I went to Glasgow to hear Helene Witcher talking about her book at the Aye Write literary festival. The book is a biography of Helene’s aunt, the Scottish harpist Heloise Russell-Fergusson.
Category: literature
Classical musics
I have been reading The other classical musics edited by Michael Church (Boydell 2015). When I first saw this book, in Blackwell’s bookshop in Oxford, I thought I wouldn’t like it; I thought the idea of “classical music” as a general concept was too problematical. I kept thinking about the issues though, and later I had another look in Topping’s bookshop here. So I realised I had to get it and read it.
Reviewing a book you don’t like
I was asked recently to do a book review for a scholarly journal. However I really don’t think much at all of the book in question, and I hesitate to criticise others’ work too roundly, so I will likely turn down this request. If only I had the literary skills of Thomas de Quincey: Continue reading Reviewing a book you don’t like