An uplifting exploration of the power of books to shape our lives in an era of constant connectivity.
Book Review
BOOK REVIEW: Song Castle
Song Castle is an exuberant caper through 12th-century Wales in the company of poets and musicians from all corners of the known world as they gather to compete for a permanent place at a Welsh Prince’s table.
BOOK REVIEW: In Search of Lost Books: The Forgotten Stories of Eight Mythical Volumes
The gripping and elegiac stories of eight lost books, and the mysterious circumstances behind their disappearances.
BOOK REVIEW: White Houses
The story of an unexpected and forbidden love affair that developed between America’s First Lady and a well-known female journalist.
BOOK REVIEW: Ayiti
This debut collection from Roxane Gay is a unique blend of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, all interwoven to represent the Haitian diaspora experience.
THOUGHTS ON: The Assassin’s Cloak: An Anthology Of The World’s Greatest Diarists
A dip-in doorstop filled with risqué anecdotes, humorous stories, unintended hilarity and intriguing revelations.
BOOK REVIEW: Lost For Words
Stephanie Butland’s novel is the ideal read for a tome-weary bibliophile looking for something undemanding but intelligent to fill a relaxing evening.
BOOK REVIEW: Turn a Blind Eye (DI Maya Rahman, #1)
A headmistress is found strangled in her East London school, her death the result of a brutal and ritualistic act of violence. Found at the scene is a single piece of card, written upon which is an ancient Buddhist precept: “I shall abstain from taking the ungiven.”
BOOK REVIEW: The Little Book of Feminist Saints
Its publication date scheduled to coincide with International Women’s Day, Julia Pierpont’s The Little Book of Feminist Saints is a joyous celebration of one hundred women who achieved something of significance during their lives.
THOUGHTS ON: George Orwell: A Life in Letters
For almost forty years George Orwell wrote and received the letters collected here, which have been edited by Peter Davison.
BOOK REVIEW: Great Polar Bear
Journey into the magnificent and mysterious world of the far north in Great Polar Bear, Carolyn Lesser’s poetic and scientifically accurate story about a year in the life of a polar bear.
BOOK REVIEW: The Second Winter
Craig Larsen’s novel is a harrowing tale of survival in desperate circumstances. It will undoubtedly appeal to readers of gritty noir wartime thrillers.
BOOK REVIEW: The Only Story
A moving story of first love told in old age, looking back at a hidden world of suburban secrets and sham respectability.
THOUGHTS ON: Burmese Days
George Orwell’s 1934 novel is a tale from the waning days of British colonialism, when Burma was ruled from Delhi as a part of British India.
BOOK REVIEW: Estoril: A War Novel
Estoril is a comedy-cum-spy story set in a luxurious hotel during the height of the Second World War.
THOUGHTS ON: A Month in the Country
In the balmy summer of 1920 Tom Birkin arrives penniless at Oxgodby station with his nerves “shot to pieces” and a commission to restore a Medieval work of art.
BOOK REVIEW: The Word for Woman is Wilderness
There is much to admire in Abi Andrews’ debut novel. She has created an inspiring female protagonist, one you will think of long after reading the final page.
BOOK REVIEW: Her Body and Other Parties
Carmen Maria Machado’s debut short story collection has marked her out as an effervescent talent in fermentation.
BOOK REVIEW: Asymmetry
Asymmetry is a story in which nothing and nobody is equal. It is inventive, compelling and altogether unforgettable. We should expect to hear a great deal more of its promising author over the coming months.
BOOK REVIEW: Walking Wounded
Walking Wounded is a brilliantly crafted, often harrowing, powerfully intense piece of work, which deserves to win awards.