Talking about Lenin

Could you introduce yourself to the readers here at Vulpes Libris? My name is James Ryan, I have recently completed a PhD in History at University College Cork on the topic of Lenin and violence, and currently lecture in the School of History at UCC. Welcome, James.  First of all, a basic but important question: [...]

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Ellipsis by Nikki Dudley

In the interest of full disclosure I must preface this with the caveat that Nikki Dudley is the partner of my brother. That said, I endeavour to make this as balanced and honest a review as any I write. “Right on time.” These are the words that Daniel Mansen mouths to Alice as she pushes [...]

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Coming Up on Vulpes Libris

Nobody can say the Foxes are averse to tackling the big questions.  Topics this week include Lenin and violence, Haiti and charity, first novels, vast novels and one of Russia’s great overlooked writers.  (To get a glimpse of Vasily Grossman, our topic for Friday, check out the Guardian’s article about him here.) On Monday, Sam [...]

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Confessions of an inconsistent booklover

Aliya Whiteley’s enjoyable soapbox, “Heads Up, Spines Out” triggered the same impulse in me which – I suspect – affected many of its readers.  I immediately looked at my own bookshelves and started wondering what they say about me: specifically, the motley collection of books housed in my living room (where I tend to work, [...]

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The Ballad of Britain, by Will Hodgkinson

You may have heard of Cecil Sharp, pioneer collector of folk music at the turn of the 19th century, he of C# House in deepest Camden, the home of the English Folk Dance and Song Society. Beards, sandals, dirndls – no longer – or not exclusively. But have you heard of William Kimber? If it [...]

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Passion by Louise Bagshawe

When Passion – all 535 pages of it -  thudded onto my doormat last year I thought, “How jolly tiresome. It has LOTS of pages.”  (Oh, all right.  That’s NOT a verbatim transcription of what I thought, but the unexpurgated version would shatter forever my carefully cultivated image of being a Genteel Person.)  I needn’t [...]

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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald

From the start, the very title you realize this is going to be an unusual story, “The Curious Case…”. A “case” usually refers to a police case or a medical case, though in this instance, it’s an old-fashioned term for a mystery. Benjamin Button is a person who was literally born old and grew younger [...]

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In conversation with Simmone Howell

Sam chats Summer camp, chocolate and movies with Australian author Simmone Howell. SR: First up, can you tell us a bit about Everything Beautiful? SH: Everything Beautiful is about Riley Rose, a sixteen-year-old plus-size drama queen who is sentenced to a Christian holiday camp for bad-behaviour. Riley is atheist with a chip on her shoulder. [...]

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Everything Beautiful by Simmone Howell

I believe in Chloe and chocolate. I believe the best part is always before. I believe that most girls are shifty and most guys are dumb. I believe the more you spill, the less you are. I don’t believe in life after death or diuretics or happy endings. I don’t believe anything good will come [...]

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Coming Up on Vulpes Libris

The Foxes are filled with curiosity this week as we explore some unusual topics.  (Of course, being naturally foxy, we don’t need hair colourant to live an exciting life.) On Monday, Sam has a strange urge to go to Christian summer camp after reading Everything Beautiful by Simmone Howell. Just so long as he can [...]

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