Guest Review by Mr M Much like stories told around a dinner table, I think the best ones contain facts with entertaining embellishment and in my own case, the occasional physical performance for added effect. Trent Dalton’s book, Boy Swallows Universe is one of the most entertaining dinner table stories, but I must admit – […]
Category Archives: Book Club Fodder
January
28
The Overstory by Richard Powers
posted by Ms A
If the measure of a great book is whether it makes you think about things differently, then this is a great book. The Overstory starts off as a collection of stories that merge into a single tale of mankind and its relationship with the environment. Some people have labelled it “environmental fiction” but that strikes […]
January
11
My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
posted by Ms K
Despite this books dark and disturbing storyline, it’s quite the hoot. I’m sure it isn’t meant to be but there you have it, it is. The title says it all so I could easily just leave this review right here and say enthusiastically go grab a copy. But I will carry on…. Set in Nigera, […]
January
10
The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
posted by Ms K
In truth, I probably could have flown to Mars in the time in took me to read The Mars Room. I am sadly alone on this because it seems this book was being devoured left, right and centre by everyone over the holiday break – well those on Instagram anyway. It’s not that I didn’t […]
December
03
Normal People by Sally Rooney
posted by Ms A
My favourite books are ones that appear simple. This is one of those books. On the face of it, Normal People tells the story of a boy and a girl and their on again/off again relationship. At school, he is the popular one and she is out of place but they get to college and […]
November
15
Severance by Ling Ma
posted by Ms A
Add this one to your summer reading list please. An irresistible, apocalyptic look at contemporary life that will keep you distracted by the pool for sure. Candace is a twenty-something single in NYC. She is so swept up in her daily routine of work, email and google that she barely notices a killer virus spreading […]
October
15
Warlight by Michael Ondaatje
posted by Ms A
In times of war, there is a particular light given off by smouldering buildings, smoke and blacked out streets. It is called warlight. A fitting name for a shadowy book about a man trying to piece together memories of his wartime childhood. This story starts in 1945 in London. A mother is living a double […]
October
01
Beautiful Revolutionary by Laura Elizabeth Woollett
posted by Ms K
If you’ve ever wondered how the saying ‘drinking the Kool-Aid‘ came about, well good news Readheads, this book answers it for you. The not-so-good news is you really won’t like the explanation. In Beautiful Revolutionary, Laura Elizabeth Woollett has penned a masterful and intriguing re-telling of the 1978 Jonestown Massacre which saw 918 men, women […]
August
30
A Hologram for the King by Dave Eggers
posted by Ms A
Alan is a likeable, but insecure middle-aged business man. He owes money everywhere and is trying to reconcile relationships with his father, daughter and ex-wife. He has a memory for jokes and a problem saying no. I love him. For some perfectly random reason, Alan finds himself in Saudi Arabia to pitch security and IT […]
July
25
The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott
posted by Ms K
When Alice McDermott writes, you don’t just read her words, you see and feel them. Her style is so delicate and intricate but so everyday and familiar. Somehow you simply settle into her character’s lives as though they were your own. I don’t know how she does this but if I ever choose to have […]
Readhead 