Weatherland by Alexandra Harris is a sweeping panorama and magic carpet ride through the history of England using a quirky weathervane to measure the changing culture – the weather.
Author Alexandra Harrisβ debut book won The Guardianβs Book of the Year. Itβs no surprise either because this is a far-reaching, expansive book written in an engaging, poetic and erudite way.
Ancient Word of the Day: Lacuna βlacunaβ- in a manuscript denotes a ‘little lake’ or #hiatus, blank, a missing portion (OED n.1) This word is borrowed from Latin in the 17th Century. Have you ever taken a #pause from your #life or #career? what was this like? A break always gives a clear perspective in my opinion! #language #words #history
Egan is author of the sprawling coming-of-age novel A Visit from the Goon Squad which won the Pulitzer Prize. She has written another epic genre-bending novel this time set during WW2 in New York City, it’s immersive, sparkling and exhilarating. Rating:Β πππ Genre:Β Fiction, Adventure, Thriller, Historical Fiction Publisher:Β Corsair Review in one word:Β Nostalgic * Contains no spoilersContinue reading “Book Review: Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan”
The Lonely City by Olivia Laing is a mixture of reportage, biography and creative non-fiction. Weaving together strands of history, philosophy and art, Laing explores one of the last taboos of humanity which is loneliness. This is an alarming and at times uncomfortable book to read if you have been or are now lonely. Yet loneliness is common to all of us at some point in our lives. It’s what we seek at all costs to avoid and hide under the rug.
A deeply harrowing, terrifying, funny, beautiful and relatable tale of a young woman coming to terms with her past and the ghosts that she carries inside.
Robin Wall Kimmerer is a Botanist and an indigenous woman of the Potawatomi Nation in Braiding Sweetgrass she weaves together the two strands of indigenous wisdom and scientific understanding to create a wonderous union of the two forms of knowledge.
Rating: ππππ Genre: Non-Fiction, Feminism, Sociology, Philosophy, Sexuality. Publisher: Picador Review in one word: Provocative This is a fascinating, provocative and stirring book. It enrages and stimulates in equal measure and will make you think differently about the world if you are a woman or if you are a man then you will come to understand the disturbing waysContinue reading “Book Review: Something out of Place, Women and Disgust by Eimear McBride”
Rating: πππππ Genre: Fiction, Coming of Age Novel, Historical Novel. Publisher: Faber & Faber Review in one word: Halcyon (and On and On) *Contains no spoilers This is both an unsentimental and deeply emotional novel, a book about past, present and future friendship set over the course of 30 years. It’s beautifully written, witty, funny and like a sweeping,Continue reading “Book Review: Mayflies by Andrew O’Hagan”
The surreal tale of a 100 year old man named Allan Karlsson who on his 100th birthday abandons his drooling and dottery compadres in a retirement home and skips town for an intriguing and unexpected adventure. Rating: πππππ Genre: Fiction, Adventure, Black Comedy, Thriller, Action. Publisher: Picador Review in one word: Playful Loads has been written about this book.Continue reading “Book Review: The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of a Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson”
A dark, crepuscular and gripping Yorkshire thriller about family and loyalty that is timeless, lyrical and immensely satisfying. Rating: ππππ Genre: Fiction, Gothic Noir, Yorkshire Noir, Thriller Publisher: Algonquin Books Review in one word: Stygian This debut book by Fiona Mozley was short-listed to win the Booker Prize in 2017 and it is easy to see why. This bookContinue reading “Book Review: Elmet by Fiona Mozley”
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