bwl 82 - Autumn 2016
Fiction
| Mary Borden - Action for Slander
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| This author is certainly out of fashion yet here is a surprisingly fascinating and riveting read. Murder there is but of a reputation, not a person which in this case is much the same thing. With its unflagging pace, the reader is enthralled by the twists and turns, red herrings and deviations until the last, astringently moralistic remarks of the presiding judge. Seeming a light read but based on a forceful social and moral commentary on human behaviour. (Kathie Somerwil Ayrton)
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| Charles Dickens - David Copperfield
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| This is my first Dickens novel and very enjoyable it was too. A real 'what happened next?' page turner with an unfeasibly decent hero (despite a constant ability to fall head over heels in love), some very dodgy villains and a host of amusing and noble supporting characters. Not forgetting the rush of convenient deaths and handily remarkable conveniences preceding a happy end. You'll find it's impossible to avoid reading choice extracts out loud though. (Clive Yelf)
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| Alexandre Dumas - The Count of Monte Cristo
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| Having watched Gerald Depardieu's version and re-watched the one with Alan Badel, I needed to go back to the original, especially as their endings differed. It's an astonishing conglomeration of characters and events, told in a racy style, sweeping you on from one twist to the next as the Count wreaks his revenge on those who had wronged him. What a summer read it was, one which would be equally good sitting by that proverbial log-fire. (Jenny Baker)
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| Natash Farrant - Lydia: The wild girl of Pride and Prejudice
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| How do you follow the ultimate classic? By not trying to be that author. Farrant is clever enough not to do this and this novel aimed at a teenage audience (but as enjoyable for adults, I feel) is a rollicking success. Lydia steps off the page; a modern miss? No think Becky Sharp. One to recommend - and then try the original. (Ferelith Hordon)
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| Philippa Gregory - Three Sisters: Three Queens
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| Finished this enthralling book wanting to read it again! It is about Katherine of Aragon, Margaret and Mary Tudor who became Queens of England, Scotland and France. Very little is known about Margaret Tudor and her life story was captivating. United by family loyalties and affections, they find they are set against each other. They all experience betrayal, loss and passion, the only constant in their lives is a special bond more powerful than even Henry VIII. (Shirley Williams)
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| Philippa Gregory - The Taming of the Queen
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| Kateryn Parr - a devout, intelligent scholar, unwillingly married to Henry VIII - walked a tightrope and survived. Being a first-person, fictionalised account much is open to interpretation, occasionally salacious, by the author, although Gregory's reputation is of solid research. The Tudor Court, the fear and intrigue surrounding Henry are well described and fascinating. It's an easy read and sparked my interest to read more about her, but may not suit those who enjoy their history in a "purer" form. (Sue Pratt)
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| Paula Hawkins - The Girl on the Train
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| Rachel, a self-obsessed fantasist, sees from the train the perfect couple - Jess and Jason, really Megan and Scott - who live up the road from where she lived, where her ex still lives with new wife and baby. When Rachel gets drunk she does irrational things, which she only half remembers. She's sure she did get off the train but did she see what happened when one of them goes missing? Sounds great but Rachel was so implausible, I didn't care. (Jenny Baker)
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| Nick Hornby - Funny Girl
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| Nick Hornby misses nothing in recreating the attitudes and atmosphere of the 1960s with uncanny accuracy. Barbara Parker realises that becoming Miss Blackpool is never going to fulfil her yearning to make people laugh so instantly escapes to London. There she becomes "Sophia Straw", the star of a spectacularly successful domestic sitcom produced within a television scene in which innovation is struggling to overcome old-fashioned convention and respectability which eventually it does. The swinging sixties have arrived! (Jane Grey-Edwards)
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| Anthony Horowitz - Trigger Mortis
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| Like many other fans of Fleming's Bond books and films, I hesitated to enthuse about yet another adventure, this time written by Anthony Horowitz . . . I needn't have worried. It is vintage Bond containing some actual Fleming writing. It may be a "Boys' book" but it's very much a page-turner, chilling and pretty frightening at times. Can't wait for the next one! There's no need to outline the plot . . . just read it! (James Baker)
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| Molly Keane - Good Behaviour
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| I am not sure whether I liked this - it felt very close to the bone. But I do have to recommend it. The prose is needle sharp as are the observations, while the unreliable narrator in the form of Aroon is a character one can admire, hate, empathise with and feel sympathy for. A rich cast - a past era - or is it? (Ferelith Hordon)
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| Donna Leon - The Waters of Eternal Youth
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| The 25th novel featuring Commissario Brunetti is a satisfying mix of lovely Venetian background, contemporary Venetian life - with its new waves of African migrants, problems of historical preservation and housing - his aristocratic in-laws and the turning around of a cold case involving the haunting story of a woman trapped in a perpetual childhood. A nice addition for Brunetti addicts - one of the very good ones - which at the end is quite touching, rare for Leon. (Kathie Somerwil Ayrton)
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| David Lodge - Author, Author
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| The much admired Henry James, worried by low book sales, ventured into the world of theatre; this book describes the shattering fiasco of his first play. The literary and social milieu of late 19th century London is the backdrop to the in-depth analysis of the tensions inherent in a writer's life: artistic values v. commercial success, friendship v. rivalry; the price of fame and of obscurity. This difficult author comes to life in the fictional elements of this absorbing biographical novel. (Kathie Somerwil Ayrton)
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| Shahriar Mandanipour - Censoring an Iranian Love Story
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| Under the guise of writing a love story in present day Iran, the author produces a metafictional satire on the immense difficulties confronted by artists living under repressive regimes. Referencing western and Arabian literature, he highlights how a culture condemns artistic masterpieces as great evils. There's humour, history, magic realism and of course a sad ending, because it is really a story about the love the author feels for his country, in which he finds it impossible to live. Highly recommended. (Denise Lewis)
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| Glenda Millard - the stars at oktober bend
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| An extraordinary voice; Alice Nightingale is not able to speak properly - but her head is full of words and poems. She writes these out leaving them pinned round the township for anyone to find. One of those is Manny James from Sierra Leone, a refugee. Both suffer for who they are. Another painful YA novel? Yes in parts but ultimately uplifting. Do read it. (Ferelith Hordon)
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| Audrey Reiman - Alice Davenport
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| A good bedtime read - a mix of romance, hardship and history - set in NW England in the 1890s onwards. A family loses the mother and as the father is an army doctor, the eldest daughter, with some help from a spinster aunt, has to take over. Reiman describes her life and how hard it was for women. When Papa goes off to the Boer War, Alice must sacrifice her own dreams - but when he returns everything changes for her . . . (Shirley Williams)
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| Amy Sackville - Orkney
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| An ageing literature professor takes his unfathomable young bride (and former student) to the islands of her birth on their honeymoon. In their isolation, he tries to unravel who she is and how she is part of this bleak and mythical land and seascape. Vividly painted in a palette of blues and greys, the islands play almost as important a role as the characters, and ultimately remain as much of a mystery. (Kate Ellis)
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| George Saunders - The 10th December
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| The best book of short stories I have read. Brilliant writing, often sad but very funny too, showing an exaggerated near-future of US everyday life. Mostly desperate individuals try to support their families and relate to others in a ruthless and surreal world, but show how strong and selfless they can be. I'm baffled by some negative Amazon reviews - takes all sorts! (but it is maybe not for all). First story is difficult to get into, but persevere . . . (Victoria Grey-Edwards)
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| Rose Tremain - The Gustav Sonata
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| To have the right kind of life, Mutti tells Gustav, "be like Switzerland . . . hold yourself together . . . be courageous, stay separate and strong". But what is the right kind of life and did his parents follow this maxim? What happened to his father, why is Mutti so bitter and cold, what is the difference between friendship and love? Or between neutrality and commitment? Read it to find out! Another star from Tremain. (Jenny Baker)
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| Anthony Trollope - The Way we Live Now
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| A great financier rises above a dodgy background, his enormous wealth getting him the patronage of politicians, City fathers and the aristocracy. All cluster round his wealth but there is a catch. His empire is sustained by - to put it politely - sleight of hand and, if confidence weakens . . . reputation, ruin and love are all at issue. There is more to it than this in a devastating portrait of a society in thrall to money. Sound at all familiar? A very good read. (Tony Pratt)
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| Yevgeny Zamyatin - We
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| In a regimented future society, where everything from sex to your free time is controlled, a man is subverted from the path of orthodoxy by an unconventional woman. If it sounds like 1984, then it's no surprise - Orwell was inspired by this book which was written over 20 years earlier. Whilst glass skyscrapers and mathematical efficiency replace the dinginess and Newspeak drudgery, you can almost imagine these two parallel universes playing out side by side. (Kate Ellis)
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Non-Fiction
| Anthony Clapton - Paths of Glory: The French Army 1914-18
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| Having a military establishment rocked by scandals and low in public esteem with a philosophy based on the irresistible force of a massed bayonet charge, it's no wonder the French soldier suffered badly in the early days of the Great War. Through the early battles, inefficient support, the carnage of Verdun and eventual mutiny, this fascinating work examines the heroic struggles, eventual victory and long-term consequences to an army almost bled-dry in its greatest struggle. (Clive Yelf)
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| Lauren Elkin - Flâneuse: Women Walk the City in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Venice and London
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| A flâneur (male) is one who aimlessly wanders while observing city life but Elkin wants us to recognise that women have done the same, including herself. Those discussed include writers such as Virginia Woolf, the war correspondent Martha Gellhorn and others for whom walking alone, exploring a city, was a necessary freedom and inspiration. The cities chosen by Elkin are those in which she has lived, explored and sometimes felt displaced. A very interesting read. (Christine Miller)
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| edited by Simon Garfield - A Notable Woman: The Romantic Journals of Jean Lucey Pratt
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| 712 pages (!) but worth dipping into at least. Jean (1909-1986) was shy, clever, endlessly self-questioning, yearning to be married, to be a writer, and to find lasting happiness. In the end she was content and had many triumphs along the way: publishing a biography, running a bookshop; many friends and lovers. The war years are the most fascinating - as merely a backdrop to her daily life we see how it really was for many people. (Victoria Grey-Edwards)
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| Adam Hochschild - To End all Wars: A Story of Protest and Patriotism in the First World War
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| This story of protest and patriotism, of conscientious objectors and their ilk and what happened to them is not only an unusual focus, but Hochschild uses this as a tool to describe and analyse the war from its ecstatic beginnings to its tragic and callous end and aftermath. Indeed, he comes nearer than most specialists to explain why it ever happened, and this in an objective, fair yet compassionate manner. A tour de force. (Kathie Somerwil Ayrton)
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| Tamara Hovey - Mind of her Own: A Life of George Sand
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| Avoiding exaggerated colour and unnecessary scholarly details, the American author has produced a solid yet evocative biography of this prolific writer and front runner in the Romantic revolution storming across 19th C. Europe. Advocating freedom in living and loving with herself as an example, she was also politically aware and, although an aristocrat, devoted to workers' and women's rights. The times she lived in surrounded by genius in literature and art are portrayed in satisfying detail with remarkable economy. (Kathie Somerwil Ayrton)
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| David Lodge - The Year of Henry James: The story of a novel
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| Has any other writer - after publishing what he thinks is an original slant on a famous author - discovered that two other books are being published on the same subject? It happened to Lodge in 2004. This bombshell inspired him to trace the history of 'Author, Author' from conception to publication, pondering the mystery and anguish of this coincidence or call it 'Zeigeist'. His new book completes and strengthens the former in a remarkable way, exponentially augmenting his artistry. (Kathie Somerwil Ayrton)
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| Don MacGregor - Blue Sky God: The evolution of science and Christianity
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| MacGregor, scientist turned Anglican priest, combines his two callings to explore what contemporary science - energy fields, quantum physics etc. - can say about religion. Fascinating theories on how consciousness can modify matter (so healing, miracles and the Jesus figure) logically lead on to analyses of how misunderstandings of original texts have lead orthodox Christian theology astray, with suggestions for some mind-opening re-thinking. An extremely thought-provoking exploration of what Christianity might really be about. (Annabel Bedini)
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| Nadezhda Mandelstam - Hope against Hope
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| Her husband was the poet Osip Mandelstam who fell foul of the infamous Stalin with a critical poem which spelt doom for him. This is a classic memoir of heroic proportions. The regime tried to stamp out culture and memory. Her surviving testimony is proof of its abject failure to do so. Read it as a warning from history. (David Graham)
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| Alexander Masters - A Life Discarded: 148 Diaries Found in a Skip
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| 148 diaries are found in a skip. Masters sets out to understand the life of the unknown diarist, picking up identity clues as he goes, but giving the life as it was experienced priority over detective work. The result is a steady, if at times possibly stage-managed, stream of surprise discoveries - the greatest one at the end. The moving story of an utterly individual existence written from the inside. Vital to avoid spoilers before reading. (Tony Pratt)
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| Tom Michell - The Penguin Lessons
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| Returning from Uruguay to troubled post-Peronist Argentina where he teaches in an English school, Michell rescues an oil-soaked penguin and finds himself adopting it. This true story tells how the penguin weaves itself into everyday school life - rugby team mascot, confidante of unhappy people, swimming coach, party-goer. Funny, touching and - sorry! - heart-warming, interspersed with traveller's tales and scary local politics, this is above all a celebration of animal-human inter-connection. A truly lovely book! (Annabel Bedini)
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| Joe Morton - Shrinking Violets: A Field Guide to Shyness
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| A fascinating, engaging and thorough investigation of shyness by a talented cultural historian. An impressive range of sources (history, literature, music, personal experience) present not only a 'shyness through the ages' with many amusing anecdotes, but a discussion of how we interact and the causes, attitudes and possible cures for being 'shy'. He concludes, happily, that shyness is part of being human; not alienating, but . . . 'a common thread that links me to them'. (Victoria Grey-Edwards)
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| Philippe Sands - East West Street:On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity
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| This is a brilliant many faceted book. It takes us on a quest for the origins of international law and reads like a thrilling if sombre detective story. Don't let that deter readers. They are in for a treat. (David Graham)
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| Brian Sykes - The Seven Daughters of Eve
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| Written and published about 10 years ago, Professor Sykes an Oxford geneticist outlines his theory about our origins based on decades working in his labs and on archaeological sites all over the world. He takes us from the 5,000 year old iceman discovered in N. Italy to the colonisation of Polynesia and by examining mitochondrial DNA creates a genetic map of W. Europe which shows we are all descendants from one of seven women. Fascinating, challenging but compelling. (Margaret Teh)
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| Mark Vernon - The Idler Guide to Ancient Philosophy
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| Everything you needed to know about classical Greek philosophy and philosophers in one handy, readable and easily digestible package. Ideal for those who like to shout the answers at bemused University Challenge students or to question the odd know-it-all at dinner parties, it also comes with its own one-minute guide to the different schools of philosophy should you need to sort your Stoics from your Cynics. All in all a concise, amusing and intriguing primer. (Clive Yelf)
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| Feedback |
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| I also read 'Mothering Sunday' and would second Jenny's review (bwl 80) - as she says, beautifully written. Scenes like the one where she wandered briefly in possession of the empty house were superbly done and stay in the mind . . . (Tony Pratt)
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| I've been completely immersed in the Neapolitan Quartet (bwl 76 and 79) for the last two months so I don't have anything to add at the moment! In some ways I'll be pleased when it's over. (Annie Noble) |
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