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An Accidental MP by Martin Bell |
In 1997 Martin Bell took on the infamous Neil Hamilton by standing as Independent for a seat in parliament. His autobiography tells the story of his fight to be elected as well as quite a lot of background about his years as a war reporter working for the BBC. Very humorous at times, it makes for a really interesting read.
(bwl 15 October 2002) |
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Earthly Joys by Philippa Gregory |
An historical novel following the fortunes of a family of gardeners in the C17th. John Tradescant is uniquely skilled in collecting new species of plants, and in creating wonderful gardens for the great houses and palaces of England. He and his family are caught up in the political upheavals of the time. This is a book I couldn't put down.
(bwl 7 February 2001) |
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Fasting Feasting by Anita Desai |
A close-knit, middle class Indian family with three children: Uma, the plain spinster who has failed to find a husband, Aruna, the pretty one who brings off a 'good' marriage' and Arun, the precious but nonetheless disappointing son who is at university in Massachusetts. Here he is surrounded by the bewildering self indulgence of American family life while, back home in India, Uma is stifled by her parents with their petty traditions and silent disapproval.
(bwl 8 April 2001) |
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Fortune's Rocks by Anita Shreve |
This is the first book I have read by this author and I can't wait to try more. A lovely novel about a young girl in her mid-teens, holidaying with her parents at fashionable Fortune's Rocks on the east coast of America. Set in the very end of the 19th century, this is the tale of her passionate and destructive affair with a man much older than herself. I couldn't put it down.
(bwl 15 October 2002) |
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Geisha - The Secret History of a Vanishing World by Lesley Downer |
If you enjoyed Memoirs of a Geisha (bwl 10) then this book is a must. Lesley Downer travelled to Kyoto and spent many months exploring the vanishing world of the Japanese Geisha. She tells of her experiences in this book providing a fascinating insight into a very secret world.
(bwl 15 October 2002) |
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Hens Dancing by Rafaella Barker |
I would buy this book solely for the gorgeous cover, but it's also quite a fun book written in diary form. It follows Venetia over the course of a year, after her husband has left her and her three children for another woman. She is not exactly struggling and lives in a rather gorgeous house, but taken in the spirit in which it's written (pink shoes, tented bathrooms etc) it's a lovely light-hearted read.
(bwl 7 February 2001) |
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Letters Home by Fergal Keane |
Following the success of 'Letter to Daniel', the BBC's foreign correspondent Fergal Keane has put together a collection of short articles reflecting on events of the last century. From his own experience growing up in Ireland to massacres in Rwanda, the war in Sarajevo, and the farewell to Hong Kong, this book is well worth reading - not only interesting and informative but very moving.
(bwl 4 July 2000) |
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Nathaniel's Nutmeg by Giles Milton |
This tells the story of the spice trade in the 16th century and the desperate race between the Dutch and English to control the Spice Islands. It makes for a gripping tale - lots of grisly detail about the awful punishments that were doled out on board ship and the hardships the sailors had to endure, assuming they survived the journey. I'll never take a jar of nutmeg for granted again.
(bwl 15 October 2002) |
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On Rue Tatin by Susan Loomis |
Having bought a dilapidated old house in Louviers, Susan Loomis and her husband set about restoring it. This is the story of their experience, from her days as a student cook in Paris to the moment the house is finished and she starts a cookery school. A cookery writer by profession, she fills her book with anecdotes and thoughts relating to food and each chapter includes delicious recipes. Anyone who loves cooking will love this.
(bwl 15 October 2002) |
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Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks |
Tony Hawks took on a mad bet thet he wouldn't be able to hitchhike around Ireland with a fridge within a calendar month. It's a completely silly adventure, but quite funny how the Irish people rise to the challenge and help him along the way. He meets some hilarious characters and it's a very amusing book.
(bwl 7 February 2001) |
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The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards |
This novel is absolutely mesmerizing. The story begins in 1964, when a doctor delivers his wife of twins. Realising that one of the babies has Down's Syndrome he immediately gives it away to a nurse, telling her to take it to an institution. He meanwhile tells his wife that the baby has died. As their lives unfold the consequences of this act are revealed. Definitely a book to keep you up into the small hours.
(bwl 44 February 2008) |
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The Railway Man by Eric Lomax |
Eric Lomax was captured by the Japanese in Singapore 1942. He was sent to work on the Burma-Siam railway where he and his fellow prisoners lived in the most appalling conditions. Horribly tortured by his captors, he spent the rest of the war there until finally released when the Japanese surrendered. Fifty years later, he flew to Thailand and met one of his tormentors.
(bwl 4 July 2000) |
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The Soldier's Return by Melvyn Bragg |
Sam, a corporal in the British army, returns from the war in Burma to his home town of Wigton. He hasn't seen his wife and son for five years. The book tells the story of his homecoming and subsequent struggle to settle back into his marriage and old life. This is a brilliant book, which brings alive what many must have experienced during the aftermath of the war.
(bwl 7 February 2001) |
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Tibet, My Story by Jetsun Pema |
Jetsun Pema is the sister of the present Dalai Lama. This is her autobiography. It is a fascinating tale of her life in Tibet from the time her brother was acknowledged as the fourteenth Dalai Lama and the whole family moved from their small village to Lhasa. Several years later they were forced to flee to India to escape the Chinese invasion. Here she plays a major part in the education of the refugee Tibetan children.
(bwl 4 July 2000) |
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Virgin Earth by Philippa Gregory |
The sequel to Earthly Joys and every bit as good. The story continues with John Tradescent's son inheriting the family business and follows his travels across the sea to Virginia, where in his quest for new plants and trees he becomes involved with the Powhatan Indians. The book follows both the civil war in England and the fight between the settlers and the Powhatans.
(bwl 7 February 2001) |
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