Author: Margaret Kelly
-
HERE ONE MOMENT: LIANE MORIARTY
GENRE: CONTEMPORARY FICTION I read ‘Here One Moment’ in about three days, even though the early stages of it were quite heavy-going and could perhaps, have been more concise. Stick with it and the rewards will be worthwhile. It’s a departure from Moriarty’s usual chick-lit format but still showcases her excellent character-development talent with a…
-
BURIAL RITES: HANNAH KENT
GENRE : HISTORICAL FICTION In 1829, the last public execution in Iceland took place (you can still see the specially commissioned axe in the National Museum in Reykjavik). A man and a woman were beheaded for a murder committed on a remote farm. There being no prisons in Iceland, the condemned woman, Agnes Magnusdottir (great…
-
THE LOVED ONE: EVELYN WAUGH
GENRE: SATIRICAL COMEDY It was through reading this book published in 1948 that I learned of the existence of and sheer power of satire to engage the brain in a tug-o-war between laughing and observing conventions. Double entendre entered my naive farmgirl world, as did euphemisms, the concept of a love triangle and juxtaposition. Thanks…
-
RETURN OF THE NATIVE: THOMAS HARDY
GENRE: CLASSIC TRAGIC BRITISH LITERATURE This book was a so-called classic— one of the books they ‘make you read’ at school that everybody loves to hate. I, however, loved it. I recently reread it because I couldn’t remember why and became lost in the description of the bleakness of Egdon Heath, which was in itself…
-
ON WRITING: A MEMOIR OF THE CRAFT: STEPHEN KING
Welcome to my first book review. I have two confessions to make up front. The first is that my greatest introversion-driven two-pronged aspiration has been, for over sixty years, to be a writer and to live in a ‘chambre de bonne’—a garret room with a view over Paris. There’s a picture of me somewhere on…
-
HASTE YE BACK: ISLE OF COLL, SCOTLAND
Scotland’s a land of monumental mountains and misty glens, castles with hidden stories, drams of whisky straight from the source, men in kilts, kelpies, selkies and Fay folk. It’s a mystical, time-shrouded lodestone which entices for many reasons, but the strongest for me is that my roots are tangled deeply in its rockiest, most wind-lashed soil: the…
-
A NORMANDY HERITAGE JAUNT – JUNE, 2024
It’s easy to see why many Impressionist artists flocked to Normandy to find inspiration: the lush landscapes and quiet serenity of the countryside, just a short schlepp away from Paris, would provide the perfect setting to paint in peace. No doubt they also nibbled on local cheese—the iconic Camembert, the smooth Pont L’Evêque, the pungent Livarot,…
-
ISN’T KOFU IN GREECE? CHERRY-BLOSSOM TIME IN JAPAN PART 2
Cherry-blossom shots are the quintessential heart of the Japanese travel brochure cover shot, but Japan in cherry-blossom season is unlikely to live up to your dreamed experience if you limit yourself to the overtouristed areas of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. NARITA In March 2025, our Jetstar flight from Brisbane landed at Narita Airport after dark. Rather than…
-
RITES OF SPRING, JAPAN 2025
After three weeks in less touristed parts of Japan, my husband and I are bulleting through semi-rural Gunma Prefecture towards Narita Airport, laden with presents for the grandkids and a shared head cold. Blinking at passing scenery with dull, red eyes, over soggy masks, we’re afforded tantalising glimpses of iconic ‘sakura’—cherry-blossom trees. They’re scattered throughout…
-
VIGELAND SCULPTURE PARK -OSLO
One of the great joys of travel is having in-person encounters with great art and architecture. This little ripper—the Vigeland sculpture park is a fine example. Steps alert if you are a little unfit. This park is not really wheelchair friendly and Oslo was having a heatwave when I visited so it was a test…
-
AN INTRODUCTION TO MY FUNNY AVATAR’S LIFE OF WRITING
Meg Blomfield was the person I was before I married The Sexy-Hot Kelly Nerd. She had a social media presence under her maiden name so students wouldn’t find her to send her friend requests on Faceflop, or Twittillations on Tweetie-pie or follow her on Instaspam. She is not a born writer, just an entertainer with…
-
KOM OMBO TEMPLE EGYPT
In 2010, I went to Egypt. What can I say about this amazing museum of a country? It’s hot, it’s dirty (don’t even dip your toothbrush in the tap water) and you should learn how to say ‘no thank you’ in Arabic, adding ‘I don’t want’, ‘I don’t need’, ‘It’s not possible’ and ‘please go…
-
THE TRAVELLING COLLECTOR
What souvenirs do you collect when you travel? My own particular fetishes are fridge magnets, teatowels, postcards and a more unusual collecter item— soft toys. I call them ‘stuffies’ as in ‘stuffed toys’, but more commonly they seem to be known as ‘plushies’. Some people collect particular lines of toys (eg. Ducks or cows or…
-
TANABATA IN KOFU
You’ve probably heard of Tanabata—the Festival of the Stars, celebrated on the seventh of July in many parts of Japan. It’s the one where they write wishes on pieces of paper and tie them to a bamboo bough. I’m still waiting on my packet of TimTams that never runs out, but the festival itself’s a…
-
SELF-DRIVING ICELAND?
The Snæfellsnes Peninsular, not too far from Reykjavik, has all the natural features of Iceland represented in one small area. But make sure you don’t zoom past Hellissandur and Rif. These little fishing villages are easily missed if you’re en route to Kirkjufell or exploring Snæfellsjökull National Park. When you reach the end of the…
-
THE VIKING AGE NEVER REALLY ENDED IN ORKNEY
I wish I had had longer than one day in the windswept Orkney Islands, north of Scotland.The day I did have was halcyon and perfect. We were chasing deep time—standing stones, Skara Brae and more recent time—the Churchill Barriers, and the beautiful Italian Chapel but for somewhere so steeped in time, I needed more of…
Margaret R Kelly 