What Sophie Said

London is a busy place. It’s full of people, full of events, full of tourist attractions. Whether you’re a born and bred Londoner, or move to the capital for work, family, or a whole host of other reasons, there are so many people calling this place home. Since August, I’ve been one of them. I moved here for work, a week before starting my new job, and to say the few months since then have been a whirlwind would be an understatement. I can count on one hand the number of days I’ve had totally free, to do nothing at all. Don’t get me wrong, the things I’ve been doing have been my choice, and I’ve loved it, but sometimes I’m left wishing I had a bit more time to do nothing. What’s so silly about that thought is that it’s totally in my control. I don’t HAVE to book so many theatre trips, or arrange so many meals out, or catch up with three different people in a week. But there’s something about the pace of this city that makes you feel like if you don’t do things ...

The big book news this week is I’ve finally set up my Kindle! So tips and book recommendations are most welcome… But in the meantime, here’s the latest wonderfully random mixed instalment of The Reading List: The Russian Concubine, Kate Furnivall 1928. Lydia and her aristocratic mother, Valentina, have been exiled from Russia and taken refuge in China. In her new surroundings, Lydia resorts to theft and is saved from death by a communist, Chang An Lo. My auntie lent this book to me, and I could immediately see why she had loved it so much. The writing is absolutely beautiful, and the descriptions of love and loss are expertly handled. Within the beauty of the writing are some horrific scenes of clashes, kidnap, fighting and an unsettled Jungchow. This was a page-turner both for the plot, the context, and the beauty of the writing itself. Quiet, Susan Cain Non-fiction, now, and it’s a book that was lent to me by my dad. Exploring ‘the power of in...