The Spy’s Funeral, by Hablot Knight Browne, Phiz (an illustration to Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities”, London, Wordsworth Classics, 1999, scanned by Robert Ferrieux)
Do you think real literature is becoming obsolete? Here’s what I think about it.… Read the rest
a book cover for “Mr Right and Mr Wrong” by Roopa Sachidanand
November turned out to be a busy month for me: I had a lot of experiments at work, had to prepare a mini-course on immunology for Imperial College students.… Read the rest
Still Life: A Kindle, crisps and a glass of Pimm’s
I may be a serious scholar, an insufferable nerd and a dodgy Russian, but even I find time to be young and cheeky. I’m writing this on the Sunday afternoon (having scraped myself finally off the cozy bed) while enjoying the rainy weather in the warm refuge of my monastic cell.… Read the rest
A short story can tell a lot about the writer's calibre
I never quite understood why short stories and novellas sell less than novels.
Just think about it.
You are about to read something written by an unfamiliar author. Are you prepared to invest several days of your time into his or her novel?… Read the rest
Still from The Big Bang Theory
There are many arguments about mental health of Sheldon Cooper, a major character in the Big Bang Theory (I shall further refer to it as BBT) TV series. Jim Parsons who plays this character said in his interview to Variety that Sheldon “couldn’t display more traits” of Asperger’s.… Read the rest
Carnage (directed by Roman Polanski, USA, 2011). Witty Dahl-esque comedy.
Still of Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz in Carnage – © 2011 – Sony Pictures Classics
Two kids have an argument and one of them hits another on the face with a stick.… Read the rest