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Horse |
One of the best books I’ve ever read. You don’t need to be ‘horsey’ either. It is about a famous, American, mid-19th century racehorse called Lexington, and his black trainer. It is about racism and slavery, the American Civil War and the legacy of a painting of Lexington. There is also a contemporary aspect when a scientist studies Lexington’s bones to understand its speed, when current day racism in Washington DC rears its ugly head.
(Ros Cook - bwl 117 Summer 2025) |
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March |
If you read Little Women, this fills in what happened to the March girls' father while he was away fighting in the American Civil War. The storyline is a little far fetched in places but it's beautifully written. Its main strength lies in its vivid, accurate and shocking description of slavery - incredible to think it was only 150 years ago.
(Annie Noble - bwl 44 February 2008) |
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March - A Love Story in a Time of War |
Anyone who loved Louisa May Alcott's Little Women will be intrigued by this book. While the March girls and their mother valiantly kept the home fires burning, their father was caught up in the Civil War. This is his story. It paints a much darker picture of the times seen through the eyes of a man trying to conquer his own fears and desires and doesn't flinch from describing the cruelties inflicted by both sides.
(Jenny Baker - bwl 34 April 2006) |
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People of the Book |
Another great book from Geraldine Brooks. This one is about the Sarajevo Haggadah, a fourteenth century illustrated Sephardic Haggadah. This book exists and some of its history is known. This story fills in the gaps with the life stories of fictional people involved in saving the book from the ravages of real events across Europe through the centuries, including World War II, the Bosnian War and the Spanish Inquisition. It also features fascinating investigative book renovation.
(Ros Cook - bwl 117 Summer 2025) |
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Year of Wonders |
This novel is based on a true story. It is about a village that is stricken by the plague and so the inhabitants decide to cut themselves off from everyone and it is about the effect this has on them all. It is a well written book and one that I found hard to put down.
(Julia Garbett - bwl 16 December 2002) |
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Year of Wonders |
An excellent read, despite being set in an isolated English village during the Plague year,1666! Although it's peppered with apt literary, religious and historical facts and allusions, these do not distract from the flow and focus of the narrative. Brooks' experience as a war correspondent, and thus largely journalistic writing is perhaps evident in that there is no attempt at deep character development. A good story, well-researched and well-told compensates for this in my view.
(Margaret Teh - bwl 30 June 2005) |
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