Book news, reviews and recommendations
I’d not come across Jamel Brinkley’s writing before I spotted Witness on NetGalley. It’s a collection of short stories all set in New York which, regular readers won’t be surprised to hear, was what attracted me to it. I’ve picked out my favourite pieces below, beginning with the opening coming-of-age story. In the image of […]
Witness by Jamel Brinkley: Ten New York stories Read More »
I’d somehow got it into my head that Khashayar J. Khabushani was a poet which was part of the attraction of his debut, I Will Greet the Sun Again, but it turns out that its title is a quote from a poem by Forugh Farrokhzad, one of Iran’s foremost female poets, whose work was banned
I Will Greet the Sun Again by Khashayar J. Khabushani: Finding your own way Read More »
September’s second batch of paperbacks begins with two of my books of 2022, the first of which I was reluctant to read despite it being by one of my favourite authors. Elizabeth Strout’s Lucy by the Sea is both the second outing in quick succession for Lucy Barton and a pandemic novel hence the wariness.
Paperbacks to Look Out For in September 2023: Part Two Read More »
Regular readers may have noticed that when reviewing books by Irish writers, I often mention they contribute to The Stinging Fly, a Dublin-based biannual magazine which publishes short fiction. From Wendy Erskine to Nicole Flattery, Kevin Barry to Louise Kennedy whose brilliant Trespasses was shortlisted for this year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction, their contributors are
Open Up by Thomas Morris: Tales of lost boys and seahorses Read More »
I’ve long had a penchant for Irish writing but either that’s becoming more pronounced or there are even more fine writers being published from that country. Whichever it is, that was what drew me to Noel O’Regan’s Though the Bodies Fall set on a stretch of Kerry headland which has been a suicide black spot
Though the Bodies Fall by Noel O’Regan: Mother’s little helper Read More »
September’s paperbacks are a bit of an improvement on August, a few too many for just one post although only enough for two short ones, the first of which has a little bit of an art theme for those who like that kind of thing. Originally published in 1986, Gayl Jones’ The Birdcatcher sees an
Paperbacks to Look Out For in September 2023: Part One Read More »
I’d read and enjoyed Paula Cocozza’s debut, How to Be Human, back in 2017 but it was the enthusiasm of Rebecca at Bookish Beck that persuaded me to read her second novel. It also has an appealing premise, a riff on the social media theme which has emerged in fiction over the past few years.
Speak to Me by Paula Cocozza: ‘There are three of us in this marriage’ Read More »
I knew there was a new Ann Patchett on the horizon but wasn’t entirely sure of its publication date so when a proof of Tom Lake turned up out of the blue I was thrilled to bits. I’m a big Patchett fan and although her lovely collection of essays, These Precious Days, had been a
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett: A celebration of life and love Read More »
Surprisingly few titles caught my eye in September’s schedules, but there are some gems to be found starting with a big shiny one: Zadie Smith’s first historical novel, The Fraud. Set in 1873, it follows Mrs Eliza Touchet, a woman of many interests and strong opinions who, along with the rest of the nation, is
Books to Look Out For in September 2023 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 – Romantic Comedy to Anatomy of a Soldier Read More »
This is the latest in a series of occasional posts featuring books I read years ago about which I was wildly enthusiastic at the time, wanting to press a copy into as many hands as I could. Stephen Sherrill’s debut was much talked about just after I started work as a reviews editor. I wasn’t
Blasts from the Past: The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break by Stephen Sherrill (2000) Read More »