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Who was Nicolas Nabokov? The Russian-born American composer had a huge impact on music and culture globally, but his name remains relatively unknown. He had friends and acquaintances in a variety of circles, whether his cousin the writer Vladimir, the poet Auden, or the choreographer Balanchine.

The post An A – Z guide to Nicolas Nabokov appeared first on OUPblog.

Here is a small selection of the preliminary studies I’ve been making for a project I’m working on (top secret at the moment).

I’ve been working in water colour a lot more for my paintings rather than just digital. I’m really enjoying the change to be honest.

I think both have their advantages and disadvantages of course- perhaps I’ll write an essay on it if I get bored.

When we last wrote about ABC3D, the highly imaginative pop-up alphabet book by Marion Bataille, the book was merely a hand-produced mockup.

The book is now shipping, and I’m holding one in my hands now. It’s a marvel of creativity and ingenuity. I want to get one for every designer on my Christmas list.

Now. This is my kind of book. Creepy. Odd. Super-well-written. And, in my opinion, overlooked.

Ivy was always drawn to the twins. Ab and Dolph were identical. Pharmacists. Taxidermists. Elderly.

It has always been Ivy and her mom. She went to the twins place afterschool, in the hours before her mother came home from work. She had a play area in the basement, but little did Ivy know that her cottage of oversized pharmacy props were not the only things existing in the basement.

Then on the fateful Easter that Ivy was 7, she made a discovery that would alter her perception forever. What she discovers in the twin's basement is horrific, yet appealing to Ivy.

What follows is a true gothic story. Without giving too much away, all I can say is that pages 177 and 180 are truly stupifying. In a rueful smile way. Am I making any sense?

I do know that there was a bit of a discussion about this title on adbooks. I steered clear since I knew I wanted to read this title. This is one of those books like Funny Little Monkey and 33 Snowfish that elicits extreme reaction. I think that Gantos has outdone himself. This is simply brilliant!

Every now and again, some nonfiction comes along that TOTALLY captures me. First it was Devil in the White City, then it was Maximum City, and now it's Sweet and Low, by Rich Cohen.

Like the jacket says, "Millionaires. Mobsters. Power. Corruption. Fraud. Scandal. Saccharin". (And an A-Z Read!)

I love when I learn stuff. Like Canarsie used to be a swamp where the mob dumped bodies. Like the sugar packet wasn't invented until the late 1940s. Like Saccharine isn't a carcinogen (What!)

This is a family tragedy of epic proportions. It's a study of that 3 generation theory. He who is hungry builds the business. Next in line holds the fort. Next in line watches it all float away. While that isn't exactly what happens here, the reader cannot help but feel badly for patriarch Ben, who though quite unlikeable, really built something from nothing. Imagine watching your son screw the whole thing up.

Post war NYC has always fascinated me, and though it sounds cliche, I will say it ... the city is a character in itself. After living here for a decade, I feel an uncomfortable kinship with NYC, and I delight in reading about it.

Cohen's style is incredibly readable. Though I slow down for nonfiction, I was compelled to have at it until it was finished (3 days of commuting). I loved it. My colleagues are probably sick of hearing about it, but Sweet and Low is one of those books that makes me say, "No really...listen to this! You won't believe this!"

Just read it!

I read about this challenge on SassyMonkey earlier today and I was intrigued. I thought, what the heck...I will give this a try.


Voila! Here is my list for 07. Let's see what I can get through!




A-Z Challenge


Amulet of Samarkind, by Straud

Born to Rock, by Korman

Caddie Woodlawn, by Brink

Devilish, by Johnson

End (The), by Snicket

Fairest, by Levine

Glass Castles (The), by Walls

Hole in My Life, by Gantos

I Capture the Castle, by Smith

Joy in the Morning, by Smith

Keturah and Lord Death, by Leavitt

Love Curse of the Rumbaughs, by Gantos

Mansfield Park, by Austen

No Flying in the House, by Brock

Our Eleanor, by Fleming

Places in Between (The), by Stewart

Queen Sophie Hartley, by Green

Reading Like A Writer, by Prose

Sweet and Low, by Cohen

Turn of the Screw, by James

Under the Persimmon Tree, by Staples

View from Castle Rock, by Munro

Weedflower, by Kadahota

Final EXits, by Largo

Yellow Raft in Blue Water, by Dorris

Zero at the Bone, by Walker


As you can see, it's quite the ecclectic mix of adult, classic, children's and graphic novels. I am interested in seeing what kind of priority I put on these books in the face of bright, shiny arcs coming across my desk!