Reading Time: 3 minutes I’d love to see what other peoples’ thoughts are on the below…I’m sure we’ve all had that thought ‘if I … More A radical opportunity (or, if I were EdSec…)
All articles in Opinion
The rhythms of a school year matter
Reading Time: 3 minutes The rhythms of a school year really matter. This year, they’ve totally disappeared – for me, right now, being on … More The rhythms of a school year matter
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Little Women review
Reading Time: 5 minutes I can’t remember what age I was when I read Little Women but I remember the edition. It was a hardback, … More Little Women review
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Review: The Hate U Give (Angie Thomas)
Reading Time: 4 minutes I loved Starr’s idiolect and the extremely conscious way she discusses code-switching, living two identites dependingon whether she’s in her home neighbourhood of Garden Heights or her almost all-white school.
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Who’s in your top ten secondary characters?
Reading Time: 5 minutes I saw this idea for a post on Helena Fairfax’s blog – she’s a local writer, I think, and I’ve … More Who’s in your top ten secondary characters?
Favourite artists; Thea Gilmore
Reading Time: 3 minutes I don’t quite remember why I came across Thea Gilmore. It was during my first year of university, and I … More Favourite artists; Thea Gilmore
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Books that changed me – The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Reading Time: 5 minutes This is my favourite book. I’ve read it more than any other book, and I think it encapsulates so much … More Books that changed me – The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
My week at Arvon, Lumb Bank
Reading Time: 5 minutes I learned the confidence to say ‘I am a writer. I write.’
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50 books that will change your life
Reading Time: 2 minutes Was the title of the list posted on World Book Day last week! I have actually only read 26 of … More 50 books that will change your life
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Review: Bill Bryson At Home
Reading Time: 2 minutes I love Bill Bryson. I thought his Notes from a Small Island was witty, biting and showed an endearing love … More Review: Bill Bryson At Home
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Review: The Cousin’s War series
Reading Time: 6 minutes The Cousins’ War series by Philippa Gregory has formed a major part of my summer reading. Spoilers ahead, but mostly of … More Review: The Cousin’s War series
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Review: The Passage (Justin Cronin) 5/5
Reading Time: 3 minutes This is an absolutely stunning novel. I loved it, every moment of it. I was given it by a colleague … More Review: The Passage (Justin Cronin) 5/5
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Review: Light by Michael Grant
Reading Time: 3 minutes Light is the final book in Grant’s series, which I’ve reviewed as I’ve been reading them. Despite a dip … More Review: Light by Michael Grant
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Review: Fear (Michael Grant)
Reading Time: 4 minutes Despite a slight disappointment in Plague, the fourth book in this series, I read Fear straight after it – and … More Review: Fear (Michael Grant)
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Review: Hunger, Lies and Plague by Michael Grant
Reading Time: 3 minutes As I read these in quick succession, I thought I’d review them all at once. The series picked up pace … More Review: Hunger, Lies and Plague by Michael Grant
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Review: Gone by Michael Grant
Reading Time: 3 minutes The short opening chapter of Goneis great – sitting in class, Sam’s staring out of the window dreaming about surfing … More Review: Gone by Michael Grant
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Review: The Winter Palace by Eve Stachniak
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Winter Palace (A novel of the young Catherine the Great) This novel is described as being the story of the … More Review: The Winter Palace by Eve Stachniak
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Review: From 2k to 10k by Rachel Aaron
Reading Time: 3 minutes 2k to 10k: Writing Faster, Writing Better, and Writing More of What You Love I read this book a couple … More Review: From 2k to 10k by Rachel Aaron
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Review: Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood 4/5
Reading Time: 3 minutes Alias Graceis the first Margaret Atwood book I’ve read – The Handmaid’s Tale is on my to-read list for work, … More Review: Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood 4/5
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Review: Self-Publishing Attack!
Reading Time: 2 minutes The full title of this book is “Self-Publishing Attack! The 5 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws for Creating Steady Income Publishing Your … More Review: Self-Publishing Attack!
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From 2k to 10k – Rachel Aaron
Reading Time: < 1 minute Rachel Aaron’s short e-book on how to increase your writing per hour is, so far, excellent. There’s lots of useful … More From 2k to 10k – Rachel Aaron
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Review: Strange Meeting by Susan Hill
Reading Time: 3 minutes Susan Hill’s novel set in World War One takes its name from a Wilfred Owen poem – Strange Meeting – … More Review: Strange Meeting by Susan Hill
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Review: On Writing (Stephen King)
Reading Time: 4 minutes You must not come lightly to the blank page. Stephen King‘s book about writing – On Writing: A Memoir of … More Review: On Writing (Stephen King)
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Amanda Palmer: The art of asking | Video on TED.com
Reading Time: < 1 minute Amanda Palmer: The art of asking | Video on TED.com. A very interesting take on creativity, and how to make … More Amanda Palmer: The art of asking | Video on TED.com
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Review: Wide Sargasso Sea
Reading Time: 4 minutes The prequel to Jane Eyre is often hailed a classic of post-colonial literature: does it live up to the name? … More Review: Wide Sargasso Sea
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The Fault in Our Stars
Reading Time: 5 minutes Buy at Amazon John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars was recommended by a sixth form student, who said reading … More The Fault in Our Stars
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Jack Maggs: A problem of expectations
Reading Time: 3 minutes The problem with Jack Maggs (Kindle) isn’t really a problem with the novel – it’s the expectations it’s sold with. … More Jack Maggs: A problem of expectations
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Ways to Live Forever: Sally Nicholls
Reading Time: 2 minutes Sam is a 12 year old boy with leukemia. He starts writing at home, because he’s too ill to attend … More Ways to Live Forever: Sally Nicholls
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India Knight’s Comfort and Joy
Reading Time: 3 minutes I really wanted to like this book. I love India’s columns in The Times, and find her tweets often hilarious … More India Knight’s Comfort and Joy
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Christmas Ghost Stories
Reading Time: 27 minutes Ghost stories always seem to have a particular resonance at Christmas. Perhaps it’s the atmospheric frost, fog and snow that … More Christmas Ghost Stories
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A radical opportunity (or, if I were EdSec…)
Reading Time: 3 minutes I’d love to see what other peoples’ thoughts are on the below…I’m sure we’ve all had that thought ‘if I … More A radical opportunity (or, if I were EdSec…)
The rhythms of a school year matter
Reading Time: 3 minutes The rhythms of a school year really matter. This year, they’ve totally disappeared – for me, right now, being on … More The rhythms of a school year matter
Little Women review
Reading Time: 5 minutes I can’t remember what age I was when I read Little Women but I remember the edition. It was a hardback, … More Little Women review
Review: The Hate U Give (Angie Thomas)
Reading Time: 4 minutes I loved Starr’s idiolect and the extremely conscious way she discusses code-switching, living two identites dependingon whether she’s in her home neighbourhood of Garden Heights or her almost all-white school.
Who’s in your top ten secondary characters?
Reading Time: 5 minutes I saw this idea for a post on Helena Fairfax’s blog – she’s a local writer, I think, and I’ve … More Who’s in your top ten secondary characters?
Favourite artists; Thea Gilmore
Reading Time: 3 minutes I don’t quite remember why I came across Thea Gilmore. It was during my first year of university, and I … More Favourite artists; Thea Gilmore
Books that changed me – The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Reading Time: 5 minutes This is my favourite book. I’ve read it more than any other book, and I think it encapsulates so much … More Books that changed me – The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
My week at Arvon, Lumb Bank
Reading Time: 5 minutes I learned the confidence to say ‘I am a writer. I write.’
50 books that will change your life
Reading Time: 2 minutes Was the title of the list posted on World Book Day last week! I have actually only read 26 of … More 50 books that will change your life
Review: Bill Bryson At Home
Reading Time: 2 minutes I love Bill Bryson. I thought his Notes from a Small Island was witty, biting and showed an endearing love … More Review: Bill Bryson At Home
Review: The Cousin’s War series
Reading Time: 6 minutes The Cousins’ War series by Philippa Gregory has formed a major part of my summer reading. Spoilers ahead, but mostly of … More Review: The Cousin’s War series
Review: The Passage (Justin Cronin) 5/5
Reading Time: 3 minutes This is an absolutely stunning novel. I loved it, every moment of it. I was given it by a colleague … More Review: The Passage (Justin Cronin) 5/5
Review: Light by Michael Grant
Reading Time: 3 minutes Light is the final book in Grant’s series, which I’ve reviewed as I’ve been reading them. Despite a dip … More Review: Light by Michael Grant
Review: Fear (Michael Grant)
Reading Time: 4 minutes Despite a slight disappointment in Plague, the fourth book in this series, I read Fear straight after it – and … More Review: Fear (Michael Grant)
Review: Hunger, Lies and Plague by Michael Grant
Reading Time: 3 minutes As I read these in quick succession, I thought I’d review them all at once. The series picked up pace … More Review: Hunger, Lies and Plague by Michael Grant
Review: Gone by Michael Grant
Reading Time: 3 minutes The short opening chapter of Goneis great – sitting in class, Sam’s staring out of the window dreaming about surfing … More Review: Gone by Michael Grant
Review: The Winter Palace by Eve Stachniak
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Winter Palace (A novel of the young Catherine the Great) This novel is described as being the story of the … More Review: The Winter Palace by Eve Stachniak
Review: From 2k to 10k by Rachel Aaron
Reading Time: 3 minutes 2k to 10k: Writing Faster, Writing Better, and Writing More of What You Love I read this book a couple … More Review: From 2k to 10k by Rachel Aaron
Review: Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood 4/5
Reading Time: 3 minutes Alias Graceis the first Margaret Atwood book I’ve read – The Handmaid’s Tale is on my to-read list for work, … More Review: Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood 4/5
Review: Self-Publishing Attack!
Reading Time: 2 minutes The full title of this book is “Self-Publishing Attack! The 5 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws for Creating Steady Income Publishing Your … More Review: Self-Publishing Attack!
From 2k to 10k – Rachel Aaron
Reading Time: < 1 minute Rachel Aaron’s short e-book on how to increase your writing per hour is, so far, excellent. There’s lots of useful … More From 2k to 10k – Rachel Aaron
Review: Strange Meeting by Susan Hill
Reading Time: 3 minutes Susan Hill’s novel set in World War One takes its name from a Wilfred Owen poem – Strange Meeting – … More Review: Strange Meeting by Susan Hill
Review: On Writing (Stephen King)
Reading Time: 4 minutes You must not come lightly to the blank page. Stephen King‘s book about writing – On Writing: A Memoir of … More Review: On Writing (Stephen King)
Amanda Palmer: The art of asking | Video on TED.com
Reading Time: < 1 minute Amanda Palmer: The art of asking | Video on TED.com. A very interesting take on creativity, and how to make … More Amanda Palmer: The art of asking | Video on TED.com
Review: Wide Sargasso Sea
Reading Time: 4 minutes The prequel to Jane Eyre is often hailed a classic of post-colonial literature: does it live up to the name? … More Review: Wide Sargasso Sea
The Fault in Our Stars
Reading Time: 5 minutes Buy at Amazon John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars was recommended by a sixth form student, who said reading … More The Fault in Our Stars
Jack Maggs: A problem of expectations
Reading Time: 3 minutes The problem with Jack Maggs (Kindle) isn’t really a problem with the novel – it’s the expectations it’s sold with. … More Jack Maggs: A problem of expectations
Ways to Live Forever: Sally Nicholls
Reading Time: 2 minutes Sam is a 12 year old boy with leukemia. He starts writing at home, because he’s too ill to attend … More Ways to Live Forever: Sally Nicholls
India Knight’s Comfort and Joy
Reading Time: 3 minutes I really wanted to like this book. I love India’s columns in The Times, and find her tweets often hilarious … More India Knight’s Comfort and Joy
Christmas Ghost Stories
Reading Time: 27 minutes Ghost stories always seem to have a particular resonance at Christmas. Perhaps it’s the atmospheric frost, fog and snow that … More Christmas Ghost Stories