Wonderful Books To Read

  The Nobel prize in literature has been awarded to Annie Ernaux “for the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangements and collective restraints of personal memory”. Ernaux, who writes novels about daily life in France as well as non-fiction and is one of her country’s most acclaimed authors, had been among the favourites to win the prize. The Nobel said that they had not yet been able to reach her on the phone, but expected to be able to speak to her soon. Ernaux is the first French writer to win the Nobel since Patrick Modiano in 2014. She becomes the 16th French writer to have won the Nobel to date. Source:  The Guardian

  You'd be forgiven for assuming that last week's climactic confrontation between Alicent and Rhaenyra was the last straw, the triggering point, the singular event from which there was no coming back, the moment that finally touched off the ruinous dragon-on-dragon war that's been so long in coming. After all, accusations were made! Knives (well, a dagger, anyway) came out! Blood was drawn! Both sides returned to their respective corners to nurse their wounds and their grudges until they festered and suppurated. Back on  Game of Thrones , a show about disparate, scattered clans battling for supremacy, that might be the case. But  House of the Dragon  is about a single clan. A family. And "family ,"  as everyone knows, means: "Guys can we  please   pretend that we can stand each other long enough to get through one lousy meal?" Ask anyone who's spent an interminable Thanksgiving dinner pretending not to hear the stream of racist invective burbling out