Plum Pudding: Of Divers Ingredients, Discreetly Blended & Seasoned

A lively assortment of short sketches, this collection gathers the author’s most memorable pieces first published in newspapers and literary journals. Each vignette offers a witty, sharply observed portrait of the literary world—its quirks, its characters, and the everyday moments that reveal deeper truths about art and ambition. The tone swings effortlessly between gentle satire and heartfelt reverie, inviting listeners to linger over the turn of phrase as much as the story itself.

One of the most beloved essays introduces the notion of the “Perfect Reader,” a figure who slips into a ship’s cabin, pipe in hand, and loses himself entirely in a book. Through vivid, almost cinematic description, the piece explores how reading can be both a private pleasure and a silent dialogue with one’s own creative aspirations, highlighting the thin line between admiration and envy that writers often feel.

Together, these pieces form a charming literary promenade, perfect for anyone who enjoys a deft blend of humor, insight, and the occasional nostalgic glance at a bygone era of print culture.