Tag Archives: book

Medicine as a mature student at the University of Cambridge (Rousse)

Posted on November 9, 2025 by Dreamaticus

Aged 25, and after several exam attempts, I was finally admitted to the University of Cambridge as a medical student. My mother and sister S came with me to Cambridge on my first day to help me settle in. They … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An Olympian book tour (Belle)

Posted on August 9, 2025 by Dreamaticus

I had published a book called “Yestermorrow“. My publisher had sent me on a book and dinner publicity tour around various Olympic Games athlete’s villages. I ate and stayed with gymnasts from eastern Europe and discus throwers from Australasia.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sir Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and the lyrics to ‘Yellow submarine’ (Rousse)

Posted on October 19, 2024 by Dreamaticus

Sir Paul McCartney and John Lennon agreed to make a personal appearance at a tiny independent book shop. As one of its regular customers, I was invited to meet the two former Beatles. McCartney entered the room first. He was … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An unreliable review of ‘An instance of the fingerpost’ (Rousse)

Posted on October 13, 2024 by Dreamaticus

The woman opposite us on the bus was playing a podcast out loud on her phone. Its host gave an enthusiastic review of An instance of the fingerpost by Iain Pears. ‘I hated that book’, I muttered to my sister … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Trick-cycling, pogo-ing, and the real purpose of a private education (Rousse)

Posted on September 12, 2024 by Dreamaticus

After watching a friend’s son trick-cycle his way down the yellow-painted banister of an Edinburgh tenement staircase, I took my pogo stick and bounced along the streets to my new girls’ school. So much for school fees: the teachers at … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Boxes and foxes (Rousse)

Posted on August 23, 2024 by Dreamaticus

KH handed me a small white box with a promise that he would explain the contents just as soon as he had checked the pan on the stove in the kitchen. When he failed to return, I popped the box … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rules for retired ladies (Rousse)

Posted on August 22, 2024 by Dreamaticus

I gathered my newly retired friends into a circle to check that they were following the rules: To have a Roka bag on their person at all times To hold membership of at least one book group To have joined … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Online conference revival (Rousse)

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Dreamaticus

Last held in 2013, we all believed that that was the end of the annual Online conference – until this week, when it was revived in London. LVZ was operating the complicated lifts, and my colleague BMR selling miscellaneous books … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sara the stranger (Rousse)

Posted on March 16, 2024 by Dreamaticus

The extra member of our book group was DM’s new mentee: a large woman called Sara. From now onwards, she would meet DM three hours before the start of our meetings, then join the rest of us for the dinner … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The nameless poet returns (Belle)

Posted on January 28, 2024 by Dreamaticus

I was back for my third date with the poet. We were soulmates and I was having a wonderful time. The only problem was I still didn’t know what his name was, and couldn’t remember it from the jacket of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment