Book news, reviews and recommendations
The second instalment of April’s paperbacks begins with a favourite from 2022. Set in a small New England town, Sarah Manguso’s Very Cold People sees a woman explore her childhood, brought up by two people desperately ill equipped for the job. Affection is rare, and when it happens isn’t repeated no matter how much Ruth […]
Paperbacks to Look Out For in April 2023: Part Two Read More »
A proof of Charmaine Craig’s new novel turned up shortly after I’d mentioned it in my March preview, neatly solving the ‘what to read next’ problem. Craig’s book is a novella, and a brief one at that, which had me assuming that I’d be facing the same dilemma shortly, but it took me quite some
My Nemesis by Charmaine Craig: ‘An insult to womankind’ Read More »
Given that I live with an historian whose PhD we both suffered through, it was inevitable that I would read Icelandic writer Sigrún Pálsdóttir’s History. A Mess. That and it’s published by the excellent Peirene Press who have recently moved to my hometown. Pálsdóttir’s novella follows an unnamed narrator convinced that she’s discovered the identity
I’ve read all but one of the first instalment of April paperback goodies, several of which turned up on my books of 2022 list beginning with acclaimed short story writer Louise Kennedy’s first novel, Trespasses, which sees a Catholic teacher falling in love with an older man, a prominent barrister, married and a Protestant. Michael’s
Paperbacks to Look Out For in April 2023: Part One Read More »
I wasn’t at all sure about reading Fiona McFarlane’s The Sun Walks Down – it’s an historical novel weighing in at just over 400 pages, two things which usually put me off but I’d enjoyed both The Night Guest and The High Places very much so decided to take the plunge. Set in September 1883,
The Sun Walks Down by Fiona McFarlane: Third time not so lucky Read More »
Having read Jo Bloom’s Permission which explores very similar territory not so long ago, I was in two minds about reading Sophie Berrebi’s The Sharing Economy which sees woman pushing the boundaries of her open marriage but there was mention of art and Amsterdam in the blurb then another blogger spurred me on. Set in
The Sharing Economy by Sophie Berrebi: ’Unlimited access to the cookie jar’ Read More »
April’s second instalment begins with a novel no doubt eagerly anticipated by Curtis Sittenfeld’s many fans despite a mixed reception for her last one. I loved American Wife but passed on Rodham after it disappointed so many whose opinions I trust. Romantic Comedy sounds more of a sure bet with its story of a TV
Books to Look Out For Out for in April 2023: Part Two Read More »
That subtitle isn’t a quote from Sebastian Barry’s new novel – as some of you may have spotted, it’s the opening line from Ford Maddox Ford’s The Good Soldier – but it’s the phrase that came into my head many times while reading it. Set in mid-1990s Ireland, Old God’s Time follows a recently retired
Old God’s Time by Sebastian Barry: ‘This is the saddest story I have ever heard’ Read More »
I would have been keen to read Nicole Flattery’s first novel anyway, having enjoyed her excellent short story collection, Show Them a Good Time, but its premise is intriguing. In 1967, two young high school students helped transcribe tapes of conversations and monologues made by Andy Warhol’s coterie on which he based A Novel. Flattery’s
Nothing Special by Nicole Flattery: ‘I could become someone of my own invention’ Read More »
This first instalment of April goodies includes several I’ve already read, one of which had me remembering my old bookselling days. I’m starting with the new one from an author whose novels I would’ve been happily recommending to all and sundry had they been published back then. I’d enjoyed both Harmless Like You and Starling
Books to Look Out For in April 2023: Part One Read More »
Six Degrees of Separation is a meme hosted by Kate over at Books Are My Favourite and Best. It works like this: each month a book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six others to form a chain. A book doesn’t need to be connected to all the titles on the list,
Six Degrees of Separation – Passages to Life a User’s Manual Read More »