Gertrude Stein: An Afterlife

Francesca Wade in her recently published biography “Gertrude Stein: An Afterlife” has set a new criterion for groundbreaking and engaging biographies.

Bloomer: Embracing a Late-Life Flourishing

The latest book by Carol Lefevre “Bloomer: Embracing a Late Life Flourishing” is an engaging and compelling case for resisting ageist attitudes directed at older women.

Saving Vincent

An inspiring new book, “Saving Vincent” by Joan Fernandez, chronicles the little-known role of Jo van Gogh-Bonger in making van Gogh famous.

Fruitcake to Feed an Army

My first attempt at trying a recipe from “The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook” (Liberation Fruitcake) meets with disaster, but I learn a lot about fruitcakes.

Literary Festivals: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Have literary festivals sold out to vested interests or are they still one of the highlights of the year for readers and writers?

Women at Sea

Men have traditionally dominated the genre of maritime fiction but it’s time to shine the spotlight on women, both in books and in real life.

Reflections

This is the time of year to reflect on what’s behind and what’s ahead in the world of books – what you read last year and what you should read this year.

Women Writers Of A Certain Age

Older women writers face problems that can be overwhelming. Many women however are publishing successfully well into old age often for the first time.

Alice Among the Gourmands

Justin Spring’s book The Gourmands’ Way: Six Americans in Paris revives my interest in Alice Toklas

Mrs Beeton and the Domestic Goddess Myth

Mrs Beeton set the precedent for the domestic goddess myth that still drives women today to seek perfection in household management.