What's this? Another fable? Yes. Well, I'm working my way through them. Some time ago, I found myself in the unenviable position of evicting an unwelcome tenant - or perhaps tenants - from our garage. A mouse, or maybe several, had taken up residence among the clutter. Rather than resorting to the traditional, lethal mousetraps, … Continue reading The Mouse and the Mousetrap: Rodent Rationality and Barnyard Bystanders
Tag: fiction
A Jovial Journey Through Hardy’s Desperate Remedies
Sleep, as usual, is evading me, so here's another little collection of words to pass my time, and to edify you. Maybe. Ah, Desperate Remedies by Thomas Hardy, the novel that dances on the edge of melodrama with the grace of a Victorian lady in a hoop skirt attempting to navigate a tightrope. Hardy, in … Continue reading A Jovial Journey Through Hardy’s Desperate Remedies
James’ Bark & Bite: The Ash Tree
I have an enduring love for the countryside, especially those areas filled with ancient, brooding trees that seem to harbour their own secrets. One such tree caught my eye in the charming town of Cockermouth, Cumbria (UK). Its gnarled bark and twisted branches bore an uncanny resemblance to the features of an old witch, a … Continue reading James’ Bark & Bite: The Ash Tree
A Not-So-Pan-tastic Review: Arthur Machen’s The Great God Pan
Pan teaching his eromenos, the Shepherd Daphnis, to play his Pan flute. Arthur Machen's The Great God Pan is often hailed as a classic of horror literature, revered for its ability to induce existential dread and psychological unease. But let's face it: it’s also a tale that might make you chuckle at its melodrama, archaic … Continue reading A Not-So-Pan-tastic Review: Arthur Machen’s The Great God Pan
The Razor’s Edge: A Fine Line Between Genius and the Mundane
Mundane is perhaps how I'd describe this post; it's been a strange and emotional day, with few cogs working. Somerset Maugham's The Razor's Edge is a peculiar novel, one that teeters precariously on the fine line between profound existential inquiry and the sort of navel-gazing typically reserved for teenage diary entries. At the heart of … Continue reading The Razor’s Edge: A Fine Line Between Genius and the Mundane
Wording 