For the most part, our glorious leader, Dustbin Truthless, the Prime Ribber of Kanadoodle, is sitting back and smugly smiling at the antics of the opposition as they try to get some traction out of the latest political scandals. First there’s the Minister of Deference, Hardhit Sandbag. According to Erring O’Fool, leader of the Consumptive …
Old Children’s Classic – Pinocchio
Pinocchio by Carol Collodi (my copy published by Simply Read Books, 2002, illustrated by Iasssen Ghiuselev) 1807 saw the first publication of Thomas Bowdler’s ‘Family Shakespeare’, an edition of the Bard’s works where all the parts deemed racy, blasphemous or otherwise unsuitable for the young or female readers were removed. ‘Cleaning up’ tales for children …
Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov
Has anyone had the experience of reading a book that is touted by critics as a masterpiece, got to the end and wondered why you bothered? Vladimir Nabokov wrote Lolita in 1955 and the book was so successful that he was able to give up a teaching career at Harvard and devote himself exclusively to …
It’s All About Buggy Whips
Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello, Nichols & May, may have been great comedy teams but they don’t hold a candle to our current champions - Ronald Rump & the Publican Party. There’s a bond between the two that just seems unshakeable. After his election loss (you know – the one that was stolen because …
He’s Dead But He Won’t Lie Down
Anyone who doubts either the enduring appeal of Ronald Rump, former Prez of ‘Murica, or the moral bankruptcy of the Publican Party need look no further than recent events in Washington and Florida. In Washington, the comedy capital of the world, Publican Party leaders are being dismissed from their party posts if they dare to …
The Odin Incident – Excerpt
In last week’s blog, I promised (or threatened, depending on how the message was received) to give you an excerpt of the latest draft of my fantasy book ‘The Odin Incident’ (One prophecy, Two destinies – Nine worlds in peril). This latest draft was inspired by Les Edgerton’s book on how to write entitled ‘Hooked’. …
Revisiting the Odin Incident
In a previous blog I mentioned a book called ‘Hooked’ by Les Edgerton, who writes about how to write. It’s one thing to read a book on how to improve your writing but what’s the point if you don’t apply the principles? One of the most interesting observations in the Edgerton book is his belief …
Where’s the Beef?
Aside from reporting on the latest round of fresh disasters on the COVID front, our news outlets seem starved for anything other than Kanadoodle’s latest scandal involving the now retired top General. Did he or didn’t he? From a media perspective, first establishing guilt or innocence isn’t relevant. From a political perspective, everyone is already …
Life’s Imponderables
Is your life full of imponderable questions, wrestling with the meaning of life and the ‘big questions’ – like whether a red Bordeaux is better than a white Burgundy, whether either are worth the cost or if men will ever remember to lower the toilet seat? Despite growing up in the Cretaceous period, I still …
The Nothing Girl
The Nothing Girl by Jodi Taylor, Accent Press/Headline 2014 - What a wonderful book. There’s Jenny, an orphan taken in by her aunt and uncle, despite her debilitating stammer and her ‘other problem’. Then there’s Thomas, the large golden horse that only Jenny can see or hear. Jenny needs someone to watch out for her, …
