This is great and fascinating, I just read your comment about meeting the wife of the author of Death and a Penguin, that’s wild !!! I think we have different reading tastes, as I’ve read nothing on your list 🤦🏻♀️ 😆 and you probably won’t like the three books I recommended to you ages ago when you asked everyone 🤦🏻♀️😁
Hi, thank you for being interested, ☺️ I think these were the ones ; 1) Beyond Black Hilary Mantel, 2) Lorelei’s Secret, Carolyn Parkhurst, 3) Free Country by George Mahood who is on substack.
Hey now - I'm open-minded, I'll read anything my dear, loyal readers recommend (within reason, haha 😉😂). For some reason, I don't remember Beyond Black, but I did add Lorelei's Secret to my TBR list and I bought Free Country and I shall definitely be reading that one at some point this year. So many books clamouring for my attention right now!
I was just going through my list of already read books in 2025 today, realised I've read only female authors and, upon reflection, that I usually only read books written by women, and then decided I need to start reading more men... Funny that we should have the same predicament only in reverse!
I can tell you another funny tale about Andrey Kurkov. When I first got to Kyiv, I was in the teachers' room using a computer, with a colleague next to me. I was telling her about how much I loved Death and the Penguin and then I said I wasn't a huge fan of the sequel, Penguin Lost, but luckily I didn't say anything too unflattering. Then I asked her if she knew the author.
'Know him? I'm married to him!'
I was stunned! Wow, married to Andrey Kurkov?
I've met him many times. We often did theatre rehearsals at his huge apartment. I saw him (and his wife) again last December in Bratislava for a book event, and then we had a night out afterwards - I'll send you a DM with photographic evidence 😉
I've actually never really talked about books with him, but more so with his wife. I gave him my book and am secretly hoping he'll promote it somewhere and somehow, but I think he's a busy man, far too busy to read my nonsense!
Yep because mostly only the popular books ever make it to the bookstores in the Philippines. If I want to read something that’s not popular, I have to order it overseas. I don’t order personally but my local indie bookstore orders it for me haha and she orders mostly from the UK along with the other book she sells.
Yes, we did. I haven't checked back with them yet because my book seller had speaking engagements in Singapore plus it's holy week here right now so all the businesses are closed.
Haven't read any of them but if they are here in my library, or should I say your's since 99.3% ofthe books here in SC are your's or your mother's cat and dog books, I start reading them.
Some of my favourites here Daniel. Lovely post. Thanks.
Thank you, Margaret :)
This is great and fascinating, I just read your comment about meeting the wife of the author of Death and a Penguin, that’s wild !!! I think we have different reading tastes, as I’ve read nothing on your list 🤦🏻♀️ 😆 and you probably won’t like the three books I recommended to you ages ago when you asked everyone 🤦🏻♀️😁
Out of curiosity, which books did you suggest to him?
Hi, thank you for being interested, ☺️ I think these were the ones ; 1) Beyond Black Hilary Mantel, 2) Lorelei’s Secret, Carolyn Parkhurst, 3) Free Country by George Mahood who is on substack.
Hey now - I'm open-minded, I'll read anything my dear, loyal readers recommend (within reason, haha 😉😂). For some reason, I don't remember Beyond Black, but I did add Lorelei's Secret to my TBR list and I bought Free Country and I shall definitely be reading that one at some point this year. So many books clamouring for my attention right now!
Heehee, I’m only kidding😁
I was just going through my list of already read books in 2025 today, realised I've read only female authors and, upon reflection, that I usually only read books written by women, and then decided I need to start reading more men... Funny that we should have the same predicament only in reverse!
That's a pretty cool realisation! Was it something you started intentionally, then it later just sort of happened, or was it a complete accident?
Completely accidental!
That is funny 😂 But hey, no need to read men, right? No pressure 😉 - don't force yourself, unless you're dying to read a book by a man!
I’ve heard about Death and The Penguin. And wow meeting and working the author’s wife and children? amazing. Did you ever meet the author himself?
I am reading If on a Winter’s night a traveler this year. When my copy arrives from the UK lol.
I can tell you another funny tale about Andrey Kurkov. When I first got to Kyiv, I was in the teachers' room using a computer, with a colleague next to me. I was telling her about how much I loved Death and the Penguin and then I said I wasn't a huge fan of the sequel, Penguin Lost, but luckily I didn't say anything too unflattering. Then I asked her if she knew the author.
'Know him? I'm married to him!'
I was stunned! Wow, married to Andrey Kurkov?
I've met him many times. We often did theatre rehearsals at his huge apartment. I saw him (and his wife) again last December in Bratislava for a book event, and then we had a night out afterwards - I'll send you a DM with photographic evidence 😉
Ah, this is how you got invited to the afterparties haha. Very cool! Do you talk about his books (or other books) with him?
I've actually never really talked about books with him, but more so with his wife. I gave him my book and am secretly hoping he'll promote it somewhere and somehow, but I think he's a busy man, far too busy to read my nonsense!
wow, that's is so cool!!! It's rare for somebody to meet a favorite author, at least in my opinion. hehe. But you did. So lucky!
I'll let Daniel reply, but: you have to order books from the UK? :o
Yep because mostly only the popular books ever make it to the bookstores in the Philippines. If I want to read something that’s not popular, I have to order it overseas. I don’t order personally but my local indie bookstore orders it for me haha and she orders mostly from the UK along with the other book she sells.
Perhaps you've talked about this in a previous post (I forget - sorry 😔) but how do you feel about ebooks? Has Ali and Nino arrived yet?
Yes, we did. I haven't checked back with them yet because my book seller had speaking engagements in Singapore plus it's holy week here right now so all the businesses are closed.
Ahh! I hope you get your books soon. :) How many did you order from them?
Only two this time. I order 2-3 books per batch. One is Ali and Nino that Daniel Mentioned and the other one is If on a winter’s night a traveller.
Oh phew! I was worried you had to order individual books yourself! Is your bookshop usually pretty good at ordering books in that you request?
Yes. The only time they failed was The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born by Ayi Kwei Armah. They said they couldn't find any copy.
Ooh that’s pretty cool that they’re so proactive getting books in!!
Haven't read any of them but if they are here in my library, or should I say your's since 99.3% ofthe books here in SC are your's or your mother's cat and dog books, I start reading them.