Book two of the quartet of Neapolitan novels The Story of a New Name , ‘Youth’ follows directly on from the childhood of Lila and Elena, My Brilliant Friend and their friends and families. This book, for example, ends when Lila and Elena are aged 23. Elena is indeed brilliant has graduated with top grades and top honours from the University of Pisa and finds herself engaged, to be married in two years in 1969, to another brilliant student and...

I’m sad to inform you that Poetry Monthly has come to its natural end. There have been so many talented poets on board since its start in 2015 and we've had such pleasure in reading each other's beautiful outputs each month. I want to thank all of you for contributing ideas for briefs, for your inspirations and for consistently bringing so much to the table with the sort of quality peer feedback that writers would be hard pushed to pay for. ABC...

I bought this book about two years ago, started reading it and put it in a wicker basket at the side of the couch. It got covered by other books, but like yeast it worked its way to the surface and into my consciousness and left its thumb-print on me, which will fade, indeed, has faded, because I’m pretty dumb. By now, of course, Yuval Noah Harari has a follow-up book out, which I also intend to buy (and leave in a wicker basket by the side of...

Story and Poem for the month of March very kindly selected by accidentallyexisting: I've not much time for reading these days and tend to skim until I find something to catch my attention for more than a few seconds and two pieces did quite quickly. The story - which, caught me in the first line was a gritty, twisted tale. Both wry and sad at the same time, I wanted to keep reading long after it had ended on a rather dramatic cliffhanger. I do...

Taiko. It's Japanese for big drum. It's a recent thing, started post WW2. Lots of drums, different shapes, a troupe of drummers. Body posture and group coordination play a big part, holding your back straight, raising your arms in unison and letting gravity's force help you hit the skins with the sticks. Yamato are terrific, fabulous rhythm, powerful sound, great costumes, lots of flailing arms hitting the skins, a joy to watch and to listen to...

Apologies for the late arrival of this - and big congratulations to airyfairy for 'My Mother and I Agree On Something' and Stephen Thom for 'String' - both brilliant pieces in their own very different ways. Do read if you haven't already. https://www.abctales.com/story/airyfairy/my-mother-and-i-agree-something https://www.abctales.com/story/stephen-thom/string Here's the Inspiration Point: https://www.abctales.com/inspiration-point-ip .. and don...

I wrote this a few years ago and I thought it would be topical right now. I'm sure there's a flaw in my logic but I can't just....

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/unreported-world/on-demand/65524-002 Just when you thought you’d seen enough of writer, producer and documentary maker Louis Theroux his brother Marcel pops up in Russia in a programme about Putin’s Family Values. There are two narratives here, one which we in the West will no doubt be familiar with. Tatanya is the Russian matriarch who opens her heart and opens her home. She has adopted 48 children and is...

It’s funny the little things that can make your day special. Small and seemingly inconsequential to others but can be a major uplift to the recipient…The little finds that make you smile…the unexpected helping hand extended just when you need it…the simple thank you…the welcome from a neighbor…found money when you forgot you put it there… The world can seem harsh and functional and day to day grinding when you are in the middle of your working...

This week from Philip Sidney: Lots of great reads this week but the two pieces that captured my attention were: 1. A chapter from scriptwriterm, a lovely piece of armchair travel. https://www.abctales.com/story/scriptwriterm/between-lines-chapter-10 2. The poetry pick is a moving piece about a cat - and so much more. Well done YaseminB! https://www.abctales.com/story/yaseminb/yumak-and-arisha Spring has sprung! And that's this week's inspiration...