For some reason (possibly because I’m very lucky or because I have the habit of ignoring the world around me), I get surprised when men say sexist stuff to me about my work. I was in a Moscow bar recently on a dark and stormy night, and a typical twatty overpaid British expat man of the sortContinue reading “International Women’s Day and some women writers I admire”
Category Archives: Literature
On the work of Kate Atkinson
When I was fourteen, I bought a copy of “Human Croquet” after reading about it in a magazine for girls (unexpected choice by the editor, I’ve come to realize). I had the original receipt for a while and jotted down the exact time, down to the minute, and place where the book was purchased. IContinue reading “On the work of Kate Atkinson”
My Christmas present to you all: two short translations from Alexei Ivanov and Vyacheslav Kondratyev
Ivanov and Kondratyev are two Russian writers that you probably haven’t heard of (unless you read Russian, of course). “When Volodka the Lieutenant got up into the back of the tram, everyone recoiled from him. Understanding why, he immediately grew furious and turned against the public. There was, actually, one woman who got up andContinue reading “My Christmas present to you all: two short translations from Alexei Ivanov and Vyacheslav Kondratyev”
“The Goldfinch”: stars are beautiful because of the space between them
“…You are not mad, or wild, or grieving! You are not roaring out to choke her with your bare hands! Which means your soul is not too mixed up with hers. And that is good. Here is my experience. Stay away from the ones you love too much. Those are the ones who will killContinue reading ““The Goldfinch”: stars are beautiful because of the space between them”
My great reads of the year, so far: Kate Atkinson, Justin Cronin, Ali Eteraz, Graham Joyce
Life After Life: I’m a Kate Atkinson groupie and I love her recent spate of crime novels, but was so glad when she came back to playing with time and family and gnarled old fate in “Life After Life.” Maybe it’s the groupie in me talking, but I feel that Atkinson so rarely gets theContinue reading “My great reads of the year, so far: Kate Atkinson, Justin Cronin, Ali Eteraz, Graham Joyce”
Natalia A. 