Author Archives: Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

About Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

I'm the Librarian for the Kinrowan Estate. I do love fresh brewed teas, curling, English mysteries and will often be playing Scandinavian or Celtic  music here in the Library here in Kinrowan Hall if the Neverending Session is elsewhere. I'm a violinist too, so you'll me playing in various contradance band such as Chasing Fireflies and Mouse in the Cupboard as well as backing my wife Catherine up on yearly Christmas season tours in the Nordic countries.

What’s New for the 4th of August: Cape Verdean music, an Ian McDonald story, Wild Things, infantcide and Scottish ballads, live music by Karine Polwart and other matters

Posted on 11th August 2019 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

Coffee is a drink for grownups. No kid ever likes coffee. It’s psychoactive. Coffee is the drug of memory. ― Ian McDonald in ‘The Fifth Dragon’ story which you can read here. The beginning of August can mean either nicely warm weather at this … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 6th of August: Ray Bradbury mysteries, June Tabor’s jazz-folk trio, Béla Bartók, live music by Midnight Oil, Finnish jazz, libraries and Richard Thompson goes acoustic (again)

Posted on 4th August 2019 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

I decided to return to the library and see what I  could learn there. Besides, I like libraries. It  makes me feel comfortable and secure to have walls of words, beautiful and wise, all around  me. I always feel better when … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 7th of July: Two Batman graphic novels, Terri Windling on hedgehogs, fiction from Hannu Rajaniemi, fantastic Victoriana, 10,000 Maniacs live, Balinese gamelan, and some other things as well…

Posted on 7th July 2019 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

My grandmother didn’t teach me Appalachian ballads on our back porch and I had no banjo-strummin’ pappy to sing to me in the cradle. I didn’t attend tent revivals. I never saw or heard a chain gang, or worked in … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Commentary, Food and Drink, Music, Stories | Comments Off on What’s New for the 7th of July: Two Batman graphic novels, Terri Windling on hedgehogs, fiction from Hannu Rajaniemi, fantastic Victoriana, 10,000 Maniacs live, Balinese gamelan, and some other things as well…

What’s New for the 23rd of June: Canadian children’s literature, Spanish-born accordionist Victor Prieto live, mythologist John Campbell considered, Horslips perform ‘Drive The Cold Winter Away’, Trad Arranged, Robert Johnson and other matters…

Posted on 23rd June 2019 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

Toss the pot, toss the pot: let us be merry, And drink till our cheeks be as red as a cherry. We take no thought, we have no care, Still we spend and never spare ’til all of money our purse … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Music, Stories | Comments Off on What’s New for the 23rd of June: Canadian children’s literature, Spanish-born accordionist Victor Prieto live, mythologist John Campbell considered, Horslips perform ‘Drive The Cold Winter Away’, Trad Arranged, Robert Johnson and other matters…

What’s New for the 9th of June: Byrds live, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, Conan the Barbarian, Indonesian Pop, Elizabeth Bear reads us a story, a history of ice cream and other tasty matters…

Posted on 9th June 2019 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

Some stories are literally true; some of them are figuratively true; some of them are wrong. That’s the nature of stories, isn’t it? They show us all the highlights of the world, but they never leave us certain we can … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Commentary, Film, Food and Drink, Graphic Literature, Music, Stories | Comments Off on What’s New for the 9th of June: Byrds live, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, Conan the Barbarian, Indonesian Pop, Elizabeth Bear reads us a story, a history of ice cream and other tasty matters…

What’s New for the 7th of April: live Irish music from De Dannan, John Brunner does future shock, artisan chocolate, Big Band music, Valente tells a story, chamber folk-pop, a history of caviar, Ottoman culture and a bevy of other things!

Posted on 7th April 2019 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

I decided to return to the library and see what I  could learn there. Besides, I like libraries. It  makes me feel comfortable and secure to have walls of words, beautiful and wise, all around  me. I always feel better when … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Commentary, Food and Drink, Music, Stories | Comments Off on What’s New for the 7th of April: live Irish music from De Dannan, John Brunner does future shock, artisan chocolate, Big Band music, Valente tells a story, chamber folk-pop, a history of caviar, Ottoman culture and a bevy of other things!

What’s New for the 17th of February: chicha music, not so great chocolate, Toll House cookies, North Carolina music, Hungarian and Japanese folklore in fiction, music from the Taraf De Haïdouks and much more!

Posted on 17th February 2019 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

I overheard Cat and Robert debating in our Pub over who was the best stylist when writing fantasy currently. Cat choose Brokedown Palace as reviewed by Robert to bolster his contention that Steven Brust was the best, but Robert added a number of … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Comments Off on What’s New for the 17th of February: chicha music, not so great chocolate, Toll House cookies, North Carolina music, Hungarian and Japanese folklore in fiction, music from the Taraf De Haïdouks and much more!

A Kinrowan Estate story: Jenny Thistlethwaite (A Letter to Mauve)

Posted on 10th February 2019 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

Written by Robert ‘Red’ Macdonald, The Steward at Kinrowan between The Wars, to his friend Mauve, about a resident of Faerie who was visiting Kinrowan. The letter was copied by Robbie to his Journal, dated 17th of October 1923 Greetings … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 3rd of February: Denise’s favourite reading space, a science-fiction classic, the real Dracula, music from the Penguin Cafe Orchestra, more gamelan, Patrick’s breakfast and other matters

Posted on 3rd February 2019 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

In the bleak midwinter Frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, Snow on snow, In the bleak midwinter, Long ago. — Christina Rossetti Ahhh there you are. Have … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 22nd of April: Disposable fountain pens, Estonian pianist Kristjan Randalu, two chocolate goodies, Space Opera and other matters

Posted on 22nd April 2018 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

I sipped my own coffee, heavy on the sugar and cream, trying to make up for the late work the night before. Caffeine and sugar, the two basic food groups. — Laurell K. Hamilton’s Cerulean Sins Ahhh that heavenly aroma is coming from … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Film, Food and Drink, Music, Uncategorized | Comments Off on What’s New for the 22nd of April: Disposable fountain pens, Estonian pianist Kristjan Randalu, two chocolate goodies, Space Opera and other matters