Author Archives: andyq

Book Review: Armistead Maupin’s Mary Ann in Autumn

Posted on 14 January 2022 by andyq

Mary Ann in Autumn by Armistead Maupin My rating: 3 of 5 stars I loved the original Tales of the City series. As a much younger man, they made me imagine San Francisco, and what it might be like to … Continue reading →

Posted in Book, Books, Review | Leave a comment

Book review: Sally Rooney’s Beautiful World, Where Are You

Posted on 1 January 2022 by andyq

Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney My rating: 4 of 5 stars I watched ‘Normal People’ and loved it but hadn’t read any of Sally Rooney’s work until just recently. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I found … Continue reading →

Posted in Book, Book Review, Review | Leave a comment

2021 in lists: concerts & shows, theatre, books, movies, TV

Posted on 31 December 2021 by andyq

Movies (seen in the cinema) Bonjour Tristesse. Read some grumpy words about this here.  La Dolce Vita. Read some grumpy words about this here.  Possessor. A movie from David Cronenberg’s son, Brandon, I brought husband because it was described as … Continue reading →

Posted in Book, Books, Concert, Exhibition, Film, Review, Theatre/Show | Leave a comment

Book Review: Christos Tsiolkas’s Dead Europe

Posted on 1 December 2021 by andyq

Dead Europe by Christos Tsiolkas My rating: 2 of 5 stars I remember that I could barely read The Jesus Man, finding it pointlessly grungy and shocking. But I loved The Slap: the premise was clever, it was a page-turner, … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Books, Review | Leave a comment

Book Review: David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas

Posted on 27 November 2021 by andyq

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell My rating: 2 of 5 stars I’d heard buzz about Cloud Atlas, both the book and the movie, and I can see that some of my (goodreads) friends loved it, but I found it a … Continue reading →

Posted in Book, Review | Leave a comment

Book Review: Viet Thanh Nguyen’s The Committed

Posted on 29 August 2021 by andyq

The Committed by Viet Thanh Nguyen My rating: 4 of 5 stars I loved The Sympathizer. I found the story of the duality and duplicity of the half-French, half-Vietnamese counterspy original and irresistible, and it was one of my favourite … Continue reading →

Posted in Book, Books, Review | Leave a comment

Home Cooking: The Woks of Life’s Lo Bak Go

Posted on 16 August 2021 by andyq

Growing up in Vancouver, Canada, it was always a treat to go for dim sum. One of the first restaurants we went to was presided over by a family friend, Uncle Harvey (all family friends were Aunties and Uncles), who … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian, Home cooking | Leave a comment

Book Review: Rowena Lennox’s Dingo Bold – The life and death of K’gari dingoes

Posted on 23 July 2021 by andyq

Dingo Bold by Rowena Lennox My rating: 4 of 5 stars It is a tragic circumstance, I think, the dingoes of K’gari (formerly named Fraser Island). Dingoes are wild animals, in a country that is no longer wild. How do … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Book, Books, Review | Leave a comment

Sydney Food Diary: Momofuku Seiōbo

Posted on 3 June 2021 by andyq

I was always excited by David Chang’s Momofuku empire. I treated myself to a lunch long ago at an NYC location, and then was very excited to try the Sydney outpost in June 2012. I loved its rock and roll … Continue reading →

Posted in Food n' Grog, Sydney | Tagged | Leave a comment

Pieces (everyday life) (original song)

Posted on 15 February 2021 by andyq

That plan to record and put up some of my old songs was stalled. No special reason really. I do want to do more, but I also think I should space putting them up! It’s so hard to get people’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Leave a comment