Well, I a spoiled as a crime fiction reader. You may remember that, a year ago, I was complaining that George Pelecanos. had not published anything new in a while. Luckily, this year he published Owning Up, a collection of four novellas. That made me happy enough. I bought the book right away to have it on release, then I read it eagerly. I will blog about it again. But my luck did not stop there: I learned yesterday that he will release another novella, titled Buster: A Dog. About a dog named buster, of course, but it's also crime fiction. Knowing of Pelecanos' love of dogs and how they have been featured in his previous works, this story promises to be both original and touching. I am not much of a dog person, although there are a few dogs that I loved, however I pre-ordered the book.
Friday 26 April 2024
Another new Pelecanos
Apprendre à aimer lire?
Je viens de voir un article dans Urbania, que j'ai lu en diagonale. Le titre et la question qu'il pose est Est-ce qu'on peut apprendre à aimer lire? C'est une bonne question et je n'ai pas de réponse claire. Moi, dès que j'ai appris à lire, ou à peu près, j'ai appris à aimer lire, parce que j'ai trouvé des bouquins que j'aimais. Tout simplement. Et,même si je n'avais pas accès à la même quantité de titres, j'ai trouvé assez vite ce qui m'intéressait. J'en ferai peut-être une question existentielle. J'aurais cependant tendance à croire que c'est un peu inné. Mais ça vient aussi de l'environnement, pas tant que dans l'apprentissage: quand on vit dans une maison pleine de livres, on va finir par aimer la lecture.
Thursday 25 April 2024
Thirsty Thursdays
Des cadeaux et des oiseaux
Wednesday 24 April 2024
New Tractor
No, no, we did not buy a new tractor. We never bought an old one to begin with, except toy tractors. But you may remember that Wolfie has been obsessed with tractors, or used to be when he was a toddler. He is not nearly as much anymore, having found new interests and fascinations, but he still likes them. And we still do sometimes a bit of what we call tractor spotting. It's like a conditioned reflex for us: there is a tractor within sight, we notice it. So anyway, yesterday, during the back to school run, I noticed a tractor. A big one, dark green, kind of forest green, which I don't remember seeing before. And, well, that's it really: it struck me that I can still spot new tractors in the neighbourhood.
Le prochain Quais du Polar?
Tuesday 23 April 2024
Wolfism about Saint George's Day
Happy Saint George's Day everyone! I nearly forgot about it. Which is a pretty English thing to do. Nobody cares here about the country's patron saint. Even Wolfie does not care much, if at all, and Saint George's Day. He told me this morning, in a disdainful tone: "Daddy, what's special about Saint George's Day? Why do people celebrate it?" This is a new Wolfism and, while not the Englishest he said, it is pretty close. Because it seems that no true Englishman cares about Saint George's Day.
Tayto
Un faisan
Monday 22 April 2024
Fight Write
La carte d'un père
Indie Bookshop Week this year
Mafalda et Felipe siempre!
Sunday 21 April 2024
47 (Argh!)
Today is my birthday. I'm 47. Argh! I am kind of freaking out, because my fourties aregoing through far too quickly for my taste: I remember turning 40 like it was yesterday. And Wolfie was not even one yet, it was a hot, almost summery day and, well, it still felt somewhat young. Now I am only three years away from 50. That feels kind of unfair. Tempus Fugit, and all that. Now, today will feel different for another reason: Wolfie's friend has his birthday party today. It's not his birthday, but they are celebrating it today. So it means I am sort of sharing it with one my son's friends. It does not really matter: when you are a father, it is all about your child(ren) anyway. And since it is not one of the birthdays ending in 0, I am happy to celebrate a bit less this year. And I know my wife and kid have a few surprises up their sleeves today. In any case, the best birthday celebrations I had were often the smallest ones.
"J'ai 47 ans, mon vieux Corneille..."
Bon ben... J'ai 47 ans aujourd'hui. Je suis déjà un peu plus,à chaque année, comme le vieux Corneille. Et par conséquent je partage, ainsi qu'à chaque année, ses Stances à Marquise, chantées par Georges Brassens. Je ne peux emmerder personne en attendant. Ce serait un brin hypocrite, à mon âge.
Saturday 20 April 2024
Signs you are a Werewolf
Passion Café d'Arvida
Friday 19 April 2024
Dining on The Orient Express
I watched with interest this new video from YouTube channel Tasting History. It talks of the food on the Orient Express. Not so much for the food (although it does look yummy) as for the history of the world's most iconic train, which I knew fairly little about. Anyway, I had to share it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Renoir en Irlande
Thursday 18 April 2024
Guinness and Patience
Sous-marin
Wednesday 17 April 2024
A New Amadeus
Well, some good news for the Mozart fan that I am: there will be a new version of Amadeus by Peter Shaffer. Not a new movie, but a new TV series. I found the info in an article on ClassicFM about the casting. I don't know anything apart from that, but I'm intrigued and excited. I hope I can find a platform to watch it, when it will be released. A part of me is anxious: I hope they don't mess it up. The film was already a brilliant transfer from stage to screen, turning the play into a TV series is probably going to be an at least equally challenging task. But if nothing else, there will be great music to go with the drama. And the source material is solid.
Rose anglaise
Tuesday 16 April 2024
Things I buy at Mountain Warehouse
My readers know that I love Mountain Warehouse, even though I'm not exactly into outdoor sports. But it's always useful. For clothes, for one, especially warm clothes, especially socks. I have been buying lots of clothes for Wolfie there: a coat, socks (well of course), a water bottle, and some odd things. More recently, just before our last holiday, it was... travel toothbrushes. I love buying travel toothbrushes before holidays, it feels like a inconspicuous little ritual before the big day.
Premier orage, première grêle
Cet après-midi, nous avons eu droit à notre premier orage: le tonnerre a grondé. Et en plus, il est tombé de la grêle. C'est une première cette année, un brin tôt. Mais bon. J'imagine que c'est ça, le mois d'avril. J'aime bien la grêle et les orages, tant que je suis confortablement à l'intérieur. Je l'attendais avec impatience: les nuages noirs l'annonçaient déjà.
Titanic Belfast
Le Harfang de l'Ulster
Monday 15 April 2024
The Belle of Belfast City
You might know this song as I'll Tell Me Ma and I know I shared it before. I first heard it in a pub in Liverpoolon Saint Paddy's and I fell in love with it. Of course, as it is often called The Belle of Belfast City, I listened to it prior to and during our holiday in Belfast. Wolfie now knows some of the lyrics and has been humming it for the last few days. Ironically enough, I haven't heard much if any Irish music during our time there. I'm sharing the version by Possibly Irish, an American group from Oregon, because I quite like it. And also because I'm possibly Irish myself, sort of. I want to blog into more details about it, but apparently, some of my ancestors were Ulster Scots, so it is very possible that among my great, grandmothers, there were a few belles of Belfast City. I'd like to think so, ayway.
Crabe et homard
Sunday 14 April 2024
Titanic in Lego
"Vivre dans ses valises"
Ma mère utilise souvent cette expression quand elle parle de voyages. C'est à dire toujours en déplacement. Mais je crois que l'expression peut fonctionner dans un autre contexte. Comme vous le savez depuis hier, nous sommes de retour de Belfast. Or, pendant quelques jours encore, je vais m'habiller avec les vêtements encore dans mes valises. Je vais aussi les défaire lentement pour redécouvrir nos souvenirs nord-irlandais. Et j'aime bien ce moment de retour de vacances, quand nous sommes à la maison, mais un peu en décalage mental, voire spirituel, quand l'endroit visité est encore en nous.
Saturday 13 April 2024
Back from Belfast City
If you were worried about my silence (well, you never know) I was on holiday. And I am back. My family and I went to Belfast. Like in the song, which I sang over and over again, enough for Wolfie to hum it. It was my wife's idea. So we were not officially in a different country, but truly, by any practical means, North Ireland truly is a different country than the one we live in. I have been to the Republic of Ireland before and, while North Ireland is sort of separated from it and far less Catholic, you can definitely feel the Celtic roots. I will blog more about my experience in the upcoming days, but we all enjoyed it and sometimes I felt almost at home there.
Riz aux crevettes
Tuesday 9 April 2024
September Cottage
Avril: le dilemne
Vous connaissez le proverbe: "En avril, ne te découvre pas d'un fil". Bon ben, c'est ça qui est ça. En fait, non, il a fait doux pendant quelques jours, maintenant c'est moins le cas, ça a changé en une journée. C'est le dilemne habituel: enlever des vêtements ou non, s'habiller plus léger ou pas? Je garde mon manteau d'hiver, rien que par prudence. Et le pire, c'est que je n'ai même pas envie de m'habiller plus légèrement. Et vous?
Monday 8 April 2024
Eclipse
I think this song is in order today... Oh and long live Pink Floyd. The greatest rock band ever.
La St-Ambroise et son décapsuleur
Sunday 7 April 2024
Assegai
For today's post, I come back to Deon Meyer's Heart of the Hunter and its Netflix's movie adaptation. A minor details that I found cool: in both the film and its source material, the main character (whose name changed in the adaptation) wields an assegai among his arsenal. I would even say that is his weapon of choice. And, well, I find it cool. I think iconic characters, whether they are heroes or villains, should have a signature weapon. James Bond has his Walther PPK, Tarzan his knife, King Arthur Excalibur, it makes sense that Zuko (Thobela in the novels) has his assegai. It gives the character a neat African twist. Anyway, assegai is the word of the day.
Le Salon du Livre du Saglac (2024)
Saturday 6 April 2024
Heart ofthe Hunter (#1)
Les "nouveautés" des Pères trappistes
Friday 5 April 2024
The Ducks' Mug
Une bière et un moulin
Thursday 4 April 2024
Not just a shoe box
A couple of months ago, we had to buy new shoes for Wolfie. We bought Clarks, as we uusally do. They came in a shoe box with this lovely message. I just adore it and I had to share. It is pretty much what a shoe box is for a child, often for a grownup too. It never is just a shoe box.
Un autre thé l'après-midi
Wednesday 3 April 2024
Five Children and It
a writer of children literature. That said, because I admired her scary stories so much, I decided to read more of her. Including Five Children and It, which sounds like a prequel to a Stephen King novel, but is not. I found it in the local bookshop and read it in 2020, in the middle of lockdown. recently, my wife found it among the bookshelves and has decided to read it to Wolfie, who really loves it. So this is now a faily book.
Avril: le mois sournois
Depuis hier, il pleut. Quelle surprise. Le premier avril était ensoleillé avec un peu de pluie ici et là, mais depuis hier, la température est froide, en tout cas fraîche, et assez morne. Rien de nouveau sous le soleil (ou son absence), me direz-vous: c'est ça le printemps, c'est ça avril. Mais les gens ici s'en plaignent. Ce n'est pas mon cas. En fait, ce que je n'aime pas d'un printemps, c'est quand il devient trop chaud, trop vite. J'aime voir se prolonger l'hiver en mars, jusqu'à ce que le mois d'avril ait l'air d'un quasi-automne. Je sais, je sais, je suis bizarre. Mais dans tous les cas, je me méfie d'avril, car il change de température fréquemment.
Tuesday 2 April 2024
'Mozart, You Drive Me Crazy!'
Here's some great musical news, at least for me: South African soprano Golda Schultz (maybe my favourite soprano) is releasing a new album, called Mozart, You Drive Me Crazy!. About Mozart's music from the three operas he composed in collaboration with librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte. Now, there are many like this, but Schultz just gets Mozart, she is one of the most Mozartian opera singers we have now. Plus, she loves the composer so much, she is as much a fan as she is a singer. And it shows when she sings it. This album is a labour of love and I intend to either buy it, or put it on my birthday presents list. But maybe I will not be able to wait until my birthday, even though it is soon. In any case, check this video about it:
"Le petit ours"
Monday 1 April 2024
Radio Times for Easter
Boisson d'avril (Groovy Aardvark)
Parce que c'est le premier avril, ben, je partage Boisson d'avril de Groovy Aardvark, comme je le fais presque chaque année.
Sunday 31 March 2024
Praise Judas!
Licorne de Pâques?
Mozart's Agnus Dei for Easter
Happy Easter everyone! I always add Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to my Easter and this year is no exception. I shared this very video before, but it is worth sharing it again.
Le gâteau de Pâques
Joyeuses Pâques tout le monde! C'est devenu une tradition ici, je ne sais pas trop pourquoi ("parce que vous êtes excessifs" dirait ma mère) de faire un gâteau pour l'occasion. En plus du reste, je veux dire. Mais je ne le fais pas seul: Wolfie gère les opérations. Il a aussi cassé les oeufs (enfin, un oeuf) et a fait pas mal de brassage. C'est un peu "son" gâteau. Alors il en est très fier.
Saturday 30 March 2024
Easter Lamb Cake Season?
Écureuil de Pâques
Friday 29 March 2024
Fish & Chips for Good Friday
Où sont les chocolats de Pâques?
Mozart for Good Friday
It is becoming a tradition for Good Friday (and also Easter) on this blog to put something of Mozart. His music makes most of my Easter playlist. I have shared the Kyrie from his Great Mass in C Minor time and again, but it fits this day so well, I have to do it again. Here it is sung by French soprano Julie Fuchs, who makes her débuts on Vraie Fiction (ha, ha!). She is also really cool as a person, check her on social media, she reallly is fun. Anywya, now onto more solemn matters, enjoy this great piece of music.
Question existentielle (387)
Cette question existentielle pascale est un peu le contraire de la question existentielle 44, posée en 2011. Alors la voici:
-Quelle est la figurine de Pâques en chocolat la plus incongrue et la moins pascale?
Thursday 28 March 2024
Preparing for Easter
We are Maundy Thursday, which for the religious among you (although I doubt many if any read this blog), means an important celebration in the time right before Easter. For the Godless heathen that I am, it is... well, it is the last working day before the Easter holidays and the moment when I start panicking before I haven't prepared enough for Easter. No, just kidding, I think we will be all right, albeit I do find that Easter comes a tad too early for my liking this year. Anyway, I will take it easy this evening after work and maybe even tomorrow, but I will also make time to get things ready with Wolfie. When you are a parent, Easter is all about the children.
Canard de Pâques
Wednesday 27 March 2024
Writing in the train?
I have been wanting to blog about this for a while. A few weeks ago, I read this article on the Guardian, from author Benjamin Dean: My unlikely cure for writer's block: I catch a train to Cambridge. I don't know Dean, never read any of his books, but he seems to be a nice guy. Writer's block or not, I never read in the train. I do however read more and a lot when I travel by train. Call it my cure for reader's block, which has somewhat increased in recent years, maybe because I don't commute or travel by train anymore. I do think also that my mind wanders more in a train, I mean even more than it usually does. So I can easily believe that train travels are more inductive to creativity. Maybe we should have a writing workshop in a train. That would be nice, if nothing else.
Encore Joe Bine
Goldfinger for Spy Wednesday
Today is Holy Wednesday, also called, more dramatically... Spy Wednesday. I prefer to call it the latter. It has nothing to do with real spies or spy fiction, however I take this opportunity to mention that a few days ago, last Saturday, was the 65th anniversary of the publication of Goldfinger. I learned about it on the official Facebook page of Ian Fleming. To celebrate its publication, they are selling a couple of cool fancy stuff, go check it out. I just thought the novel is a fitting read for Spy Wednesday. The film would make a great watch too, come to think of it, especially if you are not into Biblical things or fluffy bunny stuff. Butgive the novel a try.
Un autre lapin de Pâques
Tuesday 26 March 2024
Greek Mythology for Easter
Un gâteau de Pâques cette année?
Monday 25 March 2024
Easter (chocolate) Bunny
Joe Bine
Sunday 24 March 2024
Psalm Sunday
It is Palm Sunday today, which for the ex-Catholic turned Godless heathen that I am means diddly squat, except that Easter is coming. Like very soon: in a week. This year, Easter comes far too early, as it is always the case when it comes in March. I prefer in April, but I digress. The date on the religious calendar reminds me that I have to prepare for Easter, ans get on with it, as I have barely done anything. It will be a blitz this week. I say this, and it is easier to prepare for Easter than maybe any other holiday in the year. Anyway, what does Psalm Sunday mean to you? If it means anything.