Travel
Laurie in Lisboa
As you may know, I’m currently in Lisbon working hard on the next Russell and Holmes novel—although I’ll be flitting northwards in the time zone this afternoon, to join the intrepid duo for a party in their Sussex cottage, where I hope you’ll join us: the party is set up on Twitterfall.com/#hivegod (All Tweets should…
Read MoreLRK, Fernando Pessoa, and coffee
I came to Lisbon to write. I got here Friday, following a lot of travel and those days of chaos that precede a long trip, and managed to check my email. Period. The rest of the day was travel and catching up with my daughter and son in law, who have lived here since October.…
Read MoreA Gift
“Yesterday was a gift.” The gentleman on the elevator was dressed in a heavy jacket, a beret on his head and a cup of takeaway coffee in his hand. I’d asked when I got in if it was cold outside, since I’d spent the morning in the hotel having breakfast with a friend, and he…
Read MoreThird Thursday
I’m in the air today, and hoping that the ground isn’t absolute ice when I come down in New York. Think warm thoughts for me, please…
Read MoreStilton, we hardly knew ye
One of the more delightful aspects of British culture is their determination to cling to the radio as an art form. Long stretches behind the wheel of the car becomes a seat in a theatre or lecture hall, with the same disinclination to climb out that one has with an audio book—more so because it’s…
Read MoreWriter on the ground
It’s always reassuring when memory and photographs combine to create a correct setting for a scene, rather than a setting absolutely impossible for what you’d intended. I finally got into London yesterday to check on the details of Westminster Bridge, which plays a major part in the ending scenes of The Green Man (name to…
Read MoreLondon Calling
In the early Twenties, BBC (the radio variety) used the phrase “London calling” as its call sign, informing the world that London was still up and active. During the War, the phrase took on overtones that were both poignant and pugnacious: We’re still here, damn your eyes! I like London, despite there being far too…
Read MoreOver the hills to Calke
For twenty years, one of my favorite places in Britain has been Calke Abbey, not far from the gloriously named Ashby de la Zouche in Derbyshire. The National Trust took possession of the property in 1984 and embraced its idiosyncratic nature of it by treating and presenting Calke as “a country house in decline.” The…
Read MoreBooks and dream libraries
Laraine was the winner of the signed copy of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, by Alan Bradley. We’re discussing the book this month over at the Virtual Book Club, and Alan will join us—or, me, for a discussion towards the end of the month. In the meantime, here in the UK I…
Read MoreImpossible loyalties
Oxford is my second home. I’m not much of one for cities, and there’s no doubt that’s what Oxford is, but especially now the authorities have banned private motor traffic in the town center, it feels more like a really crowded village than a large manufacturing city. So Thursday was an Oxford day, with a…
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