Book news, reviews and recommendations
There’s been a great deal of buzz about this book, stretching as far back as the beginning of the year I seem to remember. I always think about the author when that happens. Such a whipping up of anticipation must feel like a great deal of pressure, particularly when you’re a young writer and it’s […]
Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey: Leavened with some much needed humour Read More »
My Salinger Year is Joanna Rakoff’s account of her first job after completing her post-grad studies in London, a year spent working for J. D. Salinger’s literary agent. It’s 1996 and on her first day she wonders where her computer is only to be presented with an electric typewriter then put to work typing up
My Salinger Year by Joanna Rakoff: A book to cherish Read More »
I loved The Imperfectionists. Funny, poignant and thoroughly entertaining it was stuffed full of engaging characters caught up in their own lives seemingly oblivious to the fact that the newspaper for which they worked was being pulled inexorably down the tubes by the brave new world of the internet. Expectations were high, then, for Tom
The Rise and Fall of Great Powers by Tomm Rachman: Storytelling that pulls you in Read More »
Mr Penumbra’s 24-hour Bookstore was one of the most enjoyable books I read last year. Clichéd as it may sound it made me laugh, it made me cry and kept me thoroughly entertained while doing so. I’d been told there might be a spin-off but had forgotten all about it until a neat little hardback
I tend to buy new books in bookshops and backlist online, partly because it’s become more and more difficult to track down less popular titles that have been published for a little while on the High Street. One such, Dorian Lynskey’s history of protest songs – cleverly called 33 Revolutions per Minute – had been
33 Revolutions per Minute by Dorian Lynskey: The perils of buying online Read More »
I’m not sure how I managed to miss Heather O’Neill’s first novel – probably a case of so many books so little time – but The Girl who was Saturday Night snagged my attention when flipping through publishers’ catalogues choosing books for my Books to Look Out For in May post, or rather posts as
The Girl who was Saturday Night by Heather O’Neill: Celebrity fallout, Québécois style Read More »
If you’re from the UK, you’ll know exactly what I mean by a Marmite novel: you’ll either love it or hate it. Charles Lambert’s new novel is made up of 24 themed chapters, each of which has 10 paragraphs of 120 words and if you’re already stalking off towards the hate camp thinking ‘how tricksily
With a Zero at its Heart by Charles Lambert: A Marmite novel Read More »
Olivia Laing’s book opens with a vivid anecdote about two men, both visiting lecturers at the renowned University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop. One is a well-established author with many accolades under his belt, the other soon will be. Both of them are in deep trouble: they’re on their way to the liquor store – it’s
The Trip to Echo Spring by Olivia Laing: Why writers drink Read More »
I’m still not entirely sure what I think about Julie Sarkissian’s Dear Lucy but perhaps by the time I’ve written this I’ll be a little clearer. It has more puffs from authors I admire on its jacket than I’ve seen adorning a first novel for some time including Alison Moore, Jess Richards, Ron Rash, Sarah
Dear Lucy by Julie Sarkissian: Something of an acquired taste Read More »
Trawling the internet looking for somewhere to meet my aunt with the prospect of a lovely day in view, I lit upon Fulham Palace thanks to a piece in the Telegraph about quirky, less well known places to visit in London. We met on Monday which was as gorgeous as the Met. Office had promised
The Heroes’ Welcome by Louisa Young and a trip to Fulham Palace Gardens Read More »
It’s taken me a little while to get around to Ayelet Waldman’s novel, despite the fact that it comes garlanded with praise from the likes of Michael Ondaatje and Joyce Carol Oates – where does she find the time to read other people’s books given her own astonishingly prolific output. Once I’d picked it up
Love and Treasure by Ayelet Waldman: Does what it says on the cover, and more Read More »