New on the blog today, I've written about THE LONG SHADOW by Celia Fremlin. A Christmas-themed domestic drama in which peculiar things begin to happen, highlighting the tensions in this dysfunctional family. Another enjoyable novel by a favourite writer! 💙📚 jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2026/01/04/t...

Having now completed my reading of all Elizabeth Taylor's novels and short story collections, here are my five favourites: 1streading.wordpress.com/2026/01/03/t...

Ten excellent books on authoritarianism and resistance. A new post from me: readersretreat2017.wordpress.com/2026/01/03/a...

Having now completed my reading of all Elizabeth Taylor's novels and short story collections, here are my five favourites: 1streading.wordpress.com/2026/01/03/t...

Books I can't wait to read in 2026, January: Ali Smith's Glyph (a companion to last year's Gliff); Enrique Vila-Matas' Montevideo - a new Vila-Matas in English (the first since 2019) is always an event (translated by Sophie Hughes and Annie McDermott).

Two of the books I was reading 30 years ago, in January 1996, a collection of five novellas by Carlos Fuentes (translated by Alfred MacAdam) and the first part of Doris Lessing's autobiography.

The highlight(s) of the blogging year - the 2025 Tony's Reading List Awards! tonysreadinglist.wordpress.com/2026/01/01/t...

Highlights of 2025: In Scottish theatre I really enjoyed Vanishing Point's Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey and Edinburgh Festival bound Make It Happen both @dundeerep.bsky.social

Highlights of 2025: In Scottish theatre I really enjoyed Vanishing Point's Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey and Edinburgh Festival bound Make It Happen both @dundeerep.bsky.social

It’s the last day of 2025 so on the blog today I look back on my reading highlights of the year! kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com/2025/12/31/l...

In case you missed it, the second part of my books of the year, focusing on translated literature.

On the blog today, my contribution to #deanstreetdecember25 is an entertaining crime debut! @deanstpress.bsky.social More here: kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com/2025/12/29/a...

For Alasdair Gray's birthday, my review from 5 years ago of his most important novel, Lanark: 1streading.wordpress.com/2020/01/03/l...

The second part of my books of the year, focusing on novels in translation: 1streading.wordpress.com/2025/12/27/b...

New on the blog today, I've written about MEMORIES: FROM MOSCOW TO THE BLACK SEA by Teffi. A deeply moving account of a tumultuous journey across Russia, in which Teffi brings her trademark wit, humour & humanity to the turmoil of Civil War. #BookSky 💙📚 jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/12/28/m...

My ten books of 2025 Ten Thousand Miles of Clouds and Moons: New Chinese Writing, ed. Zuo Fei, Xiao Yue Shan & Simon Shieh (various translators) @honfordstar.bsky.social The Propagandist by Cécile Desprairies, tr. Natasha Lehrer (Swift Press) Habitat by Catriona Shine @lilliputpress.bsky.social

New blog post! Best of 2025 (Honourable Mentions): Five Translated Books readersretreat2017.wordpress.com/2025/12/27/b...

The second part of my books of the year, focusing on novels in translation: 1streading.wordpress.com/2025/12/27/b...

Christmas books!

Happy Birthday to the brilliant Liz Lochhead 🎉📚 One of Scotland’s most influential poets and playwrights—and a former Makar—Liz Lochhead’s work has powerfully explored Scottish identity, gender, and language.

“Here he walked. He walked here.” Advent by Gunnar Gunnarsson, translated by Philip Roughton roughghosts.com/2025/12/26/h...

In case you missed it, my favourite English language books of 2025, mainly featuring rediscovered authors.

Part 1 of my Books of the Year, focusing on titles originally written in English: 1streading.wordpress.com/2025/12/22/b...

Part 1 of my Books of the Year, focusing on titles originally written in English: 1streading.wordpress.com/2025/12/22/b...

This is very good news indeed!

Coming up Buchanan Street, quickly, on a sharp winter evening a young man and two girls, under the Christmas lights… —Edwin Morgan, “Trio” published in CENTENARY SELECTED POEMS, @carcanet.bsky.social 2020 #poem #poetry #Christmas #Glasgow www.carcanet.co.uk/cgi-bin/inde...

New on the blog this week, Part 2 of my BOOKS OF THE YEAR, 2025 - favourites from a year of reading. Featuring books by Rosamond Lehmann, Eileen Chang, Leonora Carrington, Barbara Trapido, Romain Gary & more! #BookSky #Books 💙📚 jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/12/21/m...

Holiday reading!

Who went bra shopping with John Berger? Whose childhood routine involved visits from the snake charmer? Who disliked the “big, unfriendly giant” Roald Dahl? Was it the same person Dahl told to try children’s fiction because “the little bastards’d swallow it?” I read some memoirs by Booker winners:

These are MY BEST BOOKS OF 2025 featuring Elizabeth Taylor, Anita Brookner, Dino Buzzati, Jiří Weil, Han Kang, Caroline Blackwood and more. New blog post here: readersretreat2017.wordpress.com/2025/12/17/m...

New on the blog today, Part One of my BOOKS OF THE YEAR, 2025 - favourites from a year of reading. Featuring books by Edith Wharton, Barbara Pym, Caroline Blackwood, Vivian Gornick and more! #BookSky 💙📚 #BooksOfTheYear #Books #BOTY jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/12/16/m...

My new blog post on THERE'S NO TURNING BACK by Alba de Céspedes - a brilliant, perceptive novel of female friendships and women's lives set in early 20th century Rome. Translated from the Italian by Ann Goldstein. readersretreat2017.wordpress.com/2025/12/16/t...

It's a certain wonderful author's big birthday today, and so I celebrate on the blog by revisiting one of her marvellous books! kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com/2025/12/16/g...

Love in a dystopian landscape - Catalan writer Pol Guasch's debut Napalm in the Heart, translated by Mara Faye Letham: 1streading.wordpress.com/2025/12/14/n...

Love in a dystopian landscape - Catalan writer Pol Guasch's debut Napalm in the Heart, translated by Mara Faye Letham: 1streading.wordpress.com/2025/12/14/n...

At midday on the year’s midnight into my mind came I saw the new moon late yestreen wi the auld moon in her airms… —Liz Lochhead, “In the Mid-Midwinter” published in FUGITIVE COLOURS (Polygon 2016) #poem #poetry #StLucysDay birlinn.co.uk/product/fugi...

On the Ramblings today - my first nomination for the crime classic Reprint of the Year Award! kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com/2025/12/13/c... @galileobooks.bsky.social

Our Christmas book club read - one member found it too depressing but, despite the premise (no mother, alcoholic father) it is shot through with small acts of kindness, though the ambiguous ending leaves you rather worried for the central character, 10-year-old Ronja.

I enjoyed Frances Wilson's Electric Spark so much I moved on to this. Feigal is quite insightful on Lessing but her privileged introspection is wearing.

“His mind could evoke nothing but images of separation, which cut him off from ordinary, normal people, the fortunate ones, the well-beloved. Most of all, he knew, he was cut off from Derek. Derek would not understand at all." #BookSky 💙📚 jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/12/11/t...

i did one of those ‘my books of the year’ things: sigmaportfolio.substack.com/p/cultural-h...

New on my blog I've written about Eve Babitz's I USED TO BE CHARMING - a collection of essays on LA, music, art, fashion, films, celebrities, travel and more, and brimming with her trademark wit and glamorous style. Read this for #NYRBWomen25. readersretreat2017.wordpress.com/2025/12/09/i...

A novel by the grandson of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Salvador Elizondo with a first line which echoes Juan Rulfo? Impossible to resist! Mateo Garcia Elizondo's Last Date in El Zapotal, translated by Robin Myers and published by @charcopress.com 1streading.wordpress.com/2025/12/09/l...

A novel by the grandson of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Salvador Elizondo with a first line which echoes Juan Rulfo? Impossible to resist! Mateo Garcia Elizondo's Last Date in El Zapotal, translated by Robin Myers and published by @charcopress.com 1streading.wordpress.com/2025/12/09/l...

New on the blog today, I've written about THE COUNTRY OF THE POINTED FIRS by Sarah Orne Jewett Through evocative vignettes, Jewett conveys a rich picture of everyday life in small-town Maine. Highly recommended for fans of Elizabeth Strout & Willa Cather! 💙📚 jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/12/07/t...

Alejandro Zambra on fatherhood in Childish Literature (translated by Megan McDowell): 1streading.wordpress.com/2025/12/04/c... @fitzcarraldoeds.bsky.social

Alejandro Zambra on fatherhood in Childish Literature (translated by Megan McDowell): 1streading.wordpress.com/2025/12/04/c... @fitzcarraldoeds.bsky.social

My new blog post on Pirkko Saisio's beguiling, beautifully written novel, LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR. Translated from the Finnish by Mia Spangenberg. readersretreat2017.wordpress.com/2025/12/02/l...

“You never know,” said Carmella. “People under seventy and over seven are very unreliable if they are not cats. You can’t be too careful…” #BookSky 💙📚 jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/12/02/t...