Monthly Archives: November 2013

On Being Promised a Pig in a Poke

Posted on November 24, 2013 by forwardtranslations

Thank you to everyone who shared my last blog post and sorry for having rather neglected the blog since then. There’ve been all kinds of interesting things that I’d normally rather like to write about, but strangely enough, the whole … Continue reading →

Posted in blogging, Education | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

(Another) Open Letter to Michael Gove

Posted on November 9, 2013 by forwardtranslations

Dear Mr Gove, I know you’re getting a lot of open letters these days, but I do hope that you will read and pay attention to them. Maybe it would be a good idea to consider why so many people … Continue reading →

Posted in blogging | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Careless People by Sarah Churchwell

Posted on November 8, 2013 by forwardtranslations

The first time I read The Great Gatsby, a few years ago now, I didn’t get it. I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about although I found the book entertaining enough. In other words, I fell into the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Reading, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On Working Directly with the Author

Posted on November 7, 2013 by forwardtranslations

A few people have asked me if I’d write something about my experience of working directly with a self-published author rather than a publisher. I’m not too sure what to say about it but so as not to contradict my … Continue reading →

Posted in blogging, Books, Translation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark

Posted on November 6, 2013 by forwardtranslations

This was one of fils aîné‘s presents last Christmas, but it somehow got neglected until now. Jill Tomlinson’s animal stories are deserved classics with charming creatures and gentle stories and The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark is no exception. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Children's Books, Reading, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On (Re)Discovering Alice Through the Looking Glass

Posted on November 6, 2013 by forwardtranslations

After the qualified success of reading Alice in Wonderland to fils aîné, it took a while before he was prepared to let me introduce him to Looking Glass. I approached it with some trepidation as it is a long-standing favourite … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Children's Books, Reading | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Irritating Beyond Measure: Ian Sansom’s The Norfolk Mystery

Posted on November 4, 2013 by forwardtranslations

What the Publisher Says About It: Love Miss Marple? Adore Holmes and Watson? Professor Morley’s guide to Norfolk is a story of bygone England; quaint villages, eccentric locals – and murder! It is 1937 and disillusioned Spanish Civil War veteran … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Reading, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mixed Up Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales

Posted on November 2, 2013 by forwardtranslations

I realised that I haven’t been writing much about children’s books lately, what with one thing and another, so I’ll try to rectify that over the next little while. A book that has been keeping fils cadet amused for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Children's Books, Reading, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment