I'm reading 50 of the World's Greatest Short Stories...

A Surprising Literary Journey This book took me by surprise. I loaned it from our local library in Sandy because it was short and nestled among the classics. I'd never heard of it, nor the author, Irmgard Keun. I checked out reviews on Goodreads, and it struggles with diverse ratings. It seems to be a text for study in Germany, not much loved by many students, while at the same time scoring highly among numerous readers. Now, having read it, I think I understand why. Original

Took me longer than a week, closer to two weeks, but I managed to finish a novel.

I'm on a roll. I finished another book.

Two Years Later: A Return to Writing and Reflection ===================================================== A Moment of Reflection Two years have passed since I last wrote a piece for my blog. It's been a year since I put pen to paper—or fingers to keys, as it were. But now, I intend to return. Today is January 25th, 2026, and I genuinely believe the world will never be the same. Just yesterday, an ICU nurse was shot—nay, executed—in Minneapolis for trying to help two women. Hi

And so I come to the final instalment of this blog inspired by a Threads game where one is challenged to name twenty books you'd read that had greatly influenced you - without commenting why or how. At first I didn't think much of it, but as I progressed I realised it was really quite interesting - possibly more so personally - to think whether or not... These authors and works, Have they influenced me as an author? So I figured as a blog I'd consider them in more detail, lo

So this is the third in an instalment on my blog inspired by a Threads thing where one was challenged to name twenty books that you'd read that had greatly influenced you - without commenting why or how. At first I didn't think much of it, but as I progressed I realised it was really interesting - possibly more so personally - to think whether or not... These authors and works, Have they influenced me as an author? So I figured as a blog I'd consider them in more detail, loo

I recently participated in a Threads thing where you were challenged to name twenty books that you'd read that had greatly influenced you - without commenting why or how. At first I didn't think much of it, but as I progressed I realised it was really interesting - possibly more so personally - to think of these authors and works. These authors and works, Have they influenced me as an author? So I figured, as a blog, I'd consider them in more detail, looking at how and why t

I recently participated in a Threads thing where you were challenged to name twenty books that you'd read that had greatly influenced you - without commenting why or how. At first I didn't think much of it, but as I progressed I realised it was really interesting - possibly more so personally - to think of these authors and works. These authors and works, Have they influenced me as an author? So I figured, as a blog, I'd consider them in more detail, looking at how and why t

Light. Pretty. Soft flutter of wings in flight. Strange flight. Funny misshaped meander. Colourful, up, down, round and ‘bout, this way, that, ne’er seeming to go in one direction yet leading me on. Ever on, down through shadows of trees. Lost and yet found, a butterfly, by me. Follow glint of silvered fire, purple hues, kiss of gilded light ‘bout painted eye; downhill by tree and through fern, thick green light, the nettled kiss as hurts my hand. Tingled sting. Care not. Lau