Found in translation

So you've discovered Scandinavian crime fiction. Thank you, Stieg Larsson.
You've since read everything by Henning Mankell, Camilla Lackberg and Jo Nesbo, and now you're wanting to vary your diet of Nordic red herring. Time to seek out some new pastures. Fiction in translation has never been hotter - even if it's been around for ages. Don Quixote was published in 1605, The 1001 Nights (otherwise known as the Arabian Nights) was translated in 1706, and the Decameron in about 1350. Children have been in on it for years. There's Heidi (Swiss), Pippi Longstocking (Swedish), The Neverending Story (German), The Little Prince (French), oh, and anything about Asterix, Babar, Tintin and those funny little Moomins from Finland. These days you can't move for graphic novels out of Japan or Korea. Face it, your kids are more cosmopolitan than you are - even Geronimo Stilton's native cheese is mozzarella. So, here's a little list to impress your friends with your grasp of culture. There's a fabulous world of literature out there, if you just have a map.

Oh No It's Raining Again

Given the weather at the moment it seemed fitting to start things off with a Supertramp song especially since its been rattling around in my head for the past few days (don't you just hate that when it happens).

As a kid I loved the rain and would sit for hours watching it fall, thinking deep thoughts. Of course I was only about 6 at the time so those deep thoughts were probably about what was for tea that night and what seemed like hours were probably only a few minutes but at the time the rain was a comforting presence that held me in fascination.

Nowadays it has lost much of its appeal and like many I am beginning to wish it would just go away. One of the good things, though, is that you have a good excuse to curl up in bed with a good book and a hot cup of chocolate and wile away the hours in the world of imagination, so really the rain gives me a reason to read even more. There are also plenty of great movies and music that I can watch or listen to that help push those rainy day blues away.

So if you're looking for something to put you in that summery mood why not try some of the following.