bwl 69 - Summer 2013
Fiction
| Kate Atkinson - Life After Life
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| A 'groundhog day' novel in which the central character, Ursula, lives through many versions of her own life during the mid-twentieth century. Random chance and éjà-vu experiences can alter lives and history, but the book avoids the notion that we must learn from our mistakes in order to progress.
An intriguing and clever idea, developed with originality, makes for a satisfying read and my interest never flagged. (Sue Pratt)
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| Iain Banks - The Crow Road
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| Prentice McHoan lives the life of a normal young adult - arguing with his parents and thinking about sex, drugs and passing his exams. But his moderately dysfunctional family has a secret or two; when his grandmother asks him to look into the disappearance of his Uncle Rory he gets sucked into a tale of betrayal, death and writer's block which has repercussions for all those around him. Utterly compelling and darkly humorous. (Kate Ellis)
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| Malorie Blackman - Noble Conflict
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| The latest from our new Children's Laureate. This will definitely satisfy her many fans. A dystopian future, an attractive hero, two girls and a conflict between The Alliance and the Crusaders who live in the Badlands. But who are the good guys and who are the bad? A novel about the stories we are told by those who govern us. What is the truth? Not original but a page turner. (Ferelith Hordon)
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| Lewis Carroll - Through the Looking Glass
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"Still she haunts me, phantomwise
Alice moving under skies"
It's been many years since I first read this book but it never ceases to enchant. Alice's journey, as a pawn through a giant chess game, is populated by fantastical creatures and outlandish characters, from the hapless White Knight to a verbose Humpty Dumpty. Poems practically spill from the pages. And besides, who hasn't wanted to know what's beyond the mirror? (Kate Ellis)
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| Jenny Colgan - The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris
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| I tend to avoid those books with those rather "pretty" covers, but I couldn't resist this title. I was rather agreeably surprised, and Jenny Colgan will take her place as an acceptable alternative to Katie Fford when I want a light, undemanding romance with a bit more spirit than the average. There is Paris), and there is chocolate (with recipes). Holiday bliss. (Ferelith Hordon)
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| Jim Crace - Harvest
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| Crace back on track after the disappointing All that Follows? Here we are once again in an undated distant past, with a village threatened by the twin blows of the planned imposition of sheep farming and the arrival of strangers, unwisely punished by the villagers. What happens to the villagers when their timeless tradition with its hard-won equilibrium can't stand up against the double attack of change and revenge? Dark, brilliant and in Crace's gorgeous prose. (Annabel Bedini)
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| Zoë Ferraris - City of Veils
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| I would never have chosen this book but it was lent to me by a lawyer friend who lives near a privately owned bookshop. Lucky! Although a thriller in a way the subject is immaterial; it's much more about the attitudes and insights of three very different characters into the life and beliefs of people in Saudi Arabia. Fascinating! I learnt and understood a lot more than I had ever done, and was completely absorbed in the story. (Margaret Knott)
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| Gillian Flynn - Gone Girl
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| A disconcerting book as nothing is as it seems to be. It opens as a thriller but then becomes more a tale of a disintegrating marriage. The story has two narrators - the husband and wife - giving very different perspectives. It is very dark and its twists and turns endlessly surprise or shock. A powerful and well written story, not for the faint hearted, but neither protagonist won my affection - as probably intended. (Christine Miller)
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| John Galsworthy - The Forsyte Saga
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| The Nation was gripped in 1968 by the TV drama of this trilogy, but reading it revealed the social commentary Galsworthy had written, albeit from a very privileged viewpoint, about an era of considerable change from 1886 to 1920, from Horse Power to horsepower, including The Great War. I was amused by the use of the family surname to describe the whole mercantile class and then the pun was appreciated. (Chris Cozens)
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| Jane Gardam - God on the Rocks
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| In one of her earliest novels Jane Gardam brings together an eclectic group of characters in a northern seaside town between the wars. Narrated by eight year old Margaret, daughter of a fanatically religious bank manager and subservient mother, she struggles to understand the adult world with its human frailties as she encounters new people and experiences. In a comedy of manners lives are deftly, if at times, improbably woven together, culminating with a dramatic flourish. (Sue Pratt)
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| John Green - The Fault in our Stars
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| Heartbreaking and yet uplifting. I sobbed and I laughed out loud . Ultimately , a story of love and living made more acute as our lovers meet at a cancer support group. Wise beyond their 16 years - they struggle daily with the impact of cancer but their real struggle is not to be defined by their illness. Finding each other gives them a chance to live. Adored by the teen market but a poignant read for any adult. (Rebecca Howell)
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| Sarah Hall - How to Paint a Dead Man
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| There are four threads to this novel - two in Umbria in the 1960s where a famous artist (Morandi?) is reaching the end of his life and a young flower seller's increasing blindness leaves her very vulnerable. In contemporary Britain a sculptor who has corresponded with the artist faces middle age and his daughter grieves recklessly for the death of her twin. It also meditates on art and creativity which slows the story but not too much. (Christine Miller)
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| A M Homes - Music for Torching
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| Provocative and unsettling. Paul and Elaine are stuck, increasingly dissatisfied with each other and their comfortable suburban existence. A claustrophobic and desolate tale of disintegration - of their marriage, their home and states of mind. Brutal, depraved, darkly comic and almost ridiculous in parts, their desperation builds. I felt a sense of foreboding throughout and almost relief when the end comes. (Rebecca Howell)
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| N M Kelby - White Truffles in Winter
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| I was immediately attracted by the title; delicious. And so it should be since this is a novel built round the life of Escoffier. I found it initially disappointing, though the lush descriptions of the food, dishes and menus are wonderful. Escoffier is both larger than life character, while remaining shadowy. By the end I was immersed - though still a little unsatisfied. Very nearly very good; interesting. (Ferelith Hordon)
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| Thomas Keneally - The Daughters of Mars
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| This unusual perspective on WW I describes no battles only their aftermath: endless processions of the injured in desperate need of care. We share the experiences of two Australian sisters, volunteer nurses, alienated by a guilty secret. Their hospital ship off Gallipoli is torpedoed and they are sent to work in field hospitals first on Lemnos, then on the Western Front. Harrowing and moving yes, but there is humour, friendship, love and humanity too. (Jenny Baker)
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| John le Carré - A Delicate Truth
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| Classic le Carré - the good and the not so good. The engaging plot centres on a top-secret mission to Gibraltar recounted in typical racy style. But half-way through, something goes wrong with the mission, and consequently the plot. Without spoiling the story, the premise that drives the second half is somewhat weak and surprisingly, he pulls his political punches. As usual, the ending comes quickly, perhaps too quickly but it is suitably enigmatic and bleak. (Jeremy Miller)
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| Ian McEwan - The Innocent
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| I bought this tale of surveillance and love for a trip to Berlin. Leonard Marnham, the innocent, is a minor pawn in the games between West and East but discovers freedom and love in the divided city. It is very atmospheric of the period, both in place and people, but in the central twist I had to skip pages - too squeamish. The ending allows for a happier conclusion of the story. (Christine Miller)
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| George Orwell - Animal Farm & Nineteen Eighty-Four
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| Having watched a school production of Animal Farm recently, I have re-read both of Orwell's classics. The revolt by the animals against an alcoholic bullying farmer is popular and initially successful but their democracy is soon replaced by an even worse form of dictatorship. "All animals are equal" becomes "Some animals are more equal than others". In Nineteen Eighty-Four, in a country controlled by "Big Brother" who watches everybody constantly, Winston Smith manages to elude this surveillance - including having a secret affair with Julia; they are betrayed and pay a terrible price for their illusory freedom. Both books are still powerfully valid.
(James Baker)
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| William Sutcliffe - The Wall
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| This is by any standards a beautifully written and important novel. Anyone wanting to gain an insight into the tragedy of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict should read this book. It is seen through the eyes of a young Israeli boy who through an adventure has his eyes opened to the world beyond the real wall. A high price is paid for that insight. (David Graham)
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| Josephine Tey - Daughter of Time
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| Confined to bed with a broken leg and exceedingly bored, policeman Alan Grant applies his forensic talents to solving the mystery of the princes in the Tower, and proving his increasing conviction that Richard III was innocent of their murder. Meticulously researched and written in a deceptively simple conversational style, I found the wealth of detail at times difficult to follow, but it could appeal to fans of the detective story or keen historians. An enjoyable, topical read. (Sue Pratt)
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| Anthony Trollope - Phineas Finn
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| Story of an Irish MP which paints a convincing and sophisticated picture of Parliamentary politics in the mid 19th century and weaves into it the MP's romantic adventures. If that sounds unexciting, Trollope is a great storyteller who makes you keep turning the pages. Never heavy and a good free download standby for the kindle when the weather drives you indoors. (Tony Pratt)
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| Tan Twan Eng - The Garden of Evening Mists
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| Yun Ling has survived a Japanese internment camp and wants to create a garden in memory of her sister who died. She searches out the former gardener of the Emperor, now living in the Malay highlands, and becomes his apprentice. In startlingly lovely prose, we follow their developing relationship - gardening becomes memory and forgetting, pain and forgiveness - against the violent backdrop of civil war. Unnecessary denouements at the end? Perhaps, but haunting, beautiful, absorbing. (Annabel Bedini)
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Non-Fiction
| Chris Ayres - War Reporting for Cowards: Between Iraq and a Hard Place
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| The rush to 'embed' reporters in military units for the Iraq invasion had some strange results. Reporters were drafted in from all over to suddenly become 'war correspondents' whether they liked it or not! Chris Ayres was one of the latter who found himself caught on the tide of war fever and deposited by sheer chance at a key moment in the opening exchanges just before being 'dis-embedded' and sent home, much to his relief! (Clive Yelf)
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| Denys Blakeway - The Last Dance: 1936 - The year our lives changed
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| Few people then - or perhaps even now - realised just what a watershed 1936 would be. In a closely-written analysis, month by month, sometimes almost day to day, the author shows how the old era became sharply divided from the new. Building around a collection of remarkable personalities, through diaries and memoirs of every social class, a compelling and vivid picture emerges of a turning point in British history in which nothing would ever be the same again.
(Kathie Somerwil Ayrton)
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| William Dalrymple - The Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan
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| Dalrymple's account of the ignominious military and political failure that was the British invasion of Afghanistan in 1839 is, at over 550 pages, history under the microscope. He draws, however, on new sources from other protagonists - the Russians, Persians and not least the Afghans themselves. The result is a welcome alternative to earlier colonial self-justifications. And the parallels with what is happening in Afghanistan today are terrifyingly clear. Do we never learn from history? (Jeremy Miller)
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| Richard Davenport-Hines - An English Affair: Sex, Class and Power in the Age of Profumo
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| A highly entertaining analysis of the Profumo Scandal and what it said about 60's Britain. No heroes although Steven Ward and David Astor emerge as principal victims, with Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice Davies runners up. Principal villains: the establishment, press, police and Lord Denning. Profumo's career started impressively and finished badly and he was rampant all the way through. If only we'd known all this at the time! (Tony Pratt)
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| Olivia Fane - The Conversations: 66 reasons to start talking
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| A book to dip in and out of: essays ranging through all aspects of life from parenthood, depression, ghosts and mirrors, to cooking and parties or running out into a summer storm naked. It will amuse, infuriate, have you nod in agreement or shake your head in disbelief. It may not start you talking but it certainly starts you thinking about what is sublime to what is ridiculous. Decidedly not a self-help book but a little gem. (Jenny Baker)
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| N M Gwynne - Gwynne's Grammar: The Ultimate Introduction to Grammar and the Writing of Good English
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| Want to understand grammar? Look no further than this humble little book with its Definitions, explanations and illustrations of the parts of speech and of the other most important technical terms of grammar. Incorporating as it does Strunk's Guide to Style explaining how to write well and the main pitfalls to avoid. (Jenny Baker)
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| Georgina Howell - Daughter of the Desert: The Remarkable Life of Gertrude Bell
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| 'Remarkable' indeed: born in 1868, overcoming class and gender she became mountaineer, dauntless desert traveller, political adviser (her diplomatic skills created independent Iraq almost single handed). It beggars belief how much Bell packed into her life, phenomenally capable but also sane and even amused in the most hair-raising physical and professional situations. Thanks to Howell's generous use of Bell's diaries and letters, we live her experiences and emotions first hand, breath held. A truly amazing story. (Annabel Bedini)
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| Kathleen Jamie - Findings
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| Jamie is a poet, which shows in her meticulous use of words in these essays about her native Scotland. She calls herself a listener and I'd add, an observer, paying concentrated attention to the minutiae of the natural world, from peregrines maybe nesting near her home to bones on a Hebridean beach. Never overtly philosophical she nevertheless manages with a luminous light touch to open our eyes to meanings we would otherwise have missed. A lovely book! (Annabel Bedini)
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| Hans-Michael Koetzie - Photo Icons: The Story Behind the Pictures 1827-1991
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| The Taschen label specialises in books on photographs and this chronological study of 36 of the most iconic and historic of images is nothing if not informative! Each image is examined in its historic context, the photographer's methods and motives are discussed, other images from the same session are compared and contrasted and all in all the reader is left with a much clearer understanding of the historic importance of each of the selected photographs. (Clive Yelf)
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| Eric Lax - Woody Allen: A Biography
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| Written before Woody's split with Mia Farrow this autobiography is able to concentrate more on his influences, early years and cinematic themes than would probably be possible were it written now. As such it is both interesting and insightful for anyone curious about his unique abilities as writer, producer, director and actor in his relationship to cinema in general. Especially so if you received a box set of his DVDs as a welcome present! (Clive Yelf)
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| Adam Nicolson - When God Spoke English: The Making of the King James Bible
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| A fine piece of history, ecclesiology and literature rolled into one relating how the James VI Bible came to be written, under the auspices of the King himself, by a motley crew of un-named scholars and clergymen from Cambridge, Oxford and London. This creation of monumental significance written in the time of Shakespeare, Jonson and Bacon survives virtually unaltered to the present day. Harold Nicolson and Vita Sackville-West's grandson tells its story brilliantly. (Kathie Somerwil Ayrton)
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| John Ortved - The Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History
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| This is pretty much a book for the real Simpsons fan and is pretty much an oral history of the show from its genesis up to when it was published. In essence it consists of a series of interviews with key figures in the show's history and it's main thesis is that the Simpsons was far more of a collective success story than is often credited. If you are a fan it's a fascinating read... (Clive Yelf)
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| James Reston Jnr. - Warriors of God: Richard the Lionheart, Saladin and the Third Crusade
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| It is almost inevitable that Richard emerges as the more fascinating of these two rivals. Anyone leaving their kingdom under the protection of their aged mother whilst setting out on a holy war with an ex-lover, bitter rival and fellow king is bound to be complex. Richard was a born warrior beset by self-doubt and full of bluster in the face of adversity and the one adversary Saladin was pleased to see the back of. (Clive Yelf)
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| Anne Sebba - That Woman: Life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor
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| So many studies of Wallis Simpson have demonised her. This serious biography aims to humanise her by revealing what it was in her background and make-up which drove her behaviour. Set within her own social, historical and geographical context it looks at what kind of woman she was and then at the toxic crisis of her own making which ultimately she wanted to but was powerless to stop. Too late, she was trapped. (Kathie Somerwil Ayrton)
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| Amanda Vaill - Everybody was so Young: Gerald and Sara Murphy, A Lost Generation Love Story
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| Brilliant in its genre, this exhaustively researched, objective but sympathetic biography of Gerald and Sara Murphy - handsome, talented and wealthy centre of the literary and artistic scene in Paris in the 1920's - portrays both the couple and the painters and writers surrounding them, and their founding of what became the French Riviera. It explains the misconceptions clinging to them and reveals, in this portrait of a marriage and an era, the glitter and the tragedy of both. (Kathie Somerwil Ayrton)
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| Thank you David Truman for reviewing Alan Rusbridger's Play It Again (bwl 68). I thought it was brilliant - so inspirational. I've given it to one of my piano pupils to read and have bought three more copies for piano playing friends. (Denise Lewis)
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