Niche dating for bibliophiles

Back in the early days of Vulpes Libris we sometimes ran short newsy pieces, inspired by things we had seen in the blogosphere or in the press. I had just been thinking about this when lo and behold an article by Stephanie Rosenbloom in The New York Times caught my eye and I decided I [...]

Read Full Post »

Rewilding The World by Caroline Fraser

Teddy Roosevelt, American president at the dawn of the 20th century, who is credited with starting the first national parks, an idea that has since spread round the world. Most of the early ones were chosen for their aesthetics (think of the crags and waterfalls of Yosemite), but as our understanding of ecology has grown, [...]

Read Full Post »

Coming up this week on Vulpes

This week the Foxes tackle the environment, the magic of reading and meeting your fellow readers, confessions, lyricism and how to respond to the Beautiful People (whoever they may be). So it’s a week when anything might happen and most probably will. Thank goodness for books to keep us all sane! Well, nearly sane … [...]

Read Full Post »

VL Q&A: Mary Beard

Mary Beard is Professor of Classics at Cambridge University, Classics Editor of the Times Literary Supplement and the author of the blog A Don’s Life.  She has made numerous television appearances, most recently as the presenter of Pompeii: Life and Death in a Roman Town for the BBC.  She kindly agreed to answer our questions, [...]

Read Full Post »

The Maid by Yasutaka Tsutsui – a picaresque tale of our times

Nanase cannot remember when she first realised she could read people’s minds, but not once during her eighteen years has she ever questioned her particularly unusual ability. Yet, working as a live-in maid, she is inevitably drawn into the lives, thoughts and desires of her employers, with dangerous and at times hilarious consequences. From the [...]

Read Full Post »

Gents by Warwick Collins

A “VL Classic” originally posted in January 2008 It is difficult when describing this book not to find yourself trotting out phrases that make it sound less than it is: “this little book”, “this slim volume”, “a quiet yet sweet story”, “ a simple tale”. On the other hand there is an equal danger in [...]

Read Full Post »

The Pitmen’s Requiem, by Peter Crookston

I don’t know how and why the miners’ anthem ‘Gresford’ found its way into my consciousness. I’m not from mining stock, but I was brought up in a house heated by coal, travelling to see our family on trains fired by coal, close to brick and iron works powered by coal. I was taught that [...]

Read Full Post »

Basilica by R.A. Scotti

One of the things I most like to do is to go into churches and look at the art and architecture. For me, it’s like an amped-up art museum, because there’s all the skill and beauty of the art work, but it’s intended to glorify God, so there’s an added feeling to it all. It’s [...]

Read Full Post »

Beginning the New Year on VL

Happy New Year! The Foxes are back after snowy holiday celebrations and even if all of the tinsel isn’t swept up yet, we are bouncing back into the new year with books featuring music, history and an assortment of other things. We hope that you’ll join us this week and in the coming year for [...]

Read Full Post »