inappropriate knitwear and a "grand" novel

Since I'm always knitting something and reading something, a linky photo of knitting and books? Be rude not to. Click the title to get through to the Yarn Along page.

This shawl is totally inappropriate for the climate I live in - but I guess I'll be back in Europe next winter. I LOVE the pattern (found on pea soup's lovely blog) but I hate the colour I picked. I've never worn burgandy red in my life as it always looks like a school uniform. Logical step? Combine it with grey... GREY. GREY? What was I thinking? Nevermind, I've got a bag of loveliness from my last trip to loop in London. Consider this one a practice run.

A Different Sky has a sticker on the front dubbing it a "grand novel of Singapore". Seems like a strange thing to call it, wouldn't a "great novel of Singapore" have been more appealing? It's very good, but it's the third novel I've read charting the same period in history, and perhaps it suffers by comparison. It's easier to read than The Singapore Grip (Farrell), but I think Tanamera (Barber) is still my favourite of the three.

The Boss and I are dipping in and out of her first Moomintroll novel at bedtimes. I think I'm getting more (nostalgia) out of it than she is though. The chapters are a bit long if you're only four and a half, but sheer bliss if your parents gave your copies away to the church sale of work when you were eight. (cue: violins)