David Hadley's Blog, page 12

Recommended Read: Seven Eves – Neal Stephenson

Seven Eves – Neal Stephenson Notes: So what would happen if the Moon exploded? This novel spends getting on to about 900 pages (867 in the hardback according to GoodReads) pondering just that. On the whole, it does it rather well, dividing into three main parts. First, the immediate aftermath of the Moon’s explosion ands

Putting Your Shirt on It

However, if she is reading, it is better to leave her undisturbed, especially if she is reading one of those books apparently about a muscular young man desperately in need of a shirt. Just why there are so many young men – apparently both historically and in the contemporary world – who seem to lacks

The Long Times

We will never forget these times. In the years long after we have gone to the far lands those that come after us, our children’s children and their children, will remember the long times. Already we are making the dances that will show these times, and the words for the songs of this time ares

No More Heroes

‘Hang on.’ ‘What now?’ ‘What about my backstory?’ ‘Your… what?’ ‘My backstory. How did I get here?’ ‘You came through that door. You ought to remember, it was only a paragraph ago.’ Tara, the protagonist sighed. ‘No not that. My character, how did I get to become the world’s greatest secret agent?’ ‘Do we haves

The Girl of My Dreams

I first saw Gillian in my dreams. I didn’t know her name then of course. She was just a figure I saw in the background of some occasional dreams. I had already half-forgotten her before I noticed her – if that makes sense. I slowly became aware of her in the background of my dreams.s

Any Kingdom

If I were the one telling this story, I would not begin here. There is too much that remains untold about her. For example, many call her Marily, but that was not her name, not then, not now. I was there. I was there at the real beginning of the story, and I am heres

The Power of Numbers

Think of a number…. No, not that one… how could you? We all know the sort of mind that thinks of a number like that… don’t we? Of course, it is all well and good thinking of that particular number when you are young, and… shall we say… a bit frisky. But when you gets

The Victorians and Black Pudding

Of course, back then everyone knew the name of Stirruppump ‘Nickname’ Paradiddle. Nickname, as he was always known in the media of the day was one of the Victorian era’s greatest adventurers and explorers. In an era known for its men – and scandalously, on occasions, women – willing to give it all up ands

More Savoury Matters

Marmosets in the wainscoting can be quite an awkward thing to have to deal with, but – fortunately – it is not often a problem that besets rural folk to the extent it seems to plague city dwellers. No, out here in the wild untamed lands far beyond any supermarket car park, where city dwellerss

National Lemon Meringue Pie Day

As you all probably know by now, today is National Hand a Lemon Meringue to a Structural Engineer Day. After the media blitz of the last few weeks when it seemed every other news story, or media advert contained either a lemon meringue, a structural engineer, or both in some hastily contrived situation, it iss