Life continues apace in the world of 746 Books, sometimes bookish, sometimes not so bookish.

Another week has gone by in a blur of work and family life and I’m yet again wondering where this year has gone. The Halloween costumes have been bought (we are now living with Poe Dameron from Star Wars and a pink Power Ranger) and some early Christmas presents have even been bought – I know, I know!

So here some of the things I’ve been up to lately:

• This week we managed to watch a grown-ups film in our house and it was the fantastic, stylish and nightmarish High Rise. I’m a BIG Ballard fan so this was a no-brainer for me, but I also love the work of Ben Wheatley, who has directed Sightseers, Down Terrace and Kill List, all of which I have loved. This is a movie that looks amazing (and no, that doesn’t just refer to Tom Hiddleston) and is unlike anything I have seen in a long time, which can only be a good thing. Plus, it is the first film that made me think that maybe, just maybe Sienna Miller can act.

• Still on a sci-fi kick, we’ve also started watching Westworld, HBOs big budget, high profile version of the 1973 classic movie. I wasn’t won over by the pilot mainly due to the depiction of women (victims or whores) but subsequent episodes have opened out the story – of robots in a Wild West theme park who are becoming sentient – and I’m really starting to enjoy it. Featuring Anthony Hopkins, Thandie Newtown and Jeffrey Wright, it’s an oddly prescient look at artificial intelligence and our need for constant immersive entertainment.
• Tonight I am off to the Lyric Theatre in Belfast to see Three Sisters. Adapted from Chekov by the fantastic Lucy Caldwell, it’s sent in the 1990s and should give me some nice flashbacks to the days when I wore oversized men’s cardigans and DM shoes to go out dancing to the Wonderstuff and James ….I’m showing my age here!

• As Santa letters are currently being written in our house (my children are nothing if not organised) I’ve been scouring the Literary Gift Company for bookish gifts for friends and little treats for myself. Favourites are the Lady Macbeth Guest Soap, the Ulysses Tote Bag and the Emily Dickinson Cookie Cutter!

• The 746 books challenge has become a family affair this week as we have all started reading Swallows and Amazons at bedtime. Yes, I have to admit I have never read Swallows and Amazons despite having a copy for more years than I care to remember. We have all loved the movie from 1974 and so far the book is great fun – even if I am skimming some of the technical sailing sections. Expect a review up soon. I might even get the kids to review it with me!
• And finally, I need someone to talk me into/ talk me out of buying these Oxblood Chelsea books from ASOS. I have a little shoe crush on them. They are calling ‘buy me…buy me’. What do you all think?!

The 746