Are we so short of good book options that finishable has become a measure of quality? I don’t think so. Don’t get me wrong, I like a quick read and am not afraid of chick lit. I support any kind of reading in principle and seeing my kids nose up against the side of the […]
Author Archives: Ms A
September
05
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
posted by Ms A
This book is going to be big. Selected for Oprah Winfrey’s Book Club, put on Barack Obama’s summer reading list, profiled in Time Magazine and The New Yorker, its scheduled September release was brought forward to August just to meet anticipated demand. Beyond the hype, The Underground Railroad has substance and if it isn’t on […]
August
15
The Course of Love by Alain de Botton
posted by Ms A
Relationship worries? The Course of Love has got you covered. Just one quick read of this breezy bestseller and you could save thousands on tissues, counselling and wine. This hot of the press beauty by Alain de Botton (think Essays in Love) is like an articulate friend and self-help book put together with the added benefit of […]
July
16
Barkskins by Annie Proulx
posted by Ms A
I pulled a muscle getting this book off the shelf and put my life on hold whilst reading it. Set over 300 years, tracking mankind’s relentless and ignorant assault on the world’s great forests, Barkskins is the Sistine Chapel of novels. Grand in scale, lofty in its ambitions; this is not a poolside read – […]
June
01
The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney
posted by Ms A
Siblings come with an innate sense of fairness. It starts with ice cream but extends to everything from who gets the most time with Grandma, help with homework, pocket money or lifts to school. Dammit in my household, I get in trouble for misallocating the length of my hugs. Now I’m no mathematician but surely sibling management […]
May
04
Fever At Dawn by Peter Gardos
posted by Ms A
I was not prepared for how much I would love this book. So quiet and unassuming, I shudder to think how easily I could have missed it. Peter Gardos (who is actually a Hungarian filmmaker) tells the true story of how his parents met and found love at the end of WWII. To be fair, […]
April
15
Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi
posted by Ms A
Helen Oyeyemi is a bit of a British literary indie sensation with awards left, right and centre and an ability to interview as beautifully as she writes. Just Google her and you will see what I mean. Suffice to say, I had to read one of her books to see what all the fuss was […]
March
28
The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood
posted by Ms A
Apologies in advance to all the Margaret Atwood fans out there and to the beautiful friend who gave me a copy of her latest book. This review isn’t pretty. After just finishing The Heart Goes Last (a massive personal achievement that cannot be understated) I am getting off the Atwood express and calling for a worldwide derailment. […]
March
03
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
posted by Ms A
Who’d have thought Barak Obama’s favourite book of 2015 would start with a sex scene? I’m talking about a green bikini, sand dunes and a couple of newlyweds – literally first page. Beyond the beach, Fates and Furies is contemporary literature at its best with language that is original, multi-layered and downright clever. Add characters that are strong, […]
February
23
Never Mind by Edward St Aubyn
posted by Ms A
I’m suspicious of the word “masterpiece” on the cover of a book. Just like the word miracle on a moisturiser, I should know better by now. In this case I was persuaded by a trusted and highly enthusiastic assistant at one of my favourite bookshops. I don’t want to name names but I am pretty sure […]
