such a complex issue and tackled so well elsewhere, that this felt a bit bland at times. The four voices we hear all felt quite similar; although the characters ostensibly had quite a few differences between them, they spoke in the same way and were all quite clearly the 'good guys' when put against the shooter. There were moments were the narrative tried to give him redeeming qualities, but they were weighed down by how 'evil' he was portrayed in other moments. I'm not sure it's always as clear cut as that, and I wish that he'd had a chance to speak in the same way as his 'victims'. There was so much potential, but I feel like the other books I mentioned do a better job of tackling such a deep and difficult topic.
Clover Moon by Jacqueline Wilson*
Jacqueline Wilson was one of my favourite authors when I was a child, and my favourite book of hers (at the time) was The Lottie Project, with half of the novel set in Victorian England. So it was with no small amount of childlike excitement that I set about reading 'Clover Moon', a novel set in the Victorian slums about a plucky young girl with a lucky name. Clover's imagination is her best escape from her poverty-stricken life, but when tragedy strikes she realises that everything she once loved about her home is gone, and her abusive step-mother and indifferent father loom large in her life. She's heard of a place that girls like her can run to, but can she find the courage (and the opportunity) to break free and find a new home?
Wilson excels when she's writing about hardship, never shying away from the details - a skill that I think is the reason why she is so beloved as a children's author. In Clover, we have a brave and brilliant heroine that you will root for from the very first page, and despite the moments of darkness, there is a huge amount of hope within this book - again, a typical feature of Jacqueline Wilson. Clover encounters some real characters on her travels, including the kindly Mr Dolly, a hunchbacked doll-maker who will bring tears to your eyes, and Hetty Feather, the eponymous heroine of another of Wilson's books. Whilst the happy ending might not be realistic for most children in Victorian England, this heart-warming tale has all of the elements of the perfect story. There's a reason why Jacqueline Wilson is a national treasure, and I've yet to read one of her books that proves otherwise. I hope to be able to read many more of her books in years to come!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The Dean Cork has revealed its launch date (and room bookings are now open)
By Yay Cork September 3, 2020 September 3, 2020
It'll be a slick new addition to the Cork hotel scene.
The Dean Cork has finally confirmed an opening date for its Horgan's Quay hotel… and it looks like it could be welcoming guests well before Christmas.
The hotel looks set to open in November after the timeline was confirmed by The Dean's new Head of Sales, Colette Walsh on social media.
"Yesterday marked the start of a new chapter in my career." she tweeted.
"Absolutely thrilled to join The Dean Cork as Head of Sales. Such an amazing and exciting opportunity to join the hotel in this pre-opening stage. The Dean Cork will open in November 2020. A wonderful addition to Cork city!"
The Dean will provide a new spot for meet-ups with Sophie's at The Dean, a rooftop bar, restaurant and terrace that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily with a popular brunch menu on the weekends.
Bookings can now be made for stays from December onwards with rooms available from €150 per night for the Super Room (including Samsung Smart TV with Netflix, Marshall AMP, Nespresso Machine, Smeg Mini Fridge and fully stocked Irish Munchies tray) to €870 per night for The Penthouse, which boasts two huge bedrooms, two bathrooms, Mega beds, super blast power showers, freestanding baths and a treasure trove of other goodies.
Check out the latest offers here.
Tags: A City Rising, hotels
This adorable workshop will show kids how to build their own pop-up book
This Barrack Street café just reopened with a new vintage shop inside
A lovely new 22-acre public park is due to open in Cork Harbour this week
Cork's newest parklet is now complete and ready for planting on the South Mall
These are the locations for 10 new parklets set to pop up throughout Cork City


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Home / Who we are / Latest news / 2019 news / Viridor powering next generation of women into STEM
Viridor powering next generation of women into STEM
Scotland's leading recycling and low-carbon energy company took part in an event hosted by the East Kilbride Group Training Association (EKGTA) this week to encourage more girls into careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths).
Viridor representatives gave talks over two days on 4 and 5 March giving students from across South Lanarkshire Council the opportunity to hear first-hand about the current electrical apprenticeship roles available within Viridor and what experience and qualifications successful applicants stand to gain. The talks were part of a wider week-long event to mark Scottish Apprenticeship Week at EKGTA.
As part of the event, students also had a chance to take part in interactive workshops to learn what equipment they would be working with at Viridor's new, £155m Glasgow Recycling and Renewable Energy Centre (GRREC) from two current Viridor apprentices Conor McCole and Rachael Lister.
The GRREC is a state-of-the-art recycling and sustainable waste management facility which will radically overhaul the way Glasgow's household waste is managed over the next 25 years. At its peak, it will handle 200,000 tonnes of council green bin residual waste every year, producing enough energy to power the equivalent of 22,000 households.
Chris MacFarlane, Engineering and Maintenance Manager at Viridor, who spoke at the event, said: "We're committed to providing the next generation of talent a vital stepping stone into our dynamic and innovative industry. Our new GRREC represents the cutting-edge of renewable and low-carbon technology and we're delighted to share more information to help students find out more about this exciting career. We encourage all students who would like to join our talented and industry-leading team to get in touch."
Rachael Lister, a first-year Mechanical Engineering Apprentice at Viridor, added: "Apprenticeships are a fantastic way to get young people – especially girls that might not have considered a career in waste management – engaged with future careers in STEM. Since leaving school and starting college at 15, my interest in engineering has grown and grown and I'm delighted to be able to try and encourage more girls into STEM by helping with this fantastic initiative."
The apprenticeship is open to anyone who has or expects to achieve a minimum of 5 Nat 5s (Maths, English & a Science plus two others) and applications close 15 March.
For further information, please visit our careers page.
Rachael Lister, first-year Mechanical Engineering Apprentice
pressoffice@pennon-group.co.uk
Glasgow pupils take the reins in horsey tribute to Mary Queen of Scots
From work experience to GRREC apprentice mechanical engineer - Rachael Lister's Viridor story
Viridor and Somerset West and Taunton Council celebrate Cricket World Cup
Avonmouth Plastic Recycling Press Release
Bringing energy recovery to life


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Mount Desert Island High School skipper Alec Fisichella and crew Nate Ingebritson, boat 13, snagged a bullet and a fifth-place finish in their first two races Saturday at the O'Day Trophy qualifier regatta in Portland, but the Trojans didn't make it to Sunday's finals in Massachusetts. PHOTO COURTESY OF JANE AYRES
Busy weekend for MDI sailing
April 24, 2018	by Stephen Rappaport on News, Waterfront
PORTLAND — The Mount Desert Island High School sailing team got the weekend off to a terrific start on Saturday, with its A-division boat winning the first race of the day at the Saturday qualifier for the annual New England Schools Sailing Association's Fleet Racing Championship, the O'Day Trophy regatta, but it was all downhill from there.
After a dozen races, six in each of two divisions, the Trojans finished 13th overall in a fleet of 17 that included teams from both public and private secondary schools from Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Milton Academy won on Saturday and moved on to race Sunday at the O'Day finals in Marion, Mass. With skipper Alec Fisichella driving and Nate Ingebritson as crew, the Trojans handed the Mustangs their only loss in the A-division fleet.
Milton edged Falmouth High School by just three points on Saturday. The Yachtsmen got their revenge in the Sunday finals won by the host Tabor Academy, finishing fifth overall, four places and 30 points ahead of Milton.
MDI sailing Coach John Macauley took five sailors to the O'Day qualifier, held at SailMaine on Saturday. Fisichella and Ingebritson in the A-division boat and skipper Nate Philbrook in the B-division, with Jacob Peabody and Sofie Dowling sharing the crew duties.
"MDI struggled against the more experienced teams," Macauley said in an email Monday. "Overall, I was delighted with their performance on the water and their sportsmanship in general."
The regatta got underway on time at 10 a.m., with shifty northwest winds blowing right off Portland's Eastern Promenade.
"The weather was spectacular if a bit chilly with winds in the 10 to 15 knot range," Macauley said.
While the Eastern Prom bluff formed a lee that kept the water flat, wind shifts of 20 to 30 degrees conjured up challenging conditions for the young sailors.
After one general recall in the first race for the A division, the starts went smoothly. The race committee ran six races for each division over a variety of windward-leeward courses that offered some fairly long legs.
In the end, the wind went light for the last couple of legs of the B division's sixth and the committee determined that the course would need to move to more open water, but it was too late in the day for another set — a race for each division — so the committee called it a day.
On Sunday, MDI travelled to Boothbay Harbor for the first Pen Bay League series, sailing against teams from Boothbay Region High School, Islesboro Central School, Rockland Community Sailing and Southern Maine Community Sailing.
The Trojans finished fourth overall, with the Islesboro team mentored by former Harvard College and Maine Maritime Academy sailing Coach Mike Horn at the top of the fleet.
"The weather was terrific, but the winds were typical of the region," Macauley said, starting the day in the north and clocking around to the south in the afternoon. Wind speed ranged from 10 to 15 knots with gusts up to 18 or so.
"Needless to say, the wind was fluky," Macauley said.
Fisichella and Ingebritson started in division A, with Dowling and Philbrook the B boat. Naomi Welch, Jacob Peabody, Colby Guerra and Sarah Knox rotated in as crew over the course of the day.
"With a young team, we spent much of the day as a training exercise for the new sailors," Macauley said.
"Kudos to [former MMA sailing coach] Charles Barclay for running a smooth event and to the Boothbay Yacht Club parents for generously providing much needed carbs for my crew."
Next Saturday, the Trojans are scheduled to sail in Rockland at the annual Breakwater Blast regatta.
Stephen Rappaport
Waterfront Editor at The Ellsworth American
Stephen Rappaport has lived in Maine for nearly 30 years. A lifelong sailor, he spends as much time as possible messing about in boats. srappaport@ellsworthamerican.com
Latest posts by Stephen Rappaport (see all)
Hospice regatta, sloop race fill Great Harbor - July 17, 2019
Downturn in lobster numbers could be coming - July 12, 2019
Outlier a modern racer drawing on tradition - June 26, 2019
Marblehead regatta kicks off season
Sailing team competes on 'picture perfect day'
Sailing team starts practicing


I would like to comment on Larry Price's column in which he calls attention to notices from the state received by nine Kahala beachfront property owners to cut their vegetation or face fines.
Retired four-star Gen. Fred Weyand, who passed away Feb. 10, 2010, at age 93, appeared on MidWeek's cover on July 2, 1997. This is the cover story on the longtime Honolulu resident who participated in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War, and later served as Army Chief of Staff. Weyand, despite frequent suggestions from the author, never wrote a book. But seldom has he talked publicly about his fabled career as he did in a series of interviews leading to this story. We're posting it here as a tribute to a great man.
The following is adapted from a presentation I gave during the colloquium portion of the Korea-U.S. Journalists' Exchange Program at the East-West Center on August 1.
The smartest thing North Korean dictator Kim Jung- II ever did — and he's done far more than most people give him credit for — was to mass his artillery along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and aim it at Seoul. This was the opinion expressed by a Korea expert on the staff of the Commander-U.S. Pacific Command at Camp Smith, who briefed me before I left for Korea.
This is the third of a three-part series based on an East-West Center fellowship and being part of the first Korea-U.S. Journalists' Exchange Program.


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Kikukawa Eizan (1787-1867) (Japonès: 菊 川 英 山) va ser un pintor d'ukiyo-e. Primer va estudiar amb el seu pare, Eiji, un pintor poc conegut de l'Escola Kano. Després va estudiar amb Suzuki Nanrei (1775-1844), un artista de l'Escola Shijo. També es creu que va estudiar amb el pintor d'ukiyo-e, Totoya Hokkei, (1790-1850). Va pintar diverses obres de dones belles el 1830 amb l'estil d'impressió xilogràfica, però va abandonar l'estil de la impressió xilogràfica i es va dedicar a la pintura. No s'ha de confondre amb Harukawa Eizan, un pintor d'ukiyo-e que va viure el 1790.

Al Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya es poden veure obres seves.

Referències
 Lane, Richard. (1978). Images from the Floating World, The Japanese Print. Oxford: Oxford University Press. /; OCLC 5246796.
 Newland, Amy Reigle. (2005). Hotei Encyclopedia of Japanese Woodblock Prints. Amsterdam: Hotei. /; OCLC 61666175

Artistes japonesos

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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text:
Peter Dawkins
"Peter is a philosopher, author, lecturer, visionary, geomancer, Zoence consultant and teacher, and a Baconian and Shakespearean scholar. He is the founder of Zoence Academy, which he runs in partnership with his wife Sarah, and of the Francis Bacon Research Trust, of which he is the principal, and a co-founder of Gatekeeper Trust, of which he is now an elder.
"Having practised as an architect for ten years in both England and Scotland, since 1978 Peter has devoted himself full-time to research and educational work in connection with the world's wisdom traditions, mythology, sacred architecture and landscape. He teaches mostly through seminars, workshops and pilgrimages to sacred sites of the world.
"Concerned especially with the harmonious relationship of humanity with both the spiritual and natural worlds, Peter's pioneering researches have led directly to a developing art and science of 'landscape temples' and 'geomantic pilgrimage', and their association with the heavenly, angelic, spiritual or archetypal realms of existence. This, together with his knowledge and synthesis of the wisdom traditions, has been named 'Zoence'.
"Since the early 1970's Peter has introduced many people of different nations to the concept and experience of both sacred landscape and townscape. His especial focus in this respect is on establishing and training groups to research and work with landscape temples, as well as with themselves, in healing and life-enhancing ways. To help this, he has since the 1980's been involved in the development and teaching of Zoence.
"The Baconian work, which is likewise involved with knowledge of the landscape as well as history, philosophy, culture and consciousness, concerns one of the great doorways into the otherwise esoteric Western Wisdom Tradition. Shakespeare and the Rosicrucians are part of this story. Peter's book, The Shakespeare Enigma, presents the treasure trail that leads to (and is) this 'doorway', whilst its complementary book, Building Paradise, describes what the Baconian-Rosicrucian method and work actually is.
"Besides seminars on Bacon, the Rosicrucians and the wisdom traditions, which he has been giving since 1979, Peter has given Wisdom of Shakespeare seminars and workshops for over twenty-five years, including at the Shakespeare Globe Theatre in London, and advises actors and directors. Complementing this is his series of books on the Wisdom of Shakespeare in the Shakespeare plays, in which five titles are so far published." [1]
2 Books include
2.1 Affiliations
3 Resources and articles
3.1 Related Sourcewatch
Peter Dawkins interviewed by Carly Newfeld, recorded in Santa Fe in November 2007. [http://www.zoence.com/pages/dvd_Interview_with_Peter_Dawkins.html
Books include
Legendary London and the Spirit of Place - Gatekeeper Trust Book. Edited by Anthony Thorley. Contributions from Peter Dawkins, Anthony Thorley, Louise Coe and Christ Street. [1]
Resources and articles
Related Sourcewatch
↑ zoence Peter Dawkins, organizational web page, accessed June 11, 2014.
Retrieved from "https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Peter_Dawkins&oldid=649955"


Il nostro cottage privato si trova sulla tranquilla sponda nord del lago Swan, vicino a Swan Lake State Park. Facciamo parte della comunità costiera di Belfast, ma sediamo in pace, a 15 minuti dalla città. Belfast offre ristoranti, negozi e antiquariato. Siamo all'interno di un 1. 25 ore da Acadia e Bar Harbor. Il nostro cottage ha due camere da letto, una con letto matrimoniale e l'altra con una doppia e una serie di letti a castello. Abbiamo una cucina completamente attrezzata, aria condizionata, ventilatore a soffitto e camino a gas per serate accoglienti. Avrai un galleggiante per nuotare, una canoa e un kayak in tandem e grill al propano. C'è una grande TV a schermo piatto con Direct TV e servizio internet, incluso lo streaming. Rilassati sul nostro molo o sul nostro ponte in alto. Puoi aspettarti di vedere aquile e aquiloni calvi, mentre nuotate o pescate sul nostro lago incontaminato. Goditi le stelle! Diamo il benvenuto agli ospiti con i loro proprietari ben educati!
We really enjoyed our stay at Mike and Karin's lakeside cottage. They live next door and we enjoyed meeting them. The cottage is well screened for privacy and we had a very relaxing stay. The cottage is comfortable and had plenty of space for two adults to spread out, but the bedrooms were pretty small so it might be a bit cramped for larger groups. We tend to cook a lot at home, and the small kitchen had most of what we needed. The gas grill on the deck was also great to have. The bathroom, although not shown very well in the photos, had a stall shower that was comfortable and clean. The view from the living room was fabulous, and there was a private dock that we enjoyed sitting on. The lake is clean and in late August the water is ideal for swimming. We also enjoyed taking out the canoe on the huge lake.
We did have a bit of trouble finding the place initially. The address provided is not specific to the cottage and GPS doesn't know which house is which. Some clearer instructions would have been nice, but we eventually found it. The owners did leave a sheet of other instructions on the kitchen table, which was helpful. While the WiFi signal was good enough for searching the internet, it seemed a bit weak for making calls, and cell reception in that area is not reliable on certain providers.
In terms of location, it was a bit of a drive to things, but Belfast was pretty close at 15-20 minutes. Belfast is a great town with much to explore. The Camden Hills are roughly 45 minutes south, and there are some hiking/biking trails in the Belfast area. It's also close enough for day trips to Acadia, Deer Isle, Islesboro, or Vinalhaven.
This cottage with waterfront access was just what was needed for a week of relaxation. It had all we needed. Close to Belfast and all the wonderful restaurants!! The owners were attentive and available if needed. We had an awesome time and would recommend this place highly.
We enjoyed this charming cottage! We loved the location right on the lake.
My husband and I really enjoyed our stay. We took advantage of the location, the lake, the river, and the ocean are all there. The town of Belfast is a friendly easy going place. The path along the river is really nice. The location is in driving distance of Camden with plenty restaurants and shopping. If you go north on route 1 there is several antique shops in Searsport. The cottage was perfect for us. Everything we would need was there. It is charmingly decorated, cute and cozy. We rented this property because it had the canoe and kayak. We only used the canoe for a couple of beautiful days on the lake. Our hosts were friendly and helpful. We are hopeful to return next season!
Our guests were a pleasure! Thank you for caring for our cottage! Hope to see you again!


1. How many semesters are there per year?
A : There are three semesters per year. The Spring and Fall semesters are each 16 weeks long, and the Summer semester is 8 weeks long.
2. When does each semester start?
A : Spring term starts in mid-February, Fall term in mid-September, and Summer term in early July.
3. When must tuition be paid?
A : Tuition must be paid on the day of registration.
4. If my parents haven't given me enough money yet, or if I'm a little short on money, can I pay my tuition a little later?
A : Tuition must be paid on the date of registration, according to the Centre's policies. However, if there are extenuating circumstances, tuition can be paid within a week of registration.
5. How much is the cost of textbooks and study materials?
A : A student will use about two or three books a term depending on their needs and classes. Each book costs between five and seven hundred NT.
6. How much is tuition for one on one classes?
A : For 15 hours of class per week, tuition for Spring and Fall term is NT108000, and NT54000 for summer. These rates are subject to change based on inflation.
7. Exchange students need not pay tuition for five to seven student classes, so long as they take 25 hours of class per week or less. They must pay tuition for classes in excess of 25 hours.
8. I have registered for this semester but I can no longer attend class, can I get a tuition fee refund?
A : If you have attended classes for less than 1/3 of a semester you can get 2/3 of total tuition fees refunded, if you have attended 2/3 of a semester you are eligible for a 1/3 refund, if you are present for more than 2/3 of a semester you are not eligible for a refund.
1. What do I need to register?
A : You'll need your passport, and tuition.
2. Can I choose my own teacher?
A : Our policy is to assign students to the classes that meet their needs.
3. Do I need to take the placement test when I register?
A : For all students who will enroll Chinese program, there will be an oral test and a placement test to separate them into level-appropriate classes.
4. Is there a deadline for registration?
A : The registration period for the CLC is the same as for the undergraduate department of Tunghai University .
5. Is it impossible to register after semester-start?
A : One week after the registration date, registration is impossible due to the requirements of the accounting department.
1. When can I get my certificate?
A : At the end of the semester, if grades are up to standard, students can apply for a certificate (the exact date will be announced). If you inform us too late (after the deadline) you will have to pay an additional fee of NT$200 plus any additional postage costs, if required.
2. How much does a transcript cost?
A : At the end of the semester, students can apply for a transcript (the exact date will be announced). The first transcript is free of charge if applied before the set deadline. If more transcripts are required, or if an application is received too late (after the deadline), you will have to pay a fee of NT$20 for each transcript.


text:
Lutherovy památníky v Eislebenu a Wittenbergu  je název německé památky světového kulturního dědictví UNESCO, která byla na seznam zapsána v roce 1996. Jak i vyplývá z názvu, jedná se o skupinu šesti budov ve městech Eisleben a Wittenberg (spolková země Sasko-Anhaltsko) spojených s životem Martina Luthera (1483–1546) a jeho následovníka Philippa Melanchthona (1497-1560). Jako místa rozhodujících událostí reformace mají mimořádný význam pro politický, kulturní a duchovní život západního světa.

Přehled budov

Fotogalerie

Reference

Externí odkazy

Světové dědictví (Německo)


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text:
Albania has chances for World Cup 2018 as FIFA may punish Spain
By Oculus News Saturday, September 30, 2017 Football
Seems a scenario that exists only in the minds of Albanians, but while the prestigious "The Sun" analyzes such an opportunity, everything can happen. And if happens, the Albanian national team has great chances to be part of the most important football competition on the planet - 2018 World Cup. Yes, the Albanian team can take part in the 2018 World Cup and this with FIFA's "help".
Tensions over the upcoming referendum on Catalonia independence have sparked chaos in Spain after warning that La Liga may be left without Barcelona. "The Sun" writes that if Barcelona is ruled out of La Liga, then FIFA will be forced to take measures for the Spanish national team and expel it for the 2018 World Cup, even though it is the first group in the group.
This would be a good news for the Albanian national team, who is in the group with Spain in the eliminators of this World Cup. The Reds will take part in the "play-off" and the chances of taking a place in the World Cup would be great. Albania is in third place and is hard to go down. Italy could be qualified directly, while the Albanian team would go to the "play-off"./Oculus News
Albania has chances for World Cup 2018 as FIFA may punish Spain Saturday, September 30, 2017 Rating: 5


text:
Palestinian Authority launches probe into tampering with polling centers
PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT Mahmoud Abbas – not saying anything about the elections, but working behind the scenes?
(photo credit: MOHAMAD TOROKMAN/REUTERS)
Some Palestinians said they believed the security forces were responsible for the changes as part of an attempt to prevent voters from casting their ballots.
The Palestinian Central Elections Commission (CEC) said on Thursday it filed a complaint with the Palestinian Authority prosecutor general after it discovered that the locations of polling stations have been changed without the knowledge of voters.
Some Palestinians said they believed the PA security forces were responsible for the changes as part of an attempt to prevent voters from casting their ballots.
A PA official denied the allegation and blamed hackers for changing the addresses. The official said that an investigation has been launched to uncover the identities of the perpetrators.
Hamas called for an immediate investigation and accused "influential parties" in the West Bank of tampering with the electoral process.


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You are here: Home / Rewind IGF-1 / What are Hormones?
What are hormones? Hormones are chemical substances produced within our bodies as part of a system known as the endocrine system. Our hormones which are made up of very precisely sequenced proteins act as "chemical messengers" as a means of communication among various organs in our body. They help these organs function in a coordinated way. Hormones control such body activities as growth, development, reproduction, sleep and damage repair.
Most hormones in the human body are produced by organs called ductless glands (endocrines). These include the two adrenal glands, the pituitary gland, the four parathyroid glands, the sex glands, the pineal glad, the thyroid gland and the hypothalamus. A few hormones are also produced by endocrine tissue present in organs which are not primarily endocrine glands. These organs include the stomach and pancreas.
Various endocrine glands secrete hormones into the blood, which carries them throughout the body. When a hormone arrives at its target organ or tissue it causes certain actions to take place.
Hormones may be grouped according to the functions they control. These functions include the way the body uses food; growth; sex and reproduction; the regulation of the composition of the blood; the reaction of the body to emergencies; and the control of hormones themselves.
Most human hormones can be divided into two groups according to their chemical structure – steroids and amino acid based hormones. Steroids, consists of the sex hormones and the hormones of the adrenal cortex. Most other human hormones contain some form of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.
The Chemical structure of a hormone enables it to combine with a receptor in the cells of its target.
The union of the hormone with the receptor triggers a change in the chemical processes of the cell. This change, in turn, modifies many of the hundreds of chemical activities of the cell, causing the target to behave in a certain way.
Hormones are everything. Hormones are the difference between weather you are male or female, short or tall, fat or thin, bald or hairy, depressed or manic, even to a degree old or young! Hormone's control just about everything, and the good news is? We can actually manipulate them! So why don't we?
More and more wealthy health conscious age conscious people all over the world are doing just that, using various pharmaceuticals, therapies and even natural products to manipulate their hormones to optimum levels for health, vitality and physical performance. What used to be the domain of elite athletes and Hollywood movie stars is becoming more and more common place and why not? Its just common sense, if you can manipulate your hormones to make yourself younger and healthier why wouldn't you?
The first ever hormone replacement specialty clinic "The Eldorado Clinic" opened in Mexico in the late 80′s and since then they have been getting more and more popular, today there are several in most major Cities in the modern world.
So to answer the question "What are hormones?" the answer would have to be, used correctly hormones are your ticket to the type of health and vitality you previously only dreamed about!
Here are some article links you might like:
The Benefits of Rewind IGF-1
Why is Rewind a Sublingual Lozenge?
Where does our IGF-1 come from?
Is the IGF-1 in Rewind Bio-identical?


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← UPDATE – Portuguese Bishop "corrects" claims about the perpetual virginity of Mary
YOUR URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS →
27 Dec – St. John Evangelist: "We must deny to Protestantism any right to use the Bible, much more to interpret it."
Posted on 27 December 2018 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf
Today, being the Feast of the Evangelist John, we have a special blessing for wine and other libations. I wrote about that HERE. We have this blessing because of an assassination attempt. There was an attempt on the life of St. John the Evangelist by poisoning. He blessed the cup and the poison crawled out in the form of a serpent. You often see St. John depicted this way in art.
St. Jerome says this about the Evangelist. Priests read this in the Breviarium Romanum during Matins.
V. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May the Spirit's fire Divine in our hearts enkindled shine. Amen.
From the Commentary upon the Epistle to the Galatians, by the same author [St. Jerome]
iii. 6.
The Blessed Evangelist John lived at Ephesus down to an extreme old age, and, at length, when he was with difficulty carried to the Church, and was not able to exhort the congregation at length, he was used simply to say at each meeting, My little children, love one another. At last the disciples and brethren were weary with hearing these words continually, and asked him, Master, wherefore ever sayest thou this only? Whereto he replied to them, worthy of John, It is the commandment of the Lord, and if this only be done, it is enough.
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.
R. In the midst of the congregation did the Lord open his mouth.
* And filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding.
V. He made him rich with joy and gladness.
R. And filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
This is the author of the Fourth Gospel, the visionary of Revelation, the discipline whom Jesus loved best, the one who, though he ran at first, was at the Cross, and to whom the dying Savior entrusted His Mother even as He told her that John was her son. This feast reminds us of the filial relationship priests should have with Mary, which she already has with us and would see deepened.
Another connection through St. John's Day and Jerome is that this is the feast of St. Fabiola, one of the ascetic gang of Roman matrons who were around Jerome while he was in the City and who busied themselves in works of mercy.
Fabiola eventually moved to St. Paula's monastic house in Jerusalem to continue her work near Jerome. She was quite a wealthy widow and is a patroness of widows, divorced people, troubled marriages, victims of domestic abuse and those who suffer because of adultery. Perhaps we can ask her today to intercede with God for enlightenment of Card. Kasper and … others who are confusing the People of God about the indissolubility of marriage and the sinfulness of infidelity. There was a famous painting of Fabiola by the French painter Jean-Jacques Henner, which was copied many times before it was lost. There are many copies.
There is a novel about Fabiola called, surprise, Fabiola by Nicholas Wiseman… Cardinal and the first Archbishop of Westminster after the restoration of the hierarchy in England in 1850.
US HERE – UK HERE
I like this quote from Card. Wiseman (not in Fabiola):
"The doctrine and practice of the Church must not be allowed to be impugned by those who have no claim at all to Scripture, and who can prove neither the canon, its inspiration, nor its primary doctrines, except through that very authority which they are questioning, and through treacherous inconsistency with the principles on which they are interrogating it. When many years ago this ground was boldly adopted, it was charged with being an attempt to throw Protestants into infidelity, and sap the foundations of the Bible. Years of experience, and observation not superficial, have only strengthened our conviction, that this course must be fearlessly pursued. We must deny to Protestantism any right to use the Bible, much more to interpret it. Cruel and unfeeling it may be pronounced by those who understand the strength of our position, and the cogency of the argument; but it is much more charitable than to leave them to the repeated sin of blaspheming God's Spouse, and trying to undermine the faith of our poor Catholics." [The Catholic doctrine on the use of the Bible, 1853]
I'm sure that the Evangelist, Jerome and Fabiola would have all been in agreement.
Lift a libation and invoke health today for your loved ones… and confusion to your enemies… on this Feast of St. John.
This entry was posted in Saints: Stories & Symbols and tagged Nicholas Card. Wiseman. Bookmark the permalink.
8 Responses to 27 Dec – St. John Evangelist: "We must deny to Protestantism any right to use the Bible, much more to interpret it."
Pius Admirabilis says:
Wonderful, what the Cardinal writes. And it is so true also! Sicut unguentum in capite quod descendit in barbam.
Henry Edwards says:
Not to mention simple laymen who also pray the traditional Divine Office. Hmm … Is the idea that the Office (or the Liturgy of the Hours) is no longer restricted to clergy and religious one of the fabled "fruits of Vatican II"? If so, can anyone name another one?
Chris Garton-Zavesky says:
Henry,
The Office is required of clerics (not just priests and religious), and so what Father wrote "Priests read this in the Breviarum Romanum during Matins" isn't in any way false or misleading. I would venture to say (but I don't have proof in front of me) that back in a healthier time in the Church's history, laymen prayed more parts of the Office more regularly than they do now, precisely because the Church played a larger and more central role in the life of ordinary Catholics.
teomatteo says:
Re the painting of St. John: the fly on the skull that the evangelist is pointing to??
WmHesch says:
We had the longer form blessing of wine "and other beverages" (being near the head of the Kentucky bourbon trail) this morning.
It's one of those rare traditional blessings that's quasi-part of the Liturgy- as the priest remains fully vested except for maniple.
The Internet Archive has several copies of Fabiola, online reading.
AA Cunningham says:
To paraphrase Cardinal Wiseman, put this in your ecumenical pipe and smoke it.
My guess would be that most laymen didn't say the Roman Office (if any at all did do so). Rather, it is probably more likely that they prayed the Little Office of the BVM.


Lincoln County residents who are interested in making a constructive effort to combat climate change are invited to learn about an ambitious state legislative bill that will cap the amount of greenhouse gases allowed to be emitted in the state of Oregon over the next 35 years.The Newport group of the nationwide Citizens' Climate Lobby will be sponsoring presentations about the Clean Energy Jobs bill at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at the Newport Recreation Center, 225 Avery St.
Oregon's Medicaid program survived intact Tuesday, after voters approved hundreds of millions of dollars in health care taxes in a special election. Measure 101, which led 64 percent to 36 percent with returns partially tallied, was the only issue on the ballot. It will raise $210 million to $320 million in taxes on Oregon's largest hospitals and many health insurance policies by 2019.