Louis Dunn was recently named the winner of our “Draw Orlando” competition. Not only was he kind enough to take the time to enter the competition, but he was also kind enough to allow us to ask him a few questions so we can all get to know Louis a little better! Tell us 4 … Continue reading Quick & Quirky Questions with Louis Dunn
I never knew my grandfather Joe. He’d been in the army since his teens as a member of the Royal Horse Artillery’s ‘L’ Battery. He was born in 1890 in a tiny house opposite the gasworks in London’s Pimlico (long before it was fashionable), and he was 24 when war broke out. He was a … Continue reading My Grandfather Joe
Dear Orlando, I came across your column recently and I must say I was quite taken with your style of advice. You’re no Marjorie Proops or Claire Rayner, rest their souls, but I like your direct approach and the fact that you dispense advice to animals rather than humans. It’s about bloody time! We’ve had … Continue reading A plan for world domination
I spent many wakeful hours throughout December 1980 trying to come to terms with the irrefutably crazy idea that I could just swan nonchalantly into this little town in Galloway, set up my brass plate and overnight create a respected and thriving veterinary surgery. Instead, I found that waiting for that blessed bell to ring … Continue reading High Street Vet – and his naughty boys
For those of you who enjoyed Lizzie’s second blog instalment last week, Women Without Men, this recently released book by Lucy Fisher might be of particular interest: Women in the War For those of you who watched or attended Remembrance services this Sunday just past, Lizzie’s third and final instalment of her war poetry and remembrance … Continue reading The World Will Soon Forget
This week we are delighted to have a vert special QQQ from Pat and Jean Owtram, the Codebreaking Sisters. Find out how to win a copy of their book at the end of their answers! Tell us 4 important facts about yourself: Jean & Pat: We were both born in Lancashire, and both signed the … Continue reading Quick & Quirky Questions with Jean and Pat
Much of the poetry I found was written by women; there is hardly any need to state the sadly obvious reason for this. They were still alive, and they were still willing to take up their pens to add some postscripts to their war poems. There is much of the grief of bereavement in their … Continue reading Women Without Men
Tell us 4 important facts about yourself: When I was growing up in Kirkcaldy, my grandfather and then my father owned a wholesale business selling ‘Toys & Fancy Goods’, always referred to simply as ‘the warehouse’. The first flat I bought with my wife in Leith was, as I only found out later, about 100 … Continue reading Quick & Quirky Questions with Ken Cockburn
This week, Ask Orlando received a reader’s reply to Hamish the dog’s letter to Orlando in October. Orlando has graciously allowed Pippin to speak to Hamish, dog to dog: Dear Hamish, I was moved by your plight and feel for you. Things are rather fairer in my household because Teasel, the very large tabby cat … Continue reading A message from Pippin to Hamish
Tell us 4 important facts about yourself: Edinburgh is by far the longest I have stayed in one place. Before arriving here when I was 22, I had moved 10 times. (Military upbringing.) I was one of the few people who did the joint degree in Librarianship at the University of Strathclyde. They … Continue reading Quick & Quirky Question with Lizzie MacGregor
One hundred years ago the world was in a state of recovery. The immense trauma of the First World War had been swiftly followed by a pandemic, as the Spanish flu tore through country after country. The last cases were recorded in 1920, so that for the duration of six years, death, destruction, uncertainty and … Continue reading The Empty World
Autumn Voices first heard of code-breaking sisters, Jean and Pat Owtram, through an episode of the Guilty Feminist podcast. We knew their book sounded very special and very entertaining and we couldn’t wait to include them in one of our monthly content themes. We’re thrilled to feature this book, published last year, and Mirror Books … Continue reading November: War & Remembrance
Tell us 4 important facts about yourself: Most of my working life was spent in education but there were exceptions. Five years were spent making miniature bone china (12th scale) Two years were spent living on a tiny island that only had one house. I’ve been vegetarian since 1971 and vegan for about the last … Continue reading Quick & Quirky Questions with Anne Dunford
Hello Orlando! I received this card today from someone and it cheered me up immensely when I was feeling down. It also reminded me of you! I always love receiving cards with cats on them, but I’m especially partial to ginger cats because I am a redhead. The cat on this card is not quite … Continue reading Orlando – this cheered me up
This week, we’re proud to celebrate American writer Mary V. Macauley. It is technically Black History Month in the UK (the USA and Canada celebrate it in February), but we’re thrilled to be making new friends and connections around the world, especially as Mary’s first book was published while she was living in England. Pushing … Continue reading Author Spotlight: Mary V. Macauley
