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 30th of May: Simon R. Green and Elizabeth Bear, Naomi Kritzer’s and Everina Maxwell’s full-length debuts; faux-Italian SF and revived pulp fiction; Brian Wilson tribute and food and footie on film; fantasy jazz, lo-fi country, Väsen from the archves; lots of chocolate, and more;

Posted on 30th May 2021 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

Having access to knowledge didn’t always mean understanding things. I do not entirely understand people. ― CheshireCat the AI in Naomi Kritzer’s Catfishing on CatNet Just what the Internet needs: more cat pictures. Lots more. Or at least that’s what I’m getting from reading … Continue reading →

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A Kinrowan Estate story: Our very small art exhibition space

Posted on 24th March 2021 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

Well, it is. Very small, that is. And it’s been located here at the Estate for at least several centuries as the endowment that created it goes back that far. One piece of art, be it painting, sculpture or banzai … Continue reading →

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A Kinrowan Estate story: Breakfast, Korean style

Posted on 14th March 2021 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

Now that was tasty! I was grumbling yesterday morning to Mrs. Ware, our Head Cook here at the Estate that houses us, that porridge is often boring even if many here like it as Winter breakfast fare. She smiled and said … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 7th of February: Some trad music for your listening pleasure, Spiegelman’s Maus considered, lots of dark chocolate, two looks at Garner’s Owl Service and Other Creature Comforts

Posted on 7th February 2021 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

He wanted to run through the stacks, pick at the books, sample them one after the other, climb the stacks to their highest reaches and see what treasures were hidden there. ― Lavie Tidhar’s The Bookman Gus, our Estate Head … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 24th of January: Live music from Lúnasa in Australia, Taco Tapes’ Trad is Rad, Robert’s Visit to the Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History, Alastair Reynolds’ The Prefect audiobook, Tom Baker’s Birthday, Jennifer Stevenson’s Lasagna and Other Neat Stuff

Posted on 24th January 2021 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

Or is anyone’s identity a matter of fragments held together by convenient or useful narrative, that in ordinary circumstances never reveals itself as a fiction? Or is it really a fiction? ― Ann Leckie’s Ancillary Justice No, it’s not that cold but … Continue reading →

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A Kinrowan Estate story: Of Puppets and Their Masters (A Letter to Anna)

Posted on 17th January 2021 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

Dear Anna, I was lusting after a wee dram of Laphroig very late one night as I wasn’t sleeping well so I got dressed, left my sweet wife sleeping, and made my way to the Pub. As you know, it … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 10th of January: On Hobbits in print and on film, An unusual Inn, Jabberwock puppets, Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate, Classical Music and Other Winter Comforts

Posted on 10th January 2021 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on … Continue reading →

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A Kinrowan Estate story: A Very Early Snow

Posted on 6th December 2020 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

Snow, especially heavy snow falling without any wind, quiets everything. And we’ve had such going on for three days now. It certainly changes the rhythms of this Scottish Estate! Every Winter season, and sometimes late in Autumn as happened this … Continue reading →

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A Kinrowan Estate story: Fin Haddie

Posted on 14th October 2020 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

There are certain winter foods that I look forward to every year and which the Kinrowan kitchen serves just often enough that hardly anyone wearies of them. One such food is finnan haddie. It’s a traditional Scottish fish dish made … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 4th of October: Diverse Music including Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Warren Ellis Goes Graphic, Spider-Mans, Peanut Butter and Chocolate, A Cherryh’s Alliance-Union Universe novel and Other Pleasant Diversions

Posted on 4th October 2020 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

“I really didn’t mean to steal it.” Mr. Williams shook his head. He scratched at his chin nervously. “Why not? That’s what they’re there for. Tunes belong to everybody. So do stories.”  ― Robert Holdstock’s Lavondyss I’ve been out on a … Continue reading →

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