- Winston’s story was that he was my dog. He gave the name to this blog many years ago. When the blog started. When I got him, he was a ball of fur, a chunky puppy with white fur, brown patches, huge feet, and full of life. He grew to be a huge dog. He had been found wandering the streets of Sheffield as a pup. He ended up with me and then with Amanda and me in Chesterfield. His favourite things were to sit in the window watching the world go by, or curl up at the small gap at the top of our stairs that he just fitted in. He was just happiest with Amanda and me at home. He sadly passed away in 2014. Until 2025, I used his actual picture as my avatar, but he is now remembered with the new logos you see on the blog and my social media, which were taken from a picture of him. He will always be remembered via this
So that is how winstonsdad dad started it, in honour of my dog. The initial idea was to read 52 books from around the world. But as time has passed, the journey around the world has never stopped, and here we are, I am hurtling towards 1500 books reviewed from more than 120 countries. In a way, the blog has served as an escape from my job which is as a support worker. I am a natural introvert shy and not the most organised person in the world . The blog has been a way to chat about books and meet fellow readers.- Outside books, I love world cinema, visiting new places, bookshops, record shops and music; I am a small stationary fan slowly drawn into books and pens as I try and build a way to get more out of my days slowly as I am a fan of slow living trying to make the most of our lives is essential to me savour the moments we all have just passed us by and most of all spend time with my wife. I hope to travel a little more later this year. I am happy to accept invitations if they fit in with work and events. I am trying to get translationthurs back up and going most weeks on Bluesky, Instagram and X the hashtag I started many years ago to highlight works in translation.
- AS for me, I am Stu, I work for the NHS in the learning disability service for the Intensive Support Team. We aim to keep people in their homes and stop them from ending up in the Hospital or losing their placements. It is a job with lots of variety as we have a team of speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and nurses working with the people we are trying to help. Outside work, I love world cinema, and I want to start to travel; I struggle to do this as an overthinker. I have read about so many places, but haven’t ever been that far. I am happily married to Amanda. I would say I am a fan of slow living. I love cooking, vinyl records and am trying to get back into photography. We live in a small village on the edge of Chesterfield. I am open to being interviewed about my books, the journey of Winston’s Dad, or anything.
- As for books, I tend to accept translated books, but will consider books outside of that if they appeal to me personally. My email is below. I tend to prefer real books; I never really got into reading e-books. I love the feel and turning of paper in my hands. My email address sometimes seem to appear in Junk boxes.
- I run this blog as a hobby I make no money from it this is prsonal blog
Contact me via winstonsdad@live.co.uk
Very cool blog you have, Winston’s Dad. I like you devotion to world lit. I will have to stop by more often.
Keep up the good work !
-m
thanks ,yours is good to had a look will be adding you to my reader ,stu
Like the look of your blog, loving the range of lit & a fellow care professional, with a book obsession, brilliant!!
thanks parrish ,nice to meet you ,all the best stu
Glad to stumble upon your blog and I have always been obsessed about reading World Lit and wonder how you manage to every single book from every country!
You got a great blog going here! 😀
many thanks Jov ,there is a lot on here alrea\dy think once get started reading and visiting sites like three percent etc you just find more and more to read
Bon Iver! Excellent choice. Do you ever use Pandora? I made a Bon Iver radio station (so they play Bon Iver and music that sounds like Bon Iver) and it’s fabulous. Thanks for visiting Regular Rumination! 🙂
not at moment ,but if I do I ll look for it ,sounds great ,all the best stu
Like the idea of your blog and your favourite music! You might like my music blog too.
http://allaboutgreatmusic.wordpress.com
Inspiringly nice blog – great books – I’ve jotted down some author names and titles to look for although I’m sure I’ll be back – You have some archives there I need to poke around in.
Hey – just came across your blog, by clicking thru on your comment elsewhere somehow, and am intrigued! Good stuff — adding to my reading list now!
Thanks for your comment ,love your blog to such vareity to it ,all the best stu
Great idea for a blog. Found you through your review of Asa Larsson’s book – I have just reviewed it here for the Sisters in Crime bloggers challenge. http://crimepieces.wordpress.com/
Hello and congratulations on your blog. I have contacted you by email to ask you whether you would be interested in being part of a judging panel for my upcoming digital publishing class.
Regards,
Wahyd
Hi there, Winston’s pa
have heard about this and you.
Today I published my book The Panic Ruminations, which is shot through with a broad East Anglian dialect – does that count as a World Book and would you review it for me?
All the best
Sophie
Impressive, really impressive. I’ll be back to read more…
HI there
I really enjoy your blog; as a trilingual reader, translations are the tipping point and can make or break a book.
I wonder if you’d be interested in my interview with Diego Marani from my blog Books Now! – I see you’ve reviewed Last of the Vostyachs – he has some fascinating insights into language.
http://www.dinaross.com.au/…/speaking-in-tongues-an-interview-with-diego-marani/
You might also be interested in my review of Liao Yiwu’s haunting prison memoir, For a Song and a Hundred Songs – my latest post.
Thanks!
Dina
http://shortdutchfictioninenglish.blogspot.ca/
Question–I came across your comment about Devil to Pay in the Backlands on the Guardian’s question about overlooked books. When you said it’s available on line, did you mean in Portuguese? If in English, how and where? Thanks, and thanks for all the great reading suggestions.
Snowing in Oregon, found your blog via Savidge reads…and Annabel….a great day for reading
Hi Winstonsdad,
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Marketing Manager
Siminars.com
just one quick question… i really envy your life now… what do you do for a living 😉
because i am also a book lover but caught up in work all time….
I support people with learning disabilities living in there own house I live near work so have time at home to read
awesome. may God Bless you…. Have a happy and peaceful life ahead.
Hi Winston’s Dad,
I’m pleased to nominate you for The Versatile Blogger Award. Check out the link below to read my post, and to find out what to do next!
http://wp.me/p3dYp6-11y
Congratulations,
Sandra
Hi Stu, I’ve nominated you for a Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Feel free to check it out here, but please don’t feel obliged to continue the process – it’s up to you.
http://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2014/07/06/very-inspiring-bloggers/
Hi Stu. I have recently come across an American publication called WLT (World Literature Today). Too expensive to subscribe outside the US but I signed up for their newsletter. There is an intriguing poll to chose a shortlist of the most influential international books (1989-2014). Some interesting titles, not all in translation, but I thought your blog might be a good vehicle to promote it so people can go vote. The URL is absurdly long http://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/blog/cast-your-vote-25-books-inspired-world-1989-2014?utm_source=Newsletter%2C+Events%2C+and+Special+Offer+Subscribers&utm_campaign=ae89630799-September_2014_Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1d4e297acb-ae89630799-414695241&mc_cid=ae89630799&mc_eid=f99e9055e4#.VBIp10hicy4
If you are not interested, feel free to ignore it. The long list is worth a look though.
Cheers!
Just found your blog will definitely follow all the time,you must miss ßo so much good pluck
Just found your blog will definitely follow all the time,you must miss Winston so much
Very much but he lives on through this blog
I wondered if you’d let me pick your brains? Could you tell me the best books you’ve read set in the Spanish Civil War written by Spaniards. Many thanks.
The carpenters pencil Manuel rivas springs to mind and uncertain glory by Joan Sales
Thank you so much. I’ve read Carpenter’s Pencil but not Uncertain Glory by Sales so I’ll get that and read it.
Hello, I came upon your blog while looking up reviews of books published by Twisted Spoon Press. Am looking forward to discovering more translated works of literature on your blog – there’s so much to be discovered, be it different perspectives, cultures, history.
Greetings,
I just nominated you for the Beautiful Blogger Award:
https://maphead.wordpress.com/2016/02/13/beautiful-blogger-award/
I was wondering if you have a few minutes to chat. I’m in the process of opening a small publishing house here in Russia and would like to ask you a few questions. You can contact me through my “about me” page on my blog.
Hi Stuart, just read the note on your blog. Since I have discovered it, it gives me a lot of pleasure reading all your reviews. The choice of books you chose is simply amazing. Take care, good rest and please come back soon. Branka
¡Good Project!
Thanks